a favor to ask

[DrTimPerkins]

Hi Folks,

A personal "off-topic" favor.

MVP (the health insurance company) is donating to several non-profits in the NY/New England region. They are giving $2,500 away to each of the top 10 organizations based upon an on-line vote. The Vermont Odyssey of the Mind organization, a group I've volunteered with for the last 18 yrs (I was the Association Director for 6 yrs before stepping down last year), found out about this a short time ago and signed up. We provide the opportunity for kids to learn creative problem solving and team-work skills through a process of solving different problems each year. The teams compete against each other and are judged against problem criteria to determine the most effective and most creative solution. It is our 35th anniversary year in Vermont, and we hope to use any funds to make it a really special year for the kids. Our page is located at:

http://www.mvpprojectgo.com/detail.cfm?id=183

You can vote 1 time per day, but the rules allow you to vote with as many email addresses as you have. You can vote with both personal and business related accounts.

We’ve moved up from page 3 to page 1 in just the last couple of days, but need to move up a bunch more to get into the top 10.
If you want to help, it’s easy, but we really need people to vote EVERY day for the next week (until next Monday, Jan 27th) with as many email addresses as we can get. Please ask other family members and friends if they want to help too.

Since maple producers are such wonderful problem solvers in many aspects of their operations, I hope you'll consider this a worthy cause. Thank you in advance for considering this request.

[tuckermtn]

just voted...will vote with the other email now...

[BlueberryHill]

Just got 4 votes in for you. That was wicked easy. I'll try to remember to do it again tomorrow.

[cpmaple]

just voted it was easy your welcome

[Lethalbowman]

Just entered my 2 votes, hope it helps.

[happy thoughts]

Just added my 2 "sents", as well. Good luck to your organization Dr Tim. I'll try to vote again each of the next few days.

[Sugarmaker]

Done. Good luck.

[wrushton]

3 vote in good luck

[maple flats]

I just voted, It looks like we only need to bump 20 others to reach #1. We can do it!

[maple flats]

Dr. Tim, I just made this post Sticky, it will remain on top until changed. I will likely remove the sticky shortly after 1/27/14, when the voting ends.
Dave

[DrTimPerkins]

Thank you Dave. Appreciate all the help folks.

[Maplewalnut]

2 more votes

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

no comment

[Gary R]

I'm in. Good Luck!

[jgrenier]

Done. Thanks for all you share with us.

[KV Sappers]

Added my 2 votes.

[SWEETER CREATIONS]

Another vote in for dr tims cause , lets get in.

[DrTimPerkins]

It's working folks....we're definitely moving up. Thank you very much and definitely keep them coming. Vote EACH day from now through next Monday at http://www.mvpprojectgo.com/detail.cfm?id=183

[MapleLady]

Just added one more vote for you. Will add another tomorrow!

[madmapler]

It looks as though you have to wait 24hrs to vote again. I tried this morning after submitting my first vote yesterday afternoon and it wouldn't allow it.

[Cider Hill Maple Farm]

Three votes here!! Thanks for all your input Tim!!

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

same here, it wouldn't allow me to vote again with my email. It must not be calender based, it resets 24 hours after each vote must be. I remembered I had another address and I used my girlfriend's email too. 3 votes in...

[lpakiz]

Yeah, me three. I voted last evening and it won't let me vote this AM. The 24 hours thing sounds like it could be the reason.

[Rangdale]

Two votes from Maine!

[spud]

Three votes for me.

Spud

[unc23win]

4 here for me today.

[wrushton]

4 vote today, Tim

[3 brothers]

one yesterday and one today

[DrTimPerkins]

THANKS everyone for voting. It is working great! Since last night we've moved from #22 to #17, so it's working! Remember that you can vote EVERY day and with as many email addresses as you have until next Monday. http://www.mvpprojectgo.com/detail.cfm?id=183

[BlueberryHill]

Bam, did 6 more just now. Can't wait to do more tomorrow.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Just voted....

[Longyearfarm]

Here's 2 more...

[farmall h]

Dr.Tim
You have my vote.

[happy thoughts]

Just wanted to bump this post up so it shows as a new post and not just a sticky. Still a few more days to help Dr Tim's group out. Don't forget to vote today :).

