182nd Week Update - Miles Neighborhood Food Collection Project

Hi Folks,

The Good and The Bad

Dot Did It!

In the past few weeks I asked a number of my friends to tell their Facebook friends to vote for DK Advocates. The Miles Neighborhood firm was trying to qualify for a $250,000 small business grant offered by Chase. Dot Kret owner of DK Advocates needed 250 votes. I noticed on Thursday that she had 261 and sent her an email. She replied:

“Yippee! We passed the 250 mark yesterday at about 4.”

So thanks everyone for helping me help my friend Dot. You’re the best.

What Tangled Webs They Weave

A gentleman holding a clipboard stood in front of my table at the Rincon Market last Saturday morning. He was gathering signatures. I asked him for what and he told me he was helping his friend Robert Medler to qualify for a seat on the Tucson Unified School Board. I said sure, why not.

He asked about One Can A Week and after a few minutes he introduced himself. He was Bill Holmes, Chief Operating Office of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

We talked about business and how business should really jump in and help solve some of our social ills. He agreed and told me his organization encourages and promotes getting the job done without partisan bickering.

This opened the door for a story or two about Starbucks COE Howard Schultz who is pushing for congress to get on with creating jobs. And, too, the capitalist side of One Can A Week where Rincon customers drop money into a big jar and I buy Rincon Market food with that money to donate to the Community Food Bank.

We were having such a great discussion I flagged a friend down and had him sign Bill’s petition. I even volunteered to get a few more signatures Sunday when I made my rounds.

Since I come from New York, I’ve got this trust but verify thing coursing through my veins. Within a couple of minutes on Google I found a very straight forward news article on the Range which is published by the Tucson Weekly.

The headline, TUSD Governing Board Candidate Update told me this was going to be boring. And it was until the third paragraph.

“Out of the 54 candidates interviewed by the committee only one potential conflict was brought up to the Range — Candidate Robert Medler, VP of government affairs at the Tucson Metropolitan Changer of Commerce.”

Well … Turns out Bill Holmes is Mr. Medler’s boss and Bill used to work for Dr. Linda Arzoumanian, Superintendent – Pima County Schools.

In the last paragraph of the story we learn that Mr. Medler was charged with a felony during his college days for a theft at a club where he was a member but all charges were dropped. It was his first offence and he completed a “deferred prosecution program.”

I can hear it now.

“What’s your problem, he doesn’t have any convictions.”

“Yes, you are right,” you’d hear me say, “he doesn’t have any convictions at all. And that is the problem.”

I called and left a message on Bill Holmes phone. I’m out.

Jamie’s Ride is Back

In late May, a drunk drive slammed into both Bill’s and Jamie’s parked cars. When I stopped by Sunday, Jamie’s silver truck was parked in front of their home all shiny and new again. Bill was nearby clipping dead palm branches. Of course our conversation turned to insurance and its many good and bad points.

When I left I shifted my quarterly report flyers and dropped my Scotch tape dispenser on the sidewalk. It shattered into a number of pieces.

“Call the insurance company,” I said turning to face Bill.

“I’m sorry I can’t help you, that’s state property, Bill chuckled.

We both cracked up.

We collected a total of 160 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $51.75, a $25.00 check and $26.75 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter