a COOL mystery

This past Saturday, the Horry County Literacy Council in Myrtle Beach, SC held its primary annual fundraiser to bring awareness to the importance of reading and literacy. The Literacy Council held its seventh annual murder mystery dinner "Hulas and Homicide." To help make the mystery dinner a success a variety of local personalities signed up for roles in the play including a crew from WPDE-TV 15's news division. Joel Allen, a local reporter for WPDE enjoyed playing the role of detective in the mystery and loved having fun for a good cause, "It's something we all believe in, because reading and literacy are a real important cause for me, and for all of us." He expresses that the literacy council does a great job of trying to spread the love of reading around and realizes the impact reading could have on society, "I think if we could get more kids hooked on reading, instead of bullying and fighting, this would be a better world." Here's to Joel Allen and the rest of the cast that helped make "Hulas and Homicide" a successful fundraiser for the Horry Literacy Council in Myrtle Beach, SC-stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL! Would you play a role in play for what you felt was an important cause? What are your thoughts on reading making the world a better place?

a COOL champion

50-year-old Master Monua Cary, a former world jujitsu champion and Martial Arts Hall of Famer is offering free women's self-protection classes while she is in Billngs, MT helping to care for her 25-year-old son as he undergoes chemotherapy for Hodgkins Lymphoma. She feels it is a way to give back to her son's community while she is there over the next six months. Master Monua expresses that the workshops will teach women the importance of being aware of their surroundings and how to avoid potential assualts, "Women will learn techniques that could save their lives." She also believes that it is important that women don't view themselves at victims, "When you plant that seed in your head it sets you back both emotionally and psychologically. Thinking of yourself as a victim or potential victim, it puts you in a standpoint of loss." She is also a firm believer that the best way to effectively protect yourself is to be proactive and to be prepared both mentally and physically, "It's not just about technicality, it's about what's in (the heart). When your heart and mind come together, coupled with technicality, that's when total awareness can happen." Cary's classes will be available to women of all ages and experience levels. They will instruct women on the hands-on skills of self-protection as well as techniques and principles to help reduce the risk of being assualted. Master Cary has a goal that goes well beyond teaching self-defense,"My goal is to help build basic concepts of honor, integrity, loyalty, and courage into humanity. I believe this is the legacy we should leave to our future generations." Here's to Master Monua Cary for practicing what she teaches-stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL! Would you take one of Master Cary's free classes if you lived in Billings, MT? What do you think of the basic concepts of honor, integrity, loyalty, and courage?