The Good Stuff Family Four Pack Dad’s of tickets Night to see Out Win an exciting the Tampa Lightning
8 & 9 Good News 12 & 13 Good Products 16 & 17 Good People Marlee Huggins Co-founder of Cardiac Kids Foundation of Florida LJ Tucker founder of Kids’ Day Out
There’s nothing like passing down the love of sports from father to child. Throughout the season, GoodLiving™ wants to help dads share the hard-hitting, fast-paced game of hockey with their children. Contest details are at TampaBayGoodLiving.com
TM
18 & 19
Good Adventures
Civil Rights Institute and Florida Holocaust Museum
27
Good Eating
Got Healthier Cupcakes?
Let’s Keep Our Children Healthy
Features 15
Dr. Charles A. Welborn’s advice about pediatric obesity
Join Us Online! Be sure to visit our website often to see what’s going on with:
Special Ways to Say “I Love You”
22 & 23
Jessica Sykes creates simple and fun projects for Valentine’s Day
Good Gardening with Jai Hot Topics Good Events Good Causes Good Eating… and more Like us on Facebook for good stuff updates and new contests Sign up for the E-GoodNewsletter Contact us with your story ideas or event information TampaBayGoodLiving.com
24
Master Organic Gardener Jai Hambly of Clearwater shares tips for making better soil
The Real Deal about Fats
28 & 29
David Foreman, the Herbal Pharmacist, explains Essential Fatty Acids
Frugal is the New Black
30
America’s Cheapest Family and more ways to save money
32 & 33
It’s the New Year What Do YOU Stand For? Editor Pamela Ray and author Nicole Bouchard Boles on how to be an everyday philanthropist About the Cover
This issue’s cover is Eric, Marlee and Kalani Huggins. Marlee is featured in Good People. Photo by Pierce Brunson. See his work at PierceBrunsonPhotography.com
34 & 35
Tampa Area Philanthropists Honored for Their Generosity National Philanthropy Day winners share thoughts on philanthropy
My Story by GoodLiving
36 & 37
Friends and business partners, Pamela Ray and Jen Harvey share their journeys to fitness for 2011
My Story by Tammy La Vigne
38
How one story sparked passion to help a serious cause
4 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
TM
Publisher Light Shine Media Group, LLC
GoodLiving stands for children’s issues along with The Children’s Movement of Florida. Here I am sharing the important issues with the Pinellas County Legislative Delegation.
Editor-in-Chief Pamela Ray
Take a stand, be an advocate!
Contributing Writers Dr. Charles A. Welborn Jessica Sykes Jai Hambly David Foreman Tammy LaVigne
Associate Publisher for Sales and Marketing Jennifer Harvey
Design and Layout Marcie Frieling
Cover Art Greg Harvey Photography Pierce Brunson Website WP by Design Distribution Lee Shiflett
GoodLiving™ Magazine & GoodLivingMag.com P.O. Box 1795 Oldsmar, Florida 34677 (727) 776-3656 info@goodlivingmag.com
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION advertising@goodlivingmag.com or (727) 373-8486 GoodLiving™ magazine is a publication of Light Shine Media Group, LLC and is distributed to readers at no charge to targeted locations in Pinellas, Hillsborough and southern Pasco Counties. It is available as a digital publication at TampaBayGooodLiving.com. All photographs, artwork, design and editorial are the sole property of GoodLiving™ magazine and Light Shine Media Group, LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission. GoodLiving™ magazine and Light Shine Media Group, LLC are not responsible for statements made by advertisers and writers for any consequences arising from omissions or errors. Readers should verify the advertising information of the advertisers and all specials are valid to the expiration date set by the advertiser. GoodLiving™ magazine and Light Shine Media Group, LLC reserve the right to refuse any advertising for any reason. The views expressed in the publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. All rights reserved.
...from the Editor In this month’s issue, we are asking readers to think about what they stand for. What’s your passion? Children? Animals? The elderly? The arts? The environment? What news stories make your blood boil or your heart break? Child abuse? Problems with education? Bullying? In every corner of our world, there is a wrong that needs to be made right. Everywhere you look is a person who is hurting or needs help in some regard. It could seem overwhelming, but think about the joke that asks, “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer, “One bite at a time.” We have a world full of elephants. But we also have world full of people who truly care about something. For most, it’s about knowing exactly how to get started with their something. The Tampa Bay area is teeming with organizations desperate for help. Call any one of them and ask for the volunteer coordinator. That person will find a way for you to be involved. In her book, How to be an Everyday Philanthropist, author Nicole Bouchard Boles outlines hundreds of ways one single person can help. It doesn’t have to be a long-term volunteer commitment of time; it can be as simple as writing letters to politicians or donating office supplies. Every action, no matter how small or large is an action that helps in the long run. January is National Mentoring Month. If you don’t want to share yourself with an organization, share yourself with a person. Pass on what you know. Make a difference. Take a bite out of the elephant. Our featured, “Good People” this issue are two individuals whose passions moved them to start organizations that never existed before. There was a need and they sought to fill it by organizing others. Tammy LaVigne’s “My Story,” is a perfect example of how a stranger shared a passion that ignited others to do great things. Our actions have rippling effects beyond our own knowledge. Even doing nothing has an effect. If someone doesn’t mentor a troubled child, what happens in that child’s future? If a cause doesn’t get attention, how big will the problem become? Make 2011 the year you stand for something and make it known by taking some kind of positive action.
Be Blessed!
Pamela Ray GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
5
news Productive Partnership Helps Cause Art for Autism and Mercedes Benz of Tampa have partnered to provide employment opportunities to people with with autism. The dealership’s new location at 4400 North Dale Mabry Highway has provided space for Artistas Café to serve guests and customers. Run by the non-profit Art for Autism, the café is staffed by young adults on the Autism Spectrum and serves premium gourmet beverages such as coffees, teas and cocoas, bearing names like “The Picasso.” It’s open during the dealership’s regular hours. More about Art for Autism at Javamo.com.
Kids Do Amazing Things Every Day! If you know an amazing kid who has made a difference in someone’s life, nominate him or her for the Every Child Makes A Difference community awards program. Every Child Makes A Difference honors “Young Heroes with Big Hearts” who have reached out in some way to help others, and have made a difference, right here in the Tampa Bay community. Whether your young hero helped out a sick neighbor or organized a holiday canned food drive, After Hours Pediatrics Urgent Care wants to hear their story. The final winners will be rewarded with a prize package valued at $2,500, an actual star in the sky named in their honor and an engraved crystal star trophy. The winners along with their families will also be given the star treatment when they are honored at a Red Carpet Awards Gala in Summer 2011. Nominate your young hero, ages 5-21, for the Every Child Makes A Difference awards program at EveryChildMakesaDifference.com. Nominations open January 1st.
A&E Scared Straight
Help When People Need It
January begins a new series on the A&E Network aimed at educating youth about the consequences of a life of crime. Beyond Scared Straight is a modern version of the classic that gained notoriety and won multiple Emmy Awards in the 1970s.
CaringBridge.org is a free service that allows users to quickly create a website that will communicate with friends and family during a medical crisis. It works from any device that connects to the Internet by following a few simple steps and users have complete control over the level of privacy. Users can easily update loved ones with online journal entries so they focus energies on the person who requires healing.
The series has been re-made because today’s youth need a different approach. Modern TV, film and music have glorified the gang and prison experience and so the task of “scaring” teens is more complicated. Each episode will focus on a different prison program following at-risk teens. The January premiere episode features teenaged girls who engage in activities such as drugs, drinking, shoplifting, fighting and associating with gangs.
Share your good news. Send stories to news@goodlivingmag.com
8 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
news
Unlimited Rides at Lowry Park Zoo Our friends at the zoo listened to families and responded this year by instituting a new unlimited ride policy with paid daytime admissions and family pass usage. Previously the popular rides carried a small charge, but in response to feedback about the popularity of the rides, they made the change. Rides within the zoo are offered as a complement to their 1,700 animals on nearly 60 acres of natural outdoor habitats, splash ground water play areas, educational shows and restaurants. Annual zoo membership rates start at $45 per year and a family pass for up to six people in a household for $125. Additionally for 2011, all visitors get free admission on their birthday! More information at LowryParkZoo.com.
