09/06/2005

Back to School and back to the Drawing Board

Hello:

As many children head back to school and as the country begins to deal with the clean-up of Hurricane Katrina, it appears that pre-Katrina conceptions of the economy and of the markets, as well many other aspects of life in general, need to be re-thought and re-organized. Some pundits are proposing "Gulf Coast Reconstruction" investments, however, it appears to us that the magnitude of the impact of this disaster is still being assessed.

According to the American Association of Fundraising Counsel Trust for Philanthropy, overall donations rose 5% in 2004. Furthermore, the increase marked the first time since the stock market's peak in 2000 that contributions climbed in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Terri G. Millson, CIMC President

Ray Dicius, CSA, GEPC LPL Branch Manager