Dear 5th Bridge Pledgers,

Are you sick of winter? Does the economy have you down? Would you like to donate to your favorite charity, but cash is tight? Would you like to unclutter your home and have an excuse to get your garage cleaned out? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then we have a great service opportunity for you:

Get involved in 5th Bridge's 2nd Annual Goods for Good – The Great Northfield Rummage Raid for Charity. This environmentally friendly, community-building, fund-raising, fun event will be held the first weekend in May. Last year we had 20 sites participate and raised nearly $10,000 for charitable causes. Not too bad for a first time out! Here are a few highlights from last year:

• Students from the Northfield High School Environmental Club gleaned good usable items destined for the landfill during Northfield's annual clean-up days and hosted a "Goods for Good" site. Altogether they raised over $700 for the Environmental Club. This is a perfect example of turning trash into cash for a good cause.
• YMCA board members hosted a couple of sites and raised over $2,000 for the Northfield Area YMCA.
• Local realtors from Coldwell Banker hosted a site and raised $1,000 for the Community Action Center.
• A group of friends from the Northfield Hospital hosted a site and raised $1,600 for the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation.
• A couple of families hosted sales that benefited their church, Bethel Lutheran.
• One family raised $550 for juvenile diabetes.
• Another family split their donation between two different charities and then had their employer match the contributions for a total contribution of $600.
• Over $750 was raised to benefit the Skatepark.

Our goal this year is to double the number of participating sites – whether rummage sales or refreshment stands – and we hope to collectively raise $20,000 for charitable causes. As this annual event grows, it has the potential to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes in and around our community.

This is a great service and fund-raising opportunity for families, neighborhoods, churches, nonprofit organizations, service clubs, Circles of Service, sports teams, school groups, friends, etc. Kids can get involved too by hosting a toy sale or refreshment stand. What a great opportunity to teach your kids the value of service and giving.

5th Bridge will organize the event, help mobilize the site hosts, develop a tool kit to make the project easier, give ideas for sale beneficiaries, create a map with site locations, provide regional promotion, organize a success celebration and help to coordinate the disposal of leftovers.

Want to learn more about this exciting event? Attend the "Goods for Good" information session on Monday, March 16, at United Methodist Church from 7 to 8 p.m. RSVP to candy@5thbridge.org or call 507-581-3017. Visit www.5thbridge.org for more information (online enrollment will be available on our website no later than March 20).

If you want to support this event but don't have time to organize a sale, then mark your calendars for May 1 and 2 and plan to shop the great deals at the sales.

Garage sales not your thing? Here are a couple other current service ideas:

• Volunteers are needed to help with a community-wide food drive on March 21 from 8:30 a.m until 1 p.m. See the complete listing on our website, www.5thbridge.org, and call Judy Bickel at the Community Action Center (507-664-3550) to sign up or if you have questions.
• One volunteer coach, age 21 or older, is still needed to help with the Girls on the Run program, which begins on March 9 and runs through May 16. If you're interested, quickly contact Margaret Huber at mmhuber4@gmail.com. See the complete listing on our website for more information.

"Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can." John Wesley

Happy volunteering!

Sincerely,

Candy Taylor and your friends at 5th Bridge