Get out and vote!

Hey guys,

Election day is less than a week away and I know I'm ready to stop seeing campaign ads on TV and hearing them on the radio....

If the current state of the country isn't enough motivation to go out and vote maybe this will help:
Ben & Jerry's ice cream shops are giving away free scoops of ice cream on November 4th from 5-8pm if you show them you voted with your "I Voted" sticker or by just telling them you made it out to the polls.

-Laura

Work it out!

Good Morning,

I am back from my month long trip to Texas! What a journey! I learned so many things, met so many people and will never forget that experience. To the VISTAs who joined me on the RV, THANK YOU. I could not have done it without each and every one of you.

In other news, I found out that due to our financial sacrifice in our pursuit to save the world we qualify for a free or discounted YMCA/YWCA membership. I just signed up, WOOT WOOT. As we all know, working out is good for the brain, heart, soul, and waistline. Keep this in mind when looking for affordable recreation.

Jane

Thank You Luncheon for GTI!

Hey guys!

Just wanted to let you all know that I had an AWESOME time yesterday at the Ground Team Ike luncheon. Even though I was part of GTI for a very short time, my 1 night on the RV gave me a small taste of what life for my fellow VISTA's and staff members was like for days, weeks, or even a month (for all star Jane), all to help those still suffering in the aftermath of Ike.

Coming from someone who has been at One Economy for 17 months now (who's counting?!), I just wanted to let you all know that our current VISTA team is absolutely incredible. Sitting in the conference room yesterday, I was just overwhelmed by the dedication of the VISTA team. On top of the clear success of the Hurricane Ike Relief trip, this team has also worked together to really power out AccessAll through the end of the year. We help each other and we work together, and THAT is what is going to get people connected to their much needed technology resources. AccessAll is IMPOSSIBLE without team work, patience, and a good sense of humor, and I feel lucky to be part of a team that encompasses all three qualities.

~Holly

Flexibility

Greetings from the Winston-Salem, NC One Economy office. Ground Team Ike (Hurricane Ike relief in Texas) just rolled back in to town Friday, exhausted but ready to tackle daily office activities again. The past month of service in Texas was about VISTA flexibility.

Personal lives were put on hold. Social networks were strained. Seemingly ubiquitous world events, like the Presidential debates and the ongoing financial market crisis, became afterthoughts. VISTAs' families were asked to put the interests of strangers' lives first. And the VISTAs on Ground Team Ike and their families back home did so with grace and humility.

Always be prepared to bend to the whim of a storm, whether in the form of a hurricane or in the tidal wave of decisions made afterwards by the people you serve. But also be prepared to flex your VISTA muscles - build coalitions, renegotiate contracts, realign responsibilities. It's the flexibility to cope, persevere, and ultimately enrich any situation that makes a VISTA strong.

-Kevin Corbett

Greetings!

Hi everyone,

This is Laura Parewski, a VISTA working on AccessAll, in the Winston-Salem, NC office with a couple other VISTAs. I'm fortunate to be in an office with a couple other VISTAs, but I know most of you are probably sitting in your office as the one, lone One Economy VISTA. And since One Economy is all about using technology to benefit lives, why not use technology to try to bring everyone together.

This blog is going to serve as an outlet of sorts for all the VISTAs within One Economy. Feel free to post anything, past or present, about a success, failure, obstacle, event, memorable moment, joke, life lesson, something that happened in your daily life, or anything else you feel like talking about. Pictures and flip videos are highly encouraged!

Well, I guess I should be getting back to work. Can't wait to hear what you've all been up to.