Can it really be that long since 9/11?  Years are going by, and we are making big progress here with all our Programs and Projects.  We are totally energized by all the exciting news and big events taking place in our organization, and with all the representatives of various countries now contacting us. Just this past week, for instance, we were contacted by someone from France who wants our used Children’s Books in English to take there, by someone who will donate for a Mayan village in Mexico, AND by someone who heard about our Learning Boards™ and is interested in sending them to Kenya.  The opportunities are coming our way very quickly now.   Our big highlights include trips to Capitol Hill in Washington DC, to Afghanistan, to China, and then to Greece in rapid order over these past few months.  We are still pinching ourselves that all of this could happen so fast.  Do read about the wonderful days delivering the Learning Boards, socks and chalk in our new countries.  Personally, I still pinch myself often that I was privileged enough to hand out hundreds of these to many classrooms in Afghanistan – such a high point in my life.  TREMENDOUS to see those eager faces light up….we know we are on the right path when we see these successes.   Also, a big achievement was finding a manufacturer who is producing thousands of these for us at a very reasonable cost.  This was in response to the increased demand, and his quality is very high: his tests resulted in an average age of about 10 years of use for our little product of Learning Boards™.   In addition, a big step forward: we are thrilled to have a new Executive Assistant, Trisha Treece, who has been responsible for producing a unique and very successful fundraiser, for many promotions and many packets of information tailored for specific situations, and many other tremendous undertakings.  The synergy I experience working with Trisha is almost unbelievable.  What a great lift and help at a time when our daily activity had become so challenging, we were wondering how we could keep up.   Trisha accompanied me to Washington DC, and we accomplished an amazing amount in a short time, which would have been impossible without her.  We are expecting some funds from The Hill, and had confirmation that they were still going to do that recently.   Our Cabinet continues to aid us in huge ways…and, we have added several “Stars” to our Advisory Cabinet just recently.  For instance, Mike and Mary Espinosa have undertaken to help with Public Relations, and already have succeeded by getting us an interview with The Houston Chronicle.  Sue and Dean Gerald Treece have helped get the fundraiser off  to a great start, and also with more efficient handling of meetings and our tremendous set of volunteers, among other things.