November 2, 2009 I finally have the right team in place to be able to do this much better the next time around. It's having the right team of big kids combined with the information I've gathered as well as a nod to reality that has led to now being the time for the store/community center. All of us on the project are really excited about everything that's on the horizon. September 28, 2009 I don't know a whole lot more about the article going into This Old House despite a 40 minute conversation with the assistant editor, Natalie, this past Friday. I didn't think to ask, because I was really just enjoying the conversation with her. Even right now, it still really hasn't hit home that we are making it into This Old House especially since we haven't even been able to get the Glen Rock Gazette to write about the kids and the great things they're accomplishing. I'm not sure who is the most excited about the magazine news, but it might be Brian Mende....check for a vlog/video later today or tomorrow to see if that gets answered as the board members and I get you up to speed on who we are, where we're at and what's on the schedule for part 2. It's taking longer than expected, but I am 99.9% sure that by the end of today, we'll be wholly transitioned to part 2 and actually capable of moving forward successfully. I'm excited about where we are and part 2 and I am actually surprised to find that it’s even more exciting than when we all started out for the first time :) August 13, 2009 July 31, 2009
With any luck, you'll be looking at the new site instead of the old one :) It's not quite done yet, but well on its way...stay tuned for more changes, lots of pictures and some video to recap the last year.
This Old House came out and we are in it on page 16 :)
Lincoln will be done in 3 days and Harristown in time to have the 4th grade Girl Scouts come and help us decorate the kids' playroom.
23, 2009
We are in the November issue of This Old House :) :) :) :) :) I still haven't seen it, but I have 2 independent confirmations from people who have....apparently it's a small article, but it could be one line and we'd all be thrilled! I still can't quite wrap my brain around it. Now I just hope our local advertising blitz works and brings out lots of people so the kids get the recognition they deserve!
The countdown is on! We are a little over one month away from opening the homes up to the public and officially ending the 1st pass of the Green & Red Project.
It's homecoming weekend in Glen Rock, and I was happily surprised to find out yesterday that Scott is back in town for the weekend....which will make it a whole lot easier to explain all the web changes that need to be made ;) It should also explain why it'll likely be next week before this site gets a complete overhaul.
I updated my bio on the Big Kid page slightly to address some common questions about who I am. The only thing missing is a note that says, no, I'm not teacher. I'm just a girl who wants to do fix some problems and wants to do it her own way.
This is the last of the written updates for now and the updates going forward will be in the form of video and pictures. There's not much left to say as all that remains is the final execution of the last steps or to sum it all up which has to wait until it's officially over!
October 18, 2009
YIKES! It's been a long time since I've updated the site...I was going to do so last Monday but then I checked on This Old House and saw that the November issue is out...at least that's what the website said, but after checking again today, I can still only find the October issue. We're supposed to be in the November issue, and based on what their site says, I'm guessing we are and that it's a small piece among other small pieces in the Home News section :) I just hope that we're actually in it and I don't find myself learning the hard way yet again that you can't believe much of what people tell you.
There will be lots of changes to this site coming soon as Scott is helping us get everything updated to reflect where we are which should happen right about the time that Lincoln is completely done...optimistically by the end of next weekend. Lincoln is looking great and the bulk of the work that remains involves getting the upstairs painted and then getting it furnished. I'll be writing more about Lincoln at some point to explain - in case it isn't obvious - that Lincoln represents 1. the type of flip that the flips of Harristown and Hamilton were supposed to be and 2. the type of flips that kids on the Green & Red Project-future editions will handle. Most importantly - in my opinion - Lincoln is proof positive you can teach a group of people who don't know enough, enough without ever telling them specifically what to do so that if they add their own thought and creativity, they can achieve any realistic goal successfully - including business goals :) That's what I was trying to accomplish so needless to say, I'm pretty damn happy :)
Right now, it's really all about Lincoln as everyone is working together to get it done so that it's ready to be opened up to the public. In the meantime, Harristown is getting down to the last little bit before we all descend on that house to finish it up :) It has lights now (and really nice lights at that) which has brought the colors - and the house itself - to life and a few more weeks of Chris & Co working there and it too will be ready for the public to see :)
Hamilton's foundation got a make-over this week and it did in fact get painted (in addition to the siding continuing to go up) and it looks MUCH better. Pics coming soon :)
The first pass of the project is over and has been since the day I realized that it would be impossible to get both Hamilton and Harristown done in time to open them up for the contest over Thanksgiving weeekend...more on that on my page.
The latest on the store is that we need to get in front of the board to get approval to use the space we've picked as we want to use it :) I'm optimistic, but until it's a done deal, all I can say is that the space is perfect and we're all excited about it...for what it will be in and of itself and also because it will allow the next pass of the project to go much smoother :)
October 7, 2009
Yesterday was a great day, because I think we've found a home for our store/community center/artist's studio :) I don't want to say anymore, because it's not a done deal yet, but I'm very optimistic it will be soon. Frankly, it seems like it was meant to be :)
Chris Mulazzi gave me a few cd's worth of picures of all the homes that will be up as soon as a. I figure out how to upload them for Scott and b. Scott posts them....Related to that, Scott continues to be a huge help all the way from Indiana :):):)
The siding is going up at Hamilton and it's awesome....but it does clash with the chimney so that will be getting re-painted with a much better color sometime in the near future at which point, everyone will be able to see what the house itself will look like from the outside. I can't wait :)
Right now, the focus is on Lincoln Ave and it seemed like EVERYONE was there yesterday. Now that the old walls are down/new walls are up/new floors are in, I let Beth come and take a look and she gave our renovations an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up :) We're probably still a couple of weeks away from completing Lincoln to the point of having it ready for re-sale, but all of this is finally fun again so it's all good.
