This is my first year as UTO coordinator. I tried to involve people ahead of time by sending emails about one month before the Ingathering. I offered up the traditional Blue Boxes and also the UTO Lenten calendars (they were a hit with families). A week before the event, I shared more information via email with the congregation about where the UTO funds go. In Nebraska, we are lucky that one of our own congregations in the diocese received grant monies from UTO recently. Many people expressed that it was more information than anyone else had ever given about UTO. As for our Blue Sunday event, I asked that everyone wear the color blue, so we could have a photo opportunity. For those that forgot to wear blue, I purchased blue beads, so no one felt left out. I decorated the parish hall with UTO info brochures and with chocolate candies (meltaways made right here in Nebraska; who doesn’t like chocolate?). I made a UTO sign on which people wrote what they are grateful for. Many posted how they love the people in our church and how special it is. We served blueberry coffee cake, blue frosted sugar cookies, blueberry muffins, and another kind of Danish pastry that had blueberries in it. We served coffee and blue punch. We had a great attendance, and everyone enjoyed the service and coffee hour. Our Ingathering total was up over last year by more than $50. The amazing part – 19 pounds of coins were collected, plus bills and checks. I look forward to next year’s Blue Sunday!