March 12, 2004

Gassho

I am back from Assisi with much news.

First, I want to let you know that the website www.assisipeace.com will be up in just a few days. This is the result of a tremendous amount of work as any of you who have created a website well know. We'll send out an email announcement the moment it's up!

We are waiting to hear from Pino, the building contractor in Assisi, who has given the house we are considering a clean bill of health and who will shortly give us an estimate for remodeling as well as a timeline for the work. Truth be told, we are in no hurry to get that information as we have no funds with which to purchase the building at this moment.

As I mentioned in the last update, we want to receive as much of the funding for the building as we can from individuals via the Give a Dollar (or euro, or pound, or yen...) for Peace campaign. We really want this to be a grassroots effort. To that end we are planning a "launch" around the middle of June aimed at getting this message out to as many people as possible.

From the emails we received when we asked who would be interested in staying informed about this project, we found three individuals who have marketing experience. They have given us wonderful tips about this next phase of fund-raising, and we are still looking for experts to help us accomplish what they have suggested. Here are our current areas of need: advertising, people in the media, people with media contacts, corporate sponsors (someone suggested an Italian company doing business in the U.S.), and those having access to those who could help us get this message out to the world.

We are planning to use the internet, of course, asking people to forward our message to friends and family, and we would like you to see if you could gain the email addresses (for a one-time use, even to rent or buy) of groups with which you are associated. Best of all would be if the head of the group would send out a message of support for the project. So if you could check with your church or organizations you belong to and get their support, that would be grand. Also, send along the names of organizations even if you're not a part of that group. If they are like-minded folks, we might be able to find the person who could give us their backing. We don't expect that all the exposure we are seeking will be donated, so we are prepared to pay for some advertising during the launch.

As we do this, we are hoping to move into other countries. If you have folks outside the U.S., please approach them and see if they would be willing to assist where they are. This is an international peace center and the sooner we are partnering with our friends around the world, the better for us all. Remind everyone you speak to that we are inviting them to add their name and home country to our list of "global peace people." And, that it is not necessary to make a donation to have one's name on the list. Oh, and that we will accept donations larger than one unit of currency!

Speaking of money, we have currently raised about half of our original target sum of $100,000.00. We are using this money for all our expenses apart from the building purchase. Thus far we have paid for the website and for miscellaneous items such as office supplies, phone line, email address, and postage. We are also paying for some expert advice on long-range fundraising and organizing to support this effort for many years. Our total expenses to date are about $6,500.00. As we get going we will be putting our financial details on the website so people know exactly what their money is supporting. In time, I will need to return to Italy to meet with inspectors, get "permissions," and arrange the purchase of the property. My expenses will need to come out of your donations, and I promise to be frugal. If you have been planning to donate, now would be a good time. As we move from planning to action, the expenses are going to increase. This up front money is as crucial as the money to buy the building. Please know that even if you contribute now we will be sending you the Dollar for Peace campaign email to forward to loved ones.

I think that's it for now. We will be in touch soon with dates for the launch and to let you know how it's all coming together. I did receive word just before I left Assisi that the powers that be will not allow us to use the name Assisi Peace Center because there are already three peace centers in Assisi (all quite different from the one we are planning). I've been playing around with Peace Around the World, which certainly says what we're up to, but we need to get Assisi, Italy, in the title. If you have ideas, please send them along.

Ciao and gassho,

Cheri, for the Assisi Peace Center team

 

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