Showing We Can Grow the Love

  With Valentines Day quickly approaching there seems seems to be lots of talk about love and, what a great thing to talk about while Minnesota gets 4-12 inches of freshly fallen snow, temperatures don't seem to be getting higher and the sky is that lovely shade of grey that you can use to accent any room. Well growing season is coming soon I assure you. Our community here at We Can Grow seems to be growing despite the less than perfect weather we have been having.

  This weekend we had some great people step up to the plate and offer to help us with an array of different things.  My friend Tim called me out of the blue and said "Mike, I know your website is a temporary thing, and I'm not saying that it looks that bad, but can I take a shot of creating a new one for your foe free?"  Our friend Dan reached out and said "I'm going to school for graphic design now, and I need to create some materials. Do you guys have anything I can do for you for free?" I met with a couple of film producers that have a film that have offered to us to use for fundraising purposes, we can't say what it is or we'll spoil the surprise.  Then, I was out to dinner with my parents on Saturday nigh and ran into a friend I went to school with and he said "I love the work you're doing with We Can Grow. I have a vacant lot in North Minneapolis that I would love to donate to the cause"

  I have always said that it takes a community to build community. We are starting to believe the phrase "if you build it, they will come". We have more and more people reaching out to help. We have more and more people that want to get involved and do what they can. Donations of time and materials keep us smiling. But most importantly the people that simply let us know that they believe in what we are doing makes us continue to smile and work harder to accomplish what we have set out to do.

 I am completing my last semester at the U of M and working part time, all while trying to get We Can Grow growing. I find myself going to bed every night smiling. This is because the people I have in my life, past, present and future. Without their support I may have given up a long time ago. This is also a good time to show a little love to Martin Gordon, We Can Grow's Program Manager. Martin has put in a countless number of hours the last few months. He has not received a single penny. I know, without his energy and support We Can Grow would be a little more than an idea. He keeps me motivated to work harder and longer. So if you get a chance to meet Martin please thank him for all the hard work he has put forward without receiving any financial compensation. To everyone in the We Can Grow community, I thank you for your continued support, without it we would not be what we are today.

Much Love,

Mike