Case Foundation Launches Change Begins With Me Contest: Winner Attends 2009 Presidential Inauguration

This past week has been about the lightest blogging week ever.   I've had time offline, with family, and just relaxing.  It's also that time of year when you think about setting personal goals or making resolutions for change.  I've been thinking a lot of those, mostly internal - personal improvement and professional goals for my work, blog, and professional learning.

But, given how the economy has changed and that we are about to usher in a new era of change, it is also a great idea to set some more external goals ... how might you make a change in your community, neighborhood, or the world.

Need some motivation? The Case Foundation has just launched the "Change Begins With Me" contest.  They are calling on citizens to make a commitment over the next year for positive change.   The winner will get to attend the Inaugural Ceremony and Hawaii Inaugural Ball!    

Here's the description from the Case Foundation Web Site:

It’s easy to enter – just 2 simple steps:

1. Think about what you can do to help your community
2. Share that commitment with us for a chance to win!

What you Get:

An Inauguration trip for two and a unique opportunity to serve on MLK Day! Package includes:

• two tickets to the Inaugural Ceremony & the Hawaii Inaugural Ball
• three-nights hotel stay
• airfare for you and a guest to the Nation’s Capitol
• a Flip video cam

Want some guidance?  Read this blog post from Jean Case about how she's thinking about it.

I'm hoping citizens everywhere take moment and truly reflect on the 250 characters. It won't help if people "over-think" this or make too much of this, but we are asking for real commitments. For some, the commitment may be small or simple but may be the FIRST experience of "jumping in" to make a difference. For activists, the 250 characters may flow easily. And then there will be everyone else. A little sweating. A little eye-rolling. Hopefully, a little smile. But hopefully the bottom line is that we'll all be better off when the 250 characters are completed and we celebrate the close of next year with commitments that have been fulfilled as one small step toward a stronger, healthier nation.

I've been thinking about goals for 2009 and one of them fits into this contest, so here's mine:

I will continue to evangelize this idea and how it in action "Be A Geek Who Gives" - their time, skills, money, or other resources to a charity, cause, or nonprofit.  Many small contributions in this way can make a difference.

What's your idea?

Comments

[Cynthia]

Hey Beth - thanks for bringing this to my attention! I've entered with: You committed to...
working to rebuild the lives of those, like me, who are forgotten/overlooked by our current systems - adults with disabilities and extreme income challenges - though direct services, case management and advocacy.