 Like most nonprofits, Ripple Effect depends on its donors and members to fulfill its mission to promote youth development and leadership through adventure, healthy communities, and sustainable living. As Executive Director Anna Klein-Christy told Lesley McVane, Ripple Effect will soon be presenting a gift to celebrate the success of all those who turn the organization's vision into reality. Well, Ann, I want to start this interview by congratulating you on getting one of the coveted Quimby Family Foundation grants. It's a big honor. Well, Lesley, I have to say we were really honored and it was a wonderful family celebration that they do to share those grants. An opportunity for all of the recipients to really spend some time together and talk about the change that can happen in the community when there is some collaboration that is fun. That's what it's all about and we were proud to get one as well, but to see people who are members of community television being part of that family of recipients was just wonderful. Absolutely. I hope that if there were people in the audience who were not members at that time that we would encourage them. Exactly. Well, let's talk about Ripple Effect. And you're doing something really special as a thank you to your supporters. And let's talk a little bit about the mural. Absolutely. You know, we are at a point where it's really fun for us to celebrate all that has gone into Cow Island and all that has gone into Ripple Effect in making it such a wonderful success and an opportunity to work with kids. So we are going to be unveiling a mural out on Cow Island on September 9th where we can thank organizations like the Quimby Foundation and individuals who have really made it possible over the last 11 years now. Pretty wild. 11 years. Now, who created this mural? A gentleman by the name of Joe Kiewit who is a local artist. You see his pieces around town, but it really is an extraordinary mural of Casco Bay. So we'll be able to not only look at it as a work of art, but it's also a teaching tool for the kids who come to the island for programming. Well, how smart to combine the two, which is really what Ripple Effect's all about. It is. It is. I mean, that mural was very much a brainchild of both Cyrus Hagee and Joe Kiewit. And they thought about what would make sense and what would look wonderful in what used to be Fort Lyons, which is of course an old military base, where we make our home. So it makes a lot of sense for us. How exciting. And so the artist has been on the island creating this? Yes. He's been doing work in Portland as well. But he's a friend of the organization and really recognizes that this is an opportunity to celebrate and to recognize and also for new people to come out on the island and to see what opportunities are there and to see what that family looks like. I have to put you on the first Friday artwork. Put a little boat out to see the mural. Take a lobster boat out. Wouldn't that be fun? I think it'd be great fun. I would do it in a heartbeat. Now summer is winding down, but Ripple Effect is not winding down as in years past. What is happening now? What's coming up? Oh Leslie, my goodness. We had our regular programming and just two weeks ago. In two weeks we're going to start working with schools for orientation programs. Greeley Middle School is going to be sending their entire seventh grade class out for a couple of days. Oh wonderful. So they can look at health issues and they can work on bullying issues and really building a community in the school that really supports learning for kids for the rest of the year. And helps them to bond with each other. Absolutely. Seventh grade is a perfect grade to do that. It really is. It's right when they're changing from being little kids to the confusing part of going toward being an adult. That's absolutely right. And actually that's the reason that we do after school programming for seventh graders for the rest of the year. And there we work with Lincoln Middle School and Memorial, we've worked with King and Lyman Moore and Freeport so that we have a chance to really connect with kids when they're making some extremely important choices and hopefully give them the positive options. Well I think it's wonderful if people want to find out what they can do to help or learn more about this or if some of the schools want to get involved, those that aren't, how do they get in touch with you? Absolutely. The best way really is to check out our website which is www.rippleeffect.net. Well I think that's great. We have to wrap it up now but hopefully you'll be back as we get into the school season and hear how it's working and what's coming up next. Leslie thank you and thank you for all the support that you guys have given us. Thank you. It's been a wonderful relationship.