Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to give you an update on what is happening here in Orlando. We have been getting leaders signed up all over the state. We now have leaders in all large cities.

I have been talking with major funding sources from around the country. We are getting great responses from everyone. Two months ago, Florida was considered a lost cause. Now, they are coming out of the woodwork to support us.

We have done many TV interviews in Orlando, resulting in a recent poll by the Orlando Sentinel where 92.5% of respondents think medical marijuana should be legal. We do intend on getting around the state and will need your help in setting up photo opportunities for the press, along with interviews. In the meantime, if you get any press requests you can forward them to me.

Most of our copies have been donated so far, and it has been such a huge help!!!! For the areas that need copies, I have started ordering them from bestvaluecopy.com for two cents each - free shipping on $125 (makes around 3,100 copies). It takes a couple of days and is so convenient.

Here are some things we need from you:

1) A list of legislators that have been spoken to about medical marijuana and which of them may introduce a bill or would vote yes if a bill was introduced in the house and senate. The main objective is to get them to introduce and pass a bill this fall. If you have not contacted your legislators yet, please send them an email and arrange to have meetings with them while they are home for the summer. It is an absolute must that everyone focus on medical marijuana. We will only hurt this cause if we talk about other legalization efforts. Let me know if you do not feel comfortable speaking to your legislators. Some of the more experienced members will be happy to help with tips and suggestions on effective communication. We can also find someone else to do the talking.

2) There are many things people are donating such as clipboards, pens, and copies. We need a value, the name, and address of the donor. All monies spent are considered in-kind donations and must be reported to the Division of Elections. It also helps us look good when people look at our numbers. I am sorry, donations are not tax deductible. We are a political committee, therefore can not register as a non-profit. Businesses that provide generous donations can be listed on the website upon request.

3) We are starting a fundraising drive on 4/20. We want everyone to donate $100 in 100 days. It can be broken down to $33 per month. Any less than that would be a reporting nightmare. We are taking credit cards on the website. Our budget to get this on the ballot is $2 million, we need to raise over $500,000 in the next three months.

4) For the events calendar, make a list of events happening in your area, including the date, time, and location. Check out radio station events, concerts, festivals, or anything else you think would be a great place to have people posted.

5) The signed petitions need to be verified before we turn them into the supervisor of elections in each county. We have to pay ten cents for the county to verify each signature, so we want to make sure we are only paying for valid signatures. I would like to have someone in each area verify signatures and deliver them to the supervisor of elections with a check. We do have access to the voter records for this process.

The best way to get in touch with me is by email to [address removed] You may also leave a message at [masked]. Thanks so much for joining this mission!


Sincerely,


Kim Russell