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Caregiver Business
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Ill take you step by step thru everything you need to know
before you start your quest to become a Medical Marijuana
Caregiver.
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Copyright - All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, mechanical or electronic, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Legal Notice:
While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in
this publication, neither the Author nor the Publisher assumes
responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the
subject herein.
This publication is not intended for use as a source for legal or
accounting advice. The Publisher wants to stress that the information
contained herein may be subject to varying state and/or local laws or
regulations. All users are advised to retain competent counsel to
determine what state and/or local laws or regulations may apply to the
users particular business.
The Purchaser and Reader of this publication assumes responsibility for
the use of these materials and information. Adherence to all laws and
regulations, federal, state, and local, governing the growing of
marijuana, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of
doing business in the United States or any other jurisdiction is the sole
responsibility of the Purchaser or Reader.
The Author and Publisher assume no responsibility or liability
whatsoever on the behalf of any Purchaser or Reader of these
materials.
_________________________________
Table of Contents
Introduction
Step 1: Considerations to Becoming a Medical Marijuana
Caregiver
Step 2: The Business Side of Being a Marijuana Caregiver
Step 3: Planning for Growth
Step 4: Getting a Patient to Name YOU as their caregiver
Step 5: Staying Legal!!!!!!!!!
Conclusion
Q & As
State By State Contact Info
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Introduction
Why I wrote this book
I wrote this book to help you get started in your quest to become a
medical marijuana caregiver. After going thru the process of
becoming a caregiver myself, I realized how many holes and hurdles
that were in the way and wished I had a guide to help me. After
searching for such a guide I found nothing. I spent much time and
hassle that could have easily been avoided with a little help and
guidance.
This book is not a grow guide, there are literally hundreds of them on
the market, if you are looking for growing techniques and tips, there
are plenty of great books to choose from. We are specifically going to
talk about how to become a medical marijuana caregiver.
I am a strong believer in Medical Marijuana. Being a patient and
caregiver myself I have felt the positive effects of marijuana first
hand. I have also seen the benefits of other patients with this natural
wonder drug. Nature has provided us with a medicine that doesnt
pollute your body with toxins, why not embrace that fact. Ok, enough
preaching, Im not here to sell you on the fact that marijuana should
be available to patients in need, if you are reading this book you have
already made that decision on your own.
Many people can give you growing tips and advice, but this book is
designed to ensure that you are successful in this business. Yes, I said
it, I called it a business, and if you are going to care for someone you
need to consider it a business. It needs to be run as a business from
day one, and if you want to be successful you need to start with a
good foundation and build on it.
If youve ever been inside of different tattoo shops or pawn shops or
similar stores you know what Im talking about when I say there are
two ways to doing business. Be professional orwell, I think you get
the point. Ive been inside of tattoo shops where you literally didnt
want to sit on the furniture because it is so old and nasty. I have been
in other tattoo shops that are cleaner than doctors offices. If your
going to allow someone to stick you with needles and such, which shop
would you rather be in.
Your grow room is no different. Dirty dingy grow rooms produce mold,
bugs, diseased plants, etc. You will do more harm than good to your
patients growing in this environment. For certain patients mold alone
could pose serious health risks. Cancer patients going thru
chemotherapy have weak immune systems as it is, do they really need
to get sick from moldy marijuana thats supposed to be helping them?
This is nothing to take lightly. You are caring for someones health, if
you are not willing to take that seriously then find another profession.
Im here to show you how to build your medical marijuana caregivers
business like a professional, not the other guys.
Im not trying to show you all the short cuts and money saving tips,
some of my suggestions will add cost to your operation, but it will also
add to the quality of your product. Some of my suggestions might
seem a bit overboard, again, I would rather be safe than sorry. On
the other hand I will give you some tips that will allow you to save
hundreds of dollars in areas that make sense to save. So although
you may spend a little more in some areas, I will show you how to
save when possible.
