Merry Christmas to Everyone...

Merry Christmas to Everyone! I feel for anyone fighting this cold/flu that is going around. It's taken me out for quite some time. I haven't felt like working a full day since the trip to D.C. Well... I am recovering and just starting to feel close to my normal energetic level. I have a few more great pictures from 28,000 feet that I’ll get up on the site as soon as I have time to clean them up.

GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT DROP NEWS: Thanks to our FANTASTIC volunteers, a wonderful article in the OC Register written by Jenny Sokol, and the extremely giving residents in Southern California, The Quietly Working Foundation for The Children of Fallen Soldiers was able to give around $10,000 worth of gifts to the kids and their moms in the local Southern California area. Many of you had asked how you can be involved throughout the year. More good news! We have begun our plans for the Birthday Gift Drop program. You will soon be able to sponsor a child at his/her birthday, providing for a wonderful day during a very difficult time of the year for the family. Details will be announced soon on The Quietly Working Foundation for The Children of Fallen Soldiers web site.

This foundation has been one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences. However, it has had a dark side. Anyone thinking of getting a foundation off-the-ground; be aware of the time and financial commitment it requires. The Quietly Working Foundation for The Children of Fallen Soldiers has been a labor of love for our entire voluntary staff and it is no coincidence that this has been our ad agency’s first year in the red. …deep ugly red. Although with the benefit of hindsight, I would have still chosen to start The Quietly Working Foundation for The Children of Fallen Soldiers when we did, I would highly recommend that you be in a position to comfortable self-fund or pre-fund your programs before fully committing to the endeavor. Once you become emotionally invested in the lives of others, you will willingly sacrifice your long-term stability to support your cause. This sounds noble, but lacks the wisdom that will keep your cause helping others decades into the future. In our case, healthy corporate support is right around the corner. The keys to becoming an organization viable for corporate cause related funding are:

1. Detailed POAs (Plans of Action).
2. Clear budgets with expected returns and results.
3. Impressive BOA (Board of Advisor) support that matches the efforts of your cause.
4. Testimonials and successful case studies.
5. Passion, a Big Heart, and Endurance.
   

That's the short list. I'll go into more detail another day. At the end of the day, I am a better man because of The Quietly Working Foundation for The Children of Fallen Soldiers and it is an honor to work with all of the people involved. I don't have a single regret. I just hate to see wonderful organizations die-out because of a lack of funding. Be passionate, smart, and humble and your organization will enjoy many years of helping others. Surround yourself with individuals that are wise in your areas of weakness and submit to their experience.

So, once the New Year begins, I will be in full prospecting mode for the ad agency. The good news is that it never takes long for us to get back to a position of being overwhelmed with business. Remember, the hardest working people are usually the luckiest as well. :-) Quietly Working’s tagline is Hard Work, Creativity, and Ingenuity. Employ these three every day and failure will never reach your doorstep.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!