Our launch date for the program is June 1, and it has been an exciting time – I think it will be a growing year for the Rural Design Collective. Most of my time has been spent explaining the program to interested people – both in my community and in professional circles. Having the opportunity to define the program is an important step in its future. I was chatting with a potential sponsor and was asked to explain my motivation for starting the program. This helped me articulate more of the feelings behind the idea. I love technology, but I have never felt it is about having the latest and greatest gadget or the fastest CPU. It is about connecting to people (and I am one of those people who believe online connections are every bit as important and vital as “real world” ones). I would much rather invest in people than have the latest iPhone – I would rather give a little back to my community (online and off), help someone get started, or make something happen that can benefit others. Things are really coming together – I’m excited!