Well, to say it’s cold here is to understate the obvious. This morning we
woke up to -21 degrees below zero. Throw in the wind chill and we’re
hovering around -31. But that’s not the coldest temp we’ve seen. A couple
weeks ago we we down around the -50 mark. Ahhhh, life in Minnesota can
be very interesting. But we are also blessed with some incredible beauty
around our home.

The snow is also deep. But the sunshine dances like tiny diamonds on the new
snow. I have to admit, it’s been a few winters since I’ve seen so much snow.
As you can see in the sign above, and in the picture of what should be our fire-
ring below, the snow is beautifully deep.

Judy and I have been busy meeting with people and contacting foundations to
help us raise funds for remodeling what we are now calling White Tail Lodge.
As many of you know, 1/2 of our current building is completely empty. We have
had an architect draw up plans to remodel this portion of the building.

The plans call for adding a floor so that we would have an upstairs and a down-
stairs in that area. The upstairs would contain two sleeping suites, complete with
private bathrooms and a deck off each area. Each suite would be able to house up
to six people. The downstairs would contain a kitchen/dining area, a living room area,
and an enclosed play-room so that children can play and raise the roof.

The estimated cost of this area is $20,000. We have a commitment from a contractor
to oversee the project at no cost. We also have commitments from three church groups
to come and help with the work once we have the funds.

Just think of it! If we can get this money in during the next month we could open
our retreat center by as early as this summer. Our dream of helping hurting moms and
dads and surviving siblings is becoming a reality. You can help.

If you would like to contribute to this need all you need to do is drop a check in the
mail. Remember, your donation is 100% tax deductible since SAM is a non-profit
organization. Send you check to Smile Again Ministries, P.O. Box 563, Crosslake, MN
56442. It’s that simple.

Judy and I would like to thank the many people who have joined our monthly contribution
team. We can’t tell you how much it means to us to get your checks or automatic
withdrawal contributions each month. In these tough economic times, your gifts and
sacrifices are so appreciated.

Well - that’s it for now. I think I need to go chip the ice off of something. Remember, we
love you guys. God bless - Pat & Judy