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?
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
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?
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?
Thursday, May 6, 2010
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?
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?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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?
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?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
a COOL retired infielder
Sticking with the theme of the last blog, Tony Womack is one COOL professional athlete. Mr. Womack is a retired baseball player who was an infielder for a couple of teams in Major League Baseball over a 13 year career. Tony has realized how hard work and some luck can benefit a person and is humbled by the success he has had. He also realizes the fortunate position playing professional sports has put him in to help others.
Tony is now a spokesman for Smart Start, a North Carolina based public-private initiative designed to ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed by providing funding to all of the state's 100 counties. Mr. Womack has also created a Cover-to-Cover Literacy Program to inspire students in elementary and middle schools to become enthusiastic about reading.
Tony expresses that Smart Start has the same ideas he has, "It's all about our kids because the only way this world is going to survive is them. The only way they are going to survive is through education." He also feels that education itself is a great way of preventing children from dropping out of school, he sees it as a way for kids to cope with the ups and downs of life.
Here's to you Tony for inspiring the children of today to seeing the importance of an education, keep up the great work, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!
What do you think of Tony Womack's efforts to get children interested in reading and education?
Information on Tony's inspiring efforts first appeared in a Wilmington, NC newspaper, StarNews by: Chuck Carree
Tony is now a spokesman for Smart Start, a North Carolina based public-private initiative designed to ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed by providing funding to all of the state's 100 counties. Mr. Womack has also created a Cover-to-Cover Literacy Program to inspire students in elementary and middle schools to become enthusiastic about reading.
Tony expresses that Smart Start has the same ideas he has, "It's all about our kids because the only way this world is going to survive is them. The only way they are going to survive is through education." He also feels that education itself is a great way of preventing children from dropping out of school, he sees it as a way for kids to cope with the ups and downs of life.
Here's to you Tony for inspiring the children of today to seeing the importance of an education, keep up the great work, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!
What do you think of Tony Womack's efforts to get children interested in reading and education?
Information on Tony's inspiring efforts first appeared in a Wilmington, NC newspaper, StarNews by: Chuck Carree
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
a COOL quarterback
Bruce Gradkowski, quarterback for the Oakland Raiders and former quarterback of Seton-LaSalle High School and Toledo, knows how fortunate he has been to play football at it's highest level and has a grasp on what is really important, "I'm fortunate to have some connections because of what I do. What good are they if you can't use them to help other people? It doesn't matter if it's reading to a bunch of fifth-graders or helping a guy like Dom. Helping people should be what it's all about."
Dominic D'Eramo, a neighbor of Bruce's parents in Dormant, PA, is who he is referring to when he refers to a guy like Dom. Dom is a 38 year-old husband and father of two young children who has fought a rare form of stomach cancer and now faces more chemo after doctors found cancer cells in his colon.
Bruce recently committed to playing in a local charity golf tournament and asked if some of the proceeds could go towards Dom's medical expenses, C.J. Betters, a local Beaver County developer cut a $5,000 check without hesitation. This in not the best and biggest way Bruce has helped Dom battle his bouts with cancer.
Prior to his game against the Steelers last year, Bruce visited Dom and dropped off a signed jersey he wore in a game earlier in the year and a two page letter he wrote for him. The hand delivered letter talked about beating the odds, especially when they seem insurmountable. Bruce laid out the stats for Dom of how hard it is to make it in the NFL as a quarterback, basically stating that 1 out of every 600,000 high school quarterbacks make it that far. He continued to point out that if a guy like himself could make it then he can be the one guy to battle and beat cancer, he just has to keep believing. Dom expresses that he will never stop believing and will never give up.
How COOL of Bruce to give his time to visit Dom and to offer such inspiring words when he could be off partying it up and living life in the fast lane. Bruce chooses to inspire through not only his words but his actions as well, very COOL. If you want to question how inspiring Bruce can be just remember he is the quarterback who beat a No. 9 ranked Pitt team when he was at Toledo after throwing for over 400 yards and how can we Steeler fans forget last years game against the Raiders when he threw three fourth-quarter TD's to beat out beloved black and gold.
Here's to you Bruce, have a great year (just not against the Steelers, Nov. 21), continue to have a lucrative career in the NFL, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!
What do you think of Bruce and his commitment to helping others?
