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This Newsletter Contains Information Relevant to Both Florida and National Sales. PLEASE EMAIL THIS (CLICK HERE) TO EVERYONE YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED! Judges in lawsuits filed against the States of Missouri and Arizona have ruled in favor of the Choose Life license plates. You can read the stories online for Missouri on LifeNews.com at: http://www.lifenews.com/state2814.html and for Arizona at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/29/MNM6UNM37.DTL. iN FACT, THE CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE IS WINNING IN EVERY ONGOING SUIT.Alabama Becomes 3rd Million Dollar State & Look How They Advertised the Funds Distribution! As of June 30, 2007 the total sales of the Choose Life license plate in Alabama raised over $1,001,617. Over 7,000 plates were sold/renewed last year raising almost $300,000.00. Alabama now becomes the third state behind Florida and Mississippi to reach this incredible milestone. To promote 2006 funds distribution of over $274,000.00, they gave out giant checks at a meeting. Look at the pictures on their web site: http://www.aplcef.org/ChooseLife2006/tabid/622/Default.aspxOhio and Tennessee becomes 2nd & 3rd States to Join the $100,000.00+ Club! As of December 31, 2007 the total sales Tennessee and Ohio were over $100,000.00 and climbing. Wouldn't you like to see your state here also. If you want to help your state get the Choose Life license plate, go to http://www.choose-life.org/states.htm and see what is going on in your state. Email me if you want to help, Russ Amerling russ@choose-life.org.Florida Choose Life Announces its NEW Choose Life Product Store On July 15, 2007 Choose Life, Inc. launched its totally new Product Store. You can get there through this web site by clicking Product Store on the homepage or go directly there at www.chooselifestore.org. All profits from this store go to support the efforts of Choose Life, Inc. to get the Choose Life license plate approved in all 50 states. Non-profit pro-life groups are eligible to purchase all items at wholesale prices, email russ@choose-life.org or call toll free 877 454-1203 for a wholesale price list. Florida Choose Life license plate passes the $5.5 million mark! In January 2008 the total sales for the Florida Choose Life license plate reached $5.5 million. That means 275,000 plates have been bought or renewed since they first went on sale August 11, 2000. The Choose Life Plate sales in the US passes the $8.6 million mark! Choose Life license plate sales/renewals of 398,290 have raised $8,760,320 as of March 31, 2008 in the 17 states where they are for sale at this time. Federal Judge Rules Illinois Secretary of State must allow the Choose Life plate! January 23, 2007, after 2 1/2 years the Federal court in Illinois orders the Secretary of State to allow the Choose Life license plate. The state has appealed this decision and it will be heard before the Appellate Court in late November 2007. Tom Brejcha with Thomas More Society is handling the suit for Choose Life Illinois. To sign up to be one of the first to get the Illinois Choose Life plate, go to: http://www.ilchoose-life.org/ReadyToOrder.htm Congratulations to Mississippi for Outselling the Florida Choose Life Plate The 2000 census showed Florida population at 16,396,515 and Mississippi's at 2,858,029. Florida’s average plate revenue is $70,000 per month and Mississippi 's average is $19,080. This shows Mississippi is out selling the Florida Choose Life plate by 56% per capita. Russ & Jill Amerling Receive Award Russ & Jill Amerling were presented with Heartbeat International's "Servant Leader" Award at their annual conference 2006 in Orlando, FL.