So, lets get started
For the purposes of this book we are going to assume that you are just
getting started as a caregiver, no patients, no grow room, no
business. I will walk you thru each process step by step, starting with
the considerations to becoming a marijuana caregiver, designing your
grow room, starting your business, getting a patient, delivering your
product, and we will finish up with staying legal. Here we go
Number of Patients
How many patients do you expect to care for? Many people are either
caring for themselves or caring for just one patient, others have
dreams of caring for the maximum amount of patients which in my
home state of Michigan is 5. In Michigan you are legally allowed to
have 12 plants per patient. I will go into the laws more later on but
for now understand that you can have 12 plants total in your
possession for 1 patient for a grand total of up to 60 plants for 5
patients (if you are caring for yourself as well you can add another 12
plants for a total of 72 plants).
Other Things to Consider Regarding your Space:
How to choose the location of your grow room
For the purposes of this guide we are only going to talk about indoor
growing. We feel that indoor growing gives you more control, more
security and less environmental hassles like animals, insects and
passersbys.
Access you will be going to this room a minimum of once a day
depending on your growing method however most people find
themselves in their grow rooms more often. Climbing stairs and
getting your supplies to the room should be considered.
Water You will need to supply your plants with water frequently,
having a fresh water supply near your room is great to avoid excess
hauling of water jugs.
Security - Your grow room MUST be under lock and key by law. Also
consider any windows that may give snoopy neighbors, thieves,
government officials, etc a sneak peak or easy access to your grow
room.
Odor Rather you have 1 or 5 patients, 12 or 72 plants, you will have
odor. Keep this in mind when choosing your location. You wouldnt
want to place your grow room right beneath your childs bedroom in a
basement or vent the odor out towards your neighbors window.
Ventilation and filtering will definitely help in keeping the odor down
and should be considered in the design of your grow room.
Start Up Costs
When I got started I had no idea what to buy so I decided to head off
to my local hydroponic store for help. Did they help me out, oh yeah,
I spent about $1,400 to provide for one patient (myself) and quickly
realized that I could have easily saved $500 with some basic do it
yourself setups. To make it worse, I didnt even have everything I
needed after spending the $1,400.
So in this guide we will give you the inside scoop to what you really
need and what you can live without. Some of you would prefer to
walk out of the store ready to go, theres nothing wrong with that but
your gonna pay for it, those of you willing to do a little work and be
creative will save $$$.
Your startup costs can very depending on your choice of growing
method and the condition of your grow room. If you are going to need
construction or upgrade your electrical system, build walls, etc. you
will have higher startup costs than someone who has a space ready to
go. If you dont really have a space available there are complete
ready to go grow tents available online. These things are about as
easy as it comes, plug them in and get started. Of course, they don't
come cheap, but in the end after you buy everything and set up a
grow room they can be a great option.
Items you will need for soil or hydro:
Grow lights
Growing mediums
Nutrients
Miscellaneous buckets and growing containers
Fans for air circulation
Venting and equipment
pH meter
PPM meter
Thermostat
Humidistat
Timers
C02 (optional for maximum yields)
Scale (to provide accurate weight for your patient and yourself
and staying within the law)
If you are going to grow hydro you are going to need to choose a
system. Hands down the simplest system to get started for beginners
would be the Ebb and Flow system also known as the flood and drain
system. This will be the system we focus on in this book. There are
many systems out there, they all have benefits and weaknesses
however we are focusing on Ebb and Flow because it is low
maintenance and easy to use, perfect for the beginning grower. The
fundamentals are basically the same for most other types of
hydroponic systems if you decide to go with something else.
With an Ebb and Flow system you will need:
Reservoir/with lid
Flood table
Air pump
Air stone
Timer
Fill and drain fittings
Submersible pump
Miscellaneous air tubing
Your Time
The typical day will require about 15min to 30min of your time
watering, adjusting nutrients and water levels, and looking your plants
over for deficiencies, disease and insects. If you are growing hydro
you will also need to change the water and clean out your reservoir
once a week to prevent nutrient and mineral buildup which may take
you as much as an hour. As you get towards the end of your flowering
cycle you can also expect to spend a bit more time trimming plants
and removing dead leaves. When it comes to harvesting your plants
you can plan on spending several hours per pound of marijuana,
experienced trimmers can harvest up to 2 pounds a day, I have found
that the average person will struggle to harvest 1 pound in a full 8
hour day. Make sure you are going to be able to keep up with the
schedule before getting started.
