COOL pilots

Pilots N Paws, started back in February of 2008, is a program that flys animals in shelters scheduled for euthanizing to no-kill shelters that have the space to take them in.

Pilots in the program donate their time, planes, and fuel to fly dozens of animals a month several states away from the overcrowded shelters they are in to shelters that commit to find them permanent homes.

Within months of the program starting nearly 85 pilots had signed on and nearly 200 dogs flown to a variety of shelters and rescue groups. The number of private pilots volunteering at their own expense now totals over 1,000 and the number of animals transported is over 1,000 as well.

Each flight costs hundreds of dollars in fuel alone, which doesn't take into account the cost of routine maintenance and other operating expenses. Michele McGuire, a small-plane pilot who pays her own costs states, "Doggy kisses are worth the cost of a gallon of fuel." Another pilot, Nick O'Connell expresses that transporting these pets is rewarding beyond his wildest dreams.

Dawn Thompson, a volunteer who has taken in and re-homed over 100 dogs a year for the past 18 years, sees another benefit to Pilots N Paws, "the dogs that arrive by plane rather than ground support don't have stress that two days on the road creates, and that makes them almost instantly adorable."

So, Pilots N Paws Pilots, here's to you-keep flying high, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

If you would like more information on this COOL program-Pilots N Paws-visit http://pilotsnpaws.org. At least check out the video "I Will Care For You"-Lyrics by: Jory Gora and Performed by: Andrea Stolpe, it shows you some of the pilots along with some of the animals they have rescued-it is inspiring and COOL!

What do you think of the efforts of Pilots N Paws and the pilots that make it work?

COOL senior citizens

Its always COOL to see active senior citizens enjoying life to the fullest and not letting their age deter them from participating in activities that make life worth living. It's even COOLER seeing them improving others lives as they improve their own.

In Lehigh County, located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, you will find 20 senior residents ranging in ages from 62 to 105 remaining highly active and volunteering in their respective communities. Their volunteer efforts range from helping needy children, helping people enroll in Medicare's prescription drug program and complete their taxes, working in hospitals, knitting and sending wool helmet liners to American troops, and making wooden toys for low-income children in area schools and hospitals to name just a few.

Eve Reidelbach who is 105-years-old (or young) and founded a performance group, Krazy Kids, that performs at senior centers in the area reveals her secret to aging well, "It's all about the attitude, honey. Life is what you make of it."

This would not be a COOL blog without mentioning the names of some of the seniors who were recently honored by county officials during the 10th annual Tribute to Unsung Heroes, a program that recognizes seniors who've volunteered extensively in their communities-so here's to:

Eve, 105 Lena Yaich, 77
David Binder, 65 Corrine Passmore, 85
Robert Eichelberger, 67 Nancy Hepler, 75
Nancy Erdman, 76 Martine Beahn, 85
Anne Frantz, 80 George Wagner, 82
Raymond Kieffer, 75 Willis Moser, 84
Leah Kuhns, 81 Hilda Batarick, 85
David Melcher,62 Jackie Wieder, 83
Marlene Merz, 72 Judy Ruch, 70
Doris Oertner, 73

and other seniors out there that remain active, inspire us to help others, and remind us that age is just a number, stay young, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

What do you think of these seniors and their volunteer efforts? Please mention a senior you know that volunteers and continues to remain active.

a COOL centennial birthday

This past February, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) celebrated its 100th year in existence. Since its founding in 1910, over 110 million Americans have been members. With over 4 million members currently, it's one of the largest youth organizations in the United States.

The goal of the Scouts is to train youth in responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance through participation in the wide range of outdoor activities, educational programs, and at older age levels career-orientated programs in partnership with community organizations.

For its younger members, the Scout method introduces values such as trustworthiness, good citizenship, and outdoor skills through a variety of activities that include but are not limited to camping, aquatics, and hiking.

Here's to the Boys Scouts of America and all the volunteers and scout leaders who have taken the time to introduce the youth of yesterday, today, and tomorrow to a COOL respectful way of living-stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

What do you think of the efforts of the BSA to instill these cool and positive characteristics in the youth of today? Were you a scout or involved in any other youth organization as a child that helped you prepare for the future? What did you learn and are you involved in any capacity today as a volunteer?

a COOL speaker

Gale Sayers is known to many as a Hall-of-Fame running back for the Chicago Bears in the sixties and retiring after five seasons, in 1971, due to injuries to his knees. Many don't know that today he works to inspire and comfort cancer patients.

Mr. Sayers is motivated to help by the many losses he has experienced due to cancer, "I go way back with cancer because of family and friends who have died because of the disease. Any time I can help people who have cancer, I am happy to do it."

The friendship between Mr. Sayers who is black, and fellow Chicago Bear running back, Brian Piccolo who is white, has been well chronicled in books and made for t.v. movies. During the sixties when racial tensions were high Mr. Sayers and Mr. Piccolo developed a friendship that inspires many today. Gale, lost his good friend, Brian, to cancer in 1970.

