TAP INTO YOUR POWER!

December is the time of year when all of us are fairly comfortable with the idea of giving to others. This holiday season, I ask that you consider what you might do to help us raise our much-needed funds.

A media school like ours could easily cost millions of dollars. The equipment and infrastructure alone drives the cost up quickly. Thankfully, through strategic partnerships in Haiti, we are going to be able to get this school started for much, much less.

The Goal
We need to raise $250,000 to make this dream a reality.

When you think about it, that's not much money! 250 people, groups or corporations giving $1,000... or 2,500 people giving just $100... that's all it takes! When seen from a community or corporate point of view, I believe that we can make this thing happen.

What are you doing just sitting there?
Perhaps you think this whole thing is pretty cool, but that's where the thought dies. You think, "neat" and then begins the slow and stinky sizzle of brain cells being singed by the flicker of your computer monitor through the back of your retinas.

WAKE UP AND GET BUSY!
The reality is... you have a tremendous amount of power in what is happening here. This school and all of the history-shaping change that it can usher in for Haiti (and eventually elsewhere) is literally dependent upon your involvement.

Here are some ways that you can really help us out:

#1 - WORD OF MOUTH
This one is EASY. Just open up your mouth and talk about us. Tell your professor, your friend, your barber... anyone. But MAKE SURE you point them to our website... www.ageofthestoryteller.com

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#2 - SEND AN EMAIL
Surely you have a few trusted folks that actually READ your emails. So make a recommendation. It might look something like this:

"Hey dude, I'm a part of this really cool thing that's happening in Haiti. You should check it out."

DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE SOME OWNERSHIP! As it turns out... you really are an essential part!

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#3 - GIVE A FEW BUCKS!
When's the last time you found a dollar laying around? A twenty in your jeans? Some change in the ashtray? Everyone knows that each of us is guilty of practically throwing away a little money (or a lot) on things we don't really need or even want.

For crying out loud, we're not asking you to fund this whole project. Just reach down shallow and see what you can grip with your fingertips. Some of you can do better than that... and by all means, we hope you will! But for the rest of us, there is no excuse. Take a deep breath and give.

With that one, simple act, you are lighting a match under this rocket.



look how easy we made that!

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#4 - ORGANIZE
Don't have money to give? Then use some of your time and get creative! Now more than ever, we are keenly focused on raising the funds for this school, and it is a monumental task for sure.

By your sheer willpower, you can organize a local marketing campaign in your own community.

- Have a bake sale!
- Have a rummage sale!
- Get your youth group, church, or rotary club involved!
- Spread our videos around Facebook and Myspace and YouTube!
- Twitter our web address every chance you get.

Are you an artist? Have a fundraising concert or sell a few paintings or donate your earnings from one photo shoot. The sky is the limit!

It's the information age... SO WORK THAT INFORMATION!

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Well, there you have it.
That wasn't so hard, was it? With a teeny bit of time and energy on your part, you really can claim some ownership in this adventure.

Just remember... THINKING ABOUT HELPING IS NOT THE SAME AS HELPING. You actually have to DO SOMETHING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!!!

MUSIC VIDEO RELEASED!

I am so happy, humbled, and honored to announce the release of a brand new music video, "This Is How The World Will End". This video represents a powerful union of visuals and music between The Caribbean Institute of Media Technologies and my dear friends, The Elms (www.theelms.net). Please take the time to view the video, digest its message, and then pass it along to your friends.

The video has been uploaded to YouTube and can be easily embedded into your own websites (Myspace, Facebook, etc.). This is a GREAT WAY to spread the word about what we are doing.



In short order, we will be making the Director's Cut of the video available via our FREE VIDEO PODCAST. Please subscribe in iTunes for your chance to own a quality digital copy of this powerful piece. After watching this on YouTube, I strongly recommend that you go get this from our vodcast. The look and sound is much better.



We are also preparing to release a "White Paper" outlining the specific objectives of The Caribbean Institute of Media Technologies. This file is presently being authored and will be available in PDF form very shortly. To request a digital copy of this file, please go here and provide us with your information. As soon as the file is prepared, we will email you a copy. The purpose of this document is to better explain what this project is all about and outline ways in which you can be involved.

Thanks so much for your patience during this time. There is a lot going on right now and we are trying hard to give you some resources to help us spread the word. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know!

So close... we can TASTE IT!!!

We only need $423.00!!!!
Any takers?