Physical Requirements
The physical requirements include a lot of bending over, squatting,
carrying water jugs, lifting plants and arranging your grow room, and
dont forget about your harvest time. Harvesting your crop can take
several days and long hours especially in the beginning, soon enough
you will be a pro but until then set aside a long weekend for
harvesting. This can be back breaking work and if you suffer from
severe pain as it is you may want to consider hiring a good trimmer to
harvest your crop for you, this can cost about $250 per pound.
Security
Depending on your location security could be an issue. The law
requires that your grow room be locked, any kind of lock will do to
meet the laws requirements, there is no specific lock type required at
the time of this writing. If you have kids, especially teenagers in the
house you may want to have a nice deadbolt or master lock on the
room.
You should also be aware of the pot snatchers. These people would
gladly break into your home to snatch your dope and possibly your
equipment. A basic home security system or even a good dog is
generally enough to keep these types of people out.
Services Offered
As a caregiver there are many different services to offer. Some
patients will require more services than others. Some of the most
common services include delivering the product, supplying baked
goods and rolling joints, getting supplies like papers or pipes, making
hash oil or hash, and Im sure there are others. Just be sure to talk to
your patients about the services they will require and be absolutely
certain that you are capable of providing that service. These services
will be part of your patient caregiver contract; the services will be
listed as part of the contract, if you fail to provide the services agreed,
you could lose your patient and your license to grow.
Family Considerations
If you have a family you really need to sit down and discuss this
business with your partner and possibly children if you feel it is
appropriate. All of the considerations above should be talked about
and make sure everyone is on board and supportive. Like any
business, if your family is supportive it is much easier to run.
The Law
Dont forgetits still a felony to grow marijuana based on FEDERAL
LAW in the US! What does this mean to you, well, from what I have
been told it means that you are not protected 100%. I spoke to
several marijuana lawyers across the US and asked many different
questions about many different aspects of being a medical marijuana
caregiver and their basic answer to my questions was the laws are
grey, not definitive, cant give you an exact answer. What it came
down to is this, when it comes down to it, youre not protected from
the federal government, if the FED's want you, they can get you.
You could get raided, you can be put in jail, you could have to go to
court and defend yourself, there is still a very real risk surrounding this
business. My suggestion is to keep low key, dont make a big scene
about it all and you should be okay. The FEDs dont want some small
time caregiver, they want large scale growers. So although you are
still at risk, I believe the risk is very low.
As for your local police, you have to keep abreast of local ordinances
etc. If your state has passed laws allowing for medical marijuana to
be grown by caregivers and you have obtained a license you are still
not necessarily safe. You still have to be aware of your local and city
laws. If you operate as a business, you are open to local and city
ordinances. If there is a ban placed on growing medical marijuana in
your city, you are out of business, if you continue growing you could
be breaking the law and open yourself up to raids and harassment.
So the bottom line is that you need to check your local laws, you
should definitely speak with a lawyer in your area and get advice. I
would not start growing before taking counsel with a lawyer who is up
to date with your local marijuana laws.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer, I am not in the position to give you
advice on any laws and I am not attempting to do so in this book. I
am simply giving you my point of view. I highly suggest you get in
touch with a lawyer in your area before taking any steps in becoming a
medical marijuana caregiver.
Tracking Inventory
A big question I have seen out there is should I track my inventory.
In other words, should you keep track of how much marijuana you
grow and provide to your patients.
Here's the deal, if you are going to run this as a business you need to
be meticulous in your record keeping, this can keep you out of jail. If
you are illegal in terms of the amount of "usable product" and you
keep records of that, it could also put you in jail. I have heard
everything from a straight out yes, you need to keep track of the
weight and cost you supply your patients to the other end of the scale
with people saying don't keep track of anything. I personally keep
track of the weight that I provide but not the amount of compensation.
