Business Community Launches Support for Missouri Disaster

Though survivors of the deadly May 22 tornadoes in Joplin have lost much, one company seeks to ease their burden by providing self-service storage services. A community partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], U-Haul Co. of Missouri offers 30 days of free storage to tornado survivors in Joplin.

U-Box Portable Storage units can be delivered to the customer’s location or may be picked up at the U-Haul store located at 2521 E. 7th St., Joplin, Mo., according to Kevin Neighbors, president of U-Haul Co. of Missouri.

Once filled, the company will store the 280-square-foot containers in its secure warehouse or deliver containers to a site of the customer’s choice, Neighbors explained. For the cost of delivery from Springfield, the company will provide the storage services for 30 days, free of charge.

Additionally, the company offers its Take-a-Box, Leave-a-Box program to survivors. Customers may return reusable boxes and take others as needed at no cost. Neighbors encourages those with any type of reusable box to drop it off at the nearest U-Haul location for re-use by others.

"U-Haul’s survivor program is a fine example of FEMA working with its community partners,” explained Libby Turner, FEMA federal coordinating officer for the Missouri disaster. "FEMA intergovernmental specialists are working right alongside Joplin business partners as part of a team effort toward Joplin’s recovery."

"The intense tornadoes have caused a tremendous amount of damage to the communities we serve," Neighbors said. "I hope this effort will help provide assistance to families that need support. We will do our best to help our friends and neighbors in this time of need."

For more information, call U-Haul Co. of Missouri at 1-800-255-5953.

SOURCES: Federal Emergency Management Agency, U-Haul International Inc. [graphic]
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During Flood Safety Awareness Week, FEMA, NOAA and Partners Encourage U.S. Residents to Prepare for Springtime Flooding

With many communities throughout the nation facing threats of spring flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] are once again joining forces to commemorate Flood Safety Awareness Week, March 14-18.

FEMA and NOAA's National Weather Service are providing tips and information to help individuals and families prepare for flooding dangers during the week and throughout the spring season. The resources can be accessed at the Flood Safety Awareness Week landing page, located at www.ready.gov/floodawareness.

"As the nation's most common and expensive natural disaster, floods can strike virtually every community," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate [pictured]. "We're encouraging individuals and families to take a few simple steps to protect themselves and their property.

"These include learning about their risk of flooding, having an emergency preparedness kit, storing important documents in a safe place, and considering the purchase of flood insurance. Most homeowners insurance policies don't cover flooding, and most policies take 30 days to go into effect. So, it's important to act now."

Floods do more than damage property. They can also threaten lives if safety precautions are not followed.

"Floods occur somewhere in the United States or its territories nearly every day of the year -- killing nearly 100 people on average annually, and causing damage in the billions of dollars," said Jack Hayes, Ph.D., director of the National Weather Service. "Awareness, preparedness and action are the key ingredients to protecting lives and property when floods threaten.

"One essential safety tip is to never cross a road that is covered by water. Remember: 'Turn Around, Don't Drown.'"

According to the National Weather Service, more deaths occur due to flooding each year than from any other severe weather related hazard. The main reason: people underestimate the force and power of water. All areas of the country can be at risk for flooding, and when such conditions are forecast, important information and life-saving alerts are available at http://www.weather.gov/.

More than half of all flood-related deaths result from vehicles being swept downstream. Remember: flash flooding can take only a few minutes to a few hours to develop.

Be prepared to take detours and adjust your route due to road closures if there is standing water. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Flood water may be much deeper than it appears as the roadbed may be washed out. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

In most cases, standard homeowner's insurance policies don't cover flood damages. FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program makes flood insurance available to renters, homeowners and business owners through thousands of insurance agents located in nearly 21,000 communities around the nation. Flood coverage can be purchased for properties both in, and outside of, the highest-risk areas -- but should be considered regardless of where you live, since 20 percent of all flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas.

The average cost of a policy is $570 a year, and Preferred Risk Policies outside of Special Flood Hazard Areas can be as low as $129 a year. Individuals can learn more about seasonal flood risks and what to do to prepare by visiting FEMA's FloodSmart.gov website; or, by calling 1-800-427-2419.

Click here for information about residential flood insurance.

Click here for information aabout commercial flood coverage.

About FEMA
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that, as a nation, we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Visit http://www.fema.gov/.

About NOAA
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment -- from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun -- and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov/.

SOURCES: Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service
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Google, SBA Launch 'Tools for Online Success' Partnership; Free Small-Business Marketing Tips Offered

Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] and Google announced a new partnership and unveiled "Tools for Online Success" -- an array of online resources and training designed to help small-business owners harness technology to grow their businesses.

The "Tools for Online Success" site [http://www.google.com/help/sba] features tutorials, video testimonials, and tips from savvy small-business people who have leveraged the Web to become more efficient, more cost-effective, and more successful.

"The SBA is pleased to partner with Google to put these important tools in the hands of small businesses across the country," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "As the Web evolves and consumers adapt accordingly, we know that more customers are finding traditional 'Main Street' businesses online. With these tools for online success, we can ensure that these small businesses reach new markets and customers, so they can continue to create jobs."

"One-fifth of searches on Google are related to location, which shows that people are looking to the Internet to make decisions about where to go and what to do in their daily lives," said John Hanke [pictured], vice president of product management, Google. "We want to connect our users with the businesses that provide the goods and services they need. But the first step is for those businesses to have an online presence. We're excited to team up with the SBA to make that process easier for business owners across the country."

Google and the SBA unveiled the partnership during a forum held today at the SBA’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C., and broadcast live online to press and small-business owners across the nation. Susan Holt, principal and owner of CulinAerie, a recreational cooking school in downtown D.C., shared her experiences working with the SBA, and explained how she has used online tools like Google Places and search engine optimization [SEO] to attract more aspiring cooks.