Sign up for Simple Encouragements
Low-Cost Cell Phones for Seniors
“Encouraged people encourage people,” says Thomas Waterhouse, a counselor who lives in Palm Harbor and has begun a project to deliver encouraging messages to anyone who wants them. His quiet cause is founded on the belief that single interactions have profound and life-changing repercussions. He says encouragement is never in a hurry and it never has a goal because its motive is love. “Putting on ‘transcendent glasses’ that see into the potential, pain, and darkness of others is a quiet action, but deeply transformative for all concerned. In fact, it’s downright loving.”
Alliance for Generational Equity (AGE), Ageadvocacy.org, a non-profit advocacy organization, has tips for seniors looking to purchase a low-cost cell phone, noting that cell phones offer additional security for seniors. A major price war has broken out that makes it possible for older Americans to purchase a “senior friendly” prepaid cell phone for less than $15 and service for as little as $7 a month. Cost is often a deterrent among seniors, but three companies are currently offering affordable options: GreatCall Jitterbug; Consumer Cellular and SVC Senior Value Cell Phone by TracFone. Each company has different terms, so it requires some research, but the bottom line is that seniors on fixed incomes can find affordable cell service that fits their needs.
If you want to receive his encouragements for you or to pass on to others, go to SimpleEncouragements.com. You can get them via e-newsletters, Facebook, Twitter or his blog.
Tips: 1. Go prepaid. 2. Never buy more phone than you need. 3. Shop around for the best prices on your phone. 4. Beware of hidden fees, activation fees and short-term incentives. 5. Figure out your phone use profile and then shop accordingly. seniorvaluecellphone.com greatcall.com consumercellular.com
Doro PhoneEasy from Consumer Cellular. Senior-friendly with a large keypad.
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
9
news Science & Nature Spring Safari Camp Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater is oering a day camp during the Pinellas County spring break. Children will explore the wonders of nature and science through hands-on discoveries and adventures using games, crafts, animal encounters and other activities. For kids ages 6 to 12. March 28th - April 1st, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. From $75 to $125 for the week. Registration begins on March 1st. MyClearwater.com
Yoga Deal in Tampa Passport to Prana is an innovative, new multi-studio yoga passport that allows people to explore the world of yoga without breaking the bank. The $30 Passport to Prana card entitles passport holders to one yoga class at each of the more than 20 participating studios in Tampa and its surrounding areas. Their goal is to help people interested in yoga, including beginners, ďŹ nd the right class while saving money. The program in Tampa expires on September 31, 2011. Information about studios and passports are available at PassporttoPrana.com.
products Frosting Deco Pen Get creative with cupcakes and cookies for Valentine’s Day with this easy-to-use, battery-powered pen that decorates minutes. Use filler plates for mess-free frosting loading. Mix colors in the cartridge. Use any of six tips to write or decorate with frosting. Order from KuhnRikon.com. $30.00
Hide A Heart Hiding these glass hearts in a secret place can become an enchanting and charming way to express affection and inspire positive communication with loved ones. Made in the USA. Ruby glass for love and lilac glass for hope and healing. A sweet Valentine’s Day gift that will keep giving as you establish a new tradition of hiding the heart. $14.95 at Hideaheart.com
Scandle The Scandle is a candle that burns at two degrees above body temperature to produce a soothing oil that can be used for massage, manicures, pedicures or as a daily moisturizer. Made with 100% natural ingredients including soy, shea butter, jojoba and vitamin E. The Scandle features refillable and reusable canisters. $12.95-$22.95 at ABodyCandle.com
12 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
products Good Earth Tea
...for the girls
A truly delicious tea brand that offers healthy antioxidants and herbs in its teas. The selection will keep tea drinkers happy for a while. Choose from green, white, black, red, chai, Superfruit and a wide variety of organic teas. Decaffeinated teas available in many flavors. Find at Publix, Winn Dixie, Walmart or Goodearth.com Editor’s Note: Good Earth Tea is giving drinkers a chance to have their original quote printed on tea tags later this year. 25 winners will be selected. So share your philosophy with them at Goodearthtea.com, Facebook or Twitter.
Infuse Water with Fruit
Body Bark Undershirt
For a healthy and flavorful way to drink water, try this Fruit Infusion Pitcher made from BPA free Acraglass™ from Takeya. The airtight lid locks in freshness. Fruit blocker lid suspends fruit while pouring. The company also offers glass water bottles with silicon sleeves.
This new line of apparel is the brainchild of mompreneur Catherine Poirier of Denver who needed a thin, soft shirt to wear under sweaters. The eco-conscious and luxurious fabric is made from the cellulose fiber of sustainable Beech trees. MicroModal® has color resiliency, durability, shape retention and feels amazingly soft. It’s whisper thin and can be worn as a layer or alone. Choose from tees, tanks, camisoles with varying necklines. Made in the USA.
Pitcher is $24.99 at TakeyaUSA.com
Tooth tissues February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, so we want to encourage good oral health for young ones. Parents can try Tooth Tissues, disposable textured dental wipes specially designed to help remove plaque from your baby and toddler’s teeth and gums. Tooth Tissues are 99% natural. Fluoride and paraben free.
Shirt shown is $58 at BodyBark.com
Where to buy and how much?
Simple Human Sensor Pump Help fend off germs by using this sensor pump for hand soap that will quick and touch-free dispense just the right amount of soap onto your hands. Sleek and sturdy design. Volume control. Takes AA batteries. $39.99 at SimpleHuman.com
iHome in the Kitchen This sleek and compact system is the perfect kitchen companion for iPhone and iPod users. It’s perfect for listening to podcasts or Pandora while you cook. The iP39 features cleanable surfaces, two timers, retractable universal dock, time sync feature, remote control, USB port for charging devices and great iHome sound. $99 at iHomeaudio.com
Ahh Bra The name says it all and explains why it’s a best seller. Serious comfort for the girls from Rhonda Shears, a television celebrity turned business owner. You can see her on HSN or occasionally at her store in St. Petersburg, Maison Rouge. Rhonda’s line of unmentionables includes multiple styles of bras, panties, shapewear and sleepwear from size XS to 3X. The Ahh Bra has soft full coverage, wide straps, ribbed band and is a nylon-spandex blend. Shop at MaisonRouge.com, HSN.com or Ahhbra.com
GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
13
Let’s Keep Our Children Healthy Dr. Charles A. Welborn Medical Director After Hours Pediatrics Urgent Care Many people believe that being a “good eater” or being “hefty” is a sign of good health. This is certainly not always the case. Because of the growing health issue of childhood obesity, many kids now have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and need to take medications on a daily basis to counteract these major health issues. Obesity in children is a growing, major health issue. In the last 30 years, obesity in children and adolescents has tripled. Now, almost one out of every five children and adolescents are obese. So, how do health care providers distinguish between being overweight vs. obese? If your child is overweight, the body mass index is 85-95% of what is expected for their age. If the body mass index is more than 95%, they are considered obese. This is not quite the carefree life we associate with being a child. And the longer a child remains obese, the earlier and worse his or her health problems will become. So, how do you, as a parent, tackle this issue? Recognize that addressing obesity is extremely difficult. It most likely took several years for your child to become obese, so overnight changes are not possible. Understand that obesity is often a family issue, so the entire family needs to get involved by changing which foods you prepare; changing how you prepare foods; learning how to limit quantities; understanding how food is used as a reward rather than as nutrition; and most important of all – getting daily exercise. Enlist support to help you with these changes. It might be your child’s pediatrician, an obesity-related support group, a nutritionist or a combination of these. Our charge is to act and to take on this challenge. Obesity leads to a path of multiple health issues, which is simply not what we want for our children.
people Marlee Huggins On the way to baby number two, Marlee Huggins had a normal full-term pregnancy and a normal delivery, so she was not expecting any bad news. It started with a poor appetite and the discovery of a cleft palate. Further tests revealed that baby Kalani had six congenital heart defects that required immediate open heart surgery. At 11 days old their first hero, Dr. James Quintessenza, repaired four of the six defects at All Children’s Hospital. Everything but the valves were repaired. These other two congenital defects remain a constant concern for Kalani.
Marlee
The Huggins Family
“Other than the death of a child, this was the worst feeling ever. No one understood how I felt. They didn’t realize how hard it was for me to ask if I could hold my baby,” says Marlee about the experience. “What made it harder was that we had another daughter at home who didn’t understand why mommy, daddy and baby sister weren’t coming home. I felt completely lost, sad, depressed and mad. Yet I knew I was lucky.”
Kalani in the hospital at 11 days old after her open heart
Marlee and her husband Eric learned something else. Having health insurance didn’t prevent expenses from mounting for their young family. Things like medications, deductibles and co-pays became a challenge. Enter hero number two, extended family member Santo Carollo, owner of OL Products, Inc. He saw the Huggins family struggle both emotionally and financially and was inspired to start a foundation to help other “cardiac kids” like Kalani and their families. He asked Marlee if she would work on this with him and being the fireball that she is, she said yes because “we can’t be the only family who has a sick child and financial issues.” Santo and Marlee approached Pediatric Cardiovascular & Thoracic surgeon Dr. Jeffery Jacobs and he agreed to join them. That was the humble beginning of the Cardiac Kids Foundation of Florida Inc., (CKF) and Marlee’s way of taking a stand against congenital heart defects. The foundation has three objectives: 1) help cardiac families with a financial need through a grant process 2) take part in an annual mission trip and 3) support research.
Kalani with Santo
16 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
people
LJ Tucker
A highlight for Marlee was meeting Larry King, Jr., who in time agreed to fund a mission trip to Bustamante Hospital for Children located in Kingston, Jamaica through the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. So now in partnership with Chain of Hope UK and several Rotary Clubs located in Tampa, Florida, Dr. Jacobs and his team head to Kingston, Jamaica to perform pediatric cardiac surgeries and cardiac catherizations and ablations on children in need. Just as important, the team is training the doctors and nurses in Jamaica. They are also assisting them in building a self-sustaining pediatric cardiac facility at Bustamante Hospital for Children. Marlee is living proof that one person with a passion can make things happen. She recruited friends as volunteers and worked to create fundraising events like their annual golf tournament, poker tournament, bowl-a-thon, antique car show, wine tasting event and silent auction. She helps to coordinate the annual mission trip and oversees the grant requests from families. As executive director, she also needs to keep her Board of Directors on task. “This is easy because Santo (who now volunteers as Chairman of the Board for CKF) loves Kalani and would do anything for her. And Kalani is why we all do this.”
one person can make a big difference
LJ Tucker
“I want to help kids. I want to motivate them to make good choices instead of bad ones,” said LJ Tucker, husband, father, entrepreneur, music minister and now director of his own non-profit organization called Tucker Enterprise Youth Foundation. His first project with the foundation is pretty big for one guy with a dream. Each year, he holds Kids Day Out at a park that sits between Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. This year on Saturday, March 19 from noon to 6 p.m. the event will be held at R.E. Olds Park in Oldsmar. More than 3,000 people came out last year to take advantage of a free day of fun. “It’s all free, even the food, and we don’t ask for donations. I want families to have one day where no one is hitting them up for money,” he says. And they’ll get a great day for the price. LJ rounds up volunteers and sponsors to make it big. Kids can play on a rock wall, ride a pony or do crafts. Local entertainers will sing, play music and dance. Boys get a free haircut and girls a free manicure. Motivational speakers will be on hand. And for the parents, a huge smoker will be kicking out ribs and chicken. What will LJ do next? His plans are to expand Kids Day Out to other communities. Why? Because he cares about kids and he wants to make a difference.
Kids Day Out 2010
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
17
adventures Teaching Young People about Human Rights Museums are created to preserve and educate those things a society holds valuable. Art museums are full of masterpieces. Children’s science museums teach the basics like gravity and the human body. Natural history museums keep images of dinosaurs and ancient peoples alive. The Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, preserves a verbal history, teaches about a human rights movement and keeps images of tragedies alive so hopefully we don’t go back and do it again.
Likewise, the Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg keeps the stories of this very dark period of history out in the open to teach future generations about what happens when hate gets out of control. Teach your kids about the world they live in; don’t avoid teaching them about our painful past. Instead use it as an opportunity to dig a little deeper and discuss your family values about respecting others and taking a stand against oppression.
Civil Rights Institute
Just more than an eight hour drive from Tampa, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) was built across the street from the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, where three young girls were killed in the infamous bombing incident. This was among the many events that put Birmingham smack in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. The BCRI has captured this era by using drama, media, art, music and sermons as you move through the galleries. The Barriers Gallery conveys the inequality of segregation with artifacts and depictions; the Confrontation Gallery plays recordings of real voices, both Black and White; the Movement Gallery highlights the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the struggle for voters’ rights and footage from the 1963 March on Washington; and the Milestones Gallery has images of the bombing, the Selmato-Montgomery March and a comprehensive timeline. The new Human Rights gallery links the struggle for equality to other human rights movements around the world. The institute pays special homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the most well known of the Civil Rights leaders. On display is the actual door from the jail cell where he penned “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and the chair on which he sat during a trial. A large screen shows his famous “I have a dream” speech along with other stories and pictures throughout the institute. The BCRI is not just there for display, they have been actively collecting archives and more than 600 recordings for their ongoing Oral History Project. The institute has published two books and has a wealth of information available on their website including detailed curriculum guides for teachers of all grades. Their desire is to demonstrate how collective peaceful action can lead to powerful change. For more information, go to BCRI.org.
18 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
BCRI photos © Carol M. Highsmith
adventures I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past. - Patrick Henry, 1775
Sojourn to the Past
If the BCRI sparks an interest to learn even more, the Sojourn Project, schedules tour groups that travel a route starting Atlanta and ending in Memphis, with stops in Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham, Hattiesburg, Jackson and Little Rock. The guided sojourn takes ten days and is designed for high school students. They visit the most dramatic sites and hear inspirational speakers that first witnessed and created the Civil Rights Movement. This journey is important not only for the historic value, but, more importantly, to teach the real lessons of the Movement — tolerance, justice, compassion, hope, and nonviolence – and to help participants employ these values in daily life. They schedule high school groups from all over to do the sojourn, but they also take individual students or adults as well. SojournProject.com
Florida Holocaust Museum
Downtown St. Petersburg is home to a museum dedicated to another tragic episode from history. “It needs to be here,” says Christopher Settle, a local high school teacher that teaches a class on the Holocaust. “The students who take this class want to know why it happened and a trip to the museum makes it more real.” Visitors to the Florida Holocaust Museum (FHM) can see one of the few remaining railroad boxcars used to transport Jews to concentration camps. It rests on actual tracks from the Treblinka Killing Center as a silent tribute to those who perished. The first floor exhibit contains the History, Heritage and Hope Permanent Exhibition that takes you through the history of anti-Semitism to the rise of Hitler and the death camps. School groups are encouraged to visit and are treated to a guided tour that ends with a talk by a local survivor. “I was shocked by the count of those killed from genocide since 1944, which was over 85 million and still counting with a death due to genocide every 24 seconds,” said Amber, a 17-year old high school student after her tour of the museum. Researchers have compiled materials that have been carefully and sensitively chosen to teach students how children their age, who were involved in this terrible time in history, were resourceful, responsible, and creative in order to survive. They include literature that shows how others helped, the importance of immigration and how students can take action in today’s world. “We know that teaching the Holocaust is a challenge of awesome proportions. The Holocaust must be brought into classrooms so students can learn to analyze the hatred and bigotry that can lead to genocide. We want to help them see some of the possible effects of decisions they are making or that their peers are making,” said Carolyn Bass, executive director. The FHM is located at 55 5th Street South in St. Petersburg. FLHolocaustMuseum.org
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
19
20 GoodLiving / Jan•Feb 2011
ADVERTISING SECTION
WOMEN IN NETWORKING
Choose from eleven monthly meetings • No dues • Build relationships WINTampaBay.com
GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
21
Special Ways to Say, “I Love You” by Jessica Sykes
Ahhh, the day of love. A day that explodes with the colors of pink and red, flowers galore and perhaps a distant chime of wedding bells. Yet Valentine’s Day also is a time to cherish the simplicity of sweet togetherness. To bake heart shaped cookies with my kids, fashion little crafts that hold a bit of nostalgia and remember the people we love. For this Valentine’s Day, I have come up with some thoughtful craft ideas to not only bless someone but also to add a personal and even an eco-friendly element to convey your love and care.
A
B1
B2
B3
B4
Say “I Love You” with Cookie Messages This fun idea is so simple and easy to do that it will ill be fun both for the giver and the special Valentine’s Day recipient. Kids will love helping, too. Here is what I did… I bought candy boxes from a craft store in the baking section, along with coordinating ribbon and card stock for the tags. At home, I made some quick and easy sugar cookie mix. Just happened to have alphabet cookie cutters, but you can also make round or square shaped cookies (of any kind) and then ice the cookies with your letters to create your message. Little squares could be made to look like Scrabble pieces. To make it a puzzle, place the letter cookies randomly into box lined with tissue paper. Create a custom tag to give a hint by using Photoshop, a free photo editing program like Photoscape (download for free) or write it by hand to make it more personal. Tie with some ribbon and you have your mystery gift. Yummy! Another option is to buy a larger flat box, layer the bottom with Easter basket grass,or something similar, and arrange your cookies to spell out your Valentine’s Day message. Children can do this to make a special gift for grandparents or a favorite teacher. Keep diets in mind and search out recipes for healthier versions of cookies.
22 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
B5
Sweet Heart Garland Materials
Empty cereal ce boxes glue gun heart shaped shap cookie cutter twine or ribbon r an assortm assortment of fabric (I used burlap, an old sweater of my daughter’s, a pair of socks, felt, and red striped ticking. Use your imagi imagination here to add a personal touch. Blankets your children ha have outgrown, scarves, a favorite dress, etc.) Cut your cereal boxes so they are flat and trace several hearts (I used u 15) with your cookie cutter. Cut them out. select your fabric and cut a rough shaped heart Next, sele that is larger larg than your cardboard heart (maybe an inch) your cardboard. around yo Place your heart on the fabric with the printed part of the cereal box facing up.
Bouquet Holders The sky is the limit with creativity in giving flowers. Why not try doing something creative with your arrangement like putting your flowers through a heart shaped cookie cutter or an ornate napkin ring to hang on a doorknob as a little surprise? (A great idea for a neighbor too.) Just tie a ribbon on either side of the cookie cutter, and tie the ends to form a loop to hang on a door (A). This works great with a glass jar and some thin gauge wire or even those little buckets you can find in the $1 bin. These lovely paper cones make the red roses pop with color and using sophisticated stripes or polka dots makes the presentation beautiful (B5). 1. Start with your choice of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper (B1). 2. Turn your paper so that it is in the shape of a diamond and begin rolling the paper into a cone (B2). 3. Roll the paper into a tighter tube towards one side until you have rolled it into a cone. 4. Use hot glue to close any open seams (B3). 5. Embellish with a ribbon or leave it as is (B4).
Jessica is happily married and mom of two ridiculously cute daughters. A writer, versatile crafter, and amateur sewer, she writes a fun blog over at TwoShadesofPink.blogspot.com sharing about her family, creativity, and her faith.
over the back of the heart and hot glue Pull the fabric fa each section as you go around. The key is to press down firmly on the center of your heart as you do this so that the fabric is taut (C1). Repeat with each heart. Then glue your twine or ribbon over the backs of each heart to connect them into the garland. Make sure the sides of the hearts are touching and that you place the twine or ribbon at the widest part of the hearts so they won’t flip around. You can leave it like that or finish the backs by tracing and cutting out felt hearts, slightly smaller than the cardboard cutouts so that it would not show on the front. Hot glue each one to the back side of the hearts (C2). This garland can be longer or shorter depending on your needs and looks wonderful across a door, mantel, or window. These sweet hearts will also make cozy little Valentines by using heavy paper to finish the backs and then writing a message. Or glue a looped ribbon to the top to make them into Valentine ornaments or even made into a vertical mobile. Use your imagination!
C1
C2 GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
23
Good Gardening with Jai Let’s talk about produce. Do you know how many toxic chemicals are used on standard grocery store produce? Peaches from the grocery store are treated with as many as 62 herbicides and pesticides. Apples have 42 and potatoes have as many as 37. That’s scary! Everyone wants to raise a healthy and happy family, but organic produce can be hard to find and expensive. What can you do? You can take matters in to your own hands and plant fruit trees, vegetables and herbs to ensure your family is eating nutritious and healthy food fresh from the garden. I have heard numerous people say, “You can’t grow food Jai and husband, Mike here!” Perhaps you have tried gardening here in Florida behind their broccoli and had poor results like so many others. Read on to learn my secret. The secret to growing lush, flourishing and delicious fruits, veggies and herbs here in Florida is to prepare soil properly by adding needed ingredients into the soil.
in its heavenly scent and then savoring its delicious flavor. There is nothing like a peach fresh from the tree. You can have that and I will teach you how.
How To Create Healthy Soil First you need to decide what to plant and where. The next step is to create living soil that is teeming with nutrients that keep the plants healthy and bug and disease free. Sounds good, yes? The importance of minerals: Minerals are elements that are essential for life. If you do not have all the minerals in your body that are needed, you cannot have optimum health. There are about 90 minerals that must be in the soil for plants to be healthy. Those same minerals must be in the plants for us to eat so that we can be healthy.
Actually there is very little soil here; it is mostly beach sand so we have to make soil. It takes some work, but it is simple and the results are worth it. Imagine going out into The first thing you do is bring in compost, either composted manure or a good mix the back yard, picking a fresh peach off your tree, taking of top soil and compost. Mix it with the existing sandy dirt using a 4 to 1 ratio. Then add Organic Living’s Garden Minerals, a supplement that contains 91 minerals mined from an ancient seabed in Nevada. These minerals give fruits and veggies their flavor and sweetness. They also increase nutrient density, the ratio of the nutrient composition of a given food to the nutrient requirements of the human body. That is food that makes your body satisfied, healthy and happy.
24 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
Microorganisms in the soil We need to have microorganisms in our intestines for our immune system, but where do they come from? They are supposed to come from the soil however, microorganisms cannot live without minerals. There are no minerals in beach sand so once we have made soil and added the minerals we must then add microorganisms. I recommend a product called Earth Essence, which has all the families of all the microorganisms that are supposed to be in the soil. You add this to the newly created soil and now you have a living community of microorganisms, insects and worms that live in symbiosis with each other and with the plants. The microorganisms actually act as antibiotics to keep the plants healthy which in turn keep the insects and diseases away. That’s all there is to growing lush and beautiful food – which is nutrient dense and delicious – right in your own yard!
For more information, go to OrganicLivingForAll.com. I invite you to come tour our gardens and attend one of our workshops. We will teach you everything you need to know to grow your food. You can be eating fresh food within months if you begin now. What are you waiting for?
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
25
inside out fashioned in hope
fashion show and luncheon
at Calvary Baptist Church / .D.VMMFO #PPUI 3PBE "OEFSTPO $FOUFS t $MFBSXBUFS
4BUVSEBZ t .BSDI
Love GoodLivingTM Magazine? Subscribe and have it sent directly to your home or office Order one for a friend, too
This fashion show features the latest trends from Dillard's and the stories of three women fashioned in hope. Hear the testimonies of these women who were recently released from prison and who's lives have been transformed from the Inside Out.
