Early in 1983, the World Good News Network (WGNN)—originally conceived by Barbara Marx Hubbard—was in its infancy. Established in Cincinnati, Ohio as a 501-C3 non-profit entity, we published a monthly newsletter featuring good news stories. Subscriptions and letters expressing appreciation were coming in from as far as Africa, Russia and the Philippines.

Barbara called to ask if we could document the upcoming Congress of the Planetary Initiative for the World We Choose in Toronto, Canada. The planners of the event were hopeful that we would accept, and we were eager to go. The story-gathering potential was enormous, but we couldn’t afford it.

While we were pondering ways to raise funds to go, two members of the all-volunteer team asked me to lunch. They were going to an upscale restaurant. I didn’t have time, but they urged me to take a break from the maelstrom of activities. After being served, one of the volunteers—George—handed me an envelope. In it was a check for $10,000. Long story short, seven of us, including students, piled into a large, rented van loaded with video production gear. The cameras and microphones were all marked with the WGNN logo, and we were on our way.

Around nine o’clock in the evening Canadian customs officers informed us that the only way we could enter the country with the equipment would be to declare each piece and pay a customs fee. We were dumbfounded, had not anticipated that. The agent indicated the fee would be substantial, so we decided to turn back. We called George to let him know. He wouldn’t hear of it, so he said he’d pay the fee. The equipment was taken inside and sprawled out on the floor so everything could be tagged and recorded. We waited for hours while the officers determined the value of every piece, even the cases, C-clamps, C47’s (clothespins) and cables.