Dear Visitors,

I know this is long overdue, but hopefully you will understand and forgive me. I started this organization with the hopes of making a big impact. I feel I failed in my first attempt at doing that. I have not given up hope though, and I am ready to give everything I can to ensuring the success of this organization.

My life has been full of surprises since 2009. Without getting into too much detail, let's suffice it to say that I have had many distractions, both work related and personal, which have kept me from giving sufficient effort to getting Give A Kick to where I want it to be.

Give A Kick nearly died twice in the last two years. I have done almost all of the paperwork involving registrations, exemptions, and taxes on my own. This required lots of research. Overall, the process really isn't that difficult, it is just knowing what you need to do and in what order that can overwhelm someone with no experience setting up a business and/or nonprofit. For anyone looking to start a nonprofit, please do it the right way and get everything set up before you go out and look for support. Our circumstances did not allow for that.

I don't mean to imply I have done everything on my own. I have had some help along the way, without which, we would not be here today. I give my deepest thanks to Mary Vandenberg, Robert Vandenberg, Elizabeth Armstrong, Becky Ponder, and Nancy & Howard Gourley. I know for a fact that without your help, Give A Kick would not have been able to help Kickapoo in the ways it has, and would not be in a position to provide the greater help I know we can.

I also want to thank one donor, whom without the gracious funding he provided in 2009, none of this would have been possible. Mark Lourance provided us with funds that not only allowed us to purchase magnets and t-shirts which we sell to raise money for the park and spread awareness of our organization, but it has also paid for equipment for the park, allowed us to set up this website, and helped pay some of the fees associated with becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

In the last year, I have secured our 501(c)(3) status. I have worked with our graphic designer and Director of Marketing, Becky Ponder, to get our logo on merchandise, including magnets and t-shirts. We used two local companies to create the merchandise. Premeir Print Group created the magnets and Project Te' helped us with the t-shirts. Both companies are located in Champaign. I feel that it is important for us as a small, grassroots organization to support local business as we hope they will support us. After all, the people who own and work at local businesses are the same people who visit Kickapoo. We are all in this together.

Currently, I am working with Accuraty Solutions in Champaign to redesign our website. I would like to think I could have done the website on my own if I didn't have a career and other obligations, but the fact of the matter is, I haven't had the time and it is time to let the professionals do their magic. This investment will reap our organization far greater rewards than I probably can imagine. I am very excited to give our website the look and feel it deserves as well as provide the resources to our supporters to organize and donate time and funding to the aid of Kickapoo. This is a great time for Give A Kick, yet, in my eyes, it is only the beginning.

Regards,
Cory Vandenberg
Founder