[maple flats]

You've got my vote again.
Dave

[maple flats]

I just checked, you're at #16 right now.

[collinsmapleman2012]

theres four, looks like your up to 16!

[wrushton]

4 more votes

[Finest Kind]

OTM is a fantastic program - voted with pleasure. Best of luck Dr. Tim

[wrushton]

4 votes for today,good luck

[Paul VT]

This is a great program!! I was part of this program in junior high. Learned a lot and had fun.

[happy thoughts]

Again bumping this thread up. Dr Tim's group has advanced to #15. Still a few more days left to vote. Let's help them into the top 10 winner's circle. Lurker's throw your votes in. There's no need to post here after voting. Just vote early and vote often:)

[maple flats]

Dr. Tim, can you tell us what the long term problem is that they are working on now?

[maple flats]

Last chance to vote is today. Lets make this happen. I just voted 2 more times moments ago.

[DrTimPerkins]

Dr. Tim, can you tell us what the long term problem is that they are working on now?

Info on the international program is at http://odysseyofthemind.com Click on "2014 Problem Synopses" for descriptions of this year's problems.

Info on the VT Program is at http://vt.odysseyofthemind.org

For those who don't know anything about Odyssey of the Mind, it is a creative problem solving program for students from K through College. Mostly it is elementary and middle school students who participate. They are given a set of Long-Term problems (which change each year). These range in focus from vehicular, technical, classical art-literature-music, structural, and theatrical, and they choose one of them to work on. They brainstorm possible approaches, and come up with a solution that is presented as part of an 8-minute skit. Coaches help to mentor and teach the teams skills, but are not supposed to help them "solve the problem" (terms "Outside Assistance"). The teams present to a panel of judges at a sanctioned tournament and are scored on the effectiveness and creativity of their solution. In addition, each team is given a short (spontaneous) problem with a very limited time (and sometimes materials) to solve it. At the State level teams that place 1st or 2nd are invited to the international, or World Finals level.

Anybody in Vermont who wishes to volunteer to judge is more than welcome. We try to make the day fun for both the kids and the judges. The only tough part is that our State Tournament is Saturday, March 22nd, usually smack dab in the middle of sugaring. We usually have 80-120 teams (5-7 kids + 1-2 coaches) and 150 volunteers at our tournament. My wife is an accountant and I do maple research, but we both have been involved in this since our daughter was in the 2nd grade. She's been out of college now for 5 yrs I think. We've done pretty much every job there is in the organization at the State level, and a good share of positions at the international level. We pretty much operated the VT Program out of our house since 1999. We are starting to step back a little this year though, to let others have a chance to run the show, although both my wife, daughter, and I are still on the board of directors. We've seen some pretty amazing stuff in that time, and have had a good number of Vermont teams place 1st and 2nd at the World Finals level. It's been nearly as addicting as maple.

One example....the structural problem. Teams build a 8" tall structure with 15-18 grams of balsa. During their 8-min performance they stack weights on it until the structure crushes. World record is over 1,200 lbs on a 18 gram structure. Most 1st yr teams might do 5-10 lbs the first time, but by the end of the season they can hold 100-200 lbs. So just that is amazing.....think about the team of little kids having to move hundreds of lbs of weight and stacking it very gently onto a delicate balsa structure in an 8-min time frame. Just doing that carefully and well is amazing to watch. http://odysseyofthemind.com/photo_gallery.php?level=album&id=63&plog_page=2 Kids will amaze you (and themselves) at times with what they can do. They just need to be challenged in the right way....that is what Odyssey of the Mind does....it challenges them to excel in a fun and rewarding way. Of course sometimes they crash and burn too...but either way is a good learning experience if handled correctly.

[DrTimPerkins]

Hi Folks,

While the official tally has yet to be revealed, I think it looks like we fell a little short. It was certainly not due to a lack of support given by this group, as with your help we moved up from the high-20s in ranking to #14 (for at least a period of time). This during a period when the total number of votes absolutely skyrocketed. On behalf of our board of directors, and from me personally, I thank you all for your efforts....I so greatly appreciate it. We'll start earlier and get them next time.

Sincerely,