Tag Archives: children

Memorial Day Walk for Warriors in Los Angeles Supporting New Directions

It is Time for the 2013 Walk for Warriors supporting the incredible programs at New Directions

May 27, 2013

This event is over, but you can still donate to this great cause or check out their website so you can go to the next event.

General Donation

Walk, run or just go out and help support veterans programs in your town. We at On Purpose Magazine support New Directions and their yearly Walk for Warriors.A great day in the sun with color guard, New Directions Choir as seen on America’s Got Talent and so many great vendors and associations that are helping veterans and their families the support they really need. Continue reading

FLASH MOBS, FLASH ARRESTS: SMARTPHONE JUSTICE

banner james carlini - Carlini's Corner

By James Carlini

Last weekend, Chicago’s Magnificent Mile experienced teen-age flash mobs (organized looting) creating disturbances and mayhem among people there who were trying to enjoy the downtown shopping district.

This has been going on for several years, but the Chicago media has filtered it out of their stories until Continue reading

NicodermCQ / Nicorette Introduce Pledge to Quit Smoking Program

NicodermCQ / Nicorette Introduce New Pledge To Quit Program at GBK Luxury Gifting Suite to Help Support TabaccoFreeKids.org

NicodermCQs Jason Andre explains their new pledge program and how they are helping GBK Gifting Suites help people and kids, quit smoking.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VzgQrgq34s]

As someone that has recently stopped smoking, I can attest to how tough it can be.

I quit with every other puff and finally it took. I really should have tried NicodermCQ or Nicorette, but I was too stubborn and it cost me so much quality time with my lungs.

Since quitting I have gotten rid of my smokers cough, I feel better, taste more, am in better shape and have lost over 15 pounds. Yes that is right lost pounds! I quit to save my health so I am eating healthier also.

If you are still smoking, make a pledge to stop. I know it is tough, but it is worth it and I believe that the patch and gum might just be what you need to be successful – JW

NicodermCQ

What is a nicotine patch?

To some people, the toughest part of quitting is dealing with the nicotine cravings that come with it. One way to overcome the need for nicotine is to stop smoking but partially replace

the nicotine that you would have had from smoking. As your body adapts to having less, you will experience the urge to smoke less often. Eventually, you can completely stop supplying your body with nicotine. This is the idea behind Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

Patches like NicoDerm CQ are just one form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. They look like large adhesive bandages and stick onto the skin in the same way. The sticky side of the patch contains a layer of nicotine. While you wear the patch, nicotine passes through the skin into your blood. This delivers nicotine in a steady stream, helps reduce the nicotine cravings that come from quitting and making it easier for you to use your willpower to quit smoking.

Unlike other patches, NicoDerm CQ features Time Release SmartControl Technology so it acts fast and lasts long to help control your cravings and double your chances of quitting*. And since it’s a thin, clear patch, it’s easy to wear discreetly.

Nicorette Gum

How Nicorette® Gum Works

It is difficult when you’re quitting and all you can think about is your next
cigarette. Nicorette Gum® helps calm your withdrawal symptoms when you’re
trying to quit. That’s because, when you stop smoking, the sudden removal of
nicotine from your system lowers your dopamine levels, making you feel
moody and irritable.

Nicorette Gum provides a controlled amount of nicotine to your system at a slower, less intense pace than cigarettes and without the toxins in cigarette

smoke. It’s a temporary therapeutic aid that reduces withdrawal symptoms and helps you quit smoking.

Your body gradually adjusts to having less nicotine until you no longer need any. By helping to relieve cravings, Nicorette lets you focus on disrupting the patterns that link cigarettes to so many of your daily activities.

logo tobacco free kidsTobacco Free Kids

Winning the Fight Against the World’s Leading Cause
of Preventable Death

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a leading force in the fight to reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world. Our vision: A future free of the death and disease caused by tobacco.

We work to save lives by advocating for public policies that prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke.

How We Fight Tobacco

To achieve our mission, we:

  • Promote public policies proven to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. These include higher tobacco taxes, comprehensive smoke-free laws, well-funded tobacco prevention and stop-smoking programs, and tough regulation of tobacco products and marketing.
  • Expose and counter tobacco industry efforts to market to children and mislead the public.
  • Strengthen tobacco control efforts in the United States and worldwide by providing support and information to our many partners.
  • Mobilize organizations and individuals to join the fight against tobacco.
  • Empower a tobacco-free generation by fostering youth leadership and activism.
  • Inform the public, policy makers and the media about tobacco’s devastating consequences and the effectiveness of the policies we support.

Saving Lives in the U.S. and Around the World

In the United States, we advocate at the national, state and local levels for the proven policies that reduce tobacco use and save lives.

Internationally, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids supports governments and non-governmental organizations in promoting and implementing these policies. We are a partner in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, which focuses on low- and middle-income countries where more than 80 percent of tobacco-related deaths will occur in the coming decades.

While we have made enormous progress in the United States, tobacco still kills more than 400,000 Americans every year. The worldwide death toll is at more than five million a year and climbing. With your support, we can win the fight against the world’s leading cause of preventable death.

Created in 1996, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that accepts no government or tobacco industry funding. We rely on contributions from individuals, philanthropic foundations, corporations and other non-profit organizations.

Learn more about our work:

Use these Links To find out more about both products and to get help.

Quit.com
NicodermCQ
Nicorette Gum
Tobacco Free Kids

Related Stories

Nicorette UK
Nicorette Gum UK
Help To Quit Smoking via Nicorette UK

Food That Can Help You Quit Smoking
How to Quit Smoking: Surviving the First 7 Days

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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

GBK, is a luxury lifestyle gifting and special events company, specializing in entertainment marketing integration. Formed in 2000 by Gavin Keilly, the company’s Founder and CEO, GBK consists of five divisions: GBK Celebrity Gifting, GBK Special Events, GBK Weddings, GBK Charitable Consulting and GBK Marketing/Public Relations. Widely known in the entertainment industry for bringing that little extra something into the Gifting Lounge environment, GBK offers its clients a full range of marketing services. For more information on Gavin B. Keilly (CEO), Carla Domen (VP) or GBK,, please go to: gbkproductions.com.

Rebecca Crownover Author of My Daddy is in Heaven With Jesus

opm 1st place ribbon Rebecca Crownover - Pictures By Brilliant Pixel PhotographyAfter Loosing Her Husband to a Terrible Accident Rebecca Crownover Needed to Explain to Her Daughter What Happened to Her Father.

After the loss of her husband to a tragic ATV accident, Rebecca Crownover struggled to find a book that explained this tragic loss in a simple way that her daughter Acie could understand and relate to. Continue reading

Music of Joe Deninzon of Stratospheerius To Be Played by OSU Honors Orchestra

The music of Joe Deninzon & Stratospheerius Performed by (High School) Honors Orchestra at Oklahoma State University, January 26th.

On Purpose Magazine recently did a wonderful interview with famed electric violin player Joe Deninzon titled Joe Deninzon on Stratospheerius’ New Album The Next World.  Here is an update into what is going on with Joe and his music. – JW

Joe Deninzon will be playing electric violin when he joins the best young orchestra (violin, viola, cello, bass) students in Oklahoma as they include orchestral versions of his compositions, most of which appear as rock songs on THE NEXT WORLD (Joe’s most recent album with his rock band Stratospheerius). Continue reading

Kearran Giovanni of TNT’s Major Crimes Visits Emmy Awards GBK Gift Suite

Kearran Giovanni of the New TNT hit Major Crimes visits the Emmy Awards GBK Gift Suite to help out the many vendors and charities.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/-JM0HTQmQyc]

Kearran Giovanni actress on the TNT hit Major Crimes, which is a spin off of The Closer visited the GBK Emmy Awards Gifting Suite to help endorse the many vendors and non-profits that were there..

It was great to see Kearran at the GBK event as I knew of her affiliation with Major Crimes and the Sunshine Kids and we have reported on this great organization before.

Kearran was fun to talk to and she is as great looking close up as she is on the show. Thank you to GBK for putting on another great event that helps so many and to Kearran for taking a moment to speak with us.JW

Kearran GiovanniKearran Giovanni

Kearran Giovanni is a Broadway, Film and Television actress who may know from her role as Dr. Vivian Wright on ABC’s ‘One Life to Live’.

Kearran has also played extensively on Broadway recently with Hugh Jackman and on national tour with The Lion King as Nala.

Kearran, Katy Texas native, attended the University of Cincinnati, where she studied musical theater. She speaks French and Italian, studied dance, is skilled in gymnastics and she received an Astaire Award nomination for her work in Guys and Dolls.

Kearran now joins TNT’s Major Crimes as Amy Sykes, military vet and new kid on the block, as the cast is originally from the hit show The Closer.

Major Crimes has been renewed for a second season on TNT starring Mary McDonnell, Tony Denison, GW Bailey, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond Cruz, Kearran Giovanni, Jon Tenney, Robert Gossett Graham Patrick Martin and Jonathan Del Arco.

Links

Twitter @KearranGiovanni
Official Website
IMDB
Major Crimes

Sunshine KidsThe Sunshine Kids

The Sunshine Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to children with cancer. Established in 1982, we are committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients. The Sunshine Kids provides a variety of programs and events, free of charge, for kids who are receiving cancer treatments in hospitals across North America.

The Sunshine Kids Foundation adds quality of life to children with cancer by providing them with exciting, positive group activities, so they may once again do what kids are supposed to do . . . have fun and celebrate life!

We look forward to the day when The Sunshine Kids Foundation will no longer need to exist. Until that time, the entire Sunshine Kids family is dedicated to providing the most exciting activities, trips and events for as many young cancer patients as possible.
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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best. For more information on GBK Productions just click on the the logo

Joe Deninzon on Stratospheerius’ New Album The Next World

Joe Deninzon Violinist, Composer, Arranger, Singer, Mandolinist, Educator and  Founder of the Band Stratospheerius,

Talks to us about the band and the new album, The Next World…

I was recently asked to check out a band I hadn’t heard of, but I really like the violin and jazz like Noel Pointer, Jean Luc Ponty and Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra).

I received a CD from Joe’s PR firm and took a long listen. I was not let down. Joe is brilliant and his band is exceptional. I really love instrumental and there are three great ones on this album (yes I said album).

Joe was a great interview. We got to talk at length about his early influences, the various musicians he played with on this album and on others. If you are a fan of rock, fusion, jazz and just good music, you need to take a listen to the the CD The Next World. If you already like Stratospheerius then you will appreciate the interview if you do not know the music or the band listen to both. You will not be sorry. – JW

Note: Watch their video on KickStarter. Stratospheerius is looking to fund the production of a very cool video to spotlight their music. You can help, but you can also watch the killer video they put on KickStarter. If this video is an indication of what id to come… this should be very cool. [To Watch CLICK Here]

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Joe Deninzon StratospheeriusJoe Deninzon

Joseph Deninzon has established himself as a versatile, on-demand electric and acoustic violinist, mandolinist, guitarist, singer and composer. A musician who transcends many genres, he has recorded and performed with a variety of artists including Sheryl Crow, Everclear, Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Smokey Robinson, Johnny Matthis, Les Paul, Phoebe Snow, Jane Monheit, and recently with Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden. Joe is also the co-creator and musical director for the off-Broadway hit show, “Spider Dance” with renowned percussionist, Alessandra Belloni. He has made repeat appearances at the Grand Canyon Music Festival with Harmonica virtuoso Robert Bonfiglio. Joe was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition with a song he contributed to the soundtrack for the film, What’s Up Scarlet (open City Entertainment). He has been featured in publications such as Jazziz, Downbeat, and Relix magazine, among others. An 11-time BMI Composer’s grant recipient, Joe’s music has been featured on CMT, VH1, ABC, Comedy Central, the Travel Channel, History Channel, Food network, and National Geographic.

Critics have hailed Mr. Deninzon as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Violin”, because of his innovative style on the electric seven-string violin and his compositions combining jazz and rock with Gypsy influences. In addition to his work as a sideman, Joe is the lead singer and electric violinist with the band, Stratospheerius. The group has released four CD’s to international acclaim, and were named “Best Jam Band” in the Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Awards. The group has toured extensively; sharing stages with Mickey Hart, John Scofield, Tim Reynolds, and Mike Stern among others, and has developed a reputation for their explosive live performances. Currently, Stratospheerius is mixing their new CD, due out next year.

Joe can be heard on over a hundred recordings as a violinist and string arranger, most recent of which include The Kin with legendary producer Jack Douglas, Erika Rose, and Sevenwiser. In addition to his many diverse projects, Joe Deninzon has recently made his debut with the New York City Ballet performing “Red Angels”, based on “Maxwell’s Demon”; a piece for solo electric violin and dancers written by Richard Einhorn. He has also performed at Symphony Space in New York with legendary percussionists Jamie Hadaad (Paul Simon, Dave Liebman), Gordon Gottleib (Steely Dan, Miles Davis), and bansuri flutist Steve Gorn (Paul Simon, Ravi Shankar).

Joe’s most recent original projects include “Headspace”, the  Stratospheerius CD, which has been described by critics as “…A spirited journey into outrageous creativity.” He new jazz trio with guitarist Steve Benson and bassist Bob Bowen has just released their debut CD, “Exuberance”, which combines original music influenced by the Gypsy jazz of Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt with covers by Radiohead, Chopin, Steely Dan, and Alice in Chains.

In addition to being an active performer, Joe has taught privately since the age of 13, and has given clinics addressing string improvisation and using effects for electric strings at Berklee College of Music, The New School University, and the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, for which he received an award for “Outstanding contribution in Jazz Education”. He has been on the staff at The New School, International Studio of Music in NYC, and as director of the Advanced Jazz Ensemble at the Dwight School, which has performed at Carnegie Hall. In the summer of 2010, he will be the new Rock Violin instructor at Marc O’Connor’s renowned String Camp in New York City. He is also currently working on a book, CD, and DVD for Mel Bay Publications, due out next year, which will address improvisation techniques for the violin in the genres of jazz, blues, rock, and funk, and also talks about electric violins, amplification, and working with effects.

The son of classical musicians, Joe was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. His family emigrated to the United states when he was 4 years old and settled in Cleveland, OH, where his father took a job as a violinist with the Cleveland Orchestra. Crowing up in Cleveland, Joe studied classical violin with his father and at the Cleveland Institute of Music. At age 12, he was seduced by rock n roll, and started listening to bands like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen, U2, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Steve Vai. Joe taught himself guitar and bass, and started playing and singing with various bands in the Cleveland area.

At age 16, Joe saw Miles Davis on his final tour and was inspired to study jazz. His life was transformed when he first heard recordings of Stephane Grappelli Jean-Luc Ponty, and especially, Jerry Goodman of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Around this time, local singer/songwriter Michael Stanley had seen Joe perform and asked him to join him onstage the legendary Front Row Theatre in Cleveland. Having only improvised on guitar and bass while keeping a strictly classical repertoire on the violin, Joe found that translating the musical language of jazz and rock to the violin came easy to him. The concert was a critically acclaimed success, and set him on his path in life.

Joe received a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz and Classical violin at Indiana University, where he studied with the legendary violinist, Josef Gingold and jazz guru David Baker, and met his future wife Yulia Ziskel, who is currently a member of the New York Philharmonic.

In 1997, Joe moved to New York to pursue a Masters degree in Jazz at Manhattan School of Music. He currently lives right outside of NYC in Dumont, New Jersey with his wife and their son, Max, and keeps a busy schedule teaching, composing, recording, and performing worldwide.

“As at home in the world of Grappelli and O’Connor as he is in the world of Steve Vai and Jimi Hendrix, Joe Deninzon may very well be our next national violin treasure.” -Jedd Beaudoin (seaoftranquility.com)

Stratospheerius

Led by electric violinist/vocalist Joe Deninzon (www.joedeninzon.com), who has been called “The Jimi Hendrix of the violin,” Stratospheerius has showcased their  “frenzied mélange of alt-bluegrass, progressive rock, jazz fusion and funkabilly” throughout the world. The New York-based group has opened for Tim Reynolds, Mickey Hart, and John Scofield, among many others. Their live performances are filled with funky dance grooves, rip-roaring guitar/violin jams, and hooks that mix jazz, funk, rock with Gypsy influences. Stratospheerius was a winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Competition, and was named “Best Jam Band” in the Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Awards. They have been featured in Relix, Downbeat, and Jazziz, among other publications. The group has just completed their fifth CD, “The Next World…”  on Steve Vai’s Digital Nations label.

“…Violinist/singer Joe Deninzon presents us with this gift of hot songs from his rockin’ live shows. Think a bit of Zappa, the Dixie Dregs or Blues Traveler, with the violin being the focal point. Joe’s talents are flat out phenomenal, and the progressive rock tapestry he weaves around himself is carried out to perfection by his amazing band.”

www.musicmorsels.com

“Deninzon shows how he has earned the nickname the “Jimi Hendrix of violin” as he tears threw a distortion heavy solo that points more in the direction of Guns N Roses’ Slash than Yo Yo Ma.”

-Justin Scro www.cashboxmagazine.com

“Memorable hooks, gravity-defying instrumental prowess and a kitchen sink move toward rock… If Bela Fleck and Frank Zappa had a love child in outer space, they might grow up to sound like these guys do.”

-David Budin, www.coolcleveland.com

Stratospheerius Discography

stratospheerius the next world

The Next World..

Stratospheerius unleash their latest effort, “The Next World…” Fierce rock to heighten your senses and power your imagination, fueled by electric violinist Joe Deninzon and combining virtuoso musicianship with memorable hooks and intricate arrangements.
This CD is full of great jazz, rock, fusion, pop and country instrumentals with Joe Denizon’s impeccable violin playing and smooth vocals.
Super tight between the bass and percussion with precision guitar and violin seemlessly poured over the top and pulled together with great lead and background vocals make this a very enjoyable  CD to listen to from start to finish.
LISTEN TO A FEW TRACKS…
[bandcamp track=696836974 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti][bandcamp track=2274794909  bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti][bandcamp track=4273448539 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

credits

Released 29 May 2012
Joe Deninzon-electric violin/vocals/mandolin
Aurelien Budynek-guitars/vocals
Jamie Bishop-bass/vocals
Lucianna Padmore-drums
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Headspace

Lead by electric violinist/vocalist/mandolinist Joe Denninzon, Stratospheerius unleashes their fourth collection of songs onto the world. Hot on the heals of their acclaimed CD, “Live Wires”, “Headspace” brings their live energy into the studio. Vocal rock anthems like “New Material, “Old Ghosts”, and “Today is Tommorrow”, shout alongside ripping instrumentals.
From the bluegrass punk of “Gutterpunk Blues”, to the psychedelic roller coaster ride of “Mental Floss”, and the bigger and louder sequel to the Heavy Metal Hora “Heavy Shtettle II”. The disc also features a unique cover of The Police “Driven to Tears”. This CD is filled with memorable hooks alongside the death-defying instrumental jams the group has built its reputation on. Influences range from Zappa and Zeppelin, to Dave Matthews, to Radiohead, to Jeff Beck, to Beck. Go ahead. Take the ride….

credits

released 02 March 2007
Joe Deninzon-electric violin/vocals/mandolin
Mack Price-guitar/vocals
Bob Bowen-bass/vocals
Lucianna Padmore-drums
Benny Koonyebsky-percussion

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Live Wires

Stratospheerius is the bastard child of Dave Matthews, Frank Zappa, Bela Fleck and Medeski, Martin and Wood. Lead by electric violinist/vocalist/mandolinist Joe Deninzon, Stratospheerius has showcased their “psychojazz trip funk” at colleges, festivals, and clubs throughout the US. Often referred to as the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the violin”.
Joe has worked with artists ranging from Sheryl Crow, Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple, Everclear, and Smokey Robinson. The New York-based group has been heavily involved in the jam band scene, sharing bills with groups like The Slip, Ekoostik Hookah, and John Scofield. Their live performances are filled with funky dance grooves, rip-roaring guitar/violin jams, and hooks that melt the paint off of walls; while jazz, funk, hip hop, and world music are mixed to create a “stratospheric” musical experience. Having received heavy radio airplay and critical acclaim all over the US, Canada, South America, Japan, and Europe, they have just released “Live Wires”, which captures the energy of their explosive live shows!

credits

released 02 June 2004
Joe Deninzon-electric violin/vocals
Lucianna Padmore-drums
Ron Baron-bass
Jake Ezra-guitar
Alex Skolnick-guitar

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Links

Stratospheerius Site
Jon Deninzon Site
KickStarter Link

Publicity: Anne Leighton: 718-881-8183
Email: leightonmedia@aol.com

Contact: D-Zone Entertainment
917-648-8071
email: info@joedeninzon.com

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Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt Supports DreamCenter at GBK for the Emmys

Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt Supports the Los Angeles DreamCenter at GBK Gifting Suites for the 2012 Emmys

Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt helped The Los Angeles DreamCenter introduce their services that help the needy in Los Angeles to the celebrities at the GBK Gift Suites for the 2012 Emmys
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaMbsVmpwgs]

The Los Angeles DreamCenter set up a booth along with Yoplait Greek Yogurt 100 calorie, to introduce their services to many of the Emmy celebrities.

I got a chance to speak with Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt representative Ahsley Herendeen and Danny Slavens of Dream Center about the incredible work DreamCenter does for L.A.

Yoplait is helping the DreamCenter by giving a donation of $100 for each signature they got from Emmy Suite celebrities on a giant blow-up Greek 100 container. Yoplait believes that their affiliation with Dream Center is a great match since the DreamCenter feeds over 50,000 families a month.

Thank you to DreamCenter, Yoplait Yogurt and GBK Productions for everything they are doing to help the needy in Los Angeles. – JW

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Yoplait greek 100 Yogurt

“New Greek 100 is everything you adore about Greek yogurt with 100 calories. It’s just one more way Yoplait helps you discover the SO good in everything.”

What is Greek Yogurt? It is usually a more dense yogurt with more butterfat and more protein.

Yoplait has cut the fat and doubled the protein (10 grams) to make this a 100 calorie great tasting alternative to traditional Greek Yogurt.

For more information and to check out the different flavors go to the:

Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt Product Site

Yoplait Company

Yoplait believes Goodness is better than badness. And SO goodness is better than just plain goodness.

Yoplait is striving for so goodness. In themselves, the yogurts they make and in the way they behave.

Ultimately, we’re focused on making so good yogurt, and here’s how we see it: you can eat something that tastes amazing but isn’t that good for you. You can eat stuff that’s really good for you, but doesn’t always leave you yummed up. So good yogurt does both. All of you is happy, not just your tongue. And while so goodness will never be perfect, we’ll keep working on ways to make our yogurt more so good than it is today.

We also support causes that you care about. Like fighting breast cancer. We’re thinking we should do this in an even bigger way. We’re figuring that out and want your input.

People say life is really about the little moments of so goodness. There are big moments – we all know what those are – but since they don’t happen as often, we’ll stay focused on doing our part with the little moments. – Yoplait

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DreamCenter

Pastor Matthew Barnett assumed the pastorate of Bethel Temple in 1994 at the age of twenty. After a life-changing encounter with God, he helped Bethel Temple transition from a traditional-style church to a servant driven ministry that grew into what is now known as The Dream Center.

Compelled by a vision to impact all of Los Angeles by addressing people’s physical and spiritual needs in unique and practical ways, The Dream Center has grown into a phenomenon that now reaches more than 40,000 people each week through its multiple church services and various need-centered outreach ministries.

Pastor Matthew is also the senior pastor of the historic Angelus Temple, which combined forces with The Dream Center in 2001 in a historic unification of flagship ministries from two different denominations (Foursquare and Assemblies of God).

ABC 7 News Video on DreamCenter [CLICK HERE TO WATCH]

The mission is to directly impact the issues that afflict Los Angeles communities by reconnecting isolated people to God and a community of support by providing free human services that address immediate and long-term needs in the areas of homelessness, hunger relief, medical care, mental health and education.

The vision is a community of resilient people whose lives have been redeemed by God’s love, who share that love with others to transform and restore broken lives to wholeness.

The DreamCenter Center

The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart founded Queen of Angels Hospital in 1926. Father Wilhelm Berger, founder of the Franciscan Sisters, defined their ministries as ‘works of neighborly love’. With the establishment of the hospital, the sisters accepted the challenge to serve the poor, the sick, and the aging of Los Angeles for more than a half-century before closing their doors due to financial issues.

The growth of Los Angeles’ population throughout the mid-1920’s and into the 1940’s was directly reflected in the steady rise in admissions, births and patient day care at the hospital. This warranted major expansion projects to the facility in 1938 and 1945. The expanded 360,000 square foot campus now housed nine buildings and covered over eight acres. The distinction as the largest teaching hospital west of the Mississippi soon followed.

Despite enduring The Great Depression and World War II, the healing center fell victim to financial troubles in the early 1980′s, forcing a merger with neighboring Hollywood Clara Barton Memorial Hospital. The newer medical facility, located just three miles away, was renamed Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in 1989, at which time the fabled Queen of Angels Hospital in Echo Park closed its doors.

The site was mostly vacant but for a handful of loyal Franciscan Sisters that undertook caretaking duties. The property was also a popular location for commercial, film, music video and television productions.

The owner of the facility rejected lucrative offers from major entertainment companies in favor of Pastors Tommy and Matthew Barnett’s vision to convert the facility into a ‘spiritual healing center’, but the $10 million dollar asking price was still out of their range. Prayer and negotiations brought the asking price down to $3.9 million dollars and ‘The Church That Never Sleeps’ established its new home in 1996.

For More Information

www.DREAMCENTER.org
2301 Bellevue Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026-4017

Main Line: 213.273.7000
Pastor Matthew’s Office: 213.273.7030
Pastor Matthew’s Email: pastorsoffice@dreamcenter.org
Donor Relations: 213.273.7100

@LADreamCenter

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Thanks to GBK Productions – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

GBK Productions is one of the best ways to showcase and promote your products or services. Click on the GBK logo for more information.

DreamCenter Helping the Needy in Los Angeles at GBK Gift Suite for the Emmys

DreamCenter Los Angeles Promotes to Emmy Celebrities at the GBK Gift Suites

The Los Angeles DreamCenter introduced their services that help the needy in Los Angeles to the celebrities at the GBK Gift Suites for the 2012 Emmys
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAHOKzYIAtc]

GBK Productions is well know for as one of the premiere gifting suites for many of the best known awards shows.

The Los Angeles DreamCenter set up a booth along with Yoplait Greek Yogurt 100 calorie, to introduce their services to many of the Emmy celebrities.

I got a chance to speak with Kaci Davis about the incredible work DreamCenter does for L.A. Thank you to DreamCenter, Yoplait Yogurt and GBK Productions for everything they are doing to help the needy in Los Angeles. – JW

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DreamCenter

Pastor Matthew Barnett assumed the pastorate of Bethel Temple in 1994 at the age of twenty. After a life-changing encounter with God, he helped Bethel Temple transition from a traditional-style church to a servant driven ministry that grew into what is now known as The Dream Center.

Compelled by a vision to impact all of Los Angeles by addressing people’s physical and spiritual needs in unique and practical ways, The Dream Center has grown into a phenomenon that now reaches more than 40,000 people each week through its multiple church services and various need-centered outreach ministries.

Pastor Matthew is also the senior pastor of the historic Angelus Temple, which combined forces with The Dream Center in 2001 in a historic unification of flagship ministries from two different denominations (Foursquare and Assemblies of God).

ABC 7 News Video on DreamCenter [CLICK HERE TO WATCH]

The mission is to directly impact the issues that afflict Los Angeles communities by reconnecting isolated people to God and a community of support by providing free human services that address immediate and long-term needs in the areas of homelessness, hunger relief, medical care, mental health and education.

The vision is a community of resilient people whose lives have been redeemed by God’s love, who share that love with others to transform and restore broken lives to wholeness.

The DreamCenter Center

The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart founded Queen of Angels Hospital in 1926. Father Wilhelm Berger, founder of the Franciscan Sisters, defined their ministries as ‘works of neighborly love’. With the establishment of the hospital, the sisters accepted the challenge to serve the poor, the sick, and the aging of Los Angeles for more than a half-century before closing their doors due to financial issues.

The growth of Los Angeles’ population throughout the mid-1920’s and into the 1940’s was directly reflected in the steady rise in admissions, births and patient day care at the hospital. This warranted major expansion projects to the facility in 1938 and 1945. The expanded 360,000 square foot campus now housed nine buildings and covered over eight acres. The distinction as the largest teaching hospital west of the Mississippi soon followed.

Despite enduring The Great Depression and World War II, the healing center fell victim to financial troubles in the early 1980′s, forcing a merger with neighboring Hollywood Clara Barton Memorial Hospital. The newer medical facility, located just three miles away, was renamed Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in 1989, at which time the fabled Queen of Angels Hospital in Echo Park closed its doors.

The site was mostly vacant but for a handful of loyal Franciscan Sisters that undertook caretaking duties. The property was also a popular location for commercial, film, music video and television productions.

The owner of the facility rejected lucrative offers from major entertainment companies in favor of Pastors Tommy and Matthew Barnett’s vision to convert the facility into a ‘spiritual healing center’, but the $10 million dollar asking price was still out of their range. Prayer and negotiations brought the asking price down to $3.9 million dollars and ‘The Church That Never Sleeps’ established its new home in 1996.

For More Information

www.DREAMCENTER.org
2301 Bellevue Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026-4017

Main Line: 213.273.7000
Pastor Matthew’s Office: 213.273.7030
Pastor Matthew’s Email: pastorsoffice@dreamcenter.org
Donor Relations: 213.273.7100

@LADreamCenter

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Thanks to GBK Productions – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

GBK Productions is one of the best ways to showcase and promote your products or services. Click on the GBK logo for more information.

Dr. Louis Koster Happy No Matter What!

Louis Koster, MD lead an amazing life as a  doctor without borders and talks about how to be happy no matter what your circumstances

Dr. Louis Koster grew up with a bad stutter and he turned his life around more than once by changing the language of his life.

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Dr. Louis Koster was introduced to me by my good friend Starley Murray of www.StarleyMurrayLive.com.  Starley was working with Dr. Koster and she new his incredible story is just the sort of thing I love to share.

Dr. Koster did not disappoint. His story was so wonderfully interesting. He started out with a horrific stutter which he worked hard to overcome. He became a doctor, but did not like being one where he was at so he moved to Spain to learn how to become a Flamingo dancer!  Dr. Koster, finally took a position with Doctors without Borders.

Both the horror and the deep love he witnessed helped Dr. Koster to learn the secret of being happy no matter what your circumstances so he wrote a book based on his findings and it was just released October 1st.

I want to thank Louis and I call him Louis here because although I highly respect his title and the work he has done, I want to acknowledge his human authentic presence that you cannot help but get from being around this wonderful man.

Thank you for sitting down with me Louis and sharing. I know that you had not done many interviews before I threw you in front of my camera. You were real and giving in your storytelling and it is evident that you truly want to help others JW

Dr. Louis Koster

Dr Louis Koster was privileged to have worked for over ten years as a medical doctor in war zones, in countries like Angola, Liberia, Sudan and Bosnia and worked with refugees in Pakistan and in Cuba. He has received numerous humanitarian awards for his humanitarian work.

Dr Louis Koster led transformational seminars and coaching for organizations and companies since 1998, first in Los Angeles and now in Australia, the place where he lives with his soul-mate and wife Francesca and his beautiful young daughter Carmen. He currently works as a doctor in Victoria.

A humanitarian, innovative thinker, facilitator, and caring at heart, Dr Louis Koster’s extraordinary career include:

  • Co-founding The International Trust for Children’s Healthcare in Russia on personal invitation by Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union.
  • Founding Strategic Humanitarian Developments, an innovative organization that brought together stakeholders of diverse communities to create partnerships and foster community building and address the most pertinent issues in these communities.
  • Creating A New Language for Life, a comprehensive teaching program to reveal the secrets of happiness and higher awareness.

A New Language for Life: Happy No Matter What!

A New Language for Life, Happy No Matter What! is a message of higher awareness, a message of oneness of being. A New Language for Life is a message of peace. A New Language for Life is a philosophy for life, a way of living your life as your true nature.

Awakening to a higher awareness is a growing movement that finds a platform in A New Language for Life.

A New Language for Life, Happy No Matter What! reveals that enlightment is available for everyone, who has a serious commitment to spiritual growth and development. Author Dr Louis Koster reveals a daily practice of “living The Choice and The Insight,” which unveils that the secret to happiness is found in an awakening to the oneness of being. A New Language for Life, Happy No Matter What! reminds you of your true nature that you have forgotten, and awakens you to the oneness of life.

Links

Dr. Koster Website

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Wouter Kellerman Talks to On Purpose Magazine

Wouter Kellerman 2010 SAMA Winner Tours America

Wouter Kellerman may not be a name you have heard of, but if you like great music you should.

Wouter Kellerman two time winner of the South African Music Awards (SAMA) including 2010 best instrumental DVD Jazz/Classical/Pop.  The SAMA is their equivalent of our Grammy Award.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV3zufUvksQ]

Wouter’s music has so many flavors, but is all wonderful, from slowly haunting tunes, African beats, Island grooves, Irish Marches and even urban rapping…

I had to drive Los Angeles traffic after hearing one tune by Wouter (pronounced Voter). I like music so I was happy to cover a musician, but was I in for a surprise. The venue was the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, CA. Very small and very Hollywood.

The concert was very intimate and Wouter was way too big for that room. His band tore up the stage. It started slow and he just kept it growing and growing and I was taken back to Ian Anderson, John Mayal scatting, and more and more..

Wouter and his band hung out afterwords and I got a chance to meet with them. If I was on the road with a band.. These would be the people I would choose. Nice, easy and talented. Thank you Wouter for taking the time to interview with me as I know you had another appointment to get to… . – JW

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Wouter Kellerman

Wouter Kellerman’s new album ‘Two Voices’ won the 2011 SAMA (South African Music Award, the SA equivalent of the Grammy) for ‘Best Instrumental Album’,  and reinforces his status as one of South Africa’s foremost flautists. A true crossover artist, he thrives on experimenting with the shades, textures and colours that his magic flute is capable of painting, and creatively blending this with other instrumentation and vocal sounds.

Watch Wouter Kellerman Music Videos 

The SAMA-winning flute wizard, who performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony to a global television audience of 700-million people, has spent the past couple of years cooking up several potent compositions with an array of top South African and African artists – and ‘Two Voices’ is the result.

His debut album, ‘Colour’, enjoyed rave reviews, topped the charts and was nominated for a 2008 South African Music Awards for ‘Best Instrumental Album’.

His show ‘Kellerman Colour Live’ won the 2010 SAMA (South African Music Award) for ‘Best Jazz/Instrumental/Popular Classical DVD’.

Kellerman demonstrates in his shows why he is regarded as one of the country’s most musically adventurous world-music proponents, who keeps his sound fresh and progressive by incorporating a fusion of influences and styles into his music with vocalists, instrumentalists and dancers to create a fresh and exhilarating performance. He has been travelling extensively over the last two years, performing all over the world in places like Berlin, Shanghai, New York and Sydney.

2010 highlights include performing at the opening of MIDEM in Cannes, France. MIDEM is the world’s biggest music conference and festival and Kellerman was part of a Department of Arts and Culture delegation, representing South Africa. In March he travelled to the USA to perform at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, in Texas. SXSW is the biggest music festival in the USA.

In July Kellerman performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony. Concerts in the last few months included performing at the 2010 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival in Johannesburg and two performances at the Shanghai World Expo 2010, China.

Wouter’s flute-playing can be heard on the soundtrack of the Emmy Award-winning film ‘Eye of the Leopard’. His albums ‘Colour’ and ‘Two Voices’ were mixed in Los Angeles by Grammy-winning engineer Husky Hoskulds.

Passionate about teaching and empowering young people, Kellerman has sponsored the living expenses of 10 children in the SOS Children’s Village in Ennerdale for the past 14 years, and has also financed the building of a house in the SOS Children’s Village in Rustenburg. For his continued efforts in helping give these children a better life, Kellerman was nominated by the SOS Children’s Villages for the Inyathelo Special Recognition Award for Philanthropy. He continues to facilitate the teaching of young dance and music students.

Wouter Kellerman started playing the flute at the age of 10, and in 1981 appeared as a soloist with the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra. He went on to feature in several South African orchestras, scooping musical accolades along the way. Among these was winning the Perrenoud Foundation Prize during the 1997 Vienna International Music Competition.

Using his classical training as a foundation, Kellerman focused his attention on world music, exploring the versatility of the instrument and fusing classical and contemporary sounds, resulting in a potent and thrilling musical encounter. Kellerman is taking his crossover world music to a global audience, having gained a solid following in South Africa. He has already released the album in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and most recently in Australia, where he combined his release with a nationwide tour, which included a support slot on Johnny Clegg’s Down Under tour.

Wouter Kellerman Discography

Two Voices

Wouter Kellerman’s new album ‘Two Voices’ won the 2011 SAMA (South African Music Award, the SA equivalent of the Grammy) for ‘Best Instrumental Album’,  and reinforces his status as one of South Africa’s foremost flautists. A true crossover artist, he thrives on experimenting with the shades, textures and colours that his magic flute is capable of painting, and creatively blending this with other instrumentation and vocal sounds.

The SAMA-winning flute wizard, who performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Closing Ceremony to a global television audience of 700-million people, has spent the past couple of years cooking up several potent compositions with an array of top South African and African artists – and ‘Two Voices’ is the result.

His debut album, ‘Colour’, enjoyed rave reviews, topped the charts and was nominated for a 2008 South African Music Awards for ‘Best Instrumental Album’.

His show ‘Kellerman Colour Live’ won the 2010 SAMA (South African Music Award) for ‘Best Jazz/Instrumental/Popular Classical DVD’.

Kellerman demonstrates in his shows why he is regarded as one of the country’s most musically adventurous world-music proponents, who keeps his sound fresh and progressive by incorporating a fusion of influences and styles into his music with vocalists,

Colour

From Harmonious Living Reviewed by Ceri Balston

wouter kellerman Colour

South Africa’s premier flautist Kellerman (aka Wouter Kellerman) brings us his long awaited debut album, ‘Colour’. From the very first note this is one of those CDs that you just know will be glued to your CD player for months to come. Relaxing, fun, soulful and joyful throughout ‘Colour’ is destined to be a timeless classic.

You can tell that one of Kellerman’s passions, apart from music, is for the vibrant and diverse cultures that cover our world. Throughout the album he joyfully explores his own South African heritage (and Akrikaans roots in the final track ‘Al Le Die Berge’), as well as delving into the rich and passionate world of the Argentinean Tango, whilst Spanish and Irish themes also abound.

Highlight tracks include the beautifully seductive and sultry tango ‘Vuelvo al Sur’ which just oozes with South American passion, ‘Told U So’ a lively and cheeky South African number and ‘Quisas, quisas, quisas’ the Lila Downs song made popular by the film Tortilla Soup. Having chosen those tracks I do have to say that every time I listen to ‘Colour’ I keep changing my mind about my favourites, the CD is just that good with tracks appropriate for all times and moods.

SOS Children’s Village

What They Do

At SOS Children’s Villages we believe that children can only develop to their full potential if they have a supportive and protective family environment.  We work to make this a reality. 

At the centre of our SOS Children’s Villages programme is the individual child. We encourage children to actively take part in the making of decisions that affect their lives.

Preventing crisis leading to family separation

We work with disadvantaged families in order to prevent crises that can lead to family separation. We offer various forms of support to strengthen and stabilise families as much as possible so that children can grow up in their own families. The aim is always to build the skills and capacities of carers and of their communities so that children can enjoy positive and caring relationships.

Strengthening SOS families and foster families

We also strengthen SOS families and foster families, which provide stable and consistent care to children who cannot remain in their family of origin, and for whom family-based care is considered the best option. Short-term solutions may be offered in crisis situations.

Whether located all together or dispersed within a community, SOS families provide individualised care and promote the development, education and health of each child. We work together with communities to develop and improve local education and health infrastructure. In some cases SOS Children’s Villages runs kindergartens, day-care centres, schools and vocational training centres, as well as medical centres.

A leading voice for children

Building on our experience, we are also a leading voice for children who have lost their parent or whose parents cannot care for them.  We aim to make a change that will improve the lives and living conditions of all these children, their families and their communities.

SOS Children’s Villages is active in 133 countries and territories. The variety of this international work is brought together by the umbrella organisation SOS Children’s Villages International, which unites all of the autonomous national associations.

In all countries where SOS Children’s Villages operates, the aim is to form a national association which is its own legal entity, with its own statutes and Board of Directors. Common for all of them is membership of the international umbrella association and the fact that their Board of Directors work on an honorary basis. Each member association is obliged to comply with the international statute of the organisation. Practices in relation to education, child-care, financ and administration are also common to all member associations.

Each national association is registered and organised as a foundation, trust, association, non-profit company or society. As a full member of SOS Children’s Villages International, they have the right to apply for funding through the umbrella association and request services from the General Secretariat.

Links

Wouter Kellerman Website
SOS Childrens Village

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Wouter Kellerman Talks to On Purpose Magazine

Shameless Star Shanola Hampton on The Art of Elysium

Actress Shanola Hampton of Shameless Supports The Art of Elysiumg

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9PULxmzsvw]

Shanola was soooo fun to talk with and to meet. I really love the show Shameless on Showtime and was excited to get to speak with her about one of her passions. – JW

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Shanola Hampton

Shanola Hampton

From IMDB

Shanola Hampton was born May 27 in Long Island, NY, to a Car Salesman and an IRS agent.

She was raised in Summerville, South Carolina with her four sisters.

In college she earned a degree in Theater, with emphasis in Performance from Winthrop University along with a Masters Degree in Fine Arts from University of Illinois.

She moved to Los Angeles in 2001, and began appearing in commercials. Later, she made her first guest appearance in Ryan Murphy’s “Popular.” Her hobbies include, traveling back to South Carolina to spend time with family, Pilates, and swimming. Her hope is to one day open a Performing Arts School.

From Wikipedia

Hampton has appeared in several television series, such as: Reba, Popular, Scrubs, Related, and Miami Medical. She has also had roles in the movies: The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green, The Hanged Man, and You Again.[1]

She has face modeled for the videogame Left 4 Dead 2.[citation needed]

She is a graduate of Winthrop University (with a degree in Theater), and also holds a Masters Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Illinois.

Shameless

In Summer 2010, Hampton was cast as a series regular on the Showtime dramedy Shameless as Veronica Fisher, a role for which she has received critical acclaim. The second season premiered January 8, 2012, with Hampton remaining part of the main cast.[2]

The Art of Elysium

MISSION

The Art of Elysium, a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization founded in 1997, encourages working actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions. We provide artistic workshops in the following disciplines: acting, art, comedy, fashion, music, radio, songwriting and creative writing.

VISION

The Art of Elysium is dedicated to enriching the lives of artists and critically ill children. We believe that there is a powerful and mutual exchange of hope and appreciation that occurs when artists share their time and talent with children battling serious medical conditions.

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The lives of these children are largely filled with suffering, loneliness, fear and regimen. Artists have the unique ability to help children in need find a creative

vision2.jpg

voice and discover a sense of individuality and self-efficacy, even in the midst of overwhelmingly difficult circumstances.

In return, those same artists, who have been taken outside of their normal scope of work, are stretched and enriched in ways they never imagined.

Through this inimitable exchange between artist and child, the artist experiences the power of giving and the child experiences the power of their own artistic journey.

GOALS

• Create The Art of Elysium Center, a place where children can learn and artists can showcase their work. During the day, the center will be open for children in need to be taught acting, art processes, comedy and music. In the evening, the facility will be used for participating artists to present their creative work.

• Provide musical instruments, compact discs, videotape, art supplies and makeup for various pediatric facilities we serve.
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• Fulfill special requests for medically challenged youth, including but not limited to providing individual, continuing lessons in the arts after discharge from the hospital.

• Now that The Art of Elysium has opened in New York, further expansion into additional cities such as Memphis and/or Nashville.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, JENNIFER HOWELL landed in Los Angeles shortly after graduating Emerson College with a B.S. in Mass Communications/Film Focus. It was Jennifer’s love for film making that brought her to Hollywood but it was her deeper love for children that led her to her mission: The Art Of Elysium.

howell1.jpgIn the middle of December 1996, Jennifer’s close friend, Stephen Hatten, was in the midst of one his worst bouts with the Leukemia he’d been diagnosed with years earlier.

Stephen shared with Jennifer the story of a young boy he had recently met at a treatment center.

A young boy who was by himself for the majority of his time spent there, on his own because both of his parents had jobs that they could not abandon.

Although one could interpret Stephen’s story as well, just a story, Jennifer heard his message loud and clear. And the message Jennifer heard was this: No child should ever be alone during treatment.

And so it was. Jennifer started by gathering some friends, getting clearance from the children’s hospital and bringing her world into their world.

With her Southern lilt and a spirit that was and is boundless, Jennifer and her friends brought the kids a respite from their reality, a little bit of laughter and a smile that found its form more quickly each time.

Jennifer’s friend Stephen passed away in 1998, but his story turned message turned mission has caught on. Along with her team, Jennifer’s The Art of Elysium continues to bring singers, artists, actors and writers into children’s hospitals and pediatric care facilities where they bring their talents, and of course their hearts, to the kids.

What was once Jennifer and a few friends is now a community of people who share the idea that no child should go through medical treatment alone.

Site: http://www.theartofelysium.org/
Twitter: @theartofelysium

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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

Teri Polo of Meet The Fockers Supports We Promise Foundation

Meet the Fockers Actress Teri Polo Supports Kids with The We Promise Foundation

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwc_FztmTbw]

Teri Polo from Criminal Minds and the Fockers Movies, was so fun and we had such a great time with her. She was so serious about helping the vendors and causes at the GBK Gifting Suites for the Oscars 2012.

You can see and feel her passion. A very enjoyable interview. Thanks Teri.JW

Teri Polo

From Wikipedia

Theresa Elizabeth “Teri” Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers

Polo’s prime time debut was in TV 101. She also starred in the 1990 miniseries The Phantom of the Opera as Christine Daae. Polo played Detective Ash on the TV series Brimstone and became a regular cast member on the last season of Northern Exposure. She appeared in a recurring guest role in the sixth and seventh seasons of The West Wing playing the role of Helen Santos, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits).

In February 2005, Polo appeared on the cover of, and posed nude in Playboy. The appearance was linked to the release of Meet the Fockers, with cover text that made similar plays on words such as “She’s one hot Focker”. She was ranked #42 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2002.[3] She was also featured in InStyle. She also starred in the Lifetime Movie Network 2006 movie, Legacy of Fear. In 2009, she starred in the feature film 2:13 and the Hallmark Channel TV movie Expecting a Miracle with Jason Priestley and Cheech Marin. That same year she also starred in The Beacon (2009).[4]

She was in the 2009 television pilot for Washington Field. The show was about the National Capital Response Squad, a unit of the FBI composed of elite experts in different areas who travel around the world, responding to events that concern American interest. In 2010, Polo reprised her role as Pam Focker in Little Fockers, the sequel to Meet the Parents (2000) and Meet the Fockers (2004). She appeared in the Lovecraftian horror film The Hole.

Polo has guest-starred on many TV shows, including The Practice, Felicity, Chicago Hope, Numb3rs, Sports Night, Frasier, Medium, Law & Order: LA, Castle and Criminal Minds.

We Promise Foundation

As the charitable arm of Chartway Federal Credit Union, the We Promise Foundation is dedicated to making dreams come true for children struggling with degenerative, life-threatening, debilitating or chronic illnesses, or those facing tremendous hardship.

The foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity that provides support to help children with a single goal: to put smiles on the faces of children by making their dreams come true.

The foundation was launched in 2005 based on the enduring success of Chartway’s charitable events. Since 1999, Chartway and We Promise Foundation have raised more than $3.7M to lighten the burden of more than 750 children through our partnerships with numerous chapters of The Make-A-Wish Foundation, St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children, Families of Autistic Children in Tidewater, Toby’s Dream Foundation, Roc Solid Foundation, The Matty Fund, Rock-n-Jock Charities and other charitable children’s groups who share our passion and mission to make a difference.

Our Mission

To put a smile on a child’s face by making their dream come true.

www.WePromiseFoundation.org

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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

JK Simmons Supports Sunshine Kids

JK Simmons of The Closer and Spiderman Supports Kids with Cancer through Sunshine Kids


I caught JK Simmons of The Closer and Spiderman at the GBK Academy Awards Gifting Suite while he was out supporting the many vendors and non-profits the the event.

JK talked to us about the Sunshine Kids. A charity that puts together all kinds of great trips and adventures for kids suffering with cancer.

JK Simmons may be one of the most versatile actors in the industry today as he has played so many diverse roles. It is always nice to interview someone with initials for a first name. Thanks JK.JW

JK Simmons

JK Simmons

From Wikipedia

Simmons was a Broadway actor and singer. He was in the revival of Guys and Dolls as Benny Southstreet. In 1994 he sang multiple roles in the Wagner opera satire, DAS BARBECU.[3]

He also played the role of Jigger in a revival of Carousel with the Houston Grand Opera. He also starred in the 1987 Off-Broadway musical Birds of Paradise.

Simmons is known for his TV roles as Dr. Emil Skoda, a police psychiatrist, who has appeared on three of the four incarnations of Law & Order and New York Undercover, and as the sadistic inmate Vernon Schillinger on the prison drama Oz. He also stars as Ralph Earnhardt, the father of race-car driver Dale Earnhardt, in 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story. He played B.R. in the film Thank You For Smoking and has been praised for his performance in Juno as “Mac” McGuff, the title character’s father. Currently, he plays Will Pope, Assistant Chief of the LAPD, in The Closer.

He also played J. Jonah Jameson in all three Spider-Man films and the expanded video game adaption of Spider-Man 3. Simmons provided his voice for two newspaper editors in two episodes of the eighteenth season of The Simpsons. The characters are never named, but are obviously meant to emulate the character of Jameson (one, bearing Jameson’s appearance, even demands “pictures of Spider-Man”, then on being reminded he works at a poetry journal, demands “poems about Spider-Man”).

