SPRING NEWS!!!

As always, I’m amazed as to how the time flies by. My blessings keep rolling in and are apparent from all the wonderful people that I encounter and work with. HEY, that means YOU!!! THANKS for bringing such joy into my life! I hope that you will enjoy reading my life enriching ideas and travel and event updates.

Inspiring Passions:

LOVE makes the world go ‘round; so don’t be stingy with it ☺ I love having you in my Circle, and many of you have said that the information and or inspiration that I share with you, compels you to share it with others. FABULOUS; keep paying it forward! What a beautiful world we live in; and each of us has the power to make it even more beautiful. I am constantly reminded that being open and exploring new and creative opportunities allows people to help others, and in return enrich their own lives.

Some days it is easy to get the false impression that only bad things are happening; DON’T BE FOOLED! Great things are happening EVERY DAY!! Don’t underestimate for a moment what your reaching out to “touch” someone can do. It can be as simple as a smile, compliment or holding open a door. And if you are feeling really adventurous, consider opening your mind to creative ideas. These are just a few examples that I have come across recently of some wonderful things that are happening every day all around the world.

Curtis - One Buck for the Planet

I was invited to join my friend’s “ripple,” and it compelled me to start a ripple of my own on OneBuckforthePlanet.org. Curtis founded One Buck for the Planet because he “is madly in love with our world.” Curtis has a concern and a passion for the well being of our environment. He decided to encourage others to donate just “One Buck for the Planet” and to tell their friends to do the same. Curtis has the “ripple effect” concept, one that many of us believe in, but few mobilize into action. Good for Curtis for starting us off! Be sure to read Curtis’ “My Billion Human Quest” which is a link under his photo on the “About” Page of OneBuckforthePlanet.org. Some say “impossible” and people like Curtis say, "why not try and see where it takes you!"

Bonnie Hayman – Teaching others to improve their marketability

Bonnie made the drastic but exciting move from San Diego to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua last November. She loves the Nicaraguan culture and felt that she could teach English to local residents to aid them in obtaining better jobs and communicating with the fast growing Ex-Patriot population. Without a lesson plan or a teaching location, in February she began teaching her neighbor’s caretaker. Now she has two morning English classes and has just started two evening classes. Her students are all adults and the classes are geared toward conversation that is needed for them to do their jobs. She is currently teaching restaurant conversation, parts of the car (and things that people usually say when having work done on their car) and one for gardeners and people who work in the homes of English speaking people. Bonnie has also started to go with local residents who sponsor the only “mobile library” in Nicaragua. The van goes out all day to the most remote schools in the campo (jungle) to loan books to children. While they are exchanging books, she is helping to teach and do activities with the kids, read to them in Spanish or teach them English words. The lovely people of San Juan del Sur and surrounding areas have welcomed Bonnie into their culture and community and she feels privileged to be able to offer these precious gifts in return.

Cameron Russell – Trips for Kids

While traveling on a local bus in Nicaragua, Bonnie and I met Cameron Russell, a young teacher from Vermont. Since his mother is a breast cancer survivor, he was interested to learn about my passion for related fundraising and he shared with us that he has a passion for bicycling. About a month later, he Emailed to tell me that he was planning a cross country bike ride to raise money for "Trips for Kids.” Trips For Kids is a non-profit that “provides mountain bike outings and environmental education for kids who would not otherwise be exposed to such activities.” Check out Cameron’s website to learn about his trip: 65 days of riding and 5,100 miles total to raise money for kids to learn and grow. Now that is a summer vacation!!

Donna Hunnewell - The Wish Project

While trying to find a place to donate my mother’s old sewing machine, I came across “the Wish Project” in Lowell, MA. Donna Hunnewell, Founder and Executive Director of the Wish Project, didn’t set out to create an Internet matching service for “Goods” servicing over 94 Agencies and reaching over 400 case workers in the Merrimack Valley area. But, that is the beauty of it! All she wanted to do was donate her children’s “outgrown gear.” When she couldn’t find an agency that could accommodate her donation (due to not having enough storage space), she couldn’t help but to recognize the need which gave birth to her idea. I am so impressed how Donna mobilized this “simple” but pivotal concept to satisfy such a great requirement that limits many social service organizations. Thanks to Donna’s foresight, in just 3 years the Wish Project has served 23,000 people. Less than 1% of those getting social service help and goods from the Wish Project rotate back into homelessness. There is no way to measure the precious dignity that she helps to deliver to individuals and their families. Donna is certainly a “mom on the go,” and the Merrimack Valley Community is her “biggest baby!”

