Trip to Turkey!

I'm honored to share that the Acacia Foundation invited me on behalf of my firm Credit Union Strategic Planning to participate in a cultural trip to Turkey to develop mutual understanding between Turkish and American people. I am deeply moved to visit my second predominantly muslim, democracy to study their economy, culture, history and of course the presence of cooperatives and credit unions.


I learned much during my 2006 trip to Mali, West Africa. It too is a predominantly Muslim nation with a thriving democracy. The role of cooperatives and credit unions there, inspired much of my community development credit union work during the last three years.


We depart for Turkey next month! My passport is ready. 

Such Great Heights

This spring has been beautiful with mist and sunshine producing a rainbow over Tacoma at least once a week, and there is a pot of gold under it, I swear.  Einstein blessed us all with his philosophy, "in adversity there is opportunity." The adversity is nearly a vague memory, even my attachment to it. Now the opportunities that continue to unfold are taking my life to such great heights!

Such Great Heights Top Ten List:

10. Inventing a new exercise regime resulting in my trainer guiding me to beat all of the men at the gym to gain the most lean muscle mass during the Fitness Challenge. My weightlifting and yoga with SkyAnn has become an incredible spiritual practice with affirmations between weight sets like, “I am one with God,” and “I am strong, powerful and focused,” held in warrior two position with an archer movement. This focus has direct application to getting results with my home and work.

9. Amsterdam in August. I am actively pursuing affordable ways to broaden my experience of the world. The planning is paying off. Another consultant offered to do a brief home exchange. Details to come…

8. The guest cabin is finished and officially a revenue stream that produces financial stability with a renter that also enhances my quality of life. My long-time friend, Sam Dollar, friend of both Graef kids and all around good guy is great fun and help to have around. The cabin is there if Grandma ever wants to come live with me. It could also be a future office as Credit Union Strategic Planning continues to grow.

7. Quality family time at Camp Seymour with Dylan, one of the best weeks every with my son. We canoed, climbed a giant rock wall, and made new friends. My co-cabin leader Kelly, ended up becoming one of my dearest friends. She’s from New Zealand and a real kiwi.

 (My camp uniform)

(Dylan smiling on a big canoe.)

 

(My cabin pranksters: We stole the boys' shoes, including Dylan's.)

6. Credit Union Strategic Planning is rocking. The Congressman’s Office called us to offer official Congressional Recognition for the American Debt Relief Challenge. And after adding Scott as our CEO the quality of work continued to exceed expectations. The reward is in the referrals. We will be speaking at the national Community Credit Union Conference as experts on The US Treasury CDFI grants in Boston in October. Landing the largest individual credit union grant from the Obama Administration’s Recovery Act Funds had a little something to do that.

5. Recovered pictures from Africa. After the 2006 World Trade Center Tacoma  Goodwill Mission to Africa debrief at the University of Washington with Congressman Adam Smith, my hard drive deleted my photos. I was bummed. Most of the trip was spent studying poverty reduction and visiting credit unions and cooperatives. A conversation this week with my brother and viola, he had backups the whole time!

4. Paying off debt. It feels good to be complete with my word. Money is just a means to exchange value. I value my word and am being100% complete with my word, beyond legal obligation. (Even paying cheating ex-boyfriend who I don't legally owe money. I did care deeply about him and have the respect to bring closure for myself.)

3. Being a role model for friends who see I made it through a hard time to show them they will get through it too. Two friends have called me on the brink of taking their lives during the last year. Both have thanked me for being there at the critical time, being unwavering in my demand that they deal with it head on, and being so honest about my own challenge last year that they weren’t embarrassed to talk to me. Several other friends have sought assistance with starting their own businesses. It feels good to be a reliable friend.

2. My brother desires to plant another garden this year. Scott and his boys want to help build the fence. Whitney is committed to lead the old concrete removal and I will have a new back yard when we paint the back house to get ready for a refinance. The goal, thank my grandmother for believing in me by getting her name off the loan.

1. I feel like myself again and life is rocking. And with that comes the realization that I am best when I am fully being me. And with that comes the knowledge as a parent to support Dylan fully being himself. 

(Dylan during a recent trip to Washington DC visiting Cousin Simon.)

 

I am motivated to action by my awareness that what holds us in the same place is only what we do not do. And wow I am not in the same place now I was at this time last year. I got rid of all of the negative influences. Took action on every opportunity and am making life the reality I desire to live…

Saving Ohio

This blog is written as a tool for you to use to help Ohio. Please copy, paste and repost on your blog and into emails to your friends and family to help save a historic village and jobs in Ohio.

***************
My name is Jamie and I love Ohio, my grandma and a little historic village named Zoar. Grandma Jeanne raised me to build community by volunteering. We even made apple butter and spun wool together in the village garden. Right now she and everyone else back home is trapped, flooded in their homes.

Please help me to raise $250,000 to save Zoar's historic buildings. It is a beautiful place that looks like a Norman Rockwell painting. Unfortunately the walls are cracking and the flooded buildings are caving.

http://www. timesreporter. com/opinion/x1670185857

Beyond the first greenhouse in Ohio, amazing architecture and the history of co-ops (like REI and credit unions) in Zoar, these buildings have significant impact on Ohio tourism. Ohio needs every job and the HOPE of future jobs. Tourism funds jobs that can’t be outsourced to another country, continent or planet.

When I visited villages in Africa, I saw first hand jobs created, when tourism brings outside dollars in and how it empowers communities. If you have even one friend living in Ohio, please send $1 to help this town.

Even though I’m a single mom, I am sending $100 to the Zoar Society. Please join me. For every $100 that is sent, I’ll work hard to find $100 to match it.

Here's how you can you help now:

1.) For matching funds, email me your pledge: jamiejchase@mac.com

2.) Mail your check to:

Zoar Village
198 Main Street
P.O. Box 404
Zoar, OH 44697

3.) Please also send an email to Ohio Senator Ron Amstutz at
SD22@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Ask him to join you in saving Zoar and to sponsor legislation that creates jobs by funding tourism promotions and historic preservation. Funding this is a strategic investment being made by and producing returns by states from West Virginia to Nevada and even in Mali, West Africa. Ohio, get jiggy with it! These buildings of the past, also represent your future.

Thank you already for helping me to repay the lessons that my grandmother taught me, not only do we build our communities, but together we keep them strong.

With Hometown Love,

Jamie Chase (Graef)
www.jamiechase.blogspot.com