The countertops are in at Harristown so the kitchen is nearing completion along with the rest of the house. Kevin & Joe (NJ Electric) are going to be finishing up with the remaining electrical work/fixtures, the last of the paint is going up and the deck is halfway done so we're nearing the end :) That house will be getting filled with furniture soon after we're done with Lincoln.
October 3, 2009
I updated yesterday's update and took out specific names, because it's ALL the big kids and ALL the big kid helpers plus ALL the subs that make it possible to do this much better the next time around once they're done helping me get it done this time ;)
Related to the above, look for updates to the Big Kids page soon as pictures of those who are there every day working their butts off to get it done will finally make it to the site...specifically, pictures of Chris, Tom, Mike and Ryan.
October 2, 2009
Work continues at Lincoln and for the last time I will have to announce a delay...there was just too much to do to get it done in the allotted time, but it'll be worth the wait. Chris brought his video camera the other day so I'm hoping there'll be some footage of what's been done so far sooner rather than later.
Harristown is really coming together and is not far off from being done done on the construction end and all that will remain is for the house to be filled with the furnishings the kids created.
Hamilton is slowly getting dressed, and I cannot wait until the siding is completely up so I can see what the house is actually going to look like from the outside. Given how well Brian, Brittany and Chris have done so far on their house as well as at Lincoln, I have no doubt that it'll be as beautiful on the outside as it's shaping up to be on the inside.
Don't let the lack of updates to this site fool you...there's actually a lot of work going on everywhere!
Lincoln is coming along and will be ready for painting in a day or two which will be all that's left to do in advance of staging it/putting it on the market. So it's looking like there'll only be post flip pictures...it's as frustrating to me as it likely is to those who keep hoping to see pictures!
Harristown is almost done being painted and it looks amazing. I know Ryan took a lot of pictures and I hope those will be up soon :) There's new video on Matt's page about Green Seed Part 2b as well as more from Julia :)
Hamilton will be getting siding this week and I imagine that will transform the house once again as well. The Energy crew has been busy with Lincoln but I'll see if I can get them back to their house for some pics as well :)
September 22, 2009
I know Scott is working on the in progress pictures of Lincoln but it's slow going. In the meantime, there's the video above of the work going on thanks to Chris.
And great news 2 days in a row....the person who had a huge part in inspiring the interior design piece of this project and the store that I hope will come out of it in the end is joining the team. I know he has a lot to contribute and will be a huge help in getting it all done by Thanksgiving :)
September 21, 2009
Work is moving along at Lincoln despite the lack of pictures on the site as evidence. There are 400+ pictures currently MIA and if we can't find them, we'll just have to take more...tomorrow. This afternoon, we'll all be at the warehouse getting professional instruction on spray painting.
Green Seed is back! See Julia's latest update and Matt has finally had another moment and hopefully that video will be up later today.
September 14, 2009
We have a system for getting pictures of Lincoln up on the site courtesy of Scott working for us from Indiana...we just don't have a lot of pictures yet....yet being the operative word. Chris Mulazzi & company will be over at Lincoln today framing out the new master suite and the revised mudroom and living room. The Lincoln crew has been working really hard and getting things done in record time...and things we could only know once we the demo work was done turned out best case scenario which is a nice change of pace :) (knock wood)
The floors were going in at Harristown on Friday and the kitchen cabinets are going in today. Green Seed is still trying to re-group which they've had to do yet again as they lost another board member making Ryan Geffert not only the only original board member from Green Seed but the only carry-over board member from part 1. That's the reason nothing has been happening with their pages and why there are no new pictures up of all the changes. I'm hoping to get some pictures of Harristown from Chris so everyone can see just how much Harristown has changed and how great it's looking :)
Overall, it's good that the Energy crew is at Lincoln, because it's allowing Green Seed time to catch up and get themselves ready to handle the work that remains to be done and both teams will wind up with the same amount of time where they're actually in their homes and finishing the interior before the final contest.
September 12, 2009
299 Harristown Ave is nearing completion! The sheetrock is up, the kitchen cabinets are going in and work is in progress on the deck. I haven't seen it look this much like a house since sometime early this year....it looks amazing.
The Lincoln crew is working hard and getting lots done very quickly. Chris will be filming a video of a walk through of the house with a narrative about what exactly is being done there, because it's tough to convey it all just via pictures given that we're knocking down a couple of walls. The downstairs walls coming down are down and today will be spent knocking down the upstairs walls so that Steve and a couple of construction guys can get the new walls framed Monday/Tuesday of next week. Pictures should be up sometime this weekend of what has been done so far.
244 Hamilton Ave is looking better every day...so much so that I'm thinking that I'm going to have to move in there instead of selling it when it's all done :) And some great news....Jayson is back at work so there's still hope that there'll be a wall of graffiti in Lincoln or Hamilton...or maybe even both :)
September 8, 2009
We're back...and we're headed back to NY Trapeze school but with a different group (Brian, Brittany, Chris and Macauley from Energy^2). We're also back to work...the kids taking time off, school starting and Labor Day weekend all combined to keep the kids from doing a whole lot the last couple of weeks which also led to me not doing a lot. Turns out, I needed the break and now I am raring to go again.
Work has been done at Lincoln Ave, but it was not until our meeting yesterday (Brian, Brittany, Chris, Macauley, Steve and me) that we finalized everything that's going to be done specifically. I'm really excited about the changes we're making to the house and for everyone to see them as they happen. We have set a 3 week deadline to finish the work and to stage the house with pre & post-refurbished furnishings, because then it'll be time to get back to the teams' homes which are looking better each day thanks to the construction crew. Brian, Macauley and Steve are handling all things construction at Lincoln Ave, Chris is handling all the furnishings and Brittany is taking care of the interior design. I'm just there to do what they tell me to do :) Web updates will likely be happening courtesy of Scott who is now happily at home in Bloomington, Indiana HI SCOTT :) and we'll be hiring other kids, painters and other subs as needed in order to get it done. Green Seed kids are not currently a part of the Lincoln flip as they still need to work out the kinks in their master plan but first need to get settled back into school...which simply means us working on Lincoln is giving them the time they need to get themselves fully prepared for part 2. They're not completely gone though so continue to check their pages.
Lots of new pics up on Energy's pages and trapeze pictures from last week on their own page. Plus, a new True Files from Danny on Green Seed's pages.
I updated the front page with just a few words because over the last couple of weeks, I have come across more than one person who thought the kids on the project were not getting paid. Everyone employed by me gets paid, including the kids. The kids and a charity of their choosing are also the ones who take the profits generated by the sale of the furnishings/accessories/whatever else they create & sell. Related to that....both teams should be putting up the charity they're donating to on their pages sometime in the near future.
September 3, 2009
Trapeze day was awesome..not only did we get to do the trapeze but we were outside on top of a roof in New York City with the Statue of Liberty off in the distance so it made the experience of flying through the air that much better. Rumor has it that we have a Facebook page for the Green & Red Project with all sorts of pictures, including new pictures from the trapeze trip, but as I'm not a Facebook user, I can't confirm...Ari will be adding a trapeze page on this site as well, but it will likely have to wait until the weekend when the kids get back to work.
Although the kids have stopped working for almost 2 weeks, construction is humming along and the teams' homes are finally getting done at a good pace. Harristown is almost done on the outside (excluding landscaping & paving) and the inside is coming along as well with all the sheet rock starting to go up today. As has been the case the entire project, Hamilton is behind, but Chris, Army Joe & company are making great progress and the house is changing quickly and looking really good :)
August 31, 2009
It's TRAPEZE DAY :) I think trapeze day may be more for my benefit but I know some of the others are also excited...and once everyone gets past their fears, they'll all love it...and if not, it should make for some good pictures :)
Everyone met last Wednesday to come up with the master plan for Lincoln Ave and work has begun.This week, the work will mainly be construction focused (meaning Steve is doing it) as the kids are basically off right now as everyone gets ready to go back to school. But, expect another True Files from Danny and an update from Matt on his page as soon as someone chops it in half to make it 2 parts as it's too big for youtube. Finally, someone who talks more than I do ;)
Energy^2 is down to those who are going to college close enough to allow them to continue on with the project...Brian, Brittany, Chris, Macauley and Matt. Needless to say, they're hiring! They will be off all week as they all have school related things going on in advance of classes starting.
Green Seed has also slowed down and will be doing very little as well this week as they also have to get ready to head back to school on Wednesday.
Did I mention it's Trapeze Day? Yup, provided it doesn't rain (not supposed to), we'll be flying outside in NYC this afternoon.
August 24, 2009
Lots of new pictures up of Hamilton. It's hard to get a real sense of what it will look like all done, but having just seen it in person this morning I can say it's going to look great. I hope everyone also notices the picture of the DIY metal bench that's in progress.
Moments with Matt has been added to the site, and you'll now be able to get a regular update on what's going on with team Green Seed. I was also at their house this morning, and their site definitely needs updated pictures as it's come a long way since the last group of pictures.
The coming week should bring updates to both team pages (new pictures of homes & furniture already created), the Big Kid page (all construction employees added), the subcontractor page (new subs & links added) and the Close to our Hears page.
Energy^2 has a master plan for part 2 and it's awesome. Green Seed is still working on their plan which needs more detail but overall, it's also impressive and it should be done this week.
We will start working on Lincoln Ave on Wednesday instead of tomorrow as I'm taking my kids to a water park instead of working :)
August 21, 2009
Gotta love the pictures of the boards although how Chris and Brittany got Brian to go along is beyond me :)
Currently, most of Green Seed's employees are enjoying a vacation as the board members work on their master plan. A few of the employees continue to work daily (Shannon, Julia & Danny), helping with the plan and continuing to work on marketing their team. Energy's employees are leaving for college on a daily basis which is the reason they are looking to hire. But, for right now, having a small group is key and it's also that group that has responsibility for Lincoln Ave. which means, for one house for a few weeks, both sides are on one team.
The video of all the board members, Danny, Steve and me that we filmed on Sunday is shorter than filmed (technical problems) but is still over 12 minutes long and full of information. We did talk about what's going on at Lincoln Ave (among other things) before an abrupt ending so you can hear about it now as well as read about it. As we currently have no web designer (Ari, Green Seed's designer/programmer is on vacation and Scott is gone) this is where/how it will live until Ari takes over :)
August 20, 2009
The Doctor is keeping up with his page as promised and Julia's back with her thoughts.
We will be starting Lincoln Ave next week, but probably not until Tuesday as some of us (me included :) ) are taking a few days off in advance of that.
We filmed Scott's final vlog yesterday as he joins those leaving for college.
August 19, 2009
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.
Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.
August 18, 2009
We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)
The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :)
Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
August 16, 2009
The Doctor is back from Montreal and started the clock on his 7 day commitment/promise with his first entry written yesterday and now posted on his page. I hope he's around this afternoon while we're filming so you can get a better sense of him as well...he's a character...and I am really happy/thankful he's a part of the project because he adds a lot.
Steph Polak is apparently working until the last moment before she leaves for college and as a result, we're going to be in This Old House magazine and the latest news is that they want to run a story in the November issue instead of December :)
August 12, 2009
Lots of video, vlogs and pictures have been added to the site, but it doesn't yet fully reflect Part 2...especially the main page which still features an old marketing video with people in it who are no longer a part of the project. The pictures of the 2 boards are also outdated. On the upside, the employee pages seem to be pretty accurate. The kids are working very hard and they're getting to all of this but are all currently working on figuring out exactly how they're going to win the contest and achieve their other 2 business goals which has to get done if they're to succeed in the end.
August 10, 2009
We are officially starting the 2nd pass of this project. Obviously, the site isn't yet updated to reflect those who are now involved in Part 2 or all the people from Part 1, but it'll get done this week along with the critical planning that has to be done by both teams so that we can kick it back into high gear.
I am counting on Scott to get everyone who is leaving soon on camera before they go, and as long as he is around, I'm going to insist he/they/we vlog every day. It's the best way for me to find out what they really think in addition to keeping those checking the site interested...and most importantly, it's fun :)
August 8, 2009
Scott and De didn't get to casting for next week's vlog but Alex, Julia, Steve and I had fun being Scott's guests yesterday. I am optimistic that it won't be too long before you get to meet everyone in similar fashion so that you can get a much better sense of who these kids are who have taken on not just one, but 2 businesses each. Stay tuned.
Our "Close to our Hearts" page should slowly start getting filled as the kids are taking some time to focus on it.
August 7, 2009
More filming today as we have to do a take 2 of yesterday's vlog episode (see my page for more) and Scott and De are casting for a guest host as she goes on vacation next week and will be filming the "auditions" as well. All of it is meant to be fun and to also give you more insight into the project and the people on it. It should all be up tonight.
August 6, 2009
We didn't quite get to hiring everyone, but at least there was lots of filming going on yesterday. We are down to 5 original board members who will lead the way along with the new board members through Part 2...Nick and Ryan for Green Seed and Chris, Brian and Brittany for Energy^2. I'll be writing about them later today or tomorrow as well as those who are becoming new board members. Today, hiring continues as does the filming so that we get everyone - especially those who are leaving soon - captured on film and ultimately, up on this site.
August 5, 2009
Yesterday was the best day ever...at least so far :) Moving day happened and now hiring day begins.
So I posted the update above and my latest entry before remembering that De and Scott had another vlog episode they finished shortly before I got to the warehouse last night. I just watched it (fyi, no note of it on Energy's page which still refers to the previous episode but it's on their page) and it was great to see them talking about what's going on. I hope you'll check it out. Related, Danny was filming a lot yesterday and there should be lots more of the kids' perspectives coming soon.
I also posted before remembering that some of Jayson Julianda's art has been posted along with his interview with the Doctor (The Doctor's Take page).
And coming soon...details related to Julia Hotz and Mike Gennet and their night promoting team Green Seed at an event in Fair Lawn (a neighboring town) last night.
August 4, 2009
Calling any kids who want a job on Part 2 and/or anyone who wants to be a board member for part 2 :) Today is moving day. Tomorrow is hiring day.
Lots of changes planned and being implemented this week and most importantly, we're getting new pictures and footage so that when GRP Part 2 starts (August 10) this site reflects who has come and gone and who remains and in what capacity.
August 2, 2009
The first pass of the Green & Red Project unofficially ended last night and Part II unofficially officially starts on August 10. The coming week is the 2nd week of making sure we know where we are and where we are going before we continue full throttle. I have taken over temporarily as we, in a sense, start over. That said, it's not really starting over as much of the construction has been done but because of circumstances, many of those who contributed so much since the beginning will be leaving making it necessary to hire new board members and employees to get the homes fully finished and as originally planned way back when. Hiring board members is my responsibility as is getting them going the right way so that’s the plan for me (among other things)
It's also a week of fun as we say goodbye to those who are leaving and welcome aboard to those joining the project. Most importantly, it's my way of saying thank you for all the hard work that has gotten us to where we are now. And come hell or high water, this site will pay tribute to those from Part I and you will get see them all on camera, because frankly, there is no way I can write about all of them, but it's important everyone sees for themselves all those who have been so much a part of all of this....and so that you'll recognize their faces when they come back for the contest!
Basically, decisions that made sense when we thought the contest would be next weekend no longer make sense. We didn't have the time to make major changes with only a few weeks to go, but upon learning major changes were required on the construction front that led to months being added, it is now also necessary for major changes on the kid end of things. It just keeps getting more interesting :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Energy^2 is done with their master plan for part 2 so the pressure is on Green Seed if they want to be a part of the team responsible for the mini-flip on Lincoln Ave. See my page for details about Lincoln Ave.Scott's last day is today and yesterday afternoon I suggested a small roast in his honor - to be captured on his vlog of course ;) I'm not sure we can pull that off with less than a day of thought to come up with the material, but this afternoon, there'll be a final vlog from Scott and company :) De should be back from vacation, but she'll be leaving soon as well so although someone else may decide to vlog, Scott & De's vlog is nearing the end.We all did get together on Sunday to film a video of all the board members plus Danny plus Steve so that you could hear their take and we could get you caught up but once again, there were problems that weren't discovered until after we had all gone home. Danny is seeing if he can salvage some of it but as much of it was missing sound again, we'll have to get together for take 2...I see that as good news, because it's fun :)The Doctor's latest entry is all about Steve and it would have been great if the video from Sunday was up so you'd get more of a sense of Steve personally. What I would add to Macauley's take is that Steve, beyond all the practical help he is giving, is a great human being who backs up all his words and always leads by example. He also filled up the fridge He took it upon himself to get a fridge for the warehouse and then used his own money to fill it for the kids. He has also put off taking time off until the warehouse is 100% ready for the kids so that they can maximize their time and efforts. All of that tells me everything I need to know about Steve, and I am so thankful things evolved as they did because I finally have the right person for the role I've been unable to fill despite repeated efforts to do so. As a bonus, I have found someone who has many ideas as I do, and aside from the kids, he and I have a lot in the works on our own which you'll see eventually as much of it ties in to the project :) The only people who really belong on this project are people like him and all the firing/hiring and re-hiring has been about making sure that everyone on the project deserves to be a part of it :) Depending on what info gets out there from the video we created on Sunday, you can hear about the kids' latest challenge/reward via the video, otherwise you'll have to wait until I can get to writing on my page (hopefully at some point today) about the Lincoln Ave house I'm adding to the mix :)
Cha..cha..cha…cha…CHANGES….As we move into August and towards what should have been the date of the Public Opinion Contest, we are instead re-organizing as the Green & Red Project – Part 2 and we will be spending the next week getting together new pictures and videos and will then be updating this site to reflect that and the fact that we are months away from being able to hold the contest...See Sues’ perspective for a more detailed explanation.
July 29, 2009
The contest will be sometime this fall. See Sues’ perspective for an explanation.
New stuff from Julia, Green Seed and Energy and it’s now all changing so quickly that I’m probably going to stop making note of it here.
July 28, 2009
The only thing the 3 teams have in common is a Flaherty….if that makes no sense to you then you haven’t read far enough back on Sue’s page ;) The 3rd team is a group of college kids who are creating their own cool things to sell and to help each team as needed/if needed. My page will have more details about that.
Danny created the first video in a series that shows what it’s like at the warehouse. It’s appropriately called, “The True Files.” As of right now, it’s not yet on the site, but it is up on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czfTr74RPFI
We're getting some help from Glen Rock Construction. I don't know much about them, but I have heard nothing but good things, and based on my time with Glen (owner) yesterday, I have complete faith that everything I heard is true. Glen seems like a very good human being, and he and his crew are definitely helping us out of a jam so I've cast them, along with a few of our own, as the cavalry that's coming to our rescue :)
Truth is definitely stranger than fiction :)
July 26, 2009
13 days and counting down :O There is A LOT left to do, and I'm sure there are some who live close enough to see the homes who are thinking that there is no way they'll be done in time for the public opinion contest. It’s true that the homes will not be ready for re-sale as they’ll still be lacking landscaping and may be plus the old garages when we open them up to the public in less than 2 weeks, but none of that will prevent everyone from being able to see 2 beautiful, furnished homes created by 2 teams of amazing kids. I have a lot of faith in the people who are actually building the homes and I know that it’ll get done.
I am happy and excited and really looking forward to the inevitably crazy days that remain and it seems I’m not the only one as that was the mood all the way around yesterday. I am also happy to report that very soon, Danny’s videos of the day to day will be making their way on to the site so you can get a better sense of what it’s like at the warehouse – likely just as the kids move out of the warehouse and back into their homes.
July 23, 2009
The picture of the house on Energy’s first page is now their house (as it used to be), and no, it wasn’t sabotage ;)
Green Seed has at least one more video done (and maybe even 2) and that should be up later this afternoon.
The Doctor is interviewing Jayson (the man behind the Mende Mobile among other really creative things) and that interview should also be up later today or tomorrow.
299 Harristown is filled with windows and doors…which is what actually got delivered – not the kitchen cabinets though those should be in shortly for both homes.
July 22, 2009
See July 15 and 16 entries as NJN is still short of reporters but still interested in doing a story on Green Seed so it’s a question of when that none of us can answer currently.
Kitchen cabinets for both homes are coming in today!
Julia is back with her latest entry
I’m not sure what’s going on with Energy’s web pages (I’m only responsible for my pages) because their main page shows a picture of Green Seed’s house. On the upside, both Energy and Green Seed put up lots of new pictures of their homes. Keep checking both teams’ pages, because they should be changing a lot soon!
July 21, 2009
Green Seed is filming their latest video
July 19, 2009
3 weeks until we know who won the public opinion contest!!!
July 16, 2009
NJN is down a few reporters and didn't have any free yesterday so they are going to come next week instead. They will likely come next Wednesday, but Julia will find out for sure on Monday when she talks to them.
Close to Our Hearts has one entry with more on the way :)
July 15, 2009
Julia Hotz is back, and she has arranged to have NJN (NJ Public TV and radio http://www.njn.net/) come to Harristown today to do a story on Green Seed. I am not sure when it'll be on TV - it may even be on today - we'll keep you posted.
July 13, 2009
New Green Seed pictures
July 12, 2009
The Doctor is in...
July 11, 2009
The Public Opinion Contest will be starting 4 weeks from today and the 1st pass of the project will be ending!!!
Macauley (The Doctor's Take) and Julia (Julia's Thoughts) have been away but expect more from them soon.
July 8, 2009
NEW VIDEO on the video page
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! The public opinion contest dates have finally been determined with one month to go - one month from now.
July 6, 2009
A new page and a new perspective! (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?) Julia got her first entry done and although she'll be on vacation for 10 days, there'll be more when she gets back.
July 1, 2009
A new page and a new perspective! We added the Doctor's Take page which is Macauley's take on things. His first entry is up, and I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I did.
Hopefully we'll have Julia Hotz's page up soon as well as she's also going to be writing on this site about her take on things and her experiences with Green Seed.
The other new page, Near & Dear to our Hearts is simply free advertising for all those organizations/ideas that mean something to us as individuals. It should be getting filled soon!
June 29, 2009
School finally got out last Thursday and the seniors have been celebrating ever since :) Congratulations Class of 2009. Now it's back to work for what's shaping up to be one crazy month give or take a few weeks :) The public opinon contest will NOT be July 11 and 12. I don't know when it will be yet but I'm hoping it will be the weekend of August 8 and 9 so that all the kids who want to have a summer job can have a summer job!
We are still taking our road trip to Michigan, but we have decided to go after the public opinon contest is over and this pass of the project has ended. Stay tuned for details :)
June 21, 2009
WOOHOO! It's summer...not that you can tell here given the endless rain and the fact that the kids are still in school...but soon they'll be done and at some point the sun will make an appearance :)
Not really the point....the point is "The Green & Red Project Road Trip". Our final destination is in Michigan where we're going to drop off some donations but we will be making stops along the way to help a few other charities in need. Details to follow...
June 17, 2009
Cablevision is now running the story about the project on the Local Neighborhood Journal on channel 78 or 118 for all Cablevision customers. Thank you so much to Dave from Cablevision for not only spending so much time with all of us but for the great story as well. We all really appreciate it :)
June 12, 2009
Congratulations Glen Rock High School Class of 2009 Salutatorian, Steph Polak (Sales & Marketing Board Member for Energy^2.) I am extremely impressed but so NOT suprised. Steph is the one kid I knew before the project began as she's been my neighbor since I moved to Glen Rock 11 years ago, June 2, and it was clear from the moment I met her that she was going to be a success at whatever she chose to do. She's amazing. I will write more about her on my page but not today as I am once again running out of time. I'm used to it by now and have realized, I can only do what I can do :)
June 9, 2009
The update is that I should stop putting in updates about things that are going to happen, because I'm wrong more often than not. All I know is that even though everyone decided for sure that the homes were going to be open to the public the weekend of July 11/12, the same people (board members plus employees) have decided that they'd like to push it back a week or two. So, my June 5 update about the contest being July 11/12 for sure was wrong....just like a few too many of the other updates have proven to be false. Obviously, I could just delete
or correct what I wrote, but then how could everyone actually understand how true it is when I say things are crazy and change from one day (if it takes that long) to the next? :)
Should have said this a few days ago...yes, we know Energy^2 pages are currently down, but the new and improved version will be up soon. It's just tough to get your team's web designer to update the site when he's off visiting colleges ;)
June 5, 2009
We've decided for sure that we will have the homes open to the public for viewing/voting in the Public Opinion Contest the weekend of July 11 and 12 as previously stated. The details have yet to be determined, but you'll see the updates here and on the flyers that are going to be appearing everywhere in advance of the contest :)
We've also decided that this pass of the Green & Red Project will end on July 31 so that's the day the books get closed and soon after, the kids (and their charities) will know exactly how much money they made as a result of all the efforts they've put forth. I hope we can get the word out when the time comes for the sale of their stuff so everyone gets a chance to own some Glen Rock originals made by an amazing crew of high school kids.
Totally unrelated to the project but definitely worth mentioning...Last night was Glenstock, and I got to see many of the kids who are on the project in their own element and away from the project at the music festival held at the high school. They were all amazing and it was so much fun to be able to see them doing something they obviously love and work very hard at. Very cool that the school lets them have the space to shine and makes it possible for the general public to see how amazing the teenagers in this town are for themselves :)
June 4, 2009
We have phone, fax and interent at our store finally :) That should make video updates happen much more quickly (I'm an optimist ;) )
The other me is very interested in working on this project and in another week or so I hope to be able to introduce the latest member of the Green & Red Project.
June 1, 2009
Thank you Dave and Steve for coming out and spending so much time with all of us last Thursday. According to Dave, it will be a 3-5 minute segment that will air 5-6 times per day for 2 weeks starting June 15 on channels 78 or 118 (only in NJ for Cablevision customers) I don't know if there'll be any issues, but assuming there aren't or are resolved, we'll have it available (or link) for everyone via this website.
I am happy to report that there will be lots of video coming soon, because Danny and Ryan are going to be filming every day at the "store" so you can see what it's really like on a daily basis. I'm still waiting for someone to take the hint and do it for Energy^2 who has not gotten displaced yet! It's so much fun so if you can't be there at least you'll be able to participate another way :)
I was looking for another me, and I remembered that I already know someone...now I just have to see if she's available and interested in taking on a group of post-high school kids and do the same thing I'm doing with the high school kids. Guess it's not really the College edition of the Green and Red Project, just a post-high school edition with the only restriction being that they have to be under 21.
May 28, 2009
If you can't beat 'em, BE BETTER! Not sure who, if anyone, said that, but it's our new motto :)
Look for the Help Wanted page coming soon (Big Kid help)
Cablevision is coming today to do a story for their Neighborhood Journal program. We're all excited despite not actually knowing what exactly to expect!
May 20, 2009
Calling all Glen Rock senior citizens who want to make some money while helping the kids and sharing their knowledge and wisdom......We need you!
We're going to be on Cablevision's Neighborhood Journal program :) I received an email from the producer/director, David, and he will be here next Thursday to interview the kids, some contractors and me and to film what's going on. We had a great conversation and all of us are really excited that people want to know more. Thank you to Evonne as her story in The Record is what got David's attention.
He will be meeting us at our new location - 487 Broad Street - we got the keys yesterday!
May 15, 2009
COMING SOON - The Green & Red Project - The College Student Edition! Stay tuned for details and hiring info
WE HAVE NEW DIGS!!!!!! The Green & Red Project is moving to Broad Street thanks to 2 people who are representative of all that's good about Glen Rock - Beth Fernandez and Phil Gulmy. Beth is not only a great realtor, she's a great friend and a wonderful human being and if you live around here, you probably see her picture in the paper all the time getting one award or another.
We found out we had to move on Tuesday...immediately. I left the meeting with that news, headed home and called Beth. We had a new home within 30 minutes. Thank you so much to Phil for bailing us out of a jam and being so accommodating. I only met him yesterday, and just like with Beth, I liked him immediately.
I hope we wind up staying there a long time and that it becomes the home of the "Made in Glen Rock" store (the name is not set in stone, it's just the gist) that we're now also working towards. The store idea is like GRP but instead of using a home to learn how to run a business, the kids will use a store to learn, and they will be responsible soup to nuts just like they are with the homes. More to come....
May 12, 2009
We made the cover of the Local section of The Record! Thank you very much to Evonne Coutros of The Record for taking so much to get to know everyone and the resulting article.
Here's a link http://www.northjersey.com/education/educationnews/Eco-friendly_rivalry.html in case you are too far away to pick up The Record!
Hamilton lost their driveway and construction has started!
May 11, 2009
IT'S ON! 2 months to go and we have a real competition going! All in good fun, of course.
May 7, 2009
Thank you to Mike Harris from The Record who took lots of pictures of the kids working at both homes. I know there'll be an article in the Record, but no word yet on when.
May 5, 2009
48 Glen Rock students on payroll....55 people in total, and Sue has yet another moment where she thinks, "I always think it's going to be easier than it actually turns out to be." It's all part of the fun :) Or maybe that's the fun itself!?
We are getting so much help that goes above and beyond from ALL of the subcontractors we've hired so far and all of that extra help is of their own choosing and doing. The same is true for all the guys working for Frank as well as for Frank himself. I'm sure some people checking out the site and looking at the dates and all that needs to be done are wondering, or maybe even doubting how/if it's all going to get done by July 11. The big YIKES on the May 1 update was my way of saying, "I know there's a lot to be done and very little time." The more people we hire directly or as subcontractors, the more confident I become that it will not only get done which I've always been sure of thanks to Frank but that the results will be even better than we all imagined.
Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to make sure that those things that are not under the kids' direct control (not their hands doing the actual work) will be done and done well! We have not yet updated the Subcontractor's page with all the people now working on the homes, but it will be done soon.
A documentary about the Green & Red Project has been put on the master to-do...more on that to come.
Thank you to Yvonne from The Bergen Record for taking the time to come and see the homes, meet the kids and learn more about the project. We all hope you'll be able to read all about it in the newspaper a few weeks down the road.
May 4, 2009
WE HAVE PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION AT 244 HAMILTON!!!!!
May 1, 2009 (YIKES!)
Joanna, a new (very good) hire for Green Seed, has gotten us our first interview which is taking place later today. She's amazing and you'll be seeing lots of her, because she's the Public Relations lead :)
Be on the lookout for the Mende Mobile aka The Green & Red Project pick-up truck. Both teams were given one side of the truck to do with as they wanted. Green Seed got an early lead, but aren't completely done with their side. Energy^2 came back strong and finished even stronger even if they're also not completely done yet either. I only recently met Jayson, who is a new hire for Energy, and although I haven't really gotten a chance to really talk to him, it only took one glance at the side of the truck to be impressed by him. He graffitied (I'm pretty sure I made up that word) Energy^2 on the side of the truck (graffiti as in the style of stuff you side on the side of subway cars, for example). That was just the start....he and Macauley (who I've seen with nothing but a happy, friendly smile for years at the bagel shop but also don't really know well yet) did some amazing work on the whole side panel which you just have to see, because I can't describe it/do it justice. Preferably, you get to see it in person, but new pictures will be up soon for those who can't see it live.
So why the Mende Mobile? Check out Energy's board members....Jayson drew a picture of one of them on the passenger side door, and it's an amazing likeness :)
The Mende Mobile (with Mende on board) is actually on a trip to Pennsylvania as I write this so perhaps we'll get some new visitors to the site as those along the way catch sight of it and are curious enough to visit this site which is also prominently on display on the truck.
FEEDBACK? ANYONE? I would love to get some feedback, and I don't care if it's good or bad as long as it's informative so feel free to email me anytime (susanne@greenandredproject.com) if you have an opinion and/or idea about how it can be better (any of it.)
April 30, 2009
Although there have been no written updates, the latest updates to the teams' pages, new pictures and the latest video from Chris Terrone from Team Energy^2 as well as the new "Video" page featuring a video about the project created by Ryan Geffert and his crew should have made a written update unnecessary...if you haven't seen the latest, especially the videos, you're missing out and should remedy that as quickly as possible!!! :)
April 23, 2009
WE HAVE PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION AT 299 HARRISTOWN!!!!!
WARNING! I have come to grips with the fact that inevitably some people will take things I say the wrong way and misunderstand what I'm trying to communicate. I've accepted that unless I can write it perfectly (impossible for me), it's bound to happen when you make your thoughts public and your audience doesn't know you personally. That's what was making starting the Sue's Perspective page (I don't like blog) difficult for me. It was intimidating. But, I'm past and that's the reason for the warning, because once I get going, I can keep going so it's a good page to check out if you like to read.
We'll be filming the last piece of the Green & Red Project promo video tonight in Glen Rock with all the board members so if you see a group of kids, me and a video camera/crew that's what's going on. The final video will be up within a week or so, and I know you'll be impressed.
Sue's blog coming later today.
The kids are off from school next week so look for lots of updates/lots going on.
Have you come across a "What is The Green" flyer yet? Do YOU know what "The Green" is? The answer is on the site.
April 21, 2009
The Ivy Monster is here! See Green Seed's video page to see him from the safety of your computer.
Happy Birthday, Dad! OK, so not really a work thing, but this isn't really like any other business anyway so it fits.
April 20, 2009
Lots of new pictures on Green Seed's site and new pictures of employees on Energy's site under team members.
BEWARE THE IVY MONSTER! (coming soon to Green Seed's pages)
The truck is about 1/3 done and it's looking great so far but will look even better when it's all done.
April 19, 2009
I've realized the hardest part of explaining this project is not explaining the project/process itself....it's actually getting people to fully understand and BELIEVE that I have actually handed 2 homes/2 businesses to 11 high school students and put them in charge of achieving 3 business goals....People consciously or unconsciously seem to have a hard time believing that yes, it is in fact true that the 11 kids I hired are in charge and responsible for making all the decisions and getting it all done in any way they think will make them successful in achieving the goals they have now defined in detail.
COMING SOON.....Sue's blog for those of you who want to learn more and want to get more information about all of it - the project, the kids, the experiences and anything/everything else I can think to write about that you might be interested in knowing. I am so excited by the kids and what they're doing, and I'd like to share it and capture it so when I have time to actually think about it all, I'll have something to help me remember all the details.
For those who live in the area....drive by Green Seed's home and you'll see the result of a decision they made as a business firsthand....no need to know more, you can't miss it!
April 13, 2009
Happy 91st Birthday Herb! I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the party.
April 11, 2009
3 months and counting down. Yes, we have a final date...look for 2 amazing homes and a huge sale the weekend of July 11 & 12, 2009.
Happy Birthday Mays!
Our first Green & Red Project party! It was fun and informative and the best part was the first look at all the pre-improvement furnishings. Actually, the best part was getting to spend some time with the kids and getting to meet their parents. The parents are as awesome as the kids! I'm sure that they are now just as excited as I am to see the homes and all the furnishings post-improvement and everything else that the teams will come up with during the next 3 months. Stay tuned.
Earlier April 2009
35 employees and counting and be on the lookout for the official Green & Red Project pick-up truck. I can't wait to see what it's going to look like when it's all painted. Thank you very much to Tim and all the other guys at Hawthorne Chevrolet who helped us out immensely.
HELP! I'm looking for some creative kids to come and work for Frank, Anthony and me directly. I haven't had a chance to add a new hiring page, but if you're interested before I get a chance to do so, please email me (Susanne@greenandredproject.com)
We got a great tour of a brand new home thanks to Kevin and Jo Ann from NJ Electric. In case anyone needs electricians, they are the best. They have also gone above and beyond without ever having been asked to do so, and have done a lot to help the kids with their homes.
The weather is finally warming up and construction is on the horizon.
March 2009
Don't let the lack of updates on this page fool you. The teams have put up lots of new pages and have been hard at work making all the decisions that needed to be made before actual work on the homes and furnishings could begin. Both teams now have a clearly defined strategy for making money off the furnishings, winning the public opinion poll and maximizing the return on home improvements/renovation.
We didn't start out thinking there would be major construction, but both teams determined it was necessary. The construction plans/requests for permits have been submitted to the building department for Harristown and the Hamilton plans should be there shortly.
The board members have started hiring additional students and are looking for more.
We have filmed a portion of the video being created to explain the project and should be finishing that some time in the next few week so be on the look-out for that as well as a group picture of the core group members of the Green and Red Project.
Lots more to come!
January 2009
I realize most of the news lately is nothing but doom and gloom, but I personally believe it going to be a great year. My optimism comes in large part courtesy of the two teams of board members I've hired. They are an interesting, talented and diverse group of 10 kids and after having worked with them for a number of weeks, I have no doubt that they're going to impress everyone who sees their work.
So the teams have been formed, their respective homes picked (244 Hamilton Ave and 299 Harristown Rd) and work on the homes and on the project has started. They will need to hire additional kids in order to win the contest and accomplish their goals so keep sending in your applications.
The site will be getting updated more frequently going forward, and each team will be putting up their own pages with lots of pictures and information specific to their team and home so please check back soon.