Mr. Sayers is this years keynote speaker at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care's sixth annual cancer survivorship program. He expresses that his short career in football can teach a lesson that has already been learned by many cancer patients, make the most of of every day, their lives, and to cherish each relationship.

Here's to you Gale Sayers, first-for providing us many sports fans with numerous exciting highlights, second-for inspiring us to look past our differences in tough times to form important relationships, and third-for inspiring those diagnosed with cancer, undergoing treatment, or in remission-keep inspiring, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

What do you think of Gaye Sayers inspiring characteristics and acts?

COOL moms

Though it's after Mother's Day it's never too late to celebrate COOL moms. We all know how much moms help and support us through our lives, whether we are infants, teenagers, or adults. With all that loving support comes stress and loss of time for themselves, that's why it's great to see an organization like M.O.M.S (Moms Offering Moms Support) come along and lend them an outlet so they can enjoy time with other adults who just happen to be mothers as well.

MOMS, was started in 1983 by Mary James who was a stay at-home mother living in California. She was tired of being at home alone and longed for companionship for herself and her children, she knew there had to be other stay at-home mothers along with their children. When she couldn't find another group/organization that met during the day, when stay at-home mothers need the support the most, she decided to start an organization-MOMS-just for at-home mothers.

The goals of MOMS are:
-provide support group for mothers who choose to stay at home to raise their children
-provide a forum for topics of interest to mothers
-help children in the community
-perform at least one service project yearly helping needy children

The principles:
-women must be free to choose their personal path to fulfillment
-for women who choose it, raising children is an important and fulfilling full time job
-a family's decision for a mother to stay at home to raise the children often involves considerable financial sacrifice
-there is no one right way to raise children, but our members have a common concern in raising their children in a healthful way

MOMS now numbers over 2,100 chapters in the U.S. alone and over 110,000 members! They also have International chapters starting as well!

Here's to you MOMS for supporting those stay at-home mothers who have sacrificed so much for us over the years, keep up the great work, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

Check MOMS out at www.momsclub.org or e-mail them at momsclub@aol.com

What do you think of MOMS efforts to support stay at-home mothers?

COOL homes

Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit organization committed to assisting severely injured veterans, has already built 57 homes for injured soldiers returning home throughout the country with 30 more already under construction.

On average, the homes cost $330,000 depending on location but are provided to the injured soldier at no cost to him or her. Grants, corporate sponsors, and donations from individuals and companies pay for all the homes. The homes include a variety of features depending on injuries sustained by the specific soldier, including those who have lost limbs or who have lost the use of them.

Construction of these homes takes about 90 days from start to finish. Professional contractors along with volunteers are needed to help with the construction all the way down to the finishing touches of laying sod and planting flowers before keys are presented to the new owner.

Vicky Thomas, media relations representative for Homes for Our Troops expresses that helping an injured veteran is very fulfilling, "I've done a lot of things in my career, and I have to say this one is the most rewarding I've been involved with. It just makes you feel good."

Here's to you "Homes for Our Troops", Vicky Thomas, and all the other professionals, volunteers, individuals, and companies that pitch in to assist in this COOL organization...keep up the great work, keep building homes, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!

For more information about this COOL organization please visit:

www.homesforourtroops.org

What do you think of "Homes for Our Troops" and their efforts to build homes for injured soldiers throughout the country?

COOL hula-hooping

Rachel Niber, an 11-year-old of Discovery Bay, CA, dug into her savings of $44 and donated it to a relief fund for Haiti earthquake victims after her teacher discussed it in class. However, Rachel wanted to donate more and before long she was hula hooping for two hours as a way to raise money she could add to what she had already gave.

She has set a goal of $5,000 and has already raised nearly half of that. She is hopeful that she will be invited by others to publicly hula-hoop in hope of reaching her goal. Rachel not only wants to raise money but she would like to inspire other kids to give, "It could be Haiti, Chile, wherever. I just hope to show kids that they can make a difference."

Rachel's parents are delighted by her thoughtfulness and actions, her mother expresses, "...her level of commitment to her cause amazes and humbles me," her father simply states, "Her heart is good."

She has made her teacher, Jessie Lindell, proud, "I'm so proud of Rachel. Seeing kids take their time to make the world a better place is one of the greatest things I can hope to witness as a teacher...to see a student make an impact on the world like this is really amazing."

Here's to you Rachel, for discovering that you can make a difference in the world, even at such a young age and wanting to inspire other kids to do the same. Keep up the great work, keep making that hoop go round and round, stay positive, stay generous and STAY COOL!

If you would like to invite Rachel to hula-hoop in public to help her meet her goal, would like to donate to her cause, or would just like more information please visit:
www.moneyforhaiti.com

What do you think of young Rachel's efforts to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims?