We Sow We Grow

12/25/2022

We Sow We Grow wants to take time to wish those of you deep in the holiday realm - Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa - a very easy holiday season.
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We hope that you're staying warm in cold places, cool in places that may be a little too warm, but most of all, we hope that you are with the ones you love and enjoy being around.
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We look forward to growing more with you in the new year, but for right now, we want you to settle in and make those core memories.
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Keep Sowing and Growing!

12/21/2022

Our We Sow We Grow Community Night at was wonderful as usual!
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Community members in the Chicagoland area were able to meet up on a snowy night to experience the arboretum in all of its glory!
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You have until January 7th to take part of the fun!
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12/20/2022

10 Effective Tips for Wintering Your Chicken Coop

The Midwest is under a blizzard watch for this week, with the chance of temps feeling like -30 on Christmas Day. If you're a chicken keeper, you may be wondering what you can do in order to make sure your feathered animals stay safe and warm. Here's a bit of information to get you started.

As the winter season approaches, you might note that the productivity of your chicken goes down a notch. There

12/18/2022

We're here, it's cold, we're ready. Stand 123 Bears vs Eagles!
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12/17/2022

The snow provided the perfect backdrop for our community outing to The Morton Arboretum tonight for Illumination. Stay tuned for more photos shared by community members.
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Illumination is taking place until January 7, 2023. Make sure to snag tickets online now!
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12/14/2022

If you qualify to attend this event check to see how you can go!

We're going to Springfield, IL in January for the Everything Local Conference! Would you like to join us?

CFPAC is assisting Illinois Farmers Market Association and Illinois Farm Bureau in coordinating group travel from Chicago to Springfield to ensure urban growers, farmers, and food businesses are able to attend the event.

Fill out this super quick form to request more information on travel logistics, and please help us reach other people by sharing this form widely! http://bit.ly/everythinglocaltravel

12/06/2022

Farm Alliance of Baltimore's Denzel Mitchell, Jr. is Spreading the Gospel of Urban Farming - Cuisine Noir Magazine

How did you enter the urban farming environment? No judgment? Do you see it as cool, sustainable, or a little bit of both? No matter how you see it, urban farming is turning heads - and more often than not for the right reasons. We love stories like Denzel's because it gives a peek into several things not often thought of in regard to urban farming.
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Now, to get more people on board!
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Farm Alliance of Baltimore's co-executive director Denzel Mitchell, Jr. is on a mission to help Black people practice food sovereignty through urban farming.

12/03/2022

The first of nine 32" raised beds were installed today.
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I'm still not happy with how level the farm is, and I'm open to suggestions geared toward small farms with no room to store large farm equipment.
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At this point, we're about 6 inches deep in mulch and just waiting for it to settle properly before installing beds.
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All of that mulch costs though, so if you're feeling generous, please consider donating today to help us close out the year strong!
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Until the next update! Keep sowing and growing!
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11/29/2022

Today is and we couldn't and wouldn't be able to do the work that we have for the last seven seasons without your generous donations.
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Through the fall and winter seasons when a lot of people think farmers stop working, and rest kind of like hibernation. Not so! We're currently in the middle of a farm rehab and are fielding deliveries of loads of mulch, and very soon, compost (as long as it isn't too cold) to fill all of the NEW beds that we will be building to complete.
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Funding helps us bring fantastic programming to our virtual community and quality resources to our local community.
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Your dollars go a long way to provide the content that will create gardeners globally, and through this partnership, we can make the world a greener happier space!
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Click here to become a sustaining donor >>https://www.facebook.com/donate/826441858630686/

11/26/2022

www.facebook.com

We can't do this important work of growing food in West Pullman AND teaching others all over the world how to grow in their own spaces without the generosity of donors who care about providing support beyond their own backyards. Please support our goal to raise $5000 on or before December 31st by becoming a recurring donor. Your generous gift today will allow us to upgrade our farm space, but more importantly, provide a third space for locals and an extended community for our global growers to visit. Please donate today.
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https://www.facebook.com/donate/826441858630686/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=We%20Sow%20We%20Grow
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11/26/2022

Not growing related, but something the city we love does every single year. Consider grabbing a ride and snapping a photo too!

It's BACK! The CTA Holiday Train returns for its 31st year starting today.

Here's the schedule:

💚 Green Line: 11/25, 26, & 29
🧡🤎 Orange Line & Brown Line: 11/30, 12/1, 2, & 3
❤️ Red Line: 12/6, 8, & 10
💜 Purple Line: 12/7 & 9
💗 Pink Line: 12/13 & 14
💙 Blue Line: 12/15, 16, & 17
💛 Yellow Line: 12/20

📸: filoricanadventures via IG

11/17/2022

Seven seasons.
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That's what we're overhauling this week. Seven seasons of soil. Seven seasons of growth. Seven seasons of ideas all planted in the community of West Pullman.
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We started the demolition of the farm on October 29th, with the removal of all of the raised beds that we installed in 2016. We then completed the very heavy task of pulling up w**d barrier that was installed AFTER all of those beds were put down. We've certainly been building muscle!
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Today, we put the final touches on the base of the farm. We tilled, graded land, and laid the last of the first layer of w**d barrier down. Tomorrow we will install a second layer and prepare for mulch delivery. On Friday, we will receive our lumber and go on a bed-building blitz! January or February will bring the custom construction of our new chicken coop and FINALLY our fence can be closed off with the complete project.
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THIS is where your donations go. To create better spaces for everyone to come and learn to grow their own food, pick fresh produce or just gather as a community. We will deliver fresh eggs from this land and break bread together on this land.
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If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to [email protected]. If you are interested in becoming a recurring donor to help us continue this work, click the donation button below. All donations up to $100 made by recurring donors will be matched by Facebook until December 31st! Help us double our impact!
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11/16/2022

Almost done with the barrier! Before you know it, the mulch, chicken coop and fence will be up!

11/16/2022

It’s giving season, and we’re getting closer to our goal of raising $15,000 but we’re not there yet!
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We've been busy renovating the farm and can't wait for you to see all of the hard work we've put in. And of course, we know that all of this takes money, volunteers and so much more. By signing up to donate ANY amount on a monthly basis, you'll be helping us reach our goals faster!
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Your generous support can make all the difference. This year, Meta will match recurring donations 100% up to $100 when you start a recurring donation beginning TODAY - November 15 through December 31, so be sure to donate before the end of the year!
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Meta will match up to $100K for our organization and up to $7 million in total across all orgs.
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Thank you for your support!

11/15/2022

The office this morning.
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We're tired but determined.
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If you're new around here, we ripped our entire farm up later in the season than we would advise because Natasha wants to offer the community, online and off, a better structure to learn on AND we're getting a custom built chicken coop from and needed to make proper space.
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Would we suggest this for anyone else? Absolutely not. But we aren't always the best at taking suggestions in November.
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11/14/2022

First load of lumber being delivered EARLY this morning. It's looking like we may come in under the wire for our w**d barrier.
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They keep saying snow is in the forecast. Cross your fingers it holds out long enough for us to work some magic.
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11/12/2022

Back to square one. Yes, in the fall. A medical procedure sidelined production for 6 weeks, but we're determined!
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We are grading the farm, putting barrier down to prepare for a bed building blitz in the spring!
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That involved pulling up every bed and tilling the quarter acre of land with the little tiller hat could! Check our stories for some BTS action.
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If you're in the mood to roll up your sleeves on Monday, November 14 from 10 am - 1 pm come and join us as we lay our new educational farm foundation.
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You will get dirty by nature! Bring close-toed shoes, a water bottle and gloves if you have 'em!
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11/06/2022

Back at it again! Come and visit us in stand 123 for today's Bears VS Dolphins game!
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11/02/2022

We do realize that the conversation surrounding plastic and recycling just feels >blah< mostly because the onus is on the consumer and not the producer, but that's another conversation.
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Check out what you can do to shrink your footprint, and maybe one of these days, we'll get it right overall.

ok, we laughed … but only in that “funny ‘cause it’s true” kinda way. 😢⁠
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recycling is NOT working. a new report from greenpeace found that only 5 percent of plastic was recycled last year.😐⁠
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two of the most common plastics (PET #1 + HDPE #2) are often referred to as “recyclable,” but most plants can’t actually recycle them enough to meet the standards. so, the more plastic is produced, the less it’s recycled, and the crisis just gets worse. without major change, plastic production will triple by 2050, says greenpeace.⁠
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what does work?⁠
- avoid single-use plastics whenever possible ⁠
- vote for candidates who support climate smart solutions⁠
- sign the petition in our stories to support a global plastics treaty⁠
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got more ideas? drop ‘em in the comments below.

10/14/2022

Garlic is here and ready to be ordered! Please buy the garlic so we can have space on our farm for other crops to grow. The bulbs are HUGE as you can see, and we have four varieties.

German Extra Hardy, Metechi, Georgian Fire, and Korean Red.

They are all hardneck varieties which mean more flavor in exchange for fewer cloves. They pack a punch. The Georgian Fire and Korean Red are spicier varieties. These can be cooked with OR planted although the planting really works in cold climates and you'd need to get them in about three weeks before the ground freezes.

I apologize for the tardiness in the selling, I would tell you the long journey, but y'all don't want to hear it. Limited amounts abound. Get in where you fit in!

Purchasing from us will help us on our CONTINUED journey to purchase a headquarters and provide quality content and workshops to our extended communities.

https://forms.gle/1GWcMEUx5qhB7UtRA

10/01/2022

We got a chance to tour the garden recently and we're so full of ideas for our farm and community.
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These earthworms were a hit with our junior farmers for sure! We do wish we had enough land to recreate this and the tunnels that they created.
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Traveling to see botanic gardens all over the nation is one way to keep us happy. While we produce mainly produce for human consumption we know we need to create spaces and places for all of the other plants and pollinators who help us.
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To our growing friends, when you travel, do you visit botanic gardens, conservatories and arboretums or are we doing too much?
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09/25/2022

Back at it again! Join us in stand 123 if you're at the football game. We've got hot dogs, peanuts, and pretzels.
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Your support here at the events at help us with programming and making sure our farm can feed our community.
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Thanks to our community for continued volunteer time and efforts.
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Let's go BEARS!
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09/22/2022

We are happy to have recently received a $45,000 Creative Place Program grant!
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Our funded project, Roots & Blooms, a collaboration between We Sow We Grow and The Black Bloom Project, will promote healing & transformation in West Pullman and we can’t wait to get started! Chicago Mayor's Office Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
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Natasha & Jade can't wait to share with not only the West Pullman community but Chicago as a whole, the things that we accomplish through agriculture and art.
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The Together We Heal Creative Place Program focuses on arts-based solutions, with the belief that
creative works can play a significant role in addressing systemic inequities, act as a convener for dialogue, encourage problem-solving, and spur positive transformation in communities throughout the city.
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The Together We Heal initiative was launched with the intent to educate and engage about long-standing systemic injustices, identify lessons learned from the past to inform new values and norms that shift power, envision a more inclusive future, and design policies to produce and sustain more equitable outcomes.
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Ranging from $25,000 - $500,000, the grants will support artist and community partnerships in designing and implementing art projects that promote healing and transformation in Chicago’s
neighborhoods, with a focus on communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism. The selected projects will integrate various artistic disciplines including, but not limited to, architecture, dance, film, music, performance art, photography, public art, and theater.
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From Fall 2022 through Winter 2024, selected artists and organizations will work in partnership with stakeholders to create projects that strengthen the economic, physical, and social character of a neighborhood or place.
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This program is part of Mayor Lightfoot’s Chicago Recovery Plan, which utilizes once-in-a-generation federal funding and an equity-based investment strategy to catalyze a sustainable economic
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