Simmons also provides the voice of the yellow M&M in the product’s commercials, as well as the 3-D film “I Lost My M in Vegas” playing at M&M’s World in Las Vegas, NV. He has also done voiceover work for Norelco razors. He also provided the voice of General Wade Eiling in Justice League Unlimited. He recorded an audio book for Tom Clancy’s Net Force Point of Impact. Like many of his Law & Order co-stars, he also appeared in an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street, portraying a criminal in an episode that crossed over with Law & Order before Simmons joined the cast as Skoda. He also played a small role as an army general in the television sitcom Arrested Development, alongside his Juno co-stars, Michael Cera and Jason Bateman. As well, he played Dan the Barber in the surreal Nickelodeon kid’s show The Adventures of Pete & Pete in 1995. In 2008 he had a small part as the “CIA Superior” in Burn After Reading. Simmons appears also in Postal as Candidate Wells. He has also been featured as Professor Nathaniel Burke of the University of Farmers in television commercials for Farmers Insurance Group beginning in 2010.[4] He also played Paul Rudd‘s father in I Love You, Man

Simmons is quickly becoming known for starring in films that are produced or directed by his friend Jason Reitman, including Thank You for Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air and Jennifer’s Body, written by Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody.

Recently it was confirmed that Simmons will voice the character of Tenzin, an Airbending Master and the son of Aang and Katara, in the 2012 Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Legend of Korra. Also, he will reprise the role as the voice of J. Jonah Jameson in the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man and in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

JK Simmons IMDB

Sunshine KidsThe Sunshine Kids

The Sunshine Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to children with cancer. Established in 1982, we are committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients. The Sunshine Kids provides a variety of programs and events, free of charge, for kids who are receiving cancer treatments in hospitals across North America.

The Sunshine Kids Foundation adds quality of life to children with cancer by providing them with exciting, positive group activities, so they may once again do what kids are supposed to do . . . have fun and celebrate life!

We look forward to the day when The Sunshine Kids Foundation will no longer need to exist. Until that time, the entire Sunshine Kids family is dedicated to providing the most exciting activities, trips and events for as many young cancer patients as possible.
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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

Tony Denison Picks Up Gifts for Sunshine Kids

Tony Denison of The Closer and Now Major Crimes, picks up gifts for The Sunshine Kids at MTV Movie Awards GBK Gift Suite

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4gksoJwJh4]

Anthony Denison of The Closer and Major Crimes came to the GBK MTV Movie Awards Gifting Suite to claim some great swag bags of gifts for his favorite charity The Sunshine Kids.

Tony was having fun and couldn’t do enough to try and help the cause he cares so much about.

We also talked about his new show, a spin-off of the Closer called Major Crimes scheduled to air soon on TNT and about Twitter. Thanks Tony.JW

Tony DenisonTony Denison

From Wikipedia

Anthony Denison (also credited as Anthony John Denison and as Tony Denison), is an American actor.

The eldest of three, he was born and raised in New York City‘s Harlem. Before acting he worked for John Hancock Insurance as a life insurance agent in Poughkeepsie, New York.

While he was at John Hancock, he also pursued his acting career, starring in several stage productions in the New Paltz, New Yorklocale. His stage surname “Denison” was taken from his friend Jan Denison during his days as an actor and director at a nonprofit theater in the late 1970s. Tony also ran a poker club in the early 1980s on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

He is well known for his role as mob boss Ray Luca on the 1980s NBC television show Crime Story which ran from 1986 to 1988.

Afterwards he starred and guest-starred in several crime movies and television programs, notably Wiseguy (in which he portrayed undercover agent John Henry Raglin), City of Hope (1991), The Amy Fisher Story (1993, as Joey Buttafuco), Getting Gotti (1994, as John Gotti), Criminal Passion (1994), and head coach Mike George in ESPN‘s drama series Playmakers. He was to appear on Charmed as the father of the main characters in the first season, but the part was recast with James Read.

He also had a recurring role as Aldo Burrows on the Fox series Prison Break. In 2000 he also played the role of a killer for hire in Walker, Texas Ranger.

His latest work is the recently completed movie Karla, in which he plays Detective Burrows. Denison is part of the regular cast as Detective Andrew Flynn in The Closer airing on TNT.

Watch for Major Crimes coming soon on TNT starring Mary McDonnell who I so enjoyed in Battlestar Gallactica. – JW

Tony on Twitter @RealTonyDenison
Tony Denison IMDB

Sunshine KidsThe Sunshine Kids

The Sunshine Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to children with cancer. Established in 1982, we are committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients. The Sunshine Kids provides a variety of programs and events, free of charge, for kids who are receiving cancer treatments in hospitals across North America.

The Sunshine Kids Foundation adds quality of life to children with cancer by providing them with exciting, positive group activities, so they may once again do what kids are supposed to do . . . have fun and celebrate life!

We look forward to the day when The Sunshine Kids Foundation will no longer need to exist. Until that time, the entire Sunshine Kids family is dedicated to providing the most exciting activities, trips and events for as many young cancer patients as possible.
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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

Literary Agent Bruce Barbour on Submitting Your Book to Publish

Long Time Literary Agent Bruce Barbour Talks About How To Submit Your Book or Story

Literary veteran Bruce Barbour talks to OPM about how to submit your book to him.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRmatbYQQ6c]
I met Bruce at the incredible Author 101 Event in Los Angeles. This interview is well overdue since I recorded in in 2011, but the information has not changed.

Bruce is a veteran literary agent and he tells it like it is, about getting your book to him. What he wants to see, how he wants to see it and many more tips and suggestions to make sure you get your stuff read and taken seriously. JW

Bruce Barbour Literary AgentBruce Barbour

Excellence in Literary Management

Bruce R Barbour has been active in book publishing for thirty years.

Known to friends and colleagues as “BRB”, Bruce is the fourth generation of a publishing family that has served authors and publishers for nearly 140 years.

In 1870, his great-grand uncles, Fleming H. Revell and Dwight Moody, started publishing Christian books. Following in the footsteps of his great-grand uncles, grandfather, and father, Bruce joined the Fleming H. Revell Company in 1975 after graduating with honors from Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA.

He has held executive positions at several publishing houses including Fleming H Revell Company (family owned-business sold in 1979), Barbour and Company (co-founded and Exec VP in 1983-1986), Thomas Nelson (VP, Publisher, 1986-1993), and Random House (VP, Publisher 1994-1996).

In 1997, Bruce founded Literary Management Group, Inc., a full service literary agency and publishing consulting firm that has represented best-selling authors and properties including Zig Ziglar, Sandra Felton and The Beginner’s Bible and consulted with publishing houses including Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Gospel Light, Pneuma Life, Legacy, New Hope, White Stone Books and others.

Literary Management Group

Literary Management Group is committed to providing excellent support and counsel to authors and publishers of a variety of resources (print, multi-media, and electronic).

We represent adult fiction and non-fiction and recommend that authors of children’s, gift, poetry, illustrated and academic books seek out literary firms which specialize in these genres. A great source for seeking out agencies is at www.michaelhyatt.com.

Although we specialize in the area of Christian publishing from an Evangelical perspective, we have editorial contacts and experience in general interest books as well.

Services include:

Literary Representation

  • Preparation of proposals based on a proven template that presents features, advantages and benefits so editors can review and quickly determine if book concept fits their editorial strategy and publishing needs.
  • Development of publisher submission strategy that identifies the list of publishers and editors most likely to be interested in reviewing and publishing the book.
  • Negotiation of optimum terms in publishing contract; terms that are fair for author, and reasonable for publisher, so everyone wins when the book is successfully published.
  • Project management and facilitation with publisher to ensure author’s experience, from editorial through marketing and publication, is smooth and understandable.
  • Review of publisher’s royalty reporting so author is clear on what the statements mean and confident in their accuracy.

Publishing Consultant and Executive Coach

  • Needs Assessment of all phases of publishing process including: strategic planning; budgeting; acquisition; editorial; design; production; sales and marketing; fulfillment; customer service; and, financial systems
  • Management mentoring and training.
  • Turn-arounds
  • Acquisitions and Sales of Assets
  • Strategic Planning facilitation

Packaging

  • Development of content from manuscript through delivery of bound books to customer including edit, design, production, and fulfillment
  • Sales and Marketing guidance and counsel

For Editorial Guidelines and Proposal Templates, please visit: http://literarymanagementgroup.com

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Rick Frishman’s Author 101

Are you curious about what publishers like Harper Collins, Morgan James, Adams Media, Wiley, Random House, and Simon & Schuster are looking for? What is the best way to get your manuscript read when you’re an unpublished author? Want to know the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing book proposals? You’ll be engaged as these top pros share their expertise, reveal the inner workings of the publishing industry, and discuss various approaches to common marketing and publishing challenges.