A version of this story first appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by: Ron Cook
Dominic D'Eramo, a neighbor of Bruce's parents in Dormant, PA, is who he is referring to when he refers to a guy like Dom. Dom is a 38 year-old husband and father of two young children who has fought a rare form of stomach cancer and now faces more chemo after doctors found cancer cells in his colon.
Bruce recently committed to playing in a local charity golf tournament and asked if some of the proceeds could go towards Dom's medical expenses, C.J. Betters, a local Beaver County developer cut a $5,000 check without hesitation. This in not the best and biggest way Bruce has helped Dom battle his bouts with cancer.
Prior to his game against the Steelers last year, Bruce visited Dom and dropped off a signed jersey he wore in a game earlier in the year and a two page letter he wrote for him. The hand delivered letter talked about beating the odds, especially when they seem insurmountable. Bruce laid out the stats for Dom of how hard it is to make it in the NFL as a quarterback, basically stating that 1 out of every 600,000 high school quarterbacks make it that far. He continued to point out that if a guy like himself could make it then he can be the one guy to battle and beat cancer, he just has to keep believing. Dom expresses that he will never stop believing and will never give up.
How COOL of Bruce to give his time to visit Dom and to offer such inspiring words when he could be off partying it up and living life in the fast lane. Bruce chooses to inspire through not only his words but his actions as well, very COOL. If you want to question how inspiring Bruce can be just remember he is the quarterback who beat a No. 9 ranked Pitt team when he was at Toledo after throwing for over 400 yards and how can we Steeler fans forget last years game against the Raiders when he threw three fourth-quarter TD's to beat out beloved black and gold.
Here's to you Bruce, have a great year (just not against the Steelers, Nov. 21), continue to have a lucrative career in the NFL, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!
What do you think of Bruce and his commitment to helping others?
A version of this story first appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by: Ron Cook
Thursday, April 22, 2010
COOL bags and COOL loaves
Talk about a really COOL 2 for 1 bargain, in Sturgeon, WI that's exactly what you will find. Robert Scaturo created and started selling reusable cloth shopping bags in his store for Earth Day to try and reduce the number of plastic bags his customers used to take home loaves of bread that were freshly baked on site.
The bags cost $3 and all proceeds will go to the "Seven Loaves Project", a project created by Mr. Scaturo's good friend, Ron "JR" Schoenfeld, who visited orphanages in Rwanda and learned the children only eat bread once a year and it takes three days to walk to the nearest bakery.
Mr. Schoenfeld was inspired to do something besides throwing money at the problem. He expresses that "Seven Loaves" isn't just a nutritional project but a vocational project as well. His efforts will eventually provide economical, environmentally friendly, and efficient earthen ovens to Rwanda so that 200 loaves of bread can be baked daily. These ovens will use no electricity and only small amounts of wood. The people will also learn a trade as they will be taught to bake bread.
It seemed a natural fit for Mr. Scaturo to help out his good friend, he already donates left over bread to a local food pantry and donates goods to local events and local organizations. The baker in him thought it would be COOL to help with a global cause and teach people in Rwanda to bake.
The pairing of these COOL ideas from Robert Scaturo and Ron "JR" Schoenfeld shows how one good idea can lead to another one. Here's to both of you, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!
Do you know of one cool idea that led to another one? What are they?
The bags cost $3 and all proceeds will go to the "Seven Loaves Project", a project created by Mr. Scaturo's good friend, Ron "JR" Schoenfeld, who visited orphanages in Rwanda and learned the children only eat bread once a year and it takes three days to walk to the nearest bakery.
Mr. Schoenfeld was inspired to do something besides throwing money at the problem. He expresses that "Seven Loaves" isn't just a nutritional project but a vocational project as well. His efforts will eventually provide economical, environmentally friendly, and efficient earthen ovens to Rwanda so that 200 loaves of bread can be baked daily. These ovens will use no electricity and only small amounts of wood. The people will also learn a trade as they will be taught to bake bread.
It seemed a natural fit for Mr. Scaturo to help out his good friend, he already donates left over bread to a local food pantry and donates goods to local events and local organizations. The baker in him thought it would be COOL to help with a global cause and teach people in Rwanda to bake.
The pairing of these COOL ideas from Robert Scaturo and Ron "JR" Schoenfeld shows how one good idea can lead to another one. Here's to both of you, stay positive, stay generous, and STAY COOL!
Do you know of one cool idea that led to another one? What are they?
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