By Sarah Zabrocki

"Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead.

It has been a long-standing dream of mine to be able to make a difference in peoples lives in our community and around the world. I have dreamt of the day when we would make (though really hoping to win) our millions and really be able to change the world. Though Drew and I enjoy the daily exhilaration of business ownership, we have been longing for something more, something that would positively impact the lives of people in need and the planet as a whole. Pretty lofty goals we've set, but with my heart and his entrepreneurial spirit, we believe we can make a difference!

I recall the birth of this aspiration. Oprah. She has been an idol of mine since I can remember. All of the wonderful things she does are so incredibly inspiring. I cried so many joyful tears over the years as she so graciously changed the lives of so many well deserving people. And then came Extreme Home Makeover. Wow! All this heart-filled, selfless giving only served to fuel our desire to make a difference.

Many lotto tickets were purchased upon dreams of finally developing the Rocki-Harts foundation, yes, we had already chosen a name, developed the logo and Drew had the entire business/financial model developed and ready to go! But of course, tickets were checked and then quickly discarded.

Week after week turned up no winning numbers. We were so convinced that we were meant to do this. We thought surely we would be provided with the necessary resources to accomplish this major feat.

After some time, I turned to Drew and asked, "What are we waiting for?" Right now, we have a vehicle to reaching thousands of people...that vehicle, of course, is Genext. With thousands of customers, key relationships with media professionals, a well-known name in our community, what else do we need? Sure it would be nice to have a couple million bucks, but sometimes, all you need is creativity. We are now underway and are proud and excited to launch our act Local, live Green campaign! The website was recently launched after several months developing the vision into something that we could all get our arms around.

We hope you'll take part and encourage you to see how easy it is to make difference. Check it out, http://www.genext.net/community.

Our Vision

We envision a thriving, collaborative community in which local businesses are prosperous and contribute to a healthy environment and the well-being of all citizens.

Our Mission

To be the local forum where businesses come together to transform and model an economy built on sustainable practices.

We've created a place for people and businesses to see how easy it is to make a big difference in our community. We focus on four key initiatives:

• act LOCAL - Increasing awareness about the personal, community and economic benefits of choosing local, independently owned businesses first.
• live GREEN - Promoting healthy, durable, efficient, and environmentally responsible places to live, play and work.
• friends of FIBER - Showcasing the many features and benefits of our local fiber assets while encouraging the community to take advantage of the technologies available.
• family MATTERS - Getting back to good old fashion family values. We offer resources for parents and families about teaching children values, safety and violence prevention.

What do we get out of it? The chance to make a difference and the opportunity to be a part of the greater good. Check out our NEW website with tons of tips and information on how you can be part of the change and start making a difference today, www.genext.net/community.

On May 12th, the US Postal Service added yet another increase to the price of a first class stamp, raising the price to 42 cents to send a piece of mail! The 1-cent increase has made the price of sending a piece of mail seem excessive compared to the mere dime it cost in the early 70's. And this is the third increase in just 28 months!

Looking for ways to avoid the continuous cost increases while also helping to preserve our environment? Make the switch to Genext auto-pay today and start making a difference! This easy solution not only saves time and money and helps to simplify your life, but it also saves paper and fuel charges associated with standard mail delivery service. Once you sign up for auto-pay, your Genext charges are paid electronically on the 5th of every month. Your payments are made quickly and conveniently, and you never have to track payment due dates, buy stamps, visit the mailbox or write checks.

Auto pay is a rapidly increasing trend, according to Forrester Research, the number of automatic bill paying users will grow by 63 percent to roughly 60 million households over the next five years. Genext has seen a steady increase in customers making the switch to auto pay. Many find it simpler than the old fashioned, more time consuming and costly method of writing a check, adding a stamp, mailing and filing a paper copy, all of which are taxing to our environment.

There is no extra charge for the auto-pay billing method. It is easy to switch, just fill out this form http://www.portal.genext.us/library/contact/CCPreauthorization.pdf and fax it to 886.5100 or mail it to PO Box 5389, Wenatchee, WA 98807. If you're in the neighborhood, drop it on by!

Beyond cost savings and convenience, Genext auto pay offers a way to be environmentally conscious. Think of all the trees and fossil fuels you are saving by choosing Genext's auto-pay solution!