Sustainable Correspondence

This week I made a couple of different attempts at getting some higher profile support for our Food Day market. I sent an email and put in a phone call to the office of Scott Simon, the state representative from the district encompassing St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes. Mr. Simon is the chairman of the Louisiana Sustainable Local Food Policy Council (http://repscottsimon.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Louisiana_Sustainable_Local_Food_Policy_Council_Minutes_2211.166125621.pdf

I have not heard back from them yet, but I plan to make another call on Thursday (depending on what Doc Burley says).

In another attempt to bolster interest, I sent an email to the marketing agent for famous New Orleans chef/local food advocate, John Besh. Mr. Besh has worked with Nat Turner of Our School at Blair Grocery, and has even spoke with him at different events promoting the importance of local food systems. Haven't heard back yet, but the email auto-response indicated that the agent was out of town for the weekend, so he probably has some catching up to do. So, we hold our breath on that one.

Yet another move in correspondence, I entered in the lastest 117 student emails for the RFC email list and sent them to Bonnie. I hear there are more, and I say keep 'em coming, I'm getting pretty good at it.

Last, I helped Tim edit the petition cards to add our slogan (Let's Give Our Food Money Back to the Farmers!) as the heading. There are a couple of different font styles we can use.

That's all for now. Next time I'll get to the Envirostation on time.

Be well.

Week of Sept. 20th-27th

I've got a meeting setup with the BSU (Black Student Union) for Monday, October 3rd to gage their interest in supporting the RFC as an organization. I also spoke with three classes last Wednesday for Ms. Casstevens (Sept. 21) and three classes today (Sept. 27th; Dr. McMillon and Ms. Hensley), and had a large amount of support from all six. The largest issue I faced was one professor asked if I had clearance from the University to be giving these presentations (caught me off guard; something to discuss in class). Also, I had two gentlemen visit my office to discuss involvement in Reconnect and the RFC, and I gave them information about Reconnect's meetings and goals within the RFC. Finally, I had a few students ask me questions after I gave my final presentation of the day to Ms. Hensley's class, and a few of them wanted me to speak to their sorority about trying to garner their organizational support.

Inspiration and Presentation

So, I've been contacting teachers asking them if they wouldn't mind having someone from class go and present. I emailed eight teachers about Timothy or Benny going speak and four agreed to let someone speak. I was able to line up nine additional classes to be presented to. I made Timothy an MS Excel spreadsheet to organize all of his presentations (teacher name, email, course name/number/time/day, date of presentation, and room/hall). I have a few more people to contact for more possible presentations.

I called Organic Inspiration and talked to the General Manager/Chef Colynne McLaughlin. She is very excited about participating and said that we can absolutely count her in. She is going to bring her own cooking supplies. She is going to figure out when that day she is available and I am going to get back with her in a few days.

The other night Sole' and I pulled her print screen tee shirt maker out from underneath her bed. I think it will be a cool project! I can't wait to help her with it. It should be a lot of fun!

I think this is it for now. As I hear back from more people about presentations I'll post it.

Erica

Tasks for this week - Bonnie

This week I've:

- emailed food day and reconnect logos to Dr. Burley and Benny
- attended president's meeting and gotten permission to have a sheet banner for Food Day in the student union
- put Tim in contact with Jim (theater department) to speak to acting classes.
- talked to Jim McHodgkins about farmer vendor's fee (we don't have to pay one! - for this one time, since it's for an event) and tax code for Reconnect bank account stuff
- talked to Johnathan Ambrose - we will have two extension cords for Food Day
- emailed Joseph to invite him to Food Day
- arranged phone call meetings with one of the sustainability directors at a university working on RFC - more to come hopefully!

Things I need to do! - talk to biology professor about speaking to biology classes possibly?  - and work on the RFC school list some more.

Woot woot! Some of this has probably blurred together with regular Reconnect stuff though.. tomorrow I'm going to add to the list of schools on step 3 of the RFC website.

-- Bonnie

Marketing Materials

I made 1/2 of the tri-fold pamphlet. Here is what I have so far. On the back I am going to have 3 more columns. One will be explaining Reconnect and the Real Food Challenge. No clue what to do for the middle column. The last column which will also be the back will be "Get Involved" explaining what they can do to help the project. Talk to friends about getting real food to campus, talking to classes, ect. Any info to add is appreciated. Click on the picture to be able to read it.

I ordered green paint for my Yudu machine to make our tee shirts. I think the shirts should be yellow in color so they are in Southeastern colors and we will stand out when this is going on. It does not matter what style shirt it is. I like wife beater style tanks so that will be my choice. To see how the Yudu machine works or what it is go here. Don't go buy a yellow shirt until I do a test run on mine. I will try to do one tonight if I have a chance.

Also we need to decide what will be on the shirts. Maybe "Reconnect Farmers Market" on the front. Can be smallish over the heart. On the back a slogan...

Real Food Challenge (Reconnect) progress

Hey everyone sent out the E-mail to mike strain, Linda franzo @Passionate Plattter, also Rick Settoon @ selu channel need to get with tim on if he scheduled anything that I need to handle on Monday, currently trying to get through to the Lt. Governor.

Test

This is a test for the fall of 2010. Our new project is the Real Food Challenge