If you wish to send us some support, you may do so one of two ways:

For those who would like a tax-deductible receipt please make your check out to ReNET and designate it for “Haiti”. ReNET is acting as our 501(c)3 umbrella while our own application is in process. You may then mail that check to

ReNET
2867 N. 200 E.
Anderson IN 46012.

If you don’t need a receipt then you can just make the check out to Luke Renner and send it to us directly. If you wanna do that, let me know and I will email you our home address.

Either way, I would appreciate an email alerting me to the incoming support so that I can keep track of where we’re at.

Lots of motion in the ocean!

Well friends, thanks for tolerating the little piece of creative writing below. Save for the poetic license, that little story about my iPhone is absolutely true. What a hoot!


As promised, here is where things stand for us right now.

The original goal was to raise $4,100.
At present, we have been blessed with $3,321.00!!!


That was QUITE the hill to climb. Careless on my part? Perhaps.
But you guys are proving that COMMUNITY WORKS!

IT TAKES A VILLAGE
We are SO THANKFUL to all of you who have joined us in this vision.
Friends and family alike have accepted this challenge with us and we are making some real progress with this opportunity.

As I have said before, we have taken your contributions very seriously and have been working very hard to make the most of this month. So far, the success has been remarkable. Thanks again.



GETTING INVOLVED
For those who still wish to get involved, we are in need of a remaining $779.00. This amount will "seal the deal" and keep us from going bottom-up in any department. To be clear, we are NOT asking for ongoing support. This is NOT a long-term commitment. Rather, we are asking you for a one-time contribution toward our expenses for this month, thereby allowing me to work at home on several key pieces of promotional material.

If you wish to help us with the final amount... in any way... please don't delay any longer. Our time is running out. So far the largest contribution has been $1,000. The smallest has been $100. But let's be clear, if 39 people gave $20, we would be out of the woods. You get the picture.

The point is, ANY amount will help.

If you wish to send us some support, you may do so one of two ways:

For those who would like a tax-deductible receipt please make your check out to ReNET and designate it for “Haiti”. ReNET is acting as our 501(c)3 umbrella while our own application is in process. You may then mail that check to

ReNET
2867 N. 200 E.
Anderson IN 46012.

If you don’t need a receipt then you can just make the check out to Luke Renner and send it to us directly. If you wanna do that, let me know and I will email you our home address.

Either way, I would appreciate an email alerting me to the incoming support so that I can keep track of where we’re at.


MORE FEATURES ADDED
If you look to the side-bar, you will see that we are continuing to add more information. Turns out we are getting quite a few eyeballs on our blog now and more and more folks are wondering what in the blue-blazes the CIMT is. Now those questions have been answered.

Also, I am compiling a F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions) entry. If any of you have always wanted to ask anything of us, now would be a time to drop me an email and let me see if it can be added to that document.

Okee Dokee. Stay tuned! More news coming!

Cheers!
Luke

Homesick... or Home Sick?

Well friends, I have returned home from the BEAUTIFUL country of Guatemala. It was a FAST and FURIOUS adventure that included flying through quasi-hurricanes, sleeping in quasi-fancy hotels, enduring quasi-long car rides, and meeting some totally great new friends.



Now I am home again and surprisingly, sick. I won't bore you with the details of my sickness. Let's just say, it goes "squish - squish" about as often as I eat or drink. Get the picture?



Ironically, this sickness was HERE AT HOME, waiting for me.


I obtained it courtesy of my dear family who has been enduring the biometric "slip-n-slide" since my departure.


Not too fun.



Add to that the insult of my iPhone, which suddenly has a cracked screen and doesn't work! Your guess is as good as mine. No idea why this happened. I'll be going to the Apple store to complain about my misfortune with this less-than-one-year-old piece of crap-nology.

BACK TO GUATEMALA...



The group that I was able to volunteer my services to is really up to some amazing stuff. As this blog is primarily dedicated to garnering support for what WE are doing, I shall spare you any external links for now. If you think what we are doing is stupid beyond all reason and desire a REAL cause to get behind, just email me and I will send you a link to the place where I just was.

On the trip, I was able to show my TV program to someone who's opinion matters to me. He thought that it was "powerful" and had a couple of pieces of constructive feedback for me too. All good thoughts that shall inform the final piece.

In the end, it was a real "Indiana Jones" style adventure and a worthy expenditure of my time and resources.

