Mixed Messages

I must admit that I am less sure about this effort, or at least, anyone else's effort, than ever before. Now it
may well be my own fault for dropping the ball last summer. I worked up a frenzy
for this cause and then, for lack of a better phrase, walked away from it. With
that in mind, I've tried to re-energize the campaign and made a new commitment, publicly, to make a
stronger effort and hopefully, see it through its success.

So why am I
down? Because for whatever reason, the message is falling, for the most part, on
deaf ears. There are but a couple of comments on this blog. I've become more
involved with Facebook, not only
by posting our information in my own profile, but by creating a Facebook "cause," of the same title as
this blog. No, I still refuse to ask for donations. All I do ask for is pubic
support. That support can be in the form of emails to me directly, comments on
the blog or on the "cause" wall and people who are recruited and "join" the
cause.

Beyond that, all I ask is to talk it up with your own friends, be
they on Facebook, MySpace, or even on a poster on the wall
of the Post Office. But understand, without the ability to demonstrate to a
manufacturer, massive public and fan support for the issue, they'll will simply
say, "No thanks, Steve," and we're dead in the water. Why should they care, if
the public doesn't?

Add to the new commitment mentioned above is the fact that
this September, I have learned that I will have the definite opportunity to meet with one of the U.S.'s
premier fire apparatus manufacturers. But what good will if do if the interest
and support isn't there?

As computer-familiar as I am, able to build one
from scratch, update, memory, processor chips, install or remove components, and
use almost any software off the shelf, I know little of marketing a "cause" to
the public, especially to a very narrowly focused target audience. Thus if you
are more experienced, please feel free to assist and provide me with directions,
instructions, and advice.

We also need to reach the viewers and fans of
Animal Planet's "Escape to Chimp Eden." So if any of you have connections there
or are well versed in posting to the fan boards and/or discussions, again, I'll
bow to your prowess. Feel free to get our message out there, where I believe, it
will do the most good.

Let's be frank, without "all 'youse' guys," this effort will be a
flop. And as a former firefighter, I'm having a tough time accepting that
Johann's passing will have been in vain.

Thank you.

Till next
time...