Holt is just one of the many small-business owners from across the U.S. who are sharing how they've used online tools to reach new customers. Many are featured in the video testimonials found at the Google/SBA "Tools for Online Success" site. Each video documents the unique success stories that these small businesses have created using online technology:

* Masha Hleap-Hershkovitz, owner of Fuego Mundo in Sandy Springs, Ga., uses social media to request feedback from restaurant customers for improvement. Ms. Hleap-Hershkovitz even used social media to name her restaurant. "We bounced back and forth with a potential name for months, and we were kind of bottlenecked," she says. "We put it out there [on social media], and it came back 70 percent 'Fuego Mundo.'" Visit http://www.fuegomundo.com/.

* Sean Vahey, owner of Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream in San Francisco, uses social media and Google Places to launch new menu items and cultivate a worldwide following for his company’s unique ice cream flavors. "I don’t have a lot of time do marketing," Mr. Vahey says. "I don’t have a lot of time to sit down and reach out to people. I’m able to get on the computer and, two minutes later, I’ve gotten the word out… Our Google Places page is important, because it’s got all of our information in one spot -- our website, our phone number. You can see where we are on a map, and you can even get directions." Visit http://www.humphryslocombe.com/.

* Sumul Shah, owner of Lumus Construction in Woburn, Mass., uses its website and online maps to research projects all over the United States, and to show potential customers examples of its past work. According to Mr. Shah, "Customers can see and visualize the types of projects, and the complexity of the work we do… In the future, our website will not only talk about how much renewable energy we’re building, but we’ll actually quantify it. We’ll be able to take live data coming from all the wind turbines and solar panels that we’ve installed, simulate it, and be able to report not only how much energy we’re producing, but also what the environmental benefits are." Visit http://www.lumusinc.com/.

* Aliyyah Baylor, owner of Make My Cake in Harlem, New York City, redesigned her website to display vivid imagery of its baked goods. Make My Cake is family-owned and operated, and Ms. Baylor says, "Our website is an extension of our business when it’s too busy for someone to answer the phone. It’s our virtual salesperson, and that is very key." Visit http://www.makemycake.com/.

* Mandy Scott, owner of Mandy Scott Flowers in San Francisco, uses highly targeted online advertising to help her premium flower boutique compete with national brands on a small marketing budget. She says, "We are tiny compared to the big players. I can’t hope to compete with them on any kind of national scale, but I feel that, locally, we do very well. Showing up in both natural and paid search results is important for us, because we want to be on a level playing field with the big guns." Visit http://www.mandyscottflowers.com/.

* Jessica Soler, owner of Salon Red in Decatur, Ga., uses a website and local online listings to help her customers find salon locations and to book appointments. She says, "A great example of how the Web helps Salon Red is, we were nominated with one of the local papers to be a 'Best Of' salon in Atlanta, and tons of people went online to vote for all of our locations. We just were flooded with business, and it all came from online." Visit http://www.salonred.com/.

* Christopher Bartlett, owner of Skaters Landing in West Hartford, Conn., uses online videos to teach customers from all over the world how to properly shop for, and use, ice skating products. "We really were able to reach out to new markets," says Mr. Bartlett. "I don’t look at [our online efforts] as a place to go to and hard-sell, but to really talk with people and answer some of the questions that people might have." Visit http://www.skaterslanding.com/.

* Louis Rossetto, CEO of TCHO in San Francisco, brings a start-up mentality to his company’s premium chocolate production. TCHO uses Web analytics to constantly improve its website's layout, ensuring consumers are engaging with its products in the most effective way possible. "You can’t be a modern company without using modern tools, and online is just fundamental to being in business today," says Rossetto. "Our website represents our direct link to our customers. We use it to explain who we are, engage our community, and it’s certainly a storefront for us. You’re inviting the whole world into your store if you do that online." Visit http://www.tcho.com/.

Continued success stories like these are the goal of the Google/SBA partnership. Visit the "Tools for Online Success" website for a full rundown.

Tips for Small-Business Marketing Online
Here are a few easy tips that all small-business owners should be using in order to optimize the free and low-cost marketing power of the Internet:

* Establish your online presence. One out of five searches on Google are related to location. Most local online listings such as Google Places are free, and if your business doesn’t have a website, there are ready-made site templates and free hosting services that make establishing an online presence easy.

* Use free marketing to reach customers. You can build a fan base with free services -- e.g., YouTube, Facebook and Twitter -- that keep your customers in-the-know about new products or specials, and aware of promotions. These services are great "word-of-mouth" platforms -- where a customer following you might tell their friends about your business.

* Know your customers. Easy-to-use Web analytics tools -- e.g., Google Analytics -- can tell you a lot about your customers -- by analyzing what search term brought them to your website, or what they look at while they are there. This information can help you make smart decisions about what you feature and what search terms you should run search ads on.

* Keep an eye on the latest trends. The growing popularity of smart phones means that more and more customers are searching for local information on the go. This makes it all the more important that a business’s online presence be accurate and up-to-date. For example, you can link to your menu, give users driving directions, and even post digital coupons. Oh, and be sure to bookmark Google Trends, too: http://www.google.com/trends.

SOURCES: Google [photo], U.S. Small Business Administration
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SBA, Minority Business RoundTable Renew Strategic Partnership to Expand Outreach to Minority Entrepreneurs

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that it renewed its two-year partnership agreement with the Minority Business RoundTable [MBRT], to continue joint outreach efforts to minority entrepreneurs.

“During these difficult economic times, it is imperative that we provide small and minority businesses with the necessary tools to drive economic growth and create jobs in their communities,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured]. “Far too often, minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs encounter hurdles to getting capital, contracts and other assistance to help them succeed in the marketplace. Making sure we do all we can to remove these hurdles is a top priority for SBA and the Obama Administration.”

This strategic alliance is part of SBA’s ongoing effort to support small-business development initiatives in underserved communities. The agreement allows the organizations to share resources and educate minority entrepreneurs on how to use SBA products and services to establish and grow their businesses.

SBA has supported substantial financing to minority-owned small businesses under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Since the Act was signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009, minority-owned small businesses have received more than $4 billion in SBA-backed loans -- about 23 percent of the more than $18.5 billion in small-business lending that SBA has supported under the Recovery Act.

Minority-owned businesses continue to account for about 29 percent of the agency’s overall lending, and 37 percent of its microloans. Minority-owned small businesses also have received more than $3 billion worth of federal contracts under the Recovery Act.

MBRT is a national membership organization for minority CEOs that serves as a unified voice for minority businesses. Through this partnership, the SBA and MBRT intend to help more of these businesses succeed and stimulate economic growth in their communities and the nation’s economy.

The SBA-MBRT alliance is intended to strengthen and expand small-business development across the nation for minority entrepreneurs. SBA will provide MBRT with timely information on the agency’s programs, services and resource partners; participate in roundtable discussions and conferences; and advise them on events that will impact their mission.

As part of the resource pooling, MBRT will cooperate with SBA and its resource partners to provide information to members about its business-development programs and services, and share current SBA news and information. The two-year agreement is a renewal of the partnership between the SBA and MBRT, and was implemented on Jan. 11, 2010.

GoodBiz113 Tools
* SBA: http://www.sba.gov/
* MBRT: http://www.mbrt.net/
* Recovery.gov: http://www.recovery.gov/

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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SBA Offers $10 Million Surety Bond Guarantee; Aids Recovery in Construction and Service Sectors

Building on Recovery Act provisions implemented earlier this year, the U.S. Small Business Administration [SBA] announced today that it can now provide surety bond guarantees on federal contracts valued at up to $10 million -- if the contracting officer certifies that the guarantee is in the best interests of the government. An interim final rule is available for public inspection at The Federal Register.

Currently, under a related provision of the Recovery Act that was implemented in March, SBA can provide bond guarantees up to $5 million through September 2010 on all public and private contracts, and subcontracts. SBA partners with the surety industry to help small businesses that would otherwise be unable to obtain bonding in the traditional commercial marketplace. Under the partnership, SBA provides a guarantee to the participating surety company of between 70 and 90 percent of the bond amount.

"Raising the surety bond limit is a critical step in making sure that small businesses in the construction and service sectors have access to federal contracting opportunities that will help drive economic recovery," SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured] said. "These changes support small and emerging businesses nationwide -- particularly construction contractors who have seen their markets hurt by a poor economy and lagging construction."

Additional program enhancements published in the rule include:

* A new small-business size standard for this program;

* Authorization for SBA to exercise discretion in deciding bond liability issues; and

* A definition of "order" issued under an indefinite-delivery contract.

The new size standard [which will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2010] temporarily replaces the current size standard for the surety bond guarantee program. It states that a business is small if the business, combined with its affiliates, does not exceed the size standard designated for the primary industry of the business combined with its affiliates. The North American Industry Classification System [NAICS] Codes contained in 13 CFR Part 121 establishes size standards for all industries.

Through its Surety Bond Guarantee Program, SBA will also help by guaranteeing bid, payment and performance bonds to protect the project owner against financial loss if a contractor defaults or fails to perform.

Finally, the rule adds a definition for an "order" issued under an indefinite-delivery contract to clarify that SBA bond guarantees apply to individual orders, as well as contracts.

SBA assistance in locating a participating surety company or agent, and completing application forms, is available online.

For more information on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program, including surety office contacts, go to http://www.sba.gov/osg/; or, call 1-800-U-ASK-SBA.

SOURCES: Recovery.gov, U.S. Small Business Administration
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Recycline Makes It to Second Round of Forbes.com's $100,000 Boost Your Business Contest; Vote Now!

GoodBiz113 profilee Recycline Inc. ["Recycline-Stonyfield Partnership Milks Resources to Benefit the Environment, Consumers and Each Other"] has just made it to the second round of Forbes.com's Boost Your Business Contest. The grand prize: $100,000.

"Recycline has been given a great opportunity to reach more people with our environment-friendly products," said Eric Hudson, Recycline's CEO and founder. "We've been named one of 20 semifinalists [out of 1,000]... $100,000 would go a long way to helping us spread our message -- using Earth's resources more efficiently and giving consumers better choices for the everyday products we all use."

Recycline is the innovative company that transforms used plastic from Stonyfield Farm yogurt cartons and other sources into personal-care products and tableware. If the company wins Forbes.com's contest, their prize will go towards marketing their goods to new consumers; i.e., those who are just beginning to "go green" and buy eco-conscious goods.

"We currently generate about $2 million in annual revenues, with a net profit of approximately 5%," Hudson noted. "We estimate that a $100,000 investment will likely generate a $500,000 increase in sales in 2008, and sustained profitability. This would result from a combination of increased retail sales in mainstream channels and an increase in online sales through Recycline’s new Web site."

You can learn about Recycline's Preserve® line of products and its far-reaching practices and educational campaigns at http://www.recycline.com/. You can cast your vote for the recycled-plastics manufacturing pioneer here: http://www.forbes.com/byb/byb07_recycline.html. Second-round voting ends Aug. 31, 2007.