You have to stay legal with you plants and usable product, if you are
thinking even for a second that you can get away with growing a little
extra to give or sell your friends or if you are thinking one extra plant
is no big deal think again. Listen, you are talking about jail time here,
it's not worth it. Study the laws and stay 100% legal or dont waste
your time.
Basic Accounting
I feel that some basic accounting is very helpful in coming up with
your expenses. If you are not going to pay taxes on the money you
collect then you can't write off expenses either. So this is something
you have to decide up front.
There is no straight answer in the laws as they stand. After consulting
with a tax lawyer I was told not to bother claiming my income if I was
only providing one or two patients. However if I got up to 3 or more I
would need to consider setting up a business entity like an LLC and
claiming my income on my taxes. The benefit of this is that I can
write off all of my expenses like lighting, nutrients, etc. The down side
is that I'm being very transparent with my business with the same
government who can still put me in jail. Again, contact your lawyer
and decide what is right for you.
Safety
Every grow room should have a fire extinguisher near by. You will
have many high power lights and chemicals in this area and precaution
must be taken. When mixing nutrients gloves and eye protection are
strongly advised. High power LEDs produce very strong light similar to
a welding torch and a pair of welding glasses will protect your eyes
from the intense light. While handling marijuana you should always
wear gloves to prevent the THC from being absorbed thru your skin.
a strain that you can provide and will give them maximum benefit.
This is where good research is required on your part.
Note: Some things you should have at the interview include, your
states marijuana caregiver form printed off and filled out with
photocopy of your id if required, your caregiver contract, your break
down price sheet so they can see what the expense of growing and
your services are.
Choosing a Strain
It is your job to know what strains can help with your patients medical
condition. Some good fundamentals of a Sativa, Indica, and hybrids
are a must. I have found that most patients can use the benefits of
both a Sativa & Indica.
By using the Sativa in the day and switching to an Indica at night your
patient can feel energized and awake during the day and sleep loss
can be a thing of the past at night. I feel this makes growing hybrid
marijuana strains a very popular choice in caregivers grow rooms
around the globe.
The taste of the marijuana strain can be just as big of an issue to the
patient as the high. Keep all these factors in mind when making that
finale pick with your patient. Also keep in mind that you may have to
test multiple strains before you find the best one for the patient.
Furthermore patients can build up a tolerance to a specific strain and it
may be necessary to change things up from time to time. So be
prepared to provide different strains.
seeds to those in need. If seeds are not a route for you and your mind
is set on starting out with marijuana clones then a compassion club
might be your next best friend. You may have to sign up and pay a
small membership fee but it is worth every penny. To find your local
compassion club simply do a web search for compassion club (insert
your location here). You should find something near by.
Ok, I hope that was clear enough. The bottom line is that the police
are going to want to come in, the jig is up, they know what youre up
to and they want to catch you doing something illegal. The police do
not want to be your friend. They are not there to learn the newest
growing techniques. They are not patients looking for a caregiver. I
dont care what they tell you, unless they have a VALID WARRANT and
you have no other option DO NOT LET THEM IN!
This should be something that you go over with your entire family,
especially your wife and kids if they are old enough to make that
decision. The police love to wait until the man of the house leaves and
come knocking. Most women dont have the courage to stand up to
the police and they know this so they will target your wife or your kids
if the kids are old enough to allow a search (check the laws in your
state).
I know what some of you are thinking right now, this guy hates cops.
Not true, but Im not going to lose my freedom because of an
overzealous cop. Cops are just doing their jobs, and believe me, I
wouldnt want that job. They want to find people breaking the law and
then bust them. Thats their job. You dont want to get busted, your
patient cant afford it and neither can you. If there is no warrant the
police have no right to come in your home and no reason either.
I have heard stories of cops showing up, acting all cool like nothing is
wrong, trying to be friendly, acting interested in the growing process,
etc. They are professionals in deception, they get trained to gain trust
and get people to talk and the average person doesnt stand a chance.
Im asking you not to be average here. Too many people decide that
since they are legal and there shouldnt be any problem and they want
to cooperate and they dont want to make trouble so they let the cops
in. This is a major mistake. Cops are not there to be cool and just
take a look around, they are looking for ways to bust you or they
wouldnt be there. Keep them out of your house at all costs. My
father taught me a good lesson when I was a kid and it kept me out of
trouble more than once, he said
if you ever get stopped by the police keep your mouth shut, dont fess
up to anything. Its their job to figure out what happened, stay out of
the way and let them do their job, but keep your mouth shut.
Words of wisdom there people. My father was generally speaking a
law abiding citizen, and so was I growing up. But we all make
mistakes and when I did I kept my mouth shut and let them sort it
out. I cant tell you how many times that saved my ass.
The Unthinkable Has Happened - Getting Raided
So if youre at home and you get raided by state or local law, check
that the warrant is valid by verifying the date, address, and ensure it
has been signed by a judge. The only thing I would say is I DO NOT
CONCENT TO THIS SEARCH as nice as possible. If they keep asking
questions ask if you are being charged with anything, if they say no
keep your mouth shut. If they continue with the questions tell them I
dont feel comfortable speaking further without my lawyer.
So what if they say yescall your lawyer and then say it with
meKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. They will probably start trashing your
grow room and collecting evidence, try to take a mental note of
everything they are taking and when you get a chance write it all
down. This will be a stressful time, but it is key to keep a solid statem
of mind and try to be smart. Write down everything they took, the
condition of the plants (if taken) and any other information for your
lawyer.
The next steps are in your lawyers hands, at this stage you have done
everything you can. I hope none of you ever have to go thru this but if
you do it will help to have a plan. I would actually go as far as to act
this out a time or two so you are sure everything is in place. You
know, like a fire drill or something. It is easier to deal with once you
have done it a few times.
Conclusion
Being a Medical Marijuana Caregiver can be an extremely rewarding
and potentially profitable business if you are capable of operating like
a business. Is there risk, yes but it is low in my opinion, is there work
to be done, you can definitely expect some long hours in your grow
room, can you have fun making a living from your home while helping
others in needABSOLUTELY.
I believe becoming a medical marijuana caregiver was one of the best
decisions I have ever made. It is rewarding to take a plant from a
seed or clone all the way thru its lifecycle and have it provide a
medicine that is so crucial in the lives of so many people suffering. It
isnt for everyone, but if you truly have compassion from others who
are suffering and you have a green thumb, it could be perfect for you.
Good luck on your quest and take care.
Dont forget to check out our resources below for some great info.
Q & As
Q: Which organizations have endorsed medicinal marijuana?
A: Some organizations include:
The Institute of Medicine, The American Academy of Family Physicians;
American Bar Association; American Public Health Association;
American Society of Addiction Medicine; AIDS Action Council; British
Medical Association; California Academy of Family Physicians;
California Legislative Council for Older Americans; California Medical
Association; California Nurses Association; California Pharmacists
Association; California Society of Addiction Medicine; California-Pacific
Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; Colorado Nurses
Association; Consumer Reports Magazine; Kaiser Permanente;
Lymphoma Foundation of America; Multiple Sclerosis California Action
Network; National Association of Attorneys General; National
MONTANA: www.dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/
NEW JERSEY:
New Jersey NORML
http://www.normlnj.org
Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey
http://www.cmmnj.org/
Cost
Notes
$6.00
$8.00
25 tsp to 1/3 of 1.1qt bottle per cycle. Cost of full bottle is $25 bucks 1
bottle should last 3 growth cycle's
$0.50
3 tsp growth cycle. Cost of full bottle $10. 1bottle last over a year, should
replace bottle each year.
$8.00
15 gal reservoir you would go thru half the bottle on a 8 week veg. 1 bottle
= 1.1qt $16
$8.00
15 gal reservoir you would go thru half the bottle on a 8 week veg. 1 bottle
= 1.1qt $16
H2O2
$1.00
I use a drop a gallon when I change the resv. 1 bottle is about $12
Bat Guano
$1.00
PH Up
$0.05
1 bottle will last me a couple of years. at that time I would replace it for a
fresh bottle. But I use a couple of drops every cycle. 1 bottle cost $12
PH Down
$3.00
$16.00
1 full bottle will be used during flowering stage. Cost of 1.1qt bottle part A
$16
$16.00
1 full bottle will be used during flowering stage. Cost of 1.1qt bottle part B
$16
$20.00
1 full bottle (half in veg the other half in flower) 1.1qt bottle $20
Vegetative Growth
Flowering Growth
H2O2
$1.00
I use a drop a gallon when I change the resv. Cost of 1qt bottle $12
Overdrive
$20.00
almost half a bottle in one flower cycle. Cost for 1.1qt bottle is $40
PH Up
$0.05
1 bottle will last me couple of years. Replace it then. But I use a couple of
drops every cycle 1 bottle cost $12
PH Down
$1.50
$17.00
I will use 12 - 4in rockwool blocks and then place them on top of 12 6x6in rockwool blocks.
Growing Mediums
4" Rockwool
6" Rockwool
$40.00
12-6x6in blocks
$10.00
$50.00
40lb bag cost $25 need two 40lb bags for 12 plants
Jiffy Starter
$2.50
Equipment
Lights
T5 Florescent Light
$20.00
4 foot with 8 bulbs. I'm running 5 blue bulbs and 3 red bulbs - $280 comes
with blue bulbs need to buy the red ones.
$36.00
Bulbs last ?
$24.00
$20.00
After every 3rd 8 week flowering cycle the bulb needs to be replaced.
New bulb cost $60
$30.00
$33.00
After every 3rd 8 week flowering cycle the bulb needs to be replaced.
New bulb cost $100
$1.50
$4.00
$3.00
2 Air Pump's
$7.00
Air Stone
$15.00
2 Pump Timers.
$1.50
Digital Readers
PH digital reader
$3.50
Initial cost $50. Just need new batteries every other grow.
Calibration Solution
$1.00
$4.00
Initial cost $60. Just need new batteries every other grow. Last for years
as long as I don't drop in water
Electric
$1,600.00
RO Water
$150.00
Rent
$100.00
$13.50
$67.00
Seed's or Clone's
$200.00
12 seeds or clones
General Supplies
$60.00
Includes gloves, measuring cups, and misc. supplies like paper towels
etc.
Labor
$1,600.00
Delivery
$20.00
each delv.
$4,243.60
$265.23
$132.61
$66.31
$33.15
Patient/Caregiver Agreement
I the patient __________________________ appoint ________________________
as my Primary Caregiver on this day of _____________, _______. The appointed
caregiver has agreed to assist with my medical use, involving the acquisition,
possession, growing, cultivation, manufacture, use, internal possession, delivery,
transfer, or transportation of marihuana or paraphernalia relating to the
administration of marihuana to treat or alleviate the patients debilitating medical
condition or symptoms.
I the patient_____________________ agree to pay a reasonable amount of
compensation to the caregiver______________________ for services and costs
associated with him assisting me in my medical use of marihuana.
*This compensation DOES NOT constitute the sale of a controlled substances.*
Terms of Cultivation
I the Patient will:
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
I the Caregiver will:
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
_____ I the patient will contact the caregiver to make pick up or delivery
arrangements each time.
The terms of transfer includes time and date, location, how much is being
transferred, and the method of Compensation:
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
SUMMARY OF AGREEMENT
Both patient and caregiver have the right to terminate this agreement with a
minimum of seven (7) days notice. Both patient and caregiver agree to respect the
right of each others privacy. The patient designates the caregiver listed on this
agreement to be his/her Primary Caregiver as defined in the Act, and will supply
the caregivers information to the MDCH on their application. The caregiver listed on
this agreement affirms that he/she will act as the patients Primary Caregiver as
defined in the Act, and will obey the guidelines established by the Act.
Exchange Information
Patient Information
Name: _______________________________
Address: ______________________________
City: ________________________________
Zip: _________ Phone: ___________________
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ cut on line_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Caregiver Information
Name: _______________________________
Address: ______________________________
City: ________________________________
Zip: _________ Phone: ___________________