5JDLFUT contact Brenda Kennedy at 727-644-7785 or email at bdk.breanda at verizon.net
More details at TampaBayGoodLiving.com
"MM QSPDFFET XJMM CFOFmU )PQF )PVTF QBSU PG B OPO QSPmU NJOJTUSZ UIBU BEPQUT XPNFO BT UIFZhSF SFMFBTFE GSPN QSJTPO BOE QSPWJEFT TVQQPSU BOE SFTPVSDFT
eating Got Healthy Cupcakes? Cupcakes are all the rage these days, from birthday cupcake cakes connected with two inches of sugary icing to more gourmet versions that cost $5 or more and come in a fancy box from a cupcake store. Want to keep up with rage but stay on the healthier side for your family and friends? Try these options.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup agave nectar 2 oz of shaved unsweetened chocolate 3 oz butter 1. Heat the cream and agave nectar in a small saucepan just to a boil, whisking to combine. 2. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate to the pan. 3. Whisk thoroughly until chocolate is melted. 4. Pour into a bowl and add the butter 1 tbsp at a time until icing is smooth and butter is incorporated. 6. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing. Cream Cheese Icing (Make 2 Cups) 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 4 Tbsp agave nectar 1 tsp vanilla 1. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy. 2. Spread on cupcakes.
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 12) 1-1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup melted butter or oil 2/3 cup agave nectar or honey 2/3 cup milk* 1 tsp vinegar 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Place ingredients in a mixer or mixing bowl in the order listed and mix well to combine. Batter should be free of lumps. (No need to sift the dry ingredients or place in separate bowls. This is a dump in the bowl, mix and bake recipe). 3. Line muffin tins with paper liners or bake in silicone muffin cups. 4. Fill cups 3/4 full with batter and bake for 20-22 minutes for regular sized and 15 minutes for mini cupcakes. *Substitute cows milk for rice, almond or soy milk if desired
For some clever ways to present your healthy cupcakes, go to CupcakeCuties.com. They have themed wrappers and decorations for cupcakes.
Recipes* were created by Catherine McCord, a mom, model, and former MTV co-host who now channels her biggest passion cooking easy, healthy food - into a popular website for parents. Catherine launched Weelicious.com and posts a new recipe or tip daily as well as how-to cooking videos every Friday. Weelicious is a realistic approach to quick, nutritious eating. Catherine doesn’t promote “tricking” kids into eating healthy food, so no sneaking pureed veggies into the usual kid-fare. Her philosophy is to be honest, while including and engaging kids in the kitchen. *Used with permission. Weelicious.com
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
27
The Real Deal About Fats by David Foreman
I often get asked, “What is the most important nutrient?” My answer is “The one you are missing!” This also applies to essential fatty acids or EFAs, what I call the multivitamin of fats. EFAs are considered “good” fats and I consider them to be as important as or maybe even more important to health and wellbeing than your vitamin and mineral supplements. These “good” fats are considered essential because our body cannot make them and therefore need to come from our diet or supplements. EFAs contribute to your health in too many ways to list here, but research has shown EFA supplementation to benefit most of the major diseases we face such as: heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer and major skin health issues – just to mention a few.
David Foreman’s new book, 4-Pillars of Health is being released in February and will be available on his website. David Foreman shares his theory that in order to treat or prevent any disease, you need to first understand why you have it. Once this understanding is achieved, you will be taken down the path to better handling your heart disease concerns. With the increase in harmful medication use and invasive surgery, it is time to get back to nature and handle your health the way God intended -- naturally! David’s 4-Pillars of Health was created years ago and will guide you toward foundational and fundamental change. Being healthy doesn’t have to be difficult or hard to understand. If it sounds to complicated, it isn’t in this book.
Information provided should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment, regimen or any other prescribed health care advice. Readers should consult with their medical practitioner about changes to supplements, diet or exercise.
Signs and symptoms you may be coming up short on EFAs: •Dry skin •Itchy skin •Skin problems (eczema, etc) •Poor Memory •Heart disease •Poor circulation •Mood problems (depression, ADD, etc.) •Fatigue •Immune weakness •Hormone imbalances Aside from not getting enough of these good fats in your diet, there are other factors that may contribute to your deficiency(s): •Alcohol consumption •Consumption of sugar •Aging •Saturated fats and trans-fatty acids •Diabetes •Stress •Prescription medications EFA deficiency is common in the United States, particularly Omega-3 deficiency. The ideal intake ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids is between 1:1 and 4:1. This means for every gram of Omega-6 you need a gram of Omega-3. Regretfully, most Americans have a ratio between 10:1 and 25:1. The imbalance Of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is linked to health challenges such as heart attacks, cancer, depression, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, obesity, diabetes, asthma and more. So, what are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids? Omega-3 and Omega-6 are scientific terms for two different classifications of EFAs. Omega-3 fatty acids include ALA, EPA DHA. Omega-6 fatty acids include GLA, LA, and AA. Let’s take a closer look at what these fats are and what benefits they may possess.
28 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
Linoleic Acid (LA) an Omega-6 Fatty Acid LA is found in processed foods, margarine, and vegetable oils. LA helps improve skin conditions. It may also be partially converted to GLA in the body. The typical North American diet includes WAY too much LA and therefore I don’t recommend supplementing with this fat.
Where do I get my EFAs? The most popular dietary supplements for EFAs are Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil, Flax seed oil and Fish Oil. To take a closer closer look at the benefits of each one of these “good” fats, go to herbalpharmacist.com.
Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) an Omega-3 Fatty Acid ALA is found primarily in Flax and Chia seeds. ALA helps those with high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and immune function health challenges such as cancer. In some of us, the body can convert ALA into EPA and DHA. Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) an Omega-3 Fatty Acid GLA is found in borage, black currant and evening primrose oils. GLA helps the body fight inflammation, reduce blood clotting, PMS and lower blood pressure. GLA has shown to help with conditions such as arthritis, Heart Disease, Cancer, Eczema and Psoriasis. Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) an Omega-3 Fatty Acid These two are responsible for the beneficial effects of fish oils. Research has shown that fish oils containing EPA and DHA have therapeutic benefits in areas including: rheumatoid arthritis, high blood triglycerides, high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, infant brain development, and cancer-- the list is endless!
Foods high in Omega 3 Salmon • Tuna • Canola Oil Flaxseeds • Arugala • Spinach Broccoli • Kale • Soybeans • Walnuts
What’s the difference between fish oil and flax seed oil? There are numerous differences between the two, but the most significant to me is that not everyone converts ALA into EPA and DHA and to me DHA is most important. Even if the body converts the ALA to EPA, it still has to make DHA. So use caution and take a fish oil to assure you are getting DHA. I truly believe that the reason we have so many epidemic health challenges is the lack of these key nutrients in our diet. What should I look for when purchasing fish oil? 1. Make sure your product is certified (hopefully 3rd party) to not contain contaminants like heavy metals or pesticides. 2. Smell: If it smells like fish you don’t want to take it because it has oxidized. 3. Taste: Same thing as above. 4. Pre-emulsified (if digestion is a problem). Since these are fats, having them pre-broken down can decrease your chances of burping and other digestive issues. 5. Packaging is important: Look for UV protected bottles or packets because oils oxidize (become ineffective or bad) when exposed to light and air.