Scrolling News Now on Home Page The Choose Life license plate home page www.choose-life.org now has scrolling news with the latest information about the Choose Life license plate nationally. Check it out often to keep informed. It can be added to your web site if you like. Read About Russ & Jill's Previous Trips to Share the Choose Life Message Starting in February 2002 Russ and Jill started traveling to the states that requested help in starting a Choose Life license plate effort. You can read all about these very successful tours at Choose Life Training Tours. Only the tours through the May 2003 are posted at this time. States Where Choose Life Plates Have Been Approved Alabama: 24,281 sold/renewed from 7-1-2003 through 6-30-2007, raising $1,001,617 (State Cost $50/year of which $41.25 goes to the cause) Alabama plates are now at the Probate Offices (DMVS) throughout the state. Go to http://www.aplcef.org for information on how to get the Choose Life plate for your vehicle. Arkansas: 8,659 sold/renewed from 8-29-2003 through 10-30-2007, raising $216,685.47 (State Cost $35/year of which $25 goes to the cause). Arkansas plates are now at the Motor Vehicles Offices throughout the state. Contact Rose Mimms artl@aristotle.net Arkansas Right to Life (800) 714-2785 for more information or click here to learn how to switch to the new Arkansas Choose Life license plate. Connecticut: 736 sold/renewed as of 2-1-2008, raising $13,305 (State DMV Cost: $65 one-time fee; Initial Membership Fee: $10; Yearly Membership Renewal Fee $25 with $20 going to support the cause). The Connecticut "Choose Life" license plate has been approved and is now available. To request an Application Form for the Connecticut "Choose Life" license plate, please contact The Children First Foundation toll-free at 1-877-386-3236 or via e-mail at info@thechildrenfirst.org. Return the Application Form directly to The Children First Foundation (P.O. Box 326 / Eastchester, NY 10709) along with a $10 check (payable to The Children First Foundation) for initial membership and a $65 check (payable to the CT DMV) for the actual plate. CFF's president will verify your membership, co-sign your application form, and send your application and $65 check to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV will mail CFF's Connecticut "Choose Life" license plate directly to you. The State of Connecticut requires that you must be a member of The Children First Foundation in order to have CFF's Connecticut "Choose Life" license plate on your car or truck. Your $25 yearly CFF membership renewal fee will support pro-life agencies in Connecticut that help women who choose life and adoption for unwanted pregnancies and newborns. For further information, please visit CFF's web site at www.ctchoose-life.org. Florida: 283,870 sold/renewed from 8-11-2000 thru 3-31-2008, raising $5,677,397 (State Cost $22/year of which $20 goes to the cause) Go to your local County tag office with your registration and proof of insurance and ask them to switch you to the Choose Life license plate. Or, if you want to switch online for a small fee of approximately $2 and pay with your credit card. Click on: https://www.pointandpay.com/smartcart/index.cfm?method=smartcart.home&entry_tagid=60 then follow the onscreen prompts. If you have any problems, email Russ Amerling russ@choose-life.org or call toll free (877) 454-1203. then cut and paste a copy of the online receipt they will give you and email it along with your current mailing address and daytime phone number to russ@choose-life.org and Choose Life, Inc. will mail you a free Choose Life license plate frame, either white or silver coated plastic.DMV official figures show the Choose Life plate in the #10 spot out of 108 plates on the road. Georgia 1,743 sold/renewed from 10-1-2007 thru 12-31-2007, raising $17,430 (State Cost $25 annually, of which $10 goes to the cause) The Choose Life license is now available at your local motor vehicles office. If you want more information about the Georgia Choose Life plates, go to www.gachoose-life.org. The money raised by this specialty license plate will be used by Crisis Pregnancy Centers to assist women in crisis pregnancies. Hawaii: 702 sold/renewed from 7-16-2002 thru 12-31-2007, raising $14,272 (Cost $25 each year, of which $20 goes to the cause) P.S.: The Hawaii "Choose Life" license plate is continuing to outselling the Hawaii Planned Parenthood "Respect Choice" plate 5 to 1. The Hawaii Choose Life plate has been approved and is now available. Contact Barbara Hester, barbara@cherishlife.org at the Aloha Pregnancy Care & Counseling Center 808 234-7233 to learn how to get the Choose Life plate for your vehicle. The funds are shared with all three Pregnancy Centers in Hawaii. Illinois The Illinois plate has been approved by the Federal court. The court ordered the Illinois Secretary of State to produce the Illinois Choose Life plate January 2007. The state has appealed the ruling, but the folks at Choose Life Illinois are gathering names and contact information of everyone in Illinois who want to switch their vehicle registration to the Choose Life plate. For more information, go to www.ilchoose-life.org or contact Jim Finnegan jimpfinn@aol.com if you want more information or to help in this effort. Indiana: 1,114 sold/renewed from 1-1-2007 thru 12-31-2007, raising $27,854 (Cost $40 each year, of which $25 goes to the cause). Go to www.inchoose-life.org for information on how to get your plate. The Indiana Association of Pregnancy Centers will be distributing the funds raised to all members of the Indiana Association of Pregnancy Centers. Kentucky: 3,449 sold/renewed from 7-1-2005 thru 1-31-2008, raising $21,633.40 in donations. The plates first year cost is $28 and a $10 donation to go to the pregnancy centers in your county. The renewal is only $15, plus $10 be donated to the cause. After the first of the year, the $10 donation will be included in your renewal notices. Choose Life plates are now available at the license plate offices across Kentucky. Go to www.kychoose-life.org for more information. The application of Kent Ostrander of The Family Trust Foundation was approved February 2006. Senator Jack Westwood (R-Frankfort) was the initial driving force in this effort, but many others have now been involved in making the Choose Life plate in Kentucky a reality. Louisiana: 2,450 sold/renewed 11-1-2002 thru 12-31-2006, raising $98,000 (State Cost $50 every 2 years, of which $40 goes to the cause) The Louisiana Choose Life license plate is now on sale. Go to the Louisiana DMV web site at http://omv.dps.state.la.us/feecalc/feeCalc2.asp and order your plate. Maryland: 2,547 sold/renewed as of 12-31-2007, raising $38,200 (State Cost $25 one time fee only, see below for yearly membership fee which goes to the cause) In order to be qualified to purchase a Choose Life license tag in Maryland, the following must take place.
