As many of you know Richard Sambrano has been ill. Here is an update:

Don Leo,
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> It is always good to hear from. I read your emails very carefully and enthusiastically, especially your jokes.
> Thanks for the update on brother Raul Yzauirre. I know you will agree that he is one of our shining stars and has been an inspiration to many of us just like you were to me and other CRS staffers. Sometimes we wait until it is too late to let foks know how much we appreciate them. So thank you for all you and the rest of you on this email for your contributions towards my personal growth and that of other conciliation specialists. We may have not been understood all the time but I believe we all meant well. Just had different ways of doing things. Some of us were just more vocal.
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> By the way I am writing this email from the Woodlands where I am on the final series or cancer treatment, first chemo and now radiation. After three life threatening hospitalizations, first heart problems, then a clogged major artery and now cancer within the lastt 7 months, you are right prayer does work. I feel better than ever. Thank to all of you!
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> Richard

This is to announce that Ed McClure just finished and published a book based on his CRS experiences. Here is his advertisement under Edward-McClure.com.

Books By Edward Mcclure

Police/Community Relations Highlighted by the recent incident with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., police-community relations continue to be an important and relevant issue in our country. As a black child growing up in Bedford Stuyvesant/New York City and New Haven, Connecticut, Edward McClure learned to negotiate the rules of the streets as well as the moral structure of the black church. As a Community Relations Officer with the US Department of Justice, he creatively used his skills as a cultural analyst, negotiator and bridge builder. McClure's latest book challenges the reader to think about issues in a different light, illuminating the importance of proactively creating an atmosphere of mutual respect, and fostering open and honest dialogue. $ 24.95

Frequency of CRSAA Reunions

Alumni, here is a question that we need some input on from CRSAA members. How often should we hold a reunion of the alumni? Our first meeting was held inconjunction with CRS' 45th anniversary. Should we plan our next CRSAA reunion/meeting at the 50th anniversary of CRS? Is there a reason for gathering earlier? Maybe someone has a special event or activity in their city that they would like to host a reunion? For example a ACR conference which might be tax decuctible for many of us or a rafting trip down the Colorado river? Let the cabinet of Silke Hansen, Leo Cardenas, Efrain Martinez, Wally Warfield, Larry Turner and myself know what you think is feasible and appropriate. To respond, just hit the word "comment".

Welcome to CRSAA Blog Site

Colleagues, welcome to the CRS Alumni Association blog site! With the help of my daughter Danielle, I have established this blog site to help us meet our number one goal of networking with each other. Please share information about what you are doing with other alumni or family members so we can continue to feel connected with our CRS family. Just because we or our love ones discontinued to serve CRS does not mean we do not care about each other. Let's try this blog site for six months and see if it works for us. Any comments on how helpful or difficult this blog site is to share information will help us decide if another system might be more beneficial. (Stephen Thom-served CRS from 1987 to 2006)