Good Morning or Afternoon,

This e-mail has two purposes. We all have witnessed Katrina's devastation. As someone has said, "Nature is a hanging judge", and this is certainly another sign of that fact. First, I would appreciate any of you passing on anything you might hear from our clients that might affect us adversely, or on the other hand, additional business that takes extra resources or some manipulation of our existing resources. Example; Kevin Rodell in talking with Goodyear was advised that hundreds of containers loaded with crude rubber needed for tire production are scattered all over the place and are contaminated with salt water which ruins the rubber for tire production. Depending on just how many containers are involved could result in plant shut downs for a week or so. Then again, it may not be as bad as they think and it won't have much effect, but we need to know as much as we can so we can be prepared.

Secondly, timing of decisions can almost seem providential at times. We continue to receive letters from our customers, concerned about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, instructing us to not send or give any kind of gifts to their employees. We used to receive letters stating that gifts could not exceed $25.00, but the instructions now are no gifts, period. At this weeks Senior Staff meeting, the decision was made, that as a company we would no longer be sending out corporate gifts. We have canvassed many of our competitors and they have reached the same conclusions.

As a company we would like to help the victims of Katrina. It is estimated that over 10,000 people are in Memphis from Katrina's effects. They are already enrolling their children in our schools, which are already over crowded and suffering from money problems like every other city school system, but I am happy to see that Memphis is reaching out and doing its part. Several people have approached me with different ideas about how we could help. Dawn Clark suggested using the money that would have been spent on gifts to be used for Katrina's victims. I liked that idea so Karen Cook and Sheryl Barton will be coordinating a company wide program to help those trapped here, and the company will be making a $10,000.00 donation to the Salvation Army for victims in Katrina's path, and $10,000.00 disbursed locally through various churches and other organizations as seen fit for those trapped here. We have also volunteered to split any costs with Comtrak on any supplies that might be trucked down to the devastated areas by them.

For those of you in the field that want to contribute monetarily, I strongly suggest The Salvation Army or possibly a large local church that may have the resources to actually help. In checking various charities for the amount of every dollar given that actually goes to victims in need, the Salvation Army has one of the highest pass through rates of any charity. Other well known national charities pass as little as .30 of every dollar given on to the needy, up to 70% can be kept for overhead.

Folks, let's help. Karen and I have two families of relatives that have both lost their homes, businesses, jobs, and two cars. They are in Pensacola living with their parents and grandparents. These folks have money. They are incredibly inconvenienced and are overwhelmed, but they can and will survive. You have seen the pictures, what you see are people that did not have much of anything in the first place, now they have absolutely nothing. Do what we just did as a corporation. We just put some funds to a far better use. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan. He is always held up as an example of what to do, but something that is often forgot, he had the funds to help. Not everyone has the funds, but I think most of us can reach into our pockets and sacrifice lunch or a dinner, or more.

These are trying times for this great country. We have always risen to the occasion, let's do our part to make that happen. Thanks for any help you can give, and may God grant us mercy and his patience.

Rick Rodell
Chairman /CEO
Cornerstone Systems
Memphis, Tn.
901.842.1017