asking for your vote

A friend sent me the following email message from a woman who wants to open an ice cream shop in Rwanda. It's an awesome idea and she needs us to vote for her in order for her to see her dream become a reality. Please read the following letter, follow the links, and vote for Rocky Road to be an ice cream flavor in Rwanda and not a metaphor for life.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING A MOMENT TO READ THIS EMAIL TO THE END!

Loved Ones, Friends, Friends of Friends, Friends of Loved Ones, Total Strangers...

If ice cream or some other such treat has ever put a smile on your face, given you a break from a hard day, made you feel more in love, soothed your tears, or made a kid you know shriek with glee, please read on:

My friend Alexis and I opened Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn NY less than a year ago. It went well, and now we have two locations. We are kid-friendly, eco-friendly -- it's a special place (more details on our website www.bluemarbleicecream.com or on our new Facebook page, check it out).

Now, for an expansion we never saw coming, WE NEED YOUR HELP. Blue Marble Ice Cream is launching its third location. Not in Soho, not in LA, not in Chicago.

In Rwanda.

Encouraged by a friend in Rwanda yearning to bring joy and laughter to her community, we are launching a nonprofit to start a shop in this developing country where milk is a natural but relatively untapped resource.

NOW, to help this happen, we ARE NOT asking for money, we are asking for your VOTE.

American Express has launched an initiative called Members Project, which invites cardmembers to post their dreams of change online for the chance of winning funding to help them come true. AmEx is devoting $2.5 million to the winners, so the stakes are high!

Our project is called "Sweet Dreams: The Power of Ice Cream." This project is still in early development, but it is building momentum and we promise to share more details with you very soon.

Here's what we need from you:

1) Click on this link to CAST YOUR VOTE FOR OUR DREAM. It is simple and takes all of 20 seconds. A minimal investment for such a worthwhile endeavor! :) www.membersproject.com/project/view/FY1ZKE

2) Send this email to all YOUR loved ones, friends, friend of loved ones, friends of friends... This is all online, so LET'S GO INTERNATIONAL! TELL EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE!!!

3) Please, do this now. They are only accepting votes until September 1 -- this is all word-of-mouth, we have no other means of promotion, so PLEASE help us spread the word that may lead us to much needed funding for our very worthy project.

We only heard about this opportunity at the very last second and posted our project with no time to spare - other projects have had up to a month already to assemble votes. Please help us catch up! And read below for the full project description.

As friends, as ice cream lovers, as Brooklynites, as compassionate members of a global community, let's bring some sweetness and joy to Rwanda!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jennie Dundas, Blue Marble Ice Cream

420 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11217

(718) 858-1100

Peace,
Milton