What do you take Dave? With regards to fish oil, I take Coromega and my children are currently using Nordic Naturals Children’s DHA. The kids prefer the taste of the capsules or can swallow them with ease. I trust the quality Other FAQs about EFAs and integrity of the company and product Can’t I get enough from my diet? and have no hesitation using it with my NO WAY. I joke that you would need to eat a boatload of fish to get the Omega-3s children. As for Coromega, I find it to be the only supplement that has everyyou get from a supplement. Arachidonic Acid (AA) thing I want in a fish oil supplement. It How long does it take to work? an Omega-3 Fatty Acid It depends on you and your needs. I often even comes in air-tight individual serving AA is necessary for the infant brain develsee results in the first few days of using an packets so the oil stays fresh up until it I opment and small amounts are required oil. Digestion, absorption and dose will all use it. This reduces the chances of oxidation for overall fetal development. However, play an important roll in how quickly you and gives me the biggest bang for my buck. it is NOT generally deemed a “good” fat, respond. I would allow at least 90 days to because, in excess, AA may have some David Foreman, RPh, ND is a retired pharmacist, fully experience the benefits of EFAs. harmful effects. It is also found in meat, Naturopathic Doctor, author, television Are there any side effects? eggs, and some shellfish. commentator, radio host and practitioner of Possibly. The more common reactions natural living and holistic approaches to better Again, your body cannot make these fats are digestive. These are fats and therefore health. His weekly radio program is broadcast and therefore they need to come from I recommend using a digestive enzyme locally on WHNZ 1250 am from noon to 1 p.m. your diet or from a supplement. Since Read more at HerbalPharmacist.com. that contains lipase along with your most of us do not consume a diet high in supplement(s). the sources of these fats it becomes necessary to take a dietary supplement. GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
29
FRUGAL IS THE NEW BLACK America’s Cheapest Family
On the Internet
Financial Peace University
Almost 30 years ago, Steve and Annette Economides started a family while living on a modest income. Determined for Annette to stay home and live debt-free, they started on a journey to “make less seem like more.” They did this successfully during decades of decadence, when other families were maxing out credit cards and swapping family time for longer hours at work. Now that families across America are looking to replicate this simpler lifestyle, the aptly named America’s Cheapest Family is sharing their experiences to help others transform their lives.
Group discount sites such as Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com have shot up in popularity. It’s easy to sign up to receive notices about daily deals that can save you money. In fact, online discount opportunities are so numerous you could spend hours searching for sales and discounts.
A big name in the in the money-saving game is Dave Ramsey. You may have seen him on television or heard him on the radio. His popular Financial Peace University program is a 13-week course taught by local, trained facilitators. Right now there are 64 classes gearing up to start in the Tampa Bay area.
Their website and newsletter have moneysaving tips, but it’s their books and presentations that contain most of the information. America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money and Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America’s Cheapest Family are the two books that can help families learn their philosophy as well as their tricks. Understanding that children learn about money at home, they have created a financial training kit called Money Smart Kids. Short video clips of their presentations can also be found at their website AmericasCheapestFamily.com for anyone looking to schedule a truly useful seminar. photo courtesy of Steve Economides
30 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
Fortunately, frugally-minded websites are going up all the time to help their readers minimize research time. They are also full of tips and free advice. Here are a few: Wisebread.com, Livingonadime.com, Frugaldad.com, Thedollarstretcher.com, Livecheap.com, Cooltobefrugal.com, Thecentsiblelife.com
AddictedtoSaving.com
During the sessions, participants dig into how to beat debt, invest, find bargains, buy insurance, build wealth and give like never before. “We learned how to look at money a totally different way by taking this class,” said Tammy Watkins, who took the class last year. “My husband and I now have much less stress in our lives and we so grateful we made a commitment to change our lives. If anyone is struggling with money, I highly recommend this program.”
Local mom and expert money saver, Liza Ford, has started her own website to help other busy moms find the best sales and freebies at Tampa area stores and beyond. The course costs $100 and registration Not only does she tell you where the deals for the first free session can be done at are, she gives advice on how to save money DaveRamsey.com. with the different kinds of promos that are out there. Her readers take the time to scout all the discounts and save big, like the woman who paid 43 cents for groceries and saved $103.52 at Publix. Her local coverage is inspiring! Join her community of savers at AddictedtoSaving.com.
ADVERTISING SECTION
GoodLiving Guide
Give your child the Competence, Confidence and Skills of aquatic safety and survival from Infant Swimming Resource, the safest provider of Self-Rescue™ swimming lessons for children 6 months to 6 years of age. In North Pinellas County call Andy Miller at (727) 488-4297 or go to pinellasswim.com To find instructors in other areas go to infantswim.com
Jodi gives easy, inexpensive, ingenious and time-saving tips for your home. As a Real Estate Agent she’ll tell you the latest home style trends and keep you up date with today’s Real Estate News. facebook.com/JodiAverysHomeTips
Martial Arts, Fitness Kickboxing, Hapkido, Kid’s Martial Arts, Women’s “REAL DEAL” Self-Defense Kids, 3 to 13 years old, learn confidence and self esteem with our traditional martial arts curriculum in a FUN and EXCITING ENVIRONMENT TOPS Martial Arts Family Fitness 1240 S. Highland Ave • Clearwater (727) 447-1079 MartialArtsFL.com
We Want You!
Jodi Uline, Keller Williams Realty 727-238-9660 Jodi@JodiAvery.com JodiAvery.com
If you have a product or service that can help our readers live a better life, then your ad needs to be in the GoodLiving GuideTM
TM
Business or conversational language courses Fast track survival language courses Onsite Interpretations for businesses Tutoring • American Sign Language ESI Global Interpretations, Inc. English, Spanish, Italian and ASL Services Ingrid Monroy-Akin (727) 412-2406 esilanguages@yahoo.com ingridesi.webs.com
AddictedtoSaving.com exists to provide those willing with the tools necessary to save money. Whether it’s the grocery store, drug store, or online store, saving is just a click away! Learn how to slash your grocery bills by 80% or more, discover how, where and when to bargain shop, and get more free stuff than you could have ever imagined. We do the work for you. Empower yourself today and stretch your dollars.
Affordable for small businesses Great branding opportunity Be seen by your new customers Multiple categories available Enjoy quiet, peaceful and pollution-free boating around the waters of St. Petersburg Rent 21’ or 24’ electric boats • Comfortable seating Canopy covers • On-board head. Hourly, half-day or whole day rates (727) 898-BOAT ElectricMarina.com
On target with messages. On target with customers. MailCo can help any business large or small with their direct marketing Design • Full color printing Personalized laser printing • Mailing Services List Services
For more information, call 727-373-8486
Tammy Leventis tammy@mailcofla.com (727) 548-MAIL mailcofla.com
GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
31
It’s the New Year,
What do YOU Stand for? Amid the annual hype for fitness programs, diet foods, quit smoking programs and ads that claim their product will make you a better you, have you considered what more you can do to help someone else during 2011? A new book by author Nicole Bouchard Boles called How to be an EVERYDAY Philanthropist has 330 ways that you can make a difference without having to send cash. Boles says that the impulse to do good is in all of us and that more people are working with their neighbors to fix community problems. Certainly with all that is facing the world today, there is much to be done. Philanthropy isn’t just for the wealthy who can write big checks; it’s for anyone who helps others with whatever he or she possesses. Decide what you’re passionate about and match that passion with an issue in your community or one plaguing another part of the globe. The next step is to commit to your cause and find ways you can help on a regular basis. The following are ways that Boles encourages readers to think about philanthropy and suggestions for giving.
Stephen is a big brother to Jamal and stands for the future of youth by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County
Use Your Family
Bev Hayes stands for helping the elderly by volunteering with Meals on Wheels of Tampa
Children intuitively adjust their moral compasses to align with their parents’; if you think that living generously is important, they will too. If you treat it like an extra, something that can be blown off, then so will they. In an ideal world, your family would have ample time to devote to good works, but that’s not reality. When it comes to families and acts of giving, do only what you can manage. What’s important is not how big your act of giving is, but that you are consistent. Kids are naturally optimistic and enthusiastic, so work with them to make giving a family tradition. Ask these questions to get started: Why do you want to help others? What do you care about? What do we like doing together? What are our greatest skills and strengths? How much time can we set aside for giving? What do we want to learn from this experience?
Use Your Body For information on where you can help out, call your local 2-1-1 organization
32 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
Give with your hands by planting a community garden, building homes for the homeless or serving food at a shelter. Give with your ears and eyes by assisting those who hear or see. For ideas go to Readthistome.org and rfbd.org Give with your legs by walking, running or biking for a cause. Or help someone with errands or chores who needs assistance. Give with your presence by being a comfort to others. Spend time with a lonely neighbor, laugh with a child or take part in a candlelight vigil.