Now that I am home again, I will be taking stock of where things stand (financially) and give you a full report tomorrow (Sunday, August 24, 2008).

BIG STUFF IS HAPPENING! I am SO EXCITED about what lies ahead.

You guys are helping us give birth to an AWESOME thing!

Stay Tuned!
Luke

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown!

My dear family and friends, it is with much trembling (and a little bit of fear) that I am reporting to you today.

I have decided to listen to that little voice inside of my head and will be staying home this month* to work hard on some much needed promotional materials for our school. As one pastor put it, "vision casting" is at the top of my to-do-list, as it falls upon me to make it absolutely clear what we are doing.

*with exception, I will be volunteering 4 days of my services to a mission in Guatemala at no charge.

Understand that, as a freelance creative professional, I do not pull in a "regular" paycheck. My pay comes on a job-by-job basis and that means I pretty much have to keep hopping onto airplanes, moving around, and chasing down what work there is. Just like you, it is absolutely imperative that I work on other people's projects if I am to pay the bills (i.e. rent, electricity, water, food, etc.). What's different than a "regular paycheck" is that there are no guarantees and it is often "up to me" to make sure there is enough to go around.

I say all of that to make it perfectly clear what we are up against here.

Last night, I sent out a "mass" email, asking for the financial support to meet this month's expenses, thereby allowing me to stay home and work. So far, there has been a response, but naturally, we are still very far from the mark.

Originally, I stated that we need to raise $4,100 in order to stay afloat this month. Believe it or not, that is a typical month's expenses with 6 mouths to feed, rent, and all that comes with getting by in this economy. According to the IRS, we are actually operating under the expectancy for our area.

In less than 24-hours of the email, the number we need has dropped to $3,744.00. We are SO GRATEFUL for those who have chosen to assist us thus far!

Naturally, there is a good way to go still.

I wanted to share an email with you that one of our new friends (and a financial supporter in this cause) sent back to all of the people on our mailing list. I think that his challenge is good (and easy for most folks to swallow) and I believe his personal willingness to vouch for our burgeoning work in Haiti should help those of you who may be teetering, wondering, "has Luke finally lost it?"

Here is his letter:

Dear Luke,

Thank you very much for coming to help us in Haiti , you inspired many of us and encouraged several ministries down here in Haiti during your short time here . When you are here your love for the Haitian people is inspiring even to the missionaries you have come to work hand in hand with.
Your gifts and talents are bringing unity among missionary workers,haitian pastors, and church people alike. Our prayers from Haiti include the Lord returning you to Haiti soon, special things happen when your here !

We too here in Haiti are in financial need, but want to be a part of God working through you and are preparing a gift of $100.00 towards the $4100.00 you need. Of all people I know what it is like to want to function in ministry , but have to work to make ends meet. I pray that the lord will touch 40 other people to send $100.00 to help you to focus on the work the lord has given you to do.

Yvonne and I will send our check to the address you mentioned in your email today. We believe in you and what you are doing . Like the loaves and the fishes, may Jesus multiply our gift .

Yours and His to reach Haiti;
Joel Trimble
Haiti for Christ Ministries
Thomassin Haiti

There you have it! Joel and Yvonne Trimble, missionaries serving in Haiti for more than 30 years, have thrown down the gauntlet! In response, one family shot back $256, proving that you can do more than $100 if you feel led. But $100 is a great number to consider, and I thank my missionary friends for raising this challenge.

If missionaries can help us, can you? Some may want to pray about it. Some of you know RIGHT NOW that you can cut back a few movie rentals, premium coffees, or rummage sales. I need 37 people. That's not a lot. That's YOU.

Please help if you can.

From there, check back here during the month of August as I will be keeping you all posted on the progress. Already, some REALLY COOL stuff has happened with one video that I have been preparing. A full story is COMING SOON!

If you wish to send us some support, you may do so one of two ways:

For those who would like a tax-deductible receipt please make your check out to ReNET and designate it for “Haiti”. ReNET is acting as our 501(c)3 umbrella while our own application is in process. You may then mail that check to

ReNET
2867 N. 200 E.
Anderson IN 46012.

If you don’t need a receipt then you can just make the check out to Luke Renner and send it to us directly. If you wanna do that, let me know and I will email you our home address.

Either way, I would appreciate an email alerting me to the incoming support so that I can keep track of where we’re at.

Thanks SO MUCH!
Luke and Adrian Renner