For more information contact: Anne Marie Johnson; Choose Life of Maryland, Inc.; 1 Church View Road; Millersville, MD 21108; call them at (410) 987-0313 or email them at: chooselifemd@aol.com. Mississippi: 54,452 sold/renewed from 7-1-2002 through 1-31-2008, raising $1,306,848 (State Cost $31/year, of which $24 goes to the cause). The Mississippi Choose Life plate is now available through your local county tag office. You can now go into your local tag office to order your plate and it will be mailed to you. You can go to http://www.mschoose-life.org to see the plate or email chooselifems@comcast.net for more information on how to get the Choose Life plate for your vehicle. Montana: 1,120 sold/renewed from 1-19-2004 through 12-31-2007, raising $22,400 (Cost $20/year, of which $20 goes to the cause). P.S.: The Planned Parenthood plate in Montana called "Pro-Family, Pro-Choice" and approved in March 2004 has only sold 84, so we are outselling them almost 8 to 1. Get your plate at your nearest county license location. Ohio: 5,563 sold/renewed from 5-18-2005 thru 3-5-2008, raising $111,260 (Cost $30/year, of which $20 goes to the cause). Contact Beth Sidel bethsidel@ohioca.org or go to www.ohchoose-life.org if you want to learn more about the Ohio Choose Life license plate. You can also order the plate online at the Ohio DMV website http://www.oplates.com. A second design for the Ohio Choose Life plate will be available 3-3-08 in your local tag offices. Go to www.ohchoose-life.org for more information as the date approaches. Oklahoma: 2,451 sold/renewed from 12-2002 through 1-31-2008, raising $49,024 (State Cost $35/year, of which $20 goes to the cause) The Oklahoma Choose Life plate has been approved and is now on the road. You can contact Lori Sowers lsowers102@aol.com for more information or go to www.okchoose-life.org for information on how to get the Oklahoma Choose Life plate for your vehicle. The first distribution of $2,985.71 each was given to the 6 qualified agencies that had applied. Pennsylvania: 565 sold/renewed from 2-1-2007 through 2-8-2008, raising $11,300 (State Cost $44 1st year only, and $20 yearly membership fee which goes to the cause. After the state recoups the cost of producing the plate, the remainder of the $44 one time fees will start going to the cause as well. Go to www.pachoose-life.org for the application information. South Dakota: 81 sets sold/renewed as of 6-27-05, raising $4,050, including donations (State Cost one time $10 fee & $50 to Planning Life for the maternity home). The South Dakota Choose Life License Plate program is now available to all drivers in South Dakota. First Step: Go to your local county court house and trade in your current license plates for organization plates. The organization plates are generic for all organizations so you do not need to request a specific organization. You will be charged a $10.00 fee when you exchange your current plates for organization plates. You will also be given new registration stickers at the same time, which is included in the $10.00 fee. If you have a new car to register, the State will not charge this additional $10.00 fee when you request the organization plates at time of registration. The State will charge you the normal fees for registering your vehicle however. Your court house will most likely not know who you should contact for the Choose Life decals yet, but don't worry, they are available through Planning Life in Sioux Falls. Second Step: Contact Planning Life; 6705 W. 41st Street; Sioux Falls, SD 57106 Phone: 605 361-3275; visit www.sdchoose-life.org. The cost for a set (two) of decals is $50.00, and 100% of the money raised will be used to help open and support a maternity home in South Dakota. Tennessee: 8,234 plates sold/renewed from 11-1-06 thru 1-31-08, raising $128,615.08. (State Cost $35 of which approximately $15.60 goes to the cause.) The plates are now available at local county clerk's offices. For more information, contact Tennessee Right to Life info@tnrtl.org or call 1-877-CHOOSE LIFE. You can see the Tennessee Choose Life plate at http://www.choose-life.org/states.htm then click on Tennessee. Total Sales for all States Choose Life license plates: $8,760,320 as of March 31, 2008. States with Choose Life Efforts Underway for a Choose Life Plate Arizona: The Center for Arizona Policy applied for the Choose Life license plate and complied with all the administrative requirements, but the committee denied the request. The Alliance Defense Fund has filed suit and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled in favor of the Choose Life license plate. The state has appealed their loss. Colorado: A team has been put together to work on the Colorado Choose Life plate, but there is very little interest in the legislature, even among the conservative, pro-adoption/pro-life members. If you have any suggestions of how to move this effort, please email it to