(continued...)

Last year at the annual meeting in Boulder, Colorado, old friends Terry Wilson and Vince Meldrum were walking down Pearl Street when they came across a $10 bill lying on the sidewalk in front of them. After looking around and seeing no one was present to claim ownership, Terry, a long-time boardmember from Kentucky, and Vince, the only EF senior fellow (and my personal favorite EF senior fellow), decided to rip the $10 bill in half. The next time they saw each other they planned to bring both halves of the bill to do something together.

This year, after a long walk around town, the two of them remembered the bill and entered a bar on Pearl Street. The bartender, who loved their story, stapled the bill together and they both enjoyed a beer. Terry used this as a metaphor for Earth Force's partnership model, stating that we all have individual skills, knowledge and connections that will produce more powerful results when put together. Working with other organizations through sustainable partnerships will produce measurable results.

This year our organization is taking a huge shift around inclusivity and it was necessary to address this at our annual meeting with some of partners, staff, and board. I find this organization is to be diverse and uniquely fascinating. I recall how everyone was invited to introduce themselves and there was much agreement around statements of hope such as: "I like Earth Force because we empower kids to be agents of change in their communities." "We help allow adults to see kids as the great citizens they truly are." and even the tongue-in-cheek "World Domination!" Through our expanded partnership model we get to do all of this. (continued...)