Use Your Computer
Use Your Community
The Internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for giving. Americans spend a lot of time in front of a screen and it doesn’t take much to find ways that will benefit charities. Causes get cash when you click your mouse at Care2.com. By simply using GoodSearch.com to surf the web, you can earn money for charities. Play games, or in this case, take a vocabulary test at FreeRice.com and earn grains of rice for the UN World Food Program. Social marketing through Facebook and Twitter is bringing people together for causes large and small. Are you staying informed about what’s important to you?
Great things can be accomplished when people work together toward a common goal. If you have a passion for something, get out and talk to others about it. Some ideas are creating a recycling initiative, encouraging others to buy local, organizing a carpool or raising energy and water awareness. Take on serious issues like drug abuse, bullying, teenage drinking and smoking, elder abuse, animal abuse or disaster preparedness. Find an agency working on your cause and enlist others to get involved. Take a stand for something!
A more active way to be involved is by signing up to receive e-newsletters or advocacy bulletins from your favorite causes and charities. Many organizations need support in the way of letters, calls and e-mails to lawmakers about important topics. In order for change to happen, decision makers MUST hear from their constituents. So even if you don’t respond to a specific request, you can contact your representatives at any time about any issue. It’s not a matter of who will do it. It’s a matter of when will YOU do it and why.
Use Your Talents Talents, skills, knowledge and experience are valuable to charities and causes. If you can do something, then money is saved that can be used for something else and organizations rely upon volunteers to do just that. Volunteer to be a receptionist, help with accounting, take pictures, cuddle babies or animals or clean up the landscaping. You can also tap into your hobbies. Like to knit or sew? Knit newborn caps that can save babies around the world. (WarmupAmerica.org) Or knit baby blankets that are sent to deployed military dads before the baby is born to capture their scent. (Blanketsfordeployeddaddies.com) Hairdressers can spruce up the homeless or volunteer at an event. Athletically-inclined can coach youth in sports or fitness. Lawyers can volunteer with legal. And the list goes on. What can you do?
Use Your Belongings Countless items in your home can be donated and put to good use by someone else or sold for needed funds. The Tampa Bay area has numerous thrift stores like the Clearwater-Dunedin Junior League Thrift store on Alt. 19 in Dunedin. Clothes to Kids in Clearwater does just that: free clothes to kids in need. Go to DressforSuccess.org to find the Tampa Bay affiliate information and donate women’s work clothing to help aspiring women. Foster care agencies need suitcases, duffel bags and backpacks for children. (Suitcasesforkids.org) Even breast pumps can go to someone who needs it. (gotbreastpump.com)
Use Your Decisions You can make the world a better place simply by choosing to do or not do certain actions. By observing the speed limit you are reducing air pollution. By not wasting water at the tap, you are conserving a precious resource. By sharing a kind word or smile to a stranger, you are making a positive difference. Some of your most important decisions have to do with spending your money. Businesses listen to consumers. So as a customer you have a right to ask for healthier food options, reduced toxic chemicals in products, environmentally-friendly packaging, no animal testing and fair trade practices. Vote with your dollars.
Use Your Awareness Don’t just listen to what others are doing, open your mind to really understand the issues and learn how you can get involved. Start a Facebook group, get a bumper sticker, put a sign in your yard and tell your friends and family. Transform awareness into change.
While expecting her first child, Nicole Bouchard Boles sat crying at news stories that involved children and had a deep stirring to do something. She researched easy, cash-free and time-flexible ways that she could help. Her research led to this book and a lifestyle that includes giving something back nearly every day. Portions of her book were used with permission for this article. Editor Pamela Ray contributed. How to be an Everyday Philanthropist is published by Workman Publishing Company, Inc. of New York.
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
33
Tampa Area Philanthropists Honored for their Generosity Since 1989, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Florida Suncoast Chapter, (AFP) has been publicly recognizing philanthropists in the Tampa Bay area. Many familiar names are past winners of the award for Philanthropist of the Year. George Jenkins. Gus Stavros. Frank Morsani. Dr. James P. Gills. Some of the top philanthropic corporations honored by the AFP have
been TECO Energy, Outback Steakhouse, Ferman Motor Car Company and Publix Supermarkets. Their winners for 2010 were announced at the annual year-end luncheon. Here is what a few of them had to say about philanthropy.
Philanthropist of the Year The Honorable David A. Straz, Jr. Driving past downtown Tampa on I-275 you can’t miss the sign, Straz Performing Arts Center. The man whose name is associated with large financial gifts to many Tampa area non-profits grew up in a close family that lived with modest means in Wisconsin. “My parents taught us we should give back to the community as much as we can,” he said. His mother was active with Salvation Army and his dad was involved with Rotary and Kiwanis. “It’s important we all give back by sharing finances or by volunteering. You may not have the money, but everyone has time,” he added. Straz encourages business owners from all size companies to give to their capacity. Select an organization you think is doing a good job, go to the organization and offer what you can. “Philanthropy is something that must be passed down from generation to generation,” said Straz whose own daughter, a ninth grader, has already made volunteering a part of her life.
Philanthropic Corporation of the Year The Bank of Tampa, A. Gerald Divers February 2011 marks 50 years in the Tampa banking business for A. Gerald Divers, who goes by Jerry. “When I started, all the banks were local and the owners were local. Bankers were all very community oriented,” he said. “I learned through experience that people bank with people they know.” Today Jerry Divers leads the bank with the same commitment to community involvement. Bank officers serve on boards and the bank contributes to those organizations. Employees are given time off to volunteer. The bank gives five percent of its after tax income to charity. He believes that all business leaders should encourage their employees to give and volunteer. “They feel good about themselves, their company and their community – everybody wins.” He also says that because the area is short on large corporate headquarters, smaller businesses that give smaller amounts are critical to the success of the community.
34 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
Philanthropic Small Business of the Year CGM Services, Inc., Michael Charles When it comes to a giving heart and the desire to take action, Michael Charles credits his father for setting a good example. “He was involved with scouting, the VFW and Lighthouse for the Blind.” Starting very young Charles worked with his dad reading to the blind and when he became old enough, served as a golf caddy for blind players. “It was only natural that I would continue a life of service as an adult.” He says his biggest problem is that he doesn’t have enough resources for all the things he’d like to do. Charles believes strongly in mentoring youth. He opens his doors to at-risk youth who shadow his employees to learn the value of hard work and the importance of setting high personal goals. Several buildings of the Tampa YMCA have received in-kind donations of commercial air conditioning systems, totaling $100,000 in six years. He also believes that while in a recession businesses need to give more. “If times are tough, then more people are suffering. If you have it to give, you need to give it.”
Other 2010 Honorees Youth in Philanthropy Award David Roth A high school student at Land O’ Lakes High School, David has devoted countless volunteer hours to raise nearly $140,000 for children with cancer and other disabilities. At age nine, David was diagnosed with cancer. Since then he has taken a strong stand to help others by raising money for a summer camp for kids with cancer, being a Relay for Life volunteer, mentoring disabled middle school students and volunteering with the Pasco County Special Olympics and the Florida Aquarium. David is a member of the National Honor Society and a black belt in Karate. Gayle Sierens Volunteer of the Year in Philanthropy Jack Harris Co-host of the morning show on WFLA 970 am, Jack Harris is a man about town when it comes to supporting charities. Since 1970, he has personally organized numerous awareness raising events and generated cash and in-kind gifts for area causes. Most recently he obtained $100,000 in in-kind advertising for Metropolitan Ministries. You will also see Jack as an emcee at charitable events throughout the year. Spirit of Philanthropy Aware Eckerd Family Foundation The Eckerd Family Foundation was recognized for its support of innovative educational programs at Tampa Bay organizations serving at-risk youth.