NOTE: As a thank-you for taking a minute to vote for Recycline, the company is offering 15% off all Preserve products during the month of August at its online store. Shop now: http://www.recycline.com/catalog.
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Recycline Marks Partnership Milestones With Special-Edition Toothbrush; Stonyfield Farm CEO Promotes 2007 Farm Bill

As of last October, when GoodBiz113 featured Recycline's innovative partnership with Stonyfield Farm, the world's leading producer of organic yogurt ["Recycline-Stonyfield Farm Partnership Milks Resources to Benefit the Environment, Consumers and Each Other"], just more than 1 million yogurt cups had been recycled into Recycline's eco-friendly Preserve® brand of consumer products [e.g., toothbrushes, razors].

This morning, Recycline announced that it's given new life to more than 2 million Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. The company is marking that milestone -- and the five-year anniversary of its recycling partnership, and shared commitment to educating consumers about healthy product choices and preserving the environment -- by introducing a special-edition toothbrush. This toothbrush -- in Stonyfield Farm's signature rich-blue hue, no less -- features a unique insert about the partnership of these forward-thinking New England companies, and is being sold at retail stores throughout 2007.

Recycline uses recycled plastics to manufacture some of its its Preserve® brand products. Since Stonyfield Farm uses polypropylene [#5] plastic for some of its yogurt-cup material, the recycling partnership with Recycline is a natural fit.

“Sourcing recycled materials for a consumer product -- instead of using virgin resources -- is a great way to support natural-resource conservation and reduce dependence on foreign fuels,” states Recycline’s president and founder Eric Hudson. “Many people don’t realize that, since plastics are made with valuable resources like natural gas and oil, using recycled materials is one very important step in reducing our reliance on foreign oil and gas.

“Using recycled materials also reduces the cost to our environment caused by the exploration, mining, reprocessing and transportation of these precious resources. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council reports that making products from recycled plastics vs. non-recycled plastics reduces pollution and energy usage by 70%-80%."

Preserve® Brand Expands
Recycline’s Preserve brand includes the Preserve® Toothbrush, the Preserve® Jr Toothbrush, the Preserve® Razor, Preserve® Tongue Cleaners, and Preserve® Flavored Toothpicks made from sustainably harvested and locally grown white birch wood. In 2005, Recycline expanded into the kitchenware market with the launch of its Preserve Tableware line, which includes Preserve® Plateware, Preserve® Cutlery and Preserve® Tumblers -- all of which are reusable and recyclable plates, forks, knives, spoons and cups made from recycled plastic and offered in stylish colors.

The Preserve® Razor Triple is the latest addition to the Preserve brand. This new razor is the first environment-friendly alternative for high-performance shaving products.

Handles of Recycline’s products are made from 100% recycled plastics -- much of which comes from recycled Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. And the recycling story doesn’t end there, as the handles are also completely recyclable through community recycling programs that accept #5 plastics, or by using Recycline’s unique postage-paid recycling mailer [enclosed with products]. All returned Preserve products and packaging are then recycled into plastic lumber, which is used to make picnic tables, decks, boardwalks and other durable products.

Recycline’s mission is to help consumers conserve – to develop products with improved function that are also responsible to the Earth. The Preserve brand’s key message is, “Preserve your Health, Preserve the Earth.”

Stonyfield Farm Takes the Lead -- Environmentally, Socially and Politically
Stonyfield Farm donates 10% of its profits to environmental causes. It was America’s first manufacturer to offset 100 percent of its CO2 emissions from its facility energy use, and recently installed the largest solar array in New Hampshire to help power its production plant -- all efforts to reduce global warming.

Through recycling initiatives, Stonyfield Farm has kept more than 10 million pounds of waste out of landfills and incinerators. As a result, the company is widely known as a national leader in environmentally and socially sound business practices.

"Stonyfield Farm has been educating consumers on key environmental issues and motivating them to take action for over 20 years," says Gary Hirshberg [pictured above], president and CEO [AKA CE-Yo] of Stonyfield Farm. “Our ongoing partnership with Recycline has made possible the recycling of more than 2 million yogurt cups into useful, new planet-friendly products like the Preserve® toothbrushes and, now, the Preserve Razor Triple. This project demonstrates what companies can do to take responsibility for their products -- from design to disposal."

Celebrating its 24th year, Stonyfield Farm is the world’s leading organic yogurt maker, and produces all-natural and organic yogurt, smoothies, cultured soy, frozen yogurt, ice cream, milk and the new Shift™ energy drink. The company advocates that healthy food can only come from a healthy planet.

Hirshberg: Farm Bill Affects Us All
Stonyfield Farm was the nation’s first dairy processor to pay farmers not to treat cows with the synthetic bovine growth hormone rBST, and is universally respected for its strong partnerships with regional family farmers. In fact, just last week, Hirshberg issued a heartfelt plea to citizens/voters and elected officials to support the 2007 Farm Bill that both houses of the 110th Congress are considering:

"You may have heard that Congress is now reshaping our nation’s Farm Bill in preparation for its September renewal," Hirshberg wrote in his company's "Moosletter" to Stonyfield customers, employees, friends, etc. "But you may not know how profoundly it could affect your life and the lives of future generations.

"I’m especially concerned about the impact the new Farm Bill will have on our nation’s family farms. The U.S. is currently losing farmland to development at a rate of two acres per minute! And, as they say, asphalt is the final crop; once you lose farmland to development, you almost never get it back.

"Our local sources of fruits, vegetables and dairy are at risk. According to Environmental Defense, more than 80% of our fruits and vegetables, and more than 60% of our dairy products, are produced in areas threatened by sprawl. Our communities are losing wildlife habitat, and scenic and cultural landscapes. And all at a rate of more than a million acres per year!

"Small to medium-sized farms make up 40% of U.S. farm and ranch land. Yet our current Farm Bill sends about 73% of all farm subsidies to the largest 10% of farms in the country. With the new Farm Bill, we could fix this inequity and do much more to help smaller farms survive.

"A proposed part of the 2007 Farm Bill -- the Healthy Farms, Fuels and Food Act -- is bipartisan legislation that could give family farmers access to the conservation, renewable energy, and other programs that send about $20 billion in subsidies to U.S. farmers each year. It would also provide financial assistance to help family farmers make the costly transition to organic production methods.

"Last week, I met with Sen. Tom Harkin [D-Iowa], who chairs the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and will, thus, be the principal architect and leader of the 2007 Farm Bill’s drafting and passage. Sen. Harkin emphatically stressed to me the important role that Stonyfield consumers could play by letting Congress know where they stand. Particularly, with a very significant election coming up in 2008, senators and Congress people are acutely sensitive to constituents’ calls and e-mails.

"Congress renews the Farm Bill only once every five to seven years, so this opportunity won’t come again soon. Now’s the time to let your Congressperson know that you support the Healthy Farms, Foods and Fuels Act. To learn more about this legislation and how you can support it, click here."

Next Steps
Both Recycline and Stonyfield Farm serve the estimated 63 million U.S. consumers who strongly consider the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions, and the retailers that sell natural products to these consumers. The companies' products are available nationwide in thousands of natural health food stores and supermarket chains.
To learn more about Recycline and the Preserve brand, please visit http://www.recycline.com/, or call 1-888-354-7296.

For more information about Stonyfield Farm, its products and initiatives, visit http://www.stonyfield.com/AboutUs, or call 1-800-PRO-COWS.

Contact your senators and representatives.
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Minnesota Artisans Mobilize Community to Create 9/11 Stained-Glass Memorial Window: Part 2

Editor's note: This week, as we mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11, GoodBiz113 is privileged to recognize a far-reaching project spearheaded by two exemplary artists/citizens/small-business owners in 2002. This is the second in a two-part series.

The Upshot
The towering tribute that Stephanie and Mike Podulke coordinated catches rays of light as it annexes the west side of Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Art Center. It aptly reflects the heartfelt spirit of the 400-plus volunteers who donated time, energy and sentimental glass fragments to build the meditative and symbolic salute to 9/11's heroes and victims.

At the 9/11 Memorial Window's site is a small stand, on which a comment book rests. Inside the book are photos that chronicle the memorial's assembly, plus memories and observations recorded by 150 to 200 volunteers. Among them:
* Photo, labeled "Clear shards, crystals for Twin Towers...There is a special place in heaven for those who wrap little pieces!"
* Note from the Rochester Fire Department firefighter who took a copper panel back to the fire station, where he and other firefighters punched 343 star-holes to represent the number of New York City Fire Department comrades who died on 9/11.
* Note from John and Cheryl Coleman, who worked on panel No. 7. "We used leaded crystal wine glasses given to us by Cheryl's brother, Col. George White, U.S. Army [Ret.], as a wedding gift in 1969."
* Blessing delivered by Rev. Dillman Baker Sorrells [now retired from First UU] during dedication ceremony on Nov. 23, 2002
* Poem by Abbie Whitehead, DVM, after working on the window for the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota, on October 20, 2002:

Stained Glass Window

Our tears have become crystal

now that the mist has cleared.

Surrounded by their sisters

and soldered by their brothers

all soldiered in together

recruits for a war that was not theirs.

The rainbow was their lives,

all the colors were their faces.

These let the light come shining,

and let the angels fly.

For they are still among us now

we see them in the stars.

And through the crystal

we must see

the light in every one on earth;

help others to see, too --

That war and terror are not the way

to let the light shine through.

In October 2002, Dr. Abbie Whitehead, a veterinarian, was visiting from Fairfield, Cal., to have surgery at Rochester's Mayo Clinic. One day, she spied one of Podulkes' hand-painted signs and drove up to join their volunteer project.

"I thought it was neat they were doing it, and that they were letting other people get involved, too," reflected Whitehead. "I knew that talking to people while doing something physical and creative would help take my mind off why I was there. Plus, since I used to be a farrier, I was pretty adept at hammering onto a pritchel. That came in handy for punching stars on copper."

Whitehead grew up on Long Island, and had a 10-year military career in the Veterinary Corps. She was still in the military on 9/11 [stationed at Travis AFB], and knew two people who died that day: a distant cousin, and the wife of a Pentagon colonel.

"I think 9/11 affected all of us and opened a vulnerability on our own soil," said Whitehead. "I know every time I drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to visit my mother now, I think about it and recall exactly when it happened: 5:45 a.m. [PT]. It's akin to the day JFK was shot."

Thinking back to October 2002, Whitehead was poetic about her time working on the memorial. "While doing some soldering and punching star-holes one night, the Big Dipper was out," she said. "You know, the more you travel, the more aware you become that we all look up at the same sky and stars."

Within a year of completing the memorial, the Podulkes were publicly honored for their efforts. In November 2003, they won a prestigious CUDE award [creative initiative category], bestowed by the mayor-appointed Rochester Committee on Urban Design and the Environment [CUDE].

Sandi Goslee, senior planner for the Rochester/Olmsted Planning Department, said the competition is consistently keen for CUDE awards, currently marking their 20th year. "We've always had great nominees and even greater winners," she said. "Ever since the 9/11 Memorial Window was installed, everyone's raved about how wonderful it is -- both in terms of its aesthetics and the process that led to the end result."