lifeplates@yahoo.com. Delaware: Choose Life Delaware, Inc., President Jim Cordie is conducting a planning, training and kick-off meeting for the effort to get a Choose Life license plate. If you want to be involved or help with this effort, please contact Jim at jim.cordie@comcast.net. Iowa: Is working on changing the way specialty plates are approved. If this is finally successful, there will be an administrative process in place and they will conduct a massive petition drive to gather names of people willing to buy the plate. If you want to help with these efforts, contact Kim Gordon Lehman committee@irlc.org Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life (515) 244-1012. Massachusetts: Choose Life Massachusetts, Inc. founder & president Merry Nordeen is working to collect 1,500 applications of Massachusetts vehicle owners who want to switch to the Choose Life license plate. To date, she has collected 550 applications. The cost is $40.00. If you would like to be one of the first to get one of these plates, go to www.machoose-life.org. Michigan: Representative Gary Newell & Senator Valde Garcia have tried for two years to get the Choose Life plate approved without success. They may be able to set up a procedure allowing for administrative approval. There is no contact at this time for efforts in Michigan, but stay tuned. Nevada: Jim Blockey is leading the effort to get this plate approved. He needs 1,000 people who will purchase the Nevada Choose Life plate once approved. You can learn more and get a petition to gather signatures of prospective buyers at www.nvchoose-life.org. Once the petitions are gathered, he will apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles to have the plate produced. Spread the word and get in on this historic effort in Nevada. New Hampshire: Formation meeting is taking place in Nashua, NH May 4th 2008. New Jersey: Application made under the administrative process. Plate denied by New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission Chief Administrator. Lawsuit filed against the state for discrimination by Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of The Children First Foundation. The Choose Life plate won the first three rounds. For more information, contact Dr. Elizabeth Rex ElizabethRexCFF@aol.com. New York: Application made under the administrative process. Plate denied by New York Motor Vehicles Department Director, claiming the plate design was "patently offensive". Lawsuit filed against the state for discrimination by Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of The Children First Foundation. The Choose Life plate is winning this suit, but the state is appealing every decision they lose to drag out the suit. We fully expect to win this suit. For more information, contact Dr. Elizabeth Rex ElizabethRexCFF@aol.com. North Carolina: Planning, training and kick-off meeting will take place in Charlotte May 13, 2008. Seth Dobson is organizing the effort. Contact him for more information sethdobso@aol.com. North Dakota: Sponsored by Senators Robinson & Wardner and Representatives N. Johnson, Metcalf & Mueller has passed both chambers. We need to pre-sell 400 North Dakota Choose Life license plates before they can be produced. We are gathering the information about the administrative process required to do this and will notify you when we have it. The driving force behind this was Maxine Schanilec & State Representative Joyce Kingsbury. For more information contact Maxine Schanilec mxschani@polarcomm.com. South Carolina: The South Carolina legislature has approved a bill that will allow the Choose Life folks in that state to apply for a plate. Holly Gatling of South Carolina Citizens for Life applied for a Choose Life plate under this bill. The motor vehicles department will announce their decision April 2008. Funds raised by the license plate will be distributed to members of South Carolina Association of Pregnancy Care Centers. If you are interested in being among the first in your state to get a Choose Life plate, email russ@choose-life.org with your name, address, daytime phone number and you will be advised as soon as the application process is established. Texas: Efforts are underway to determine which organization will be working to get the Choose Life license plate approved in Texas. Virginia: Attorney Glen Sturtevant of Richmond Coalition for Life is working to bring the Choose Life license plate to Virginia. The bill was previously approved by the legislature, but outgoing Governor Mark Warner. (D) vetoed the bill in March 24, 2003. Washington: Choose Life Washington, Inc. president Ben Hull is working with other officers and supporters to bring the Choose Life license plate to Washington. If you want to be involved in this process please go to www.wachoose-life.org or email Ben at benhull@comcast.net. The Connecticut Motor Vehicles Department "Blinked" The Connecticut Attorney General urged