Summer, 2006
New Board Members & Officers
Scroll down to see their pictures.
At Alternatives’ spring board of directors’ meeting, board members and officers struggled with problems and took on new responsibilities for the sake of Alternatives’ unique mission and ministry.
• Doyle Burback-Williams, chair, pastor
• Bruce Forbes, vice chair, college professor
• Melinda Zobel, secretary, new mom
• Megan Tramp, treasurer, mom-to-be.
For more pictures, scroll down to Winter 2006 and Summer 2005 newsletters.
New board members include
• Christine Gannon, director of Skyline Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center, near Detroit
• Rachel Giessen, Youth Mission Coordinator, Central Texas United Methodist Conference, Fort Worth, TX
• Siri Dale, a pastor of Trinity Lutheran, Stillwater, MN. Her organic shirt says, “Veg Out.”
• John Paul Eddy, retired professor, North Texas State University, Denton.
• Dick Webster, retired professor, Ohio State University, Columbus.
• Leah Winter has been elected student body president at Morningside College.
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| Doyle | Megan | Chris | Rachel |
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| Siri | John Paul | Leah |
Creative Ways to Support Alternatives’ Mission of Simpler Living
"Recently, when our local public radio station was having their spring fundraiser, they offered premiums for pledges over a certain dollar amount. One of the premiums was 20 Paid Promotional Announcements for the nonprofit organization of your choice. Since my husband and I were pledging the qualifying amount for this premium, I was sure I knew of a great nonprofit organization that could use those PPAs – Alternatives for Simple Living! Gerald is working with the station on the wording for the PPAs and was able to request the time of year that the spots would be heard locally. We were very happy to be able to make our donation a 'two-for-one' offer and support two important organizations at once. - Marce Wagner"
Marce is a former board member who still serves on the hospitality commitutee, welcoming other board members with her superb cooking. She’s a pharmacist. Gene is choral instructor.
If your local station does the same, please consider offering your announcements to us. We really appreciate it. This is one way that we can become better known throughout the country.
Oh, how clever our members are!
Some of our volunteers donate any speaking fees they receive to us.
Here’s another especially thoughtful gift.
Dear Alternatives for Simple Living,
Enclosed is a check for $400 that was generated through sales of my self-produced Christmas CD. This year the proceeds were made in rural Pennsylvania from mainly non-parishioners. I want this money to go to Alternatives for Simple Living. So here is the installment for this year.
You guys are one of the coolest organizations that I have ever encountered! I love what you stand for! Christian, social-justice oriented, environmentally conscious, and intensely anti-consumerism focused and you have a very important message to convey.
Could you please renew my membership with this contribution? Hopefully I will be able to sell some more through other little towns that I have served. Thank you so very much for the ministry you do for our people and also for our environment!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Paul S. Siebert, Pastor
St. Mark Church, 235 E 4th St., Emporium, PA 15834
Thank you, Father Paul!
If you would like a copy of Fr. Paul’s twelve Christmas carols for voice and guitar, send your request and $15 check to him.
Ways You CAN Help!
√ Send referrals! Be proactive by sharing the names and contact information of anyone who shows interest in voluntary simplicity – church members, friends, relatives, colleagues. It’s much more likely to happen if you call toll free 800-821-6153.
√ Be an active volunteer for Alternatives in your community. Distribute “Whose Birthday?” flyers, organize a workshop, ask your church to become a member. Visit SimpleLiving.org >> Volunteers >> Activities.
√ Set a goal of pledging a Life membership, even if you fulfill the pledge over several years.
√ Donate regularly – each month or quarter. We’re tax deductible!
√ Lower taxes through Alternatives’ Endowment.
√ Send us your ideas for the Young Adult initiative.
√ Give a simpler living nudge. Share Alternatives’ resources, give gift memberships.
We’re Blogging Now!
Even if you’ve never read a “blog” (short for “web log”), try ours: “Faces of Simpler Living.” It’s fun. We share struggles and solutions of simple livers.
Meet a couple in North Carolina who grow their own organic vegetables and live “off the grid.” Meet a young couple near the San Francisco Bay who raise chickens that lay blue eggs.
Every three days our National Coordinator, Gerald Iversen, shares experiences and photos from his travel diary. Why? Simple Livers need to support each other. Past posts are easily accessed on our site.
The blog is one of seven windows on our dynamic home page. Something new there every day!