"If you want to create something great, you've got to take risks," noted landscape architect Andy Masterpole and 2003-2005 CUDE chair. "The Podulkes did that. Physically, their memorial is great. Then, the way they managed to get so many people involved...Well, that's not easy to do these days. Their entire project was an artistic triumph of community spirit and Americanism at its best."

In December 2003, during the 20th Mayor's Medal of Honor ceremony, Stephanie and Mike Podulke received the distinguished Legacy Award for their involvement in neighborhood and civic affairs. That accolade was also well-deserved, said E. Christine Schultze, an architect who serves on CUDE, Rochester Planning and Zoning Commission, Design Review Committee for MnDOT work on Highways 52 and 14, and board of directors for 1000 Friends of Minnesota.

"To me, it's incredibly important to recognize urban initiatives such as the Podulkes' project," noted Schultze. "Artists who have that kind of collaborative and guiding spirit, thoughtful approach, and the power to inspire others and work through people, deserve all the support their communities can render."

OK, but why build a 9/11 memorial in Rochester, Minn. -- so far away from Ground Zero? "Essentially, Rochester is an agrarian town; there's a real undercurrent of agriculture here," Schultze explained. "It's important to remember that, in some sense, 9/11 was like a war. It's hard for people to talk about and simply isn't discussed. That kind of quiet absorption is very Midwestern and is always there.

"To me, it seems perfectly logical that this memorial would happen here. It's like six degrees of separation. 9/11 was part of the entire country. Yes, it happened in New York City, some 1,200-plus miles away. But it's something we all care about, and somehow need to connect with that and express that."

Phil Wheeler, director of the Rochester/Olmsted Planning Department, agrees. "Some of the closest parallels include Pearl Harbor, JFK and the Challenger disaster," he said. "Tragic events such as 9/11 remind us that we're part of the same community. Mike and Stephanie's project helped people deal with their sense of loss, and provided a sense of involvement and control."

Wheeler and his wife, Sue, donated some of Sue's late mother's glass to the memorial. He appreciates observing personal reactions to the community art -- especially, those of the thousands of international visitors who visit Rochester annually.

"Our 9/11 Memorial Window seems to have an effect on people -- not unlike the impact that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall has," said Wheeler. "It reminds everyone that we're all part of the same community."

The Financials

Stephanie and Mike Podulke provided tools and equipment, and donated materials and supplies to construct the 9/11 Memorial Window; Olmsted County donated use of its fairgrounds for construction; the City of Rochester contributed $4,000 for supplies and framing; and Mayo Civic Center paid for the installation. Estimated market value: $40,000.

"The Podulkes never asked for supply money; I asked them what they needed," Hunziker noted. "Imagine using broken glass to make that kind of statement. Sheer genius."

Sutherland agreed. "No one could have watched video coverage of 9/11 events without being affected," he said. "What happened in this country could have happened anywhere in the world. The Podulkes helped us see and feel that. And what did we give up? Just a little public space. That's easy to do, and we -- meaning all cities -- need to do more of it in order to encourage more community art."

Donna Drews, executive director of Mayo Civic Center, frequently gets to note people's reactions to the memorial. "There's no doubt that, on both a local and international scale, the memorial creates a sense of awe in everyone who experiences it," she said. "We were very pleased that the Civic Center was chosen for its installation. It gives us the opportunity to diversify our role by sharing the 9/11 Memorial Window with visitors from all over the world."

The Takeaway
So, after incurring inestimable out-of-pocket expenses and devoting time -- time that could have otherwise been spent on actual paid projects -- would the Podulkes do their 9/11 project again? In a heartbeat.

"Why do we live?" Mike rhetorically asks. "Time comes out of the business. Sure, it's a sacrifice of sorts. But it's the right thing to do. Involving others in creating a tangible expression of our collective grief and sympathy was, for us, the right thing to do. So we did it."

What would the Podulkes tell other artists and small-business owners who endeavor to make a difference in their communities? "Have the courage to dream about it," Stephanie advised. "Don't wait for permission or approval. Just move forward with your vision."

It's no secret that entrepreneurs have, uh, control issues. How do they steer projects that require a certain degree of hands-off collaboration? "Be consumer-friendly and wary of over-controlling it," said Mike. "Just provide the supplies and tools needed, dream, and be willing to relinquish control. Organizers need to let go and give people the power to express themselves."

"We knew that we couldn't design the memorial by committee," Stephanie explained. "So, we spent a lot of time visualizing an approximate end result, then did a very basic design. People could act freely in our well-planned, experiential playgound...On the rainbow-colored ribbon, for instance, volunteers did a fantastic job of being sensitive and intuitive."

Then there's the responsibility of being accountable to stakeholders -- i.e., beyond any requisite financial reporting. "No doubt, we owe a note of gratitude to the city and county for giving this opportunity to the community," said Mike.

"Yes," Stephanie nodded. "Thanks go to the city, county and citizens for believing in us and having the courage to create and display this memorial."

Last question: What if -- perish the thought -- the community's 7-foot-by-33-foot 9/11 Memorial Window breaks? Without a beat, Mike responded, "We know about 500 people who can fix it."


For a thought-provoking take on the five-year anniversary of 9/11, check out Bloggermann.

Minnesota Artisans Mobilize Community to Create 9/11 Stained-Glass Memorial Window: Part 1

Editor's note: This week, as we mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11, GoodBiz113 is privileged to recognize a far-reaching project spearheaded by two exemplary artists/citizens/small-business owners in 2002. This is the first in a two-part series.