You may not be able or want to do anything like these four folks did, but you can do PLENTY!! You do a lot already when you participate in my “Stacy’s Circle of Friends” campaigns in the fight against cancer; THANK YOU!! I encourage you to think about what it is you have to offer others, whether family, friends or strangers, each and every day. When you do, you will be enriched by the rewards returned to you!!

Travel and Events:

If you’ve been tracking my travel since last summer, you know that I made a second trip to Nicaragua in December for 23 days to visit Bonnie Hayman (click HERE to see photos). During our July 2007 vacation (click HERE to see details), Bonnie purchased a home and adventurously re-located to Nicaragua in November. I enjoyed a relaxing holiday season helping her to finish decorating her lovely home with local art, meeting her wonderful English friends (who also spent part of the holidays visiting), and meeting many local Nicaraguans and being part of their holiday traditions. The people of Nicaragua are some of the warmest and joyous people that I have met in my travels. They suffer huge economic barriers, and many do not have what we would consider “basic” necessities. However, they don’t let that stop them from enjoying each other and sharing anything they have. I watched one young gentleman share what may have been his only meal of the day with another man. You can’t help but to be touched in the depths of your heart by observing that.

We enjoyed the dancing scene whenever possible and Bonnie surprised me with a chartered sailing trip on Christmas Day. On New Year’s day we were invited to participate at a local family’s piñata party. We watched a dozen adorable kids of all ages take some blindfolded swings at the piñata, but only after dancing! Everyone was hollering “baila, baila (dance, dance)!!” The kids were dancing and swinging that stick like crazy. What a special opportunity it was for us to take part in that celebration.

Bonnie loves experiencing her new adventures (even the bizarre ones), immersing herself in the local culture and taking part in volunteer opportunities in Nicaragua (see “Bonnie Hayman” above). She has started renting out her 2nd bedroom and is open to anyone who would like to arrange for her to be their private tour guide. If you are interested in the opportunity, I can certainly vouch for her abilities! Just tell me if you want to be connected.

In early February, I was privileged to participate at the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) National Making Strides Against Breast Cancer National Summit in Dallas, TX. I was one of only a few volunteers who were invited to this motivating event for Making Strides staff from all over the nation. I was honored to present to the group, and to meet and share the stage with the ACS’s National CEO, John Seffrin, his wife Carol, and Judy Glodden. Carol and Judy each shared their inspirational stories of hope and breast cancer survivorship. Being part of this event filled with me enthusiasm for the impact that we are all having on the future of breast cancer. Click HERE to see photos.

Over the Easter holiday I visited my family and friends in MA. Since I was going to miss the ACS’s Daffodil Days delivery campaign in San Diego, I coordinated with my MA ACS resources so that my mom and I were able to deliver daffodils to patients receiving treatment at Lowell General Hospital. My mother felt so good providing a simple gift of daffodils, the “flower of Hope,” to men and women and to bring a smile to their faces. She was even thanked with a special hug by one of the patients (GO MOM!)! I loved sharing this lovely volunteer experience that I had been doing previously in CA with my mom. The Eastern Division ACS staff was excited to brainstorm with me about how the campaign is managed in CA and they said that they even got some ideas that they might like to apply for next year!

On April 4th, at their 35th Anniversary “Masquerade Gala,” I was honored to be recognized as Home Start, Inc.’s “Individual Philanthropist” (www.home-start.org) I felt fortunate to have many great friends in attendance to share the fun evening with. Click HERE to see photos.

April 26th was another fun celebration with friends at the San Diego Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s “Promise Ball” (www.jdrf-sandiego-news.org). We heard first hand from folks living with Type 1 diabetes and learned about their stories of Hope and improved health over the years. The generosity of the attendees that night allowed us to raise nearly $1.3M. Click HERE to see photos.

If you are a woman in San Diego looking to expand your philanthropy and friendships in the Community, consider attending the San Diego Woman’s Foundation Annual Grants Celebration on June 3rd from 5:30 – 8:30 PM (no charge to attend). Click HERE to read more details.

On May 14th my travel picks up with a visit to see friends in Medford, OR. I’ll be in San Diego to enjoy the American Cancer Society’s La Jolla Relay for Life event June 28th and 29th (click HERE to make your donation and click HERE to learn more about how you can participate in an important “Cancer Prevention Study” on June 28th). The summer will then kick-off the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer season, stay tuned for details to follow at a later date.

I hope that you have fun times planned with your family and friends, because those are the times that we cherish most. Make them happen! And by all means, share your stories with me ☺

Always with Hugs and Blessings,

Stacy