The summer found FREE in Atlanta, at the center of the first national conference on equipment recycling. We helped plan the conference and were invited to be one of four programs presenting their recycling models. As the lead-off presenter, we took center stage. Our conference host, The Honorable John Hager, Assistant U.S. Education Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Introduced FREE as "my inspiration for this effort". We learned a lot at the conference, made friends with recycling groups all around the country, and set the stage for the big success of the year.

At the conference, Secretary Hager announced his decision to offer ten competitive grants to fund recycling efforts in states around the country. FREE partnered with VATS, Goodwill of the Valleys, Goodwill Richmond and the disAbility Resource Center in Fredericksburg to seek funding for a statewide network. In October, we learned that the partnership was chosen as one of ten recipients of recycling grants. Over the next three years, Virginia will receive $561,773 to support the development of community equipment recycling. FREE will be the recipient of a significant portion of this grant money. All of our chapters will benefit from this major award.