The Company
Rochester Stained Glass
1105 Center St. W.
Rochester, MN 55902
Phone: [507] 282-2752

Founded: 1976
Employees: 2

Contacts: Stephanie & Mike Podulke, Co-Owners

The Business
Since launching Rochester Stained Glass in 1976, Stephanie and Mike Podulke have been commissioned to create most of the community's stained glass. Among their most notable projects:
* 32 windows for Peace United Church of Christ
* Round window dedicated outside the Methodist Hospital chapel
* Window above the main entrance to John Marshall High School
* 20-foot-by-20-foot mural at St. Pius X Catholic School's east entrance, to memorialize a fifth-grade student's slain family members

The Podulkes' large-scale creations typically invite/require collaboration with the client's staff, members, students, etc., to design and build each project.

The Buzz
Besides owning and operating a small business, the Podulkes -- both of whom supposedly retired 30 years ago -- are exemplary citizens, too. Mike is a longtime Olmsted County commissioner who typically sweeps his elections. He and Stephanie consistently lend their time and talents to various community events and projects; e.g., neighborhood associations, annual Maypole dance and coming-of-age celebration at First Unitarian Universalist Church [AKA First UU].

The Catalyst
In spring of 2002, just months after thousands of men and women perished on Sept. 11, 2001, the Podulkes conceived the idea of building a stained-glass memorial window in Rochester, Minn. -- some 1,150 miles from Ground Zero, in New York City's Lower Manahattan financial district. Further, they'd involve some people from the community to help create it.

"This type of project is very healing for all the people involved," Mike explained. "With 9/11, we knew that the whole country is a victim and that our whole community needed to heal -- person by person, piece by piece. We wanted to make something positive and permanent out of a tragedy."

The Partners
* Olmsted County
* Rochester Park and Recreation Department
* 400-plus volunteers; e.g., firefighters, citizens, Girl Scouts, seniors, parents, kids, out-of-town Mayo Clinic patients

The Strategy
The Podulkes were prepared to donate their time, some glass, copper foil and other materials. Still, they'd still need space in which to build the memorial and, of course, for its installation. They knew just where to go.

"When Mike first called me, he said they'd need space for a two-foot-by-three-foot memorial," recalled John Hunziker, executive director of the Olmsted County Historical Society, and past president of the Rochester City Council. "Then, while scouting possible locations in the Mayo Civic Center, easy-going Roy [Sutherland, superintendent of Rochester Park and Recreation] simply said, 'Pick any spot, Mike.' Well, Mike saw that tall space and fell in love with it."

"In my mind, it was the perfect spot," said Sutherland. "There's not enough art in this community...I was familiar with their work, and knew Mike and Stephanie would fill it with something amazing."

The Process
After expanding their design to fit Mayo Civic Center's cathedral-like installation space -- measuring an impressive 33 feet high and seven feet wide -- the Podulkes focused on building the community's commemorative monument to 9/11.

In September 2002, the Podulkes did some grass-roots PR and advertising [e.g., word-of-mouth, hand-painted signs, blurb in Rochester's Post-Bulletin newspaper] to recruit volunteers to wash and cut hundreds of pieces of glass, wrap copper foil around each piece, solder, etc. Then, over three weeks in October, 11 tables in Industrial Building No. 2 at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds would serve as their "studio." For four nights per week, six hours per night, they collaborated with 400-plus people of all ages and backgrounds -- some of whom hadn't seen one another in 10-15 years.

"The stuff that people brought was incredible," Stephanie marveled. "Lots of people brought chairs. One woman supplied hot chocolate. And the glass! We received broken crystals, tops of percolators, camera prisms and lenses, and lots of assorted glass from wedding gifts -- expensive and ugly alike. A recovering alcoholic contributed the bottoms of six wine glasses."

Somehow, it all found a place in the Podulkes' keenly symbolic design. At the base is New York's Central Park, which rises to the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, hauntingly depicted in countless pieces of clear glass. Meanwhile, a rainbow-colored ribbon of glass floats from beneath the towers to the memorial's top, representing the spiritual connection between the community and the victims of 9/11. Bordering each of the memorial's 11 panels -- "none of which is true nor square," Mike notes -- is copper sheeting, into which more than 3,000 star-holes were punched; i.e., one to represent each person who died during 9/11's multiple attacks on our nation.

"In terms of size and scope, the memorial itself turned out to be four to five times larger than originally planned," said Stephanie. "Still, we wanted to involve people in this community blessing to those who died, and we wanted everyone to have ownership of it."

Evidently, it worked. Long after Ida Young and her family spent every possible hour working on their own panel, she still cherishes those weeks in October 2002. While off from her Mayo Clinic nursing job with a bad knee, Young, her three teenage daughters, plus some friends, created panel No. 9, which renders the tops of the Twin Towers.

"The Podulkes let me be there from beginning to end," Young enthused. "It became a really nice way to recuperate, and to connect with my family and friends. Plus, it provided significant time for reflection and remembering the events of 9/11. The entire process was almost spiritual."

Then there's the giveback aspect. "I've received a lot, and this was just one way to give something back," noted Young. "While putting myself though school, our family utilized a fair amount of community resources. What goes around, comes around. It's important to teach my children that, and to get involved in things that make a difference.

"Too often, I think, we take our freedoms for granted. What happened on 9/11 could have happened anywhere. This memorial will help us all to remember that. I'm very honored to have been a part of it."

Several years ago, Robin Taylor worked at the New York-based Population Council. Now a seasoned Prejudice Reduction Workshop facilitator for Rochester's Diversity Council, she, too, appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the Podulkes' project.

"9/11 really hit me hard," Taylor said. "For two years, I had the pleasure of viewing the Twin Towers' distinct place in the city's skyline. Moreover, to hear about friends who, for some reason, were late for work that day and somehow managed to avoid the chaos, destruction and death...It's overwhelming for adults to comprehend -- much less, to try and explain to kids. About all you can say is that, today, we're all citizens of New York, and we're all a part of the global community."

