Monday, May 18, 2009

Thank you Mrs. Butterfield

My friend Scott Butterfield is a master with numbers in a way that I may never know in this lifetime. So it is that Scott and I are connected at the computer-hip this month as our team writes US Treasury Grant Applications.

His wife Lora is his mental match, the Executive Director of the Bonney Lake Chamber of Commerce and a domestic goddess. To break the monotony of the hard work and impact on our families, Lora and Scott invited Dylan, Luke and I over for an after work BBQ on Sunday



After hours of toiling over numbers, I joined Luke and Dylan for a jump on the Butterfield's trampoline.


























Lora's strawberry shortcake was the sweetest part of the evening.


Thursday, May 14, 2009

2 National Emmy Nominations

Three years ago I did something scary- and thankfully was supported by one beautifully persistent woman, Roxanne Kruger, a genius, Stacy, Augustine, and the greatest diplomat ever known to the cooperative movement, John Annaloro. So it is today, I am incredibly proud to receive a text message with huge news.

The PBS kids financial literacy program we introduced to be underwritten by the largest grant in the history of the National Credit Union Foundation and America's Credit Unions-- was nominated for TWO national Emmy Awards.

I cried tears of joy thinking about the good intentions we had, the promises we kept and the impact credit unions are having on young people across America and internationally.

It's days like these that the sleepless nights of work put into projects like BizKid$ all make sense. I can only hope that a few children out of the millions of viewers learn enough to stay away from high interest credit cards. (smile and coy reference to the American Debt Relief Challenge.)

Get involved:

1. Share Bizkid$ with your kids.
2. If you work at a credit union, underwrite BizKid$. It still needs your support. Conact RoxAnne Kruger or learn more.
3. Talk to your kids about money, don't just charge trips to Disney Land.

Much Love,

Jamo

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Happy Birthday and Big Homework

We celebrated Dylan's first double-digit birthday. He's officially a "big boy." Although, he'd be mortified by my saying that. It was a great party with lots of goofing around. Grandma Mary, Papa Jim, my brother and Luke were all there.

Homework
Then we went back to school and work. Oh yes, the real world does exist after the party. Dylan and I have been doing our homework together. His new teacher is great. She sends spelling lists to both of Dylan's homes.

It's also a big month for Melina and I. We are so excited about how well things are going at Credit Union Strategic Planning. A team of us are writing $12 million in US Treasury grant applications for Community Development Financial Institutions this month. To say the least, it's nose to the grindstone and pencils behind the ear.