Blog address: SimpleLiving.org (click window 3). Why not bookmark it or add it to your favorites? Share it with others.
New home page highlights are “Daily Thoughtful Quotes” and recent “Customer Comments.” “What’s It All About, Anyway?” links to FREE resources in our web site related to alternative ways to celebrate holidays, birthdays, etc.
Free email newsletter – helpful, fun information. Called “Simply :60 Seconds,” it can be read in under a minute. It’s a regular, gentle simple living nudge. It previews some upcoming features on the home page. If you’re not yet a subscriber, simply send us your email address.
We’re counting on your feedback and ideas.
Faces of Simpler Living in Colorado
Scouts Care for The Earth Dome
Ten 5th grade GIRL SCOUTS (and their helpers) from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, are each devoting 14 hours this summer to help maintain the yard at The Earth Dome. They are earning their bronze award for their service project. Their leader is Jill Miller, assisted by Nellie Hammel. We also get help from the Woodbury County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
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318 - We brought our tools. |
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319 - We water the trees to grow a winter windbreak and save energy. Soon we’ll be using rain water stored under the dome. |
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320 - Guys help too. The weeds have no chance! |
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316 - Buffalo grass is beautiful. |
Flyer Time!
Please promote “Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?” 2006 – our Advent/Christmas magazine – by distributing color flyers and copies. Urge your congregation to order enough copies for all your members. It has a fresh, new young-adult-friendly design. Call for your free flyers today! Or mark and return the reply form below. To see the cover, visit eStore >> Christmas >> Whose
Birthday? 2006
Why Order from Alternatives?
1. You’re supporting a unique ministry.
2. We offer impeccable, personal service.
We also offer hundreds of FREE resources at SimpleLiving.org >> Services >> Archives.
Share your reasons. We’d love to hear them!
SLOW Down Network Becomes Proactive
Simpler Living Community Network
Alternatives’ SLOW Down Network of volunteer speakers, workshops leaders and others is now SIMPLER LIVING COMMUNITY NETWORK – SLCN. We’re asking our 850 members of the former SLOW Down Network to CONFIRM that they want to continue in this new, proactive network. SCLN asks you to support simpler living in your own community. Please consider the activities on our web site – SimpleLiving.org >> Volunteers. What activities might we add? Will you be a resource person for one or more activities? There’s still no cost or obligation.
You will continue to receive the Inside Info newsletter unless you choose otherwise. Confirm your interest and support on the reply form in this newsletter, by phone or email. For details visit SimpleLiving.org >> Volunteers.
Your ideas are needed and welcome. Contact me at 614-433-7144, <webster.1@osu.edu>. Thanks! Dick Webster, SLCN coordinator and board member, Worthington, OH.
Member/Volunteer Reply [6/06]
Donations
___ I want to support the Young Adults Initiative!
$5000 / $2500 / $1000 / $500 /$250 / $100 / $75 / $50 / $35 / $25 – tax deductible
___ I want to pledge per __ month / __ quarter.
___ I want to be a dues-paying member, or renew.
___ I want to be a charter member of Alternatives’ endowment. I’m pledging at least $500.
___ I want to help sponsor Alternatives’ resources for 2006-2007. I’m pledging at least $500.
___ Send me information about including Alternatives in my will and about planned giving.
Volunteers
___ Yes, I want to become/continue as a member of the Simpler Living Community Network (formerly SLOW Down Network).
___ No thanks, I’m no longer interested in volunteering.
___ I’m sending an item for you to consider for “Whose Birthday?” 2007.
___ Contact me about hosting a speaker in my area.
___ I will distribute “Whose Birthday?” flyers. Send me _____ free copies.
Thank You’s
___ I’m giving $100 or more by check or credit card (include numbers and expiration date). Send me one of the following free resource for each $100...
___ Audio CD “Alternative Christmas Trilogy”
___ Audio CD “Living Simply & Loving It!”
___ CD-ROM “Simply the Best: Over 30 Years of Alternatives.”
___ “Unplug the Christmas Machine” Workshop-on-a-CD (audio).
___ “Living More-with-Less Study/Action Guide.”
___ “Spirit of Simplicity: Quotes & Art” CD-ROM
___ “More-with-Less Christmas” audio CD
For donations under $100, claim some FREEBIES!
Page updated 11 March 2013
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MISSION: Equipping people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly // An all volunteer educational organization.