the Connecticut Motor Vehicle Department to rescind the Connecticut Choose Life license plate and soon thereafter the Alliance Defense Fund threatened to file a lawsuit against the state. State officials decided that was a bad choice and re-instated the Connecticut Choose Life plate. Read the whole story at: http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ctlicense0708.artjul08,0,5045310.story?coll=hc-headlines-local The United States Supreme Court TN & LA Choose Life plates OK The US Supreme Court refused to hear challenges to the legality of the Choose Life license plate by the ACLU & CRR (pro-abortion law firms). The LA plate will stay available and the TN plate should be available by fall 2006. This will bring to 14 the total number of states selling the Choose Life plate. Florida Businessman Place Choose Life Plates On 55 Company Vehicles Read the encouraging story of a businessman who placed the Choose Life story on all 55 of his company vehicles. Would you do the same? (Click Here) Help Promote the Choose Life Plate in Florida! Would you donate to a pro-life cause that multiplied your gift by 100% every year and the money all went to Pregnancy Resource Centers, Maternity Homes and non-profit adoption agencies to promote and support their adoption efforts? (Click Here) Top 10 Florida Counties in Tag Sales Here are the top 10 counties based upon total sales and renewals of the Choose Life license plate since it went on sale in August 2000. Column 3 is the total sales from 8-2000 thru 2-29-2007. Column 4 is the approximate number of Choose Life plates on the road in that county. As you can see, although Palm Beach has sold & renewed more plates since August 2000, Hillsborough county currently is raising more money this fiscal year. We have lots of room to improve!!! If you want to switch to the Choose Life plate by mail, email russ@choose-life.org and let him know or go to How To Apply.
DMV Publishes their 2007 Specialty Plate Sales Report The Choose Life license plate dropped into the number 10 spot on the best seller list as of 12-31-2007. For our goal for the 2008 FY we have set our sights on regaining the # 8 spot we held in 2006. Please keep spreading the word about our plate and help make us the best selling plate in Florida.
Help Support the Choose Life license plate organization Go look at all the new Choose Life items we have on our newly re-designed product page. Go to www.choose-life.org and click on “Product Store” All the funds raised by the real Choose Life license plates go to the Pregnancy Care Centers, Maternity Homes and non-profit adoption agencies across the state. Therefore we are funded primarily by the sale of the Choose Life license plate promotional items. Please see our “Product Store” page on our web site at: www.choose-life.org. Please help us raise the funds needed to carry this effort nationally by purchasing these promotional items. PLEASE NOTE! If you are involved in a non-profit, pro-adoption/life group, they are eligible to purchase all our promotional items wholesale and sell them retail and keep the profits to support their work. Have a representative from the organization contact me for details and a Wholesale Price List. Here's A Great Idea Offer to buy the official Choose Life license plate for a loved one who would like the tag, but can't afford the small extra fee. Choose Life, Inc. gets New Van! We at Choose Life, Inc. had been driving around the country in a 1993 Chevy Astro van with over 300,000 miles on it. Supporters of the Choose Life nationwide effort donated funds to purchase a 2003 Honda Odyssey van. Our trip to the Northwest was done with a much more dependable mode of transportation. Our thanks to all of you who have contributed to this blessing. We donated the 1993 Chevy Astor to a new maternity home (www.homewebsite.org) in our area.
Ways To Help We have many new products we are offering you to encourage your donations. Choose Life ties, scarves, sweatshirts, golf shirts, ball caps, promotional tags for the front of your vehicle, license plate frames & Choose Life stickers for your correspondence. There is a $2.50 shipping and handling charge for all shipments. See Order Product page for more information. These donations and profits provide 100% of the funds needed to keep Choose Life, Inc. working to spread the Choose Life plate across this great country. Florida County By County Tag Sales Through 2-29-2008 The first column is the county in alphabetical order; the second is the total amount raised since the plate went on sale August 2000. The third column is the projected funds that will be raised if the current sales trends continue and the forth if the approximate number of Choose Life license plates currently on the road in each county. Please help spread the word about the Choose Life license plate in your churches, communities and organizations.
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