09/20/2022

Fall is coming y'all! And while our Nothern zones are preparing to put their land to sleep, and maybe plant crops for overwintering, we're doing a bit of a facelift.
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The farm doesn't quite look like this any longer, because it's getting a makeover!
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We're leveling out the land, installing new raised beds (higher for better accessibility), and installing a fence!
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We're super excited to see all of the improvements coming our way. This is only possible through a partnership with our volunteers and donors!
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REMINDER - you can now TEXT to share your donation!!!! Text DONATE to 773-207-7977 for a one-time donation or PLEDGE to the same number for a series of donations up to a pre-determined amount.
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09/20/2022

Guess what? You can now TEXT your donation or pledge for our nonprofit initiative!
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Text DONATE (one-time donation) or PLEDGE (ongoing donation up to a designated amount) to 773-207-7977 to get started!
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Keep sowing and growing!

09/11/2022

We couldn't do what we do without our volunteers. We know that is definitely rife with gorgeous photos of beautiful produce and growing spaces, but the truth is, it took work, and time to get there.
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While our founder is game for ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL - she has to be reminded that she is still only one person and no person lives on an island. In order to get food to the tables of our community, our organization needs volunteers.
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This season has seen an uptick in the homes our produce finds itself in, and that makes us happy!
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Scroll through to see the volunteers from today's 'slight' demolition of the farm - stay tuned as we share our rebuild and bed building blitz with you all!
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09/09/2022

It's our founder's birthday! She's 42 and would LOVE if 42 of you could donate $10 today in her name.
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Over the season, she's helped our organizations secure more than 60k in grants, worked concessions with to raise more money for us, planted, harvested and maybe napped on the farm.
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She's our guru of garlic. Our hero on the homestead.
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Let's give it up for by sharing our mission and maybe donating the cost of a coffee to us in her name!
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09/01/2022

Want More Monarchs? Plant Milkw**d In Your Garden!

If you want to attract more pollinators - mainly monarchs - to your growing space, and you live in cold climate zones, now may be the time to prepare. Especially with milkw**d since it needs to go through cold stratification. Start now to have a fantastic pollinator garden!

Want More Monarchs? Plant Milkw**d In Your Garden It’s springtime, and while we’re very much relegated to h

08/27/2022

As we prepare to work another event today with - we're highlighting the amazing team we have had for our last two events - the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bad Bunny concerts.
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We're staffing our last Chicago Fire game this evening and gearing up for the Bears season.
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Many thanks to our Executive Director, Assistant Director, and their friends, family , and the extended We Sow We Grow community for raising the funds and establishing a strong foundation for next season!
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See you at the Fire game this evening.
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08/27/2022

Talk about intense honey collecting!

08/21/2022

Hi there friends!

Just a reminder of it not being good practice to mark a newsletter that you signed up for as spam! You can unsubscribe easily, without making it difficult to get to the folks on our email list.

We know it's not done purposely, so no harm no foul. Just in the future if you do choose to sign up for another newsletter and consider doing the same.

Have a great rest of your Sunday!

08/19/2022

Sweet Corn abounds!
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How do you like your sweet corn? Boiled or roasted?
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08/18/2022

Make sure to check for zucchini!

What crop is out of control in your growing space right now? We're currently behind in cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, collard greens and cabbage. So why not have a harvest party, right? Let's get it!
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08/17/2022

The farm has collards, kale, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes ready for harvest. Let us know if you want to come through to pick fresh!
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Donations can be sent via CashApp, Zelle, Paypal, or Venmo.
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Free for volunteers!
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Our value-added product, garlic, and eggs are also available, $1 per bulb of garlic and $5/dz for eggs.

08/07/2022

One of our board members Janice came through with new friend Deron to tour the farm!
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We LOVE hosting old and new friends and we'd love for you to come and see what we're doing!
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It was also great to see them at the Elton John concert RIGHT in the section our concession stand was housed!
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Onward and upward.
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08/06/2022

And another one!!! We all worked the Elton John concert tonight and ROCKED IT OUT!
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Volunteering is really a huge thing and all of these folks coming to support our mission by WORKING a concession stand so that we can realize our dreams will never ever be lost on us.
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Thanks again to for partnering with us to raise money for our organization. See you at the Bears pre-season game!
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