Please feel free to browse our site and learn more about us, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

We look forward to working with you in restoring accountability to our government! 

COOL completed our inaugural A More Perfect Union course on October 25.

The following day, the Sunday edition of the Lebanon Daily News ran a nice write-up of COOL and what we are trying to accomplish.

Our thanks to all who participated in thi course, and we look forward to scheduling additional classes for 2009.
 
 

October 2008 Update: A More Perfect Union Set for October 25!

At a time when we are facing a national economic crisis, when politicians are clamoring for our support but choosing to ignore our voices, when we find ourselves questioning whether the inmates are running the asylum, it is imperative that we re-focus and get back to fundamentals.

And that's why COOL is excited about the upcoming course - A More Perfect Union! 

Perfect Union is a half day course that will involve group viewing of the film 
A More Perfect Union, followed by a review of the study guide and group discussion.  This course is ideal as a re-introduction to the US Constitution for anyone who has begun to wonder how far we as a nation have veered from the original vision of our Founding Fathers.  It also provides an excellent opportunity to anyone who has been curious about COOL or has completed the Institution On The Constitution and wants to participate in a refresher course. 

This year, Perfect Union will be hosted at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon on Saturday, October 25 from 9:00 AM through Noon.  Preparations are being made for a luncheon following the course. 

Cost for participation is $15 per person or $25 per household (if you are currently a member of COOL and have not participated in any past COOL sponsored courses, then there is no charge). 

And we have a special offer for those of you who are currently a member of COOL and have already completed a COOL course: renew your membership with COOL for 2009 now and take the Perfect Union course at no additional charge! And any new participants can apply the costs for Perfect Union to 2009 COOL dues!

Please take a moment and complete the Perfect Union registration form and forward it to COOL as soon as possible to ensure your place in an interactive educational program that will entertain and enlighten!
 
 

September 2008 Update: Fall 2008 IOTC Postponed

For a while now, the board of COOL has been wrestling with one of the most important aspects of the organization: how best to provide quality educational opportunities to members without creating scheduling problems due to our busy schedules. 

This is particularly the case when preparing for the Institute On The Constitution (IOTC), which we had streamlined into a nine-week course.  And while the feedback for the IOTC has been positive, one constant concern which has been raised is the time commitment necessary to complete the course.

After much consideration, we believe we have come up with a solution to the scheduling issue which will allow us greater flexibility in both presenting our educational courses and in allowing increased participation by members and attendees.

Effective immediately, COOL will begin offering courses on the following basis:

IOTC: Foundation For Liberty (Sessions 1 thru 5) - This will be a four week course (one day a week 
for four consecutive weeks) that will trace everything relating to the establishment of the United States, 
from the discovery and colonization period through to the Constitutional Convention.

IOTC: Framework Of Government (Sessions 6 thru 12) - This will be a four week course (one day a
week for four consecutive weeks) that will involve an intense review of the Constitution and the various
Amendments, as well as outline opportunities for citizen action. 

A More Perfect Union - This will be a half day course, which will involve group viewing of the film 
A More Perfect Union, followed by a review of the study guide and group discussion.  Ideal as an 
introduction to COOL or as a refresher for those who have taken the IOTC.

COOL members will be eligible to participate in one course per year at no charge; participation in any additional courses during that year will require an supplemental course fee (yet to be determined).  We are hoping to continue to offer new courses in the next year so that members and participants will have plenty of choices to select from.

As a consequence of these changes, the IOTC session which was scheduled to begin in September will be postponed until early 2009. 

In lieu of the IOTC, COOL will host the half day program A More Perfect Union, with date, time and location to be announced, although we are looking at some time in October.

We will be preparing new literature to reflect for these changes and distributing them as soon as possible. 

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience these changes may have created, and we trust you will find the new format more suitable for your personal schedules.  If you know someone who was planning on attending the Fall 2008 IOTC, please feel free to pass this communication onto them.

• The Open Door Baptist Church has agreed to host the Fall 2008 Institute On The Constitution.  This nine-week course will begin on September 2 at 7:00 PM and run every Tuesday through October 28.  If you haven't already taken the IOTC, I encourage you to consider taking the course.  We received a lot of positive feedback from those who completed the Spring 2008 session.   And keep in mind that the IOTC is not just intended for "grown-ups"; high school and college students are welcome to participate as well.  Visit COOL's Education page for more information. 
• A cookout/fundraiser has been scheduled for Saturday, August 9 for the State Senate campaign of Mike Folmer, COOL's Immediate Past Chairman.  A great opportunity to mingle with others interested in state-level reform.  You can confirm attendance at 717-228-7524.
• The inaugural breakfast for the Citizen's Caucus on Saturday, August 16, will feature a discussion of the efforts to reform politics in Harrisburg.  Organized by participants of the Spring 2008 Institute On The Constitution course, the objective of the Caucus is to study in a more in-depth manner the issues confronting our elected officials.  More information is available by contacting 717-964-1802.