What is a Minerva Moment

May 7, 2010

I received an interesting and thought-provoking email from the people behind the Women’s Conference and I decided to share it with you. I really, really like the Women’s Conference website. I really respect Maria Shriver and all she does to better the world we live in.

From the email:

During the first week of June, The Women’s Conference will announce the winners of the seventh annual Minerva Awards. To honor these remarkable women, who have recognized a problem, identified the solution and pursued it with strength, courage and compassion, The Great May Giveaway is asking:

When did you realize for the first time that you could make a difference and transform the life of someone you love, someone less fortunate or someone in need? What was your Minerva Moment?

Your answer could win 2 Special Guest Passes to The Women’s Conference 2010 and a chance to interview Maria Shriver backstage!

Click here to learn more about The Great May Giveaway & share your Minerva Moment.

Here is Maria Shriver’s Minerva Moment:

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For more ideas and interesting blogs about life with kids and being all that you can be, check out mygrandmasue.wordpress.com πŸ™‚


Wishing Good Friends the Best of Everything

April 18, 2010

This weekend my blog was quiet because Grandpa Ron and I flew to Des Moines, IA, to be part of the Central College (my undergraduate school) celebration in Pella, IA. David Roe, the President of Central College for the last ~ 12 years, his wife Betsy Roe, and daughters Caleigh and Caitlin were honored with a Texas-sized party in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium last Saturday, April 17, from 5:30-8:30 p.m to celebrate their gifts to the community, David’s retirement and move to DALLAS. Both of them are very special and have made a difference in our world. I am sure they will also make their mark on Dallas! Lots of students, former students, faculty, former faculty, friends, family, and townspeople came to say good-bye to the Roes, listen to fun and funny stories from several speakers, sample the BBQ food of Central Dining Services and listen to the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Steel Pans and Jazz Combos of Central College. Lots of people dressed in western attire. Afterwards, the party continued up-town with a dance at the Pella Opera House. We had great fun!

Here are some photos (and one video) I took. A few were way across the gymnasium so they came out a little fuzzy. If other photos or articles get posted by others, I’ll link to them later.

Symphonic Wind Ensemble Conductor Smiles Through Crowd

Jan Freed

The Student MCs

David Wesselink, Chairman of the Board of Directors, announced that the newly constructed education, psychology and communication studies building, which opened this past fall, will henceforth be known as The Roe Center. Here is another youtube video of the dedication on May 14, 2010.

Table View 1

David and Betsy 1

David and Betsy 2

David and Betsy 3

Another Musical Interlude

Lots of Singing

Kim and Don

Table View 2

Table View 3

Decor 1

Decor 2

Best Wishes!

Most of my other daily blogs have ideas and activities to do with kids. Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com by the author of the award-winning children’s book Grandpa, Do It! I Do It, Too!
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Committee of 300 Gathering Members for Grand Prix

March 16, 2010

Tomorrow (Wednesday) night the Committee of 300 will meet to get more organized for another year of volunteering at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Here’s the January 2010 Newsletter. Here’s a Long Beach Press-Telegram Committee 300 article.

Message from John Ridgely:
Hi Race Fans! As the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is just around the corner (April 16th, 17th and 18th) we have our March General Meeting this Wednesday, March 17th at the Petroleum Club of Long Beach, 3636 Linden, Long Beach. This meeting is for our Members, guests, and our Credentialled Race Volunteers. Tammy Johnson, Ticketing manager from the GPALB will be there to tell us what to expect at the race. It is always interesting listening to Tammy outline what is expected of us during the race. Please bring your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers and let them find out about the opportunities available for volunteering to work race weekend. Networking starts at 5:15pm, and the meeting begins at 6:15pm. We have opportunity prizes, light food and birthday cake for all those attending to celebrate our March birthdays. Please join us!


Help Julie Packard’s Latest Action to Support the Sea Otters

March 10, 2010

Help Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s Executive Director Julie Packard in her latest action alert to save sea otters like Kit. The Aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation (SORAC) program has been trying to save the threatened southern sea otter since 1984.

See my other sea otter mentions on https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com, a website about and for grandparents, parents and their special children in their lives by award-winning author Grandma Sue. πŸ™‚


Dallas Party

March 8, 2010

Looks like the planning for the Dallas Party is coming along nicely for David and Betsy Roe. Cool!

From the Central Alumni page:
Help us celebrate David and Betsy Roe’s retirement and move to DALLAS with a Texas-sized party in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium, Saturday, April 17, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. A program will begin at 6:45 p.m. Student meal plans will be in effect. Come to bid farewell to the Roes, hear great stories from featured speakers, enjoy the legendary delicacies of Central Dining Services and free entertainment courtesy of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Steel Pans and Jazz Combos. Attire for the event is Texas themed. Registration is required. RSVP by picking up your free tickets at the Maytag Information Booth after March 22. Or, register now online, call 800-447-0287 or e-mail alumni@central.edu.

The Roe party continues with a dance at the Pella Opera House Saturday, April 17, from 8:30-11:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per person and registration is required. RSVP by purchasing your tickets at the Maytag Information Booth after March 22. Or, register now online, call 800-447-0287 or e-mail alumni@central.edu.

I have other items mentioning Central College at https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com πŸ™‚


Great Blog: 5 Kids with Disabilities and Remaining Sane

March 5, 2010

Oh my gosh! I laughed out loud! What an entertaining woman! Gotta love her! Check out http://5kidswdisabilities.wordpress.com for just wonderful blogs! What a great ending to a frustrating day!! Oh, my! How she made me laugh! There is always something extra going on! What a special person – couple – to take in these kids and to have such a great outlook! Kudos to you! πŸ™‚

Check out my other blogs for ideas and activities to do with kids on https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com by the author of the award-winning children’s book Grandpa, Do It! I Do It, Too! πŸ™‚


We Are The Children 25 for Haiti Official Video

February 13, 2010

Just watched the We Are The Children 25 for Haiti Official Video on You tube. Outstanding! Totally great performance! All the peripheral videos and backstage videos are fun to watch, too. They all pop up and around once the first one finishes. I hope it motivates people who haven’t donated yet to donate now. The devastation is so great. Any little bit will help……

The link above takes you to You tube directly or go indirectly from the insert below…

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for other interesting ideas and things to do! πŸ™‚


Harlem Globetrotters: Spinning Life Lessons

February 7, 2010

Harlem Globetrotter Nate “Big Easy” Lofton taught some special lessons to kids at the Discovery Science Center as captured by Michael Mello in the Orange County Register. Photos and Video also document the presentation. Lofton’s visit was part of the kick-off for the new Secrets of Circles exhibit at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, CA. The exhibit will be available for kids to explore through May 2.

Two years ago Globetrotters Eugene “Wildkat” Edgerson and “Sweet” Lou Dunbar visited the Anaheim Boys and Girls Club on a Friday afternoon for similar life lessons.

One of the Harlem Globetrotters community outreach programs is C.H.E.E.R. For Character which aims to teach kids Cooperation, Healthy mind & body, Effort, Enthusiasm, and Responsibility.

Check out other places for child exploration at mygrandmasue.wordpress.com


A Favorite Person Passes On

February 6, 2010

This week I’ve been sad since a very dear friend and mentor, Dr. Maxine Huffman, has passed away. She was (and her husband Don still is) a prime example of why and how special Central College is for many alumni. Every time Grandpa Ron and I visited the Central campus, we always made sure we arranged a visit or meal to catch up with the Huffmans. We appreciated and embraced their view on life and the world. She will be missed by many, many people all over the world.

Here is an after dinner photo from last Fall in Pella, IA, with favorite people Barbara Butler, Maxine and Don Huffman.

Here is a photo from the very first time I met the Huffmans and the Butlers on a RΓΌdesheim Rhine River Cruise (a one afternoon cruise version) in the Summer of 1972 at the start of the ’72-’73 Central College Vienna Study Program. Left to right: Jovan Stojsic, Frau Haydon, Don Butler, Don Huffman, Maxine Huffman, and Barbara Butler. Looks to me like they’re having a pleasant afternoon. Little did I know on that day how I’d end up with a double major in German – my intended major – and in English – where Maxine became my English Dept. Advisor – and that my work/study job would find me in the International Studies Office helping Barbara Butler! Our friendships continue on to this day!

I have more info on the page created from the CaringBridge site – I don’t know how long the CaringBridge pages will continue being there.

I have more upbeat entries in my usual blogs on https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com πŸ™‚


Blind Dog Coffee Roasted Locally in Reno

February 1, 2010

I tried out a new product that caught my eye at the grocery store in Reno and ended up with discovering another person trying to make a difference in our world. When Grandpa Ron and I were picking up a few items on our short list, I passed by a separate end display where the words “locally roasted” caught my attention. It was a neat stack of several blends of coffee, offered as beans and ground, certified USDA organic – with a catchy name of “Blind Dog.” We like to support local merchants, so we picked up the “100% Superior Arabica bean” Grand Canyon Espresso to try. Other blends and products are here.

This morning the coffee was a real treat – wonderful aroma and taste! Then Grandpa Ron showed me the back of the coffee packet to read – as I just picked the particular package because it was an Espresso. The back (and also at the website) was The Tail of the Dog– a short tale of Mark Berry, his life and his new passion of Blind Dog Coffee. I learned that with every purchase of Blind Dog Coffee there is a portion given to help fight childhood cancers.

Okay, now he has my attention! I look up Blind Dog Coffee on-line.

“With every bean, pound and bag of Blind Dog Coffee that is sold a portion will be given to Angel Kiss Foundation.”

Blind Dog is a fun and informative website.

You can watch the webcast of Mark Berry, owner of Blind Dog Coffee, on Tahoe Quarterly Television as he tells the story of how he followed his passion in life and work. Several of his news articles are noteworthy.

You can support his cause by purchasing Blind Dog Coffee! What a delicious way to do so!! Even if you are not in Reno, you can order it off the website! Enjoy!

Check out https://mygrandmasue.wordpress.com for more interesting things and ideas! πŸ™‚