Taylor and her First UU walking group got involved in making the memorial happen. On several occasions, she also brought her two teenage daughters and her mother.

"The neat thing was having three generations of us there working it," she said. "Mostly, we wrapped glass in copper foil. It was fun to be creative, play with colors, and participate in something positive and constructive, not destructive... Now, it's just fun to walk by the memorial and see what we did. Everyone thinks it's spectacular."

Spectacular, indeed. Try framing all the panels. "It sounded like an enormous project," recalled Daryl Nigon, a Rochester native and president of Nigon Woodworks, which has framed stained-glass projects of all shapes and sizes for the Podulkes. "Once it was done, though, and installed, it just awed me...I'm so impressed that Mike and Stephanie would undertake a project of this scale -- to think of it, organize it, and then spend so much time to help Rochester remember 9/11. This is something that our kids and grandkids will have."

Peter Podulke, Mike's brother, is a 250-pound, self-employed brick and stonemason [and interpretive dancer] based in St. Paul, Minn. When he heard about the memorial, he was chomping at the bit to somehow participate in its development. Lo and behold, he was called down to install it -- with a little help.

"During the entire time the memorial was being assembled, I was just wishing for a chance to be involved," Peter gushed. "After all, 9/11 is such a difficult thing to bite off. It's hard to render such a horrible event. Mike and Stephanie managed to do it, though. The end result is thematically unified, with several social layers of involvement, craftsmanship, and complete wholeness and integrity of expression. I was delighted to break away to do it."

From the memorial's panel No. 1 on up, installation went well. Then, when the expandable floor crane carried Peter and panel No. 11 to the ceiling, that was it. He simply couldn't fit into the cramped, irregular space.

Fortunately, Stephanie and Mike knew just the diminutive, albeit strong, person for the job: Jean Hanson, a Rochester native, fellow First UU member and avid volunteer who had also spent time piecing together the memorial.

"Yes, I got to screw in the final panel," said the energetic Hanson. "It was such a small space...No one else could possibly fit up there."

Hanson then recalled the grave concern she had for her son and daughter-in-law, Chris, who lived in Midtown, just five miles from Ground Zero. "Of course, on the morning of 9/11, I called their house right away," she said. "Later, I learned that Chris' first cousin, who worked in the Twin Towers, had been told to stay at his desk. He chose to leave and survived...

"Whether or not you know someone directly impacted by 9/11, everyone is affected by it. It's a wonderful thing that Stephanie and Mike did to help our community remember that."

Welcome to GoodBiz113!

Inspiration comes from the darndest places. Take GoodBiz113, for instance. Its genesis was mounting frustration, disgust and anger re daily news about corporate gluttony and greed run amok [e.g., Enron, Halliburton], earmark spending, bungled government programs [the four-letter expletive/punchline FEMA pops to mind], corruption, multibillion-dollar no-bid contracts, cronyism, profiteering, finger-pointing, and mind-boggling, heads-in-the-sand denial about issues that threaten our very lives and/or the planet Earth [e.g., hurricanes, floods, transportation safety, homeland security, global warming].

Emboldened by Paddy Chayevsky and Anne Murray
Most days, I felt like Paddy Chayevsky's news anchor Howard Beale, portrayed by the late Peter Finch in the Oscar-winning 1976 film "Network": "Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!... You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'"

After taking several dozen long, deep breaths, I decided an attitude adjustment was in order. My experience as an independent communications professional who's written for and about countless entrepreneurs, small-business owners and self-employed folks unearthed too many truly positive, instructive and spirit-soaring stories that are going untold. Profiles and features about small businesses that partner with public agencies, educational institutions and/or not-for-profit groups to benefit the greater good in innovative and far-reaching ways, deserve to be published -- as do stories about exemplary small-biz stakeholders, friends and champions. I'm just the pathologically optimistic wordsmith to tell those stories, I concluded.

So, here we are. Decades after Anne Murray crooned/pleaded, "We sure could use a little good news today" ["A Little Good News," 1983] -- and, frankly, three-plus years since I initially had this bright idea for a sustainable online publishing venture -- I'm finally rolling out GoodBiz113. My hope is that you'll find our content informational, enlightening and [sometimes anyway] entertaining. Beyond that, perhaps you'll even come away inspired to forge synergies in your own corner of the Universe.

1 + 1 = 3
"I get the 'GoodBiz' part. But what's up with the '113'?" you ask. Well, it's about synergy. Take one promising component and combine it with another promising component, and the end result is greater than the sum of the parts. Think Reese's peanut butter cups. In and of themselves, chocolate and peanut butter are pretty terrific elements [unless, of course, you're allergic to them]. Combine those two ingredients, though, and voilà -- scrumptious splendor!

At GoodBiz113, you can look forward to reading about diverse small-biz synergies that are well off the radars of most mainstream news editors and producers. Along the way, you'll encounter links to various entities -- including several socially responsible advertisers [rated by Business Ethics and/or Domini Social Equity Fund] with whom GoodBiz113 has chosen to partner.

For starters, we'll donate at least 10% of our pretax e-commissions to not-for-profit groups that serve the greatest possible good; e.g., Rochester, Minn.'s Diversity Council, a Charities Review Council-approved Smart Givers Network organization which, since 1989, has effectively promoted cultural understanding, tolerance, peace and respect via its Prejudice Reduction Workshops for students in grades K-12, plus diversity training for businesses.

Thanks for checking out our work-in-progress GoodBiz113. Please bookmark us and come back again soon.