Philanthropic Service Organization of the Year Sun City Emergency Squad Sun City Emergency Squad was recognized for its year round, 24-hour emergency medical service to residents of Sun City Center free of charge. J. Lloyd Horton Lifetime Achievement Award Nina Berkheiser, CFRE Nina Berkheiser was honored for her 35 years of work in the field of philanthropy in the Tampa Bay area. She has been instrumental in the success of scores of annual, capital, memberships and other types of fundraising campaigns and programs, helping to raise millions of dollars to make our community safer, stronger, healthier and culturally richer. Special Tribute George Steinbrenner To begin the program, the organizers and audience paid tribute to a man known for his big personality and an even bigger heart, George Steinbrenner. He was legendary for his spontaneous acts of philanthropy, but he also took deliberate steps to create sustaining support for good causes. Mr. Steinbrenner and his family have been one of the area’s biggest philanthropic forces and will continue giving both locally and nationally.
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
35
My Story: Fitness It’s January, and so we’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about fitness as a New Year’s Resolution. But rather than interview trainers and tell you the same old tips, we thought we’d tell you our personal stories of fitness challenges and fitness solutions. By doing so, we want to encourage you to find what works for you because 2011 is the year to get moving!
Jen My story began on Nov 2nd when I sat in my primary care doctor’s office and saw what the number on the scale was screaming back at me. It was such a shock. But really, was it? I knew that I was getting bigger and bigger. I could feel it with every step that I took. Some days I would wonder if this was the day I would have a heart attack. OR even worse, was this the day my kids would be embarrassed of me because their Mama is FAT. Sometimes I think that struggle is harder to handle than the medical struggle. I knew from that moment in my doctor’s office that I could not do this on my own. I had to surrender completely and wrote on my blog that day, “Not sure what it’s going to take for me to pull it together. I am extremely uncomfortable. My breathing is shallow. I have heart palpitations. My knees and feet hurt so badly. My lungs wheeze. What else? Physically I am dying. I was made for so much more.” The very next day I wrote, “Today God answered a huge prayer. A few weeks ago I started to walk into this martial arts studio about 40 seconds from my house. I chickened out. I’ve been stalking their website for weeks reading about their KUT program: nine weeks of kickboxing, fitness, exercise, nutrition, etc. I started praying about it and asking God if I should share my story in the magazine. Do I want to expose myself so much?”
36 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I
That was the day I received a call from a lady named Vickie who had just been given an issue of GoodLiving and she was calling to get information. Just as God works miracles every day, he made it possible for me to start their program. I started my KUT class the very next day at 6 a.m. It’s funny how God worked this out, because there’s a catch. I had to commit to early mornings and I’ve always struggled with getting up early. The only time that worked for me was 6 a.m. The class consists of a 10-minute stretch; 35 minutes of cardio kickboxing then cool down. On Tuesday and Thursday we have a power bands class that focuses on upper & lower body. KUT stands for Kickboxers Ultimate Training and I’ve always loved Kickboxing. Remember, Tae Bo with Billy Blanks? Long ago, I all over that VHS series. I feel empowered and strong when I’m punching and kicking that bag. The encouragement and support from Vickie and the other women in the class is unlike any other “work out” experience I have had. Needless to say, walking in to the studio each day is a
HUGE challenge. I am especially cranky when I get there, but at the end, Vickie reminds us that we did something really good for ourselves and that we should be proud. That comment alone makes it all worth it. In just a few short weeks I feel so much better. I can move a little easier and I’m not so short on breath. Being healthier is my long term goal. It will take a year to lose the weight I need to lose and I’m ok with that. I plan to be kickboxing for a long time and will definitely keep you posted. More about the KUT program at TOPS Martial Arts in Clearwater: KUT has been scientifically designed to quickly and effectively burn away unwanted fat and replace it with lean, sculpted, flexible muscle. What’s even better is KUT offers every participant the individual attention and professional expertise necessary to help anyone reach health and fitness goals that, up until now, may have seemed impossible.
Pam Like many busy moms, I do a great job of putting my body last when it comes to exercise. When I worked in an office, it was next to impossible to handle the babysitter, my workload, a new baby and all the household duties that come with being wife and mom. I was exhausted all the time and my fatigue combined with some vitamin deficiencies helped me pack on pounds. Pounds I still need to lose. I thought working at home would afford me more time to exercise, but I was kidding myself. My time commitment challenge was overcome by scheduling workouts with a trainer and sticking to them no matter what other appointments want to take their place. My other confession is that I absolutely hate to sweat. High impact workouts are also tough because of injuries and my fibromyalgia. So what kind of exercise did I commit to? Pilates. It’s perfect for me. Core training is critical for a writer who spends a lot of time at a computer. My muscles are responding to the resistance exercises and my abs are feeling more like muscles these days. I’m so impressed with how precise the movements are and how they integrate arms and legs in ways that activate the core. I work much harder than I realize because the movements are so efficient. It’s also motivated me to start walking in between sessions.
Suncoast Pilates in Palm Harbor is where I go. Owner Pat Massey-Welter has put together a top-notch studio with all the best equipment and highly trained trainers. I used to hear Oprah bragging on Pilates and I know that many movie stars do it. Well, Pat makes it possible for regular people like me to benefit from this type of training. She offers private lessons, but she also has multiple reformers so more affordable group sessions are available. There are also classes like Balletone, Zumba and floor Pilates at convenient times. The studio is cozy and non-threatening and the people are nice. I feel like I’m working out with friends and that makes me want to be there.
GoodLiving /Volume II, Issue I
37
My Story by Tammy LaVigne
Many of us have a desire to influence someone or something within our life time; to make our life count and to leave a legacy. Often times we feel as if what we do doesn’t count. Perhaps you volunteered just once and didn’t see a huge outcome on something you accomplished. The truth is, everything we do for good is a great accomplishment and it impacts people in ways we may not always see or realize. Here’s my story of a chain of events that started with one person sharing a story… I have a friend named Liz Beyruti and we attend the same church. In the fall of 2009, Liz and I attended a women’s conference in Sarasota. The guest speaker was Lisa Bevere and she talked about a ministry called the Pearl Alliance. This ministry helps and raises awareness on the issue of human trafficking in Cambodia. She gave details about how girls as young as five are trafficked for sex. Needless to say the stories she told broke our hearts. About two weeks later Liz approached me and asked if I would be interested in joining a group she was putting together to spread awareness on human trafficking. Still feeling sympathy for the young girls in Cambodia, I agreed and spent an entire week researching human trafficking and to finding scripture on justice. I had no idea just how much this would impact my life. As I began my research, I quickly became aware of how horrible and inhumane trafficking is. I was saddened (to say the least) to read about how traffickers obtain their victims. I was shocked to learn that America is the number one location for trafficked people and that several thousand American teens are trafficked
within the US. For the next few months, I spent most of my time researching and educating myself on human trafficking, not just in overseas countries, but right here in America and in Florida!
end of summer 2010, I became president of Run for Freedom’s Tampa Chapter.
I wanted to share my story to show what sharing your passion can do. Liz Beyruti is now Tampa’s ambassador for Child Trafficking Now and has done many Liz held her first event to raise awareness and it was very successful. That night I met community awareness events. I recently had a Freedom Motorcycle Ride to raise Pat and Maryann Manzo, the founders of Run for Freedom, an organization that awareness on trafficking and all proceeds went to the Dream Home. raises awareness on human trafficking. They also operate a home for rescued girls No matter who you are, just follow your called the Dream Home, which is located passion to be the change you want to in Central Florida. After meeting them see. If you care about something, don’t be and learning about their organization, I afraid to share it with others. You never decided to place all my efforts in Run for know who you will touch and what they Freedom and the Dream Home. By the will do with the passion you spark in them.
Human trafficking in the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, targeting children and teenagers with about 1.2 million new victims each year. Worldwide it’s estimated there are 20 - 27 million victims producing $32 billion annually. Some 49 countries traffic into 91 American cities. The average age is 13.
RunForFreedom.net For more information or training on Human Trafficking in America email Tammy LaVigne at Tammy@runforfreedom.net or visit runforfreedom.net
38 GoodLiving / Volume II, Issue I