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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jack J. Pannell, Jr. <jjpannell@baltimorecollegiate.org>
Date: Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 8:12 AM
Subject: An URGENT appeal for support
To: kmoffitt@umbc.edu, mmicciche@friendsbalt.org, evalery@eviequity.com,
dsgdst@msn.com, hbiden@rosemontseneca.com, James.Blue@bet.net,
fordrowan@comcast.net


Thursday morning, August 16, 2012


Dear Friends on the Board of Five Smooth Stones Foundation,

We are writing this letter with the utmost sense of urgency: We need your
financial support to raise $4280.00 by the close of business today to pay
down a debt incurred under the auspices of our university partner, the
University of Baltimore.

As you may know, we have developed a critical strategic partnership with
the University of Baltimore. In our charter school application, we featured
this partnership as the foundation of our plan to become the first single
gender early college high school in the country. As an early college, our
scholars would earn college credits while in high school and thus become
very well prepared for the demands and rigors of college.

Over the past eighteen months, Dr. Marguerite Weber and Jack have worked
closely together on several fronts. First, they designed and launched a
Saturday academic enrichment program for 4th and 5th grade boys. Every
Saturday during the 2011-2012 school year, boys from throughout the city
attended Collegiate Academy. Dr. Weber and Jack also worked closely on
preparing the charter school application and she participated in our
Founding Group presentations to the Charter School Review Board and the
Baltimore City School Board. Our relationship with UB is a reality,
supported by a letter of intent with Provost Joe Wood.

During this time Five Smooth Stones Foundation incurred over $9,000 in
expenses for facilities usage, copying, office expenses, staff support and
Marguerite's consultation time on this project. We have struggled to reduce
this debt over the past few months, using our revenues for programmatic
activities, such as the just completed Summer Bridge Academy, where fifteen
gifted and eager boys were challenged to learn in an advanced academic
environment. Please view this video on the Summer Bridge
Academy<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usY32lfns-s&feature=vmdshb>
.

Over the last two weeks, we have focused on paying this debt or else lose
our partnership with the University of Baltimore. If this debt slides into
default, UB is statutorily required to withdraw its support of the
partnership and thus Baltimore Collegiate would lack an early college high
school partner. This has been our sole option until today. With support
from several friends, Provost Wood offered the following yesterday
afternoon. He waived $3800 of the debt and urged me to find the funds to
pay the remaining balance by Thursday, August 16th at 5pm.

To be candid, if we lose this partnership, we may well lose our charter.
This, my friends, would end our work before we even get seriously started
with the business of planning for the opening of Baltimore Collegiate in
the Fall of 2014.

Given the short notice for this appeal, would you consider several
possibilities for giving:

1) If you are a board member, please consider giving your board commitment
today or by 12 noon tomorrow.
2) Tap a generous donor who believes in our work and mission.
3) We are expecting a gift from donor of $3500.00 by September 1. A short
term loan against this gift would be welcomed.

In all cases, we need your support---no matter how small. We are convinced
that we can get to our goal over the next 24 hours.

Please communicate your support to Jack Pannell (410-929-1899) at any time
of day or night before 2pm today. Forgive us, if we send you periodic
updates on our progress. Together, we can save this important partnership
and move forward with our work to build a truly great educational
institution.

Best Regards,

James Blue, Chair of the Board
Jack J. Pannell, President


Five Smooth Stones Foundation, Inc.

4 W. Read Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
410.929.1899


--
Joan K. Peugh
Rosemont Seneca Partners
o: 202-333-1880
m:202-841-854