Renew Your Vital Force Subscription Online Securely

Renew On-Line
We’re trying to make your lives easier: The Vital Force now offers secure, on-line renewals. Visit taichichih.org/vital_force.php. Subscribe for one, two, or three years (domestic and foreign) and hit the blue “BUY NOW” button. It’s almost as easy as one-two-three. If you don’t have a gmail account with a password (to use on the right side of the screen), you can use your regular email address and a made-up password (on the left side of the screen). Of course, you can still order via our post box and check.

Renewing (In General)
The mailing label for your Vital Force contains your subscription expiration date. A few weeks after you receive your last paid issue, we send you a “snail mail” renewal form – printed on colored paper to grab your attention. About sixty percent of subscribers renew immediately using this form. Then, a month before the next issue goes out, we send an email reminder to those who have still not renewed, and another twenty percent renew via snail mail or using the online link we provide. Because this process represents a great deal of time for a tiny volunteer operation, we ask that you renew online and renew early. Although we strive for a one hundred percent renewal rate, we gain and lose subscribers in unequal (and decreasing) numbers. Thanks for your help in spreading the word about The Vital Force.

Creative Gift Giving
We’re up to $851 and counting – that’s the amount given in one person’s name to The Vital Force. One particularly devoted teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous, recently celebrated a 60th birthday. Since she was not in need of anything material, she asked attendees to her celebration to consider making a donation to The Vital Force, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. (Donations are fully tax-deductible.) Apparently, her friends and family are well aware of her enthusiasm for T’ai Chi Chih and couldn’t resist her request.

Perhaps this is something you might consider for an upcoming celebration or holiday. We can assure you that the funds are put to very good use in distributing The Vital Force and in upgrading the website, taichichih.org. We deeply thank this teacher and her generous circle for their gifts and this idea.

Photos Available For Use
Jim Eagle, who posted dozens of 2008 conference photos on Flickr, the photo sharing web site, has graciously offered use of his banner photos (featuring quotations by Justin Stone) that appeared in the November 2008 Vital Force. Sheila Leonard, who spearheaded this initiative with Jim, suggests using them on your web site or in promotional materials. They are available for download at http://flickr.com/photos/jeagle/sets/72157606285837025/. From there, click on the thumbnail photo you want; then click on the small magnifying glass directly above the photo labeled “all sizes;” then click on “original;” and then click on “download the original size.” This downloads the largest (most detailed) photo.