Author 101 University Event Website: www.author101university.com

Samantha Harris of DWTS and ET on Feeding America’s Hungry Children

Samantha Harris Works with Feeding America.Org to Help Stop Childhood Hunger in America

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMPgbMXDTpA]

We caught Samantha Harris, formally co-host of Dancing With The Stars and Entertainment Tonight, and recently on Stars Earn Strips, at the GBK Gifting Suites for the 2012 Oscars. Stars come out to support great charities and businesses that often support their own charities.

I really love this charity as past Los Angeles Coordinator of Feed333 which for 3 years running, was the nations #1 largest one day food giveaway, I am familiar with the hunger issue in America and it is not just about the homeless. We are talking about the working poor in this country. Below you will find statistics that should make us all a bit embarrassed.

What a great honor it was to get to interview such a well known interviewer. I did not ask her how I did, but I can tell you how cool Samantha was.

I left a little leader on this interview to show you what I mean. She was in a hurry and we had camera issues. She just dealt and came back when we fixed it.

She told me that she was not new to technical difficulties. Even though she has interviewed some of the most important or well known people of our time she made me feel so comfortable… Thanks Samantha. – JW

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Samantha HarrisSamantha Harris

A seasoned entertainment news journalist and two-time Emmy-nominated TV personality, Samantha Harris was recently seen co-hosting Stars Earn Strips  with General Wesley Clark four-star general as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander on NBC. She commentated the action for a plethora of celebrities as they competed on special forces missions. Samantha is also well known for her work on the world’s #1 entertainment news program, Entertainment Tonight, as correspondent.  In just her first months with the show, she covered the Cannes Film Festival, traveled to two film sets in Hawaii (for interviews with Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman), and also interviewed stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Russell Crowe, Sting, Cate Blanchett, Michael Douglas and more!

Samantha is best-known for her eight seasons co-hosting the live ABC hit Dancing With The Stars, which averaged more than 30 million viewers weekly and was the #2 most-watched show in the U.S. in each of those years.  In Season 2, she even kicked up her heals on the ballroom floor to perform a Jive routine with World Smooth Champion and DWTS professional dancer Jonathan Roberts.

Simultaneously with her time on DWTS, Samantha pulled double hosting duty as she passionately shared her opinion nightly as a panelist and correspondent on the entertainment news program CBS Television Distribution’s The Insider.

In her first year with the program, she covered President Obama’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.; surfed the North Coast of Oahu during an interview with 19-year-old surfing champion Bethany Hamilton – who lost her arm to a shark attack at age 13; interviewed Oprah in Chicago and Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan in LA, in the days following her father’s death; as well as interviewed Hollywood’s A-list on the red carpet at the Emmys, SAG Awards, Golden Globes and Oscars.

Additionally, Samantha made her Broadway debut in summer 2009 in New York City, singing and dancing for sold-out audiences playing the iconic role of “Roxie Hart” in the long-running musical CHICAGO.

Samantha has been seen on a myriad of TV shows, including: filling in for Meredith Vieira as a guest host for a week on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire; multiple times as a guest host on ABC’s The View; contributing as a special correspondent on ABC’s Good Morning America.

One of her greatest honors was hosting, alongside Regis Philbin, the live official red carpet pre-show for ABC’s 80th Annual Academy Awards: Road To the Red Carpet, which garnered nearly one billion viewers worldwide.

samantha harrisBeginning in January 2005 and continuing for four years, Harris was seen in over 130 countries in 600 million homes on E! Entertainment Television.  In addition to writing, producing and reporting daily for E! News, she co-hosted the network’s live award-show coverage for the Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmys.  Samantha has also found herself reporting from inside San Quentin Penitentiary as host for E!’s THS Investigates, a spin-off series from the producers of E! True Hollywood Story.

Prior to her work on The Insider and E!, Samantha served as the weekend co-host and full-time correspondent for the nationally syndicated entertainment news magazine Extra which she joined in 2003.  As a correspondent who sought out unique stories, Samantha took to the stage performing with Cirque du Soleil, sang a duet with Wayne Newton during his live show in Las Vegas, as well as dancing her way into the arms of the late beloved Patrick Swayze backstage, while he was starring in the LA tour-stop of Chicago.

Samantha’s other hosting credits include FOX’s The Next Joe Millionaire, AMC Access (a show produced by NBC’s Access Hollywood forthe AMC network).

Harris’ triple-threat talents were noticed within her first years living in Los Angeles.  Hot off the North American musical tour Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python (where Samantha’s comedic, vocal, and dance performance electrified audiences at Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and other prestigious venues), CBS cast her as America’s sweetheart, “Dawn Wells aka Mary Ann”, in its made-for-TV movie Surviving Gilligan’s Island.  Samantha’s other acting credits include the multi-award winning Reefer Madness!: The New “Hit” Musical(original cast) as well as multiple feature films and television shows.

In addition to gracing the cover of Muscle & Fitness HERS magazine a record four times,Samantha has also been seen on the covers of a variety of other magazine including USA Today magazine, FIRST, Fit Parent.  She has been featured inmany magazines including SHAPE, People, Health, Self, and others.  As a fitness enthusiast, she loves dancing, cardio-sculpting, Bikram yoga but will also confess… she’s a dessert fanatic!

Samantha is actively involved in various charities. She is on the Entertainment Council of Feeding America and has actively supported the Revlon Run/Walk and What A Pair for cancer research, Operation Smile, P.S. Arts, the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America and others.

In 2009, Samantha was given the honor of making her Wall Street debut by ‘Ringing The Bell’ to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange in front of a television audience of more than 120 million.

Born and raised in Hopkins, MN by a rock concert promoter father and dancer mother – who together created and produced one of the country’s first Renaissance festivals, King Richard’s Faire– Samantha went on to graduate with honors from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, IL.  She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband, Michael, and their two daughters, Josselyn and Hillary.

So now that Samantha is not with Dancing with The Stars and E! Entertainment, what is she up to? Samantha has teamed up with the charity Feeding America and its partner Nestle’s Juicy Juice as the spokesperson for this summer’s Fruit For All Project, which will donate 35 million pieces of fresh fruit to children and families in need.”

For more info and photos of Samantha Harris, go to www.samantha-harris.com

Feeding America

In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 6 people in the United States, hunger is a reality. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.

Right now, millions of Americans are struggling with hunger.  These are often hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals, or even days.

It’s time to educate ourselves about the causes of hunger in America.

Feeding America is the nation’s leading hunger-relief charity. Through its network of more than 200 food banks, Feeding America provides assistance to more than 25 million low-income people facing hunger in the United States each year.

Take the Hunger Quiz

Hunger & Poverty Statistics

Although related, food insecurity and poverty are not the same.  Unemployment rather than poverty is a stronger predictor of food insecurity.

Poverty [1]

  • In 2009, 43.6 million people (14.3 percent) were in poverty.
  • In 2009, 8.8 million (11.1% percent) families were in poverty.
  • In 2009, 24.7 million (12.9 percent) of people ages 18-64 were in poverty.
  • In 2009, 15.5 million (20.7 percent) children under the age of 18 were in poverty.
  • In 2009, 3.4 million (8.9 percent) seniors 65 and older were in poverty.

Food Insecurity and Very Low Food Security[2]

  • In 2010, 48.8 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 32.6 million adults and 16.2 million children.
  • In 2010, 14.5 percent of households (17.2 million households) were food insecure.
  • In 2010, 5.4 percent of households (6.4 million households) experienced very low food security.
  • In 2010, households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children, 20.2 percent compared to 11.7 percent.
  • In 2010, households that had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average included households with children (20.2 percent), especially households with children headed by single women (35.1 percent) or single men (25.4 percent), Black non-Hispanic households (25.1 percent) and Hispanic households (26.2 percent).
  • In 2009, 8.0 percent of seniors living alone (925,000 households) were food insecure.
  • Food insecurity exists in every county in America, ranging from a low of 5 percent in Steele County, ND to a high of 38 percent in Wilcox County, AL.[3]

Nine states exhibited statistically significant higher household food insecurity rates than the U.S. national average 2008-2010:1

 United States                    14.6%
 Mississippi                      19.4%
 Texas                            18.8%
 Arkansas                         18.6%
 Alabama                          17.3%
 Georgia                          16.9%
 Ohio                             16.4%
 Florida                          16.1%
 California                       15.9%
 North Carolina                   15.7%

Use of Emergency Food Assistance and Federal Food Assistance Programs

  • In 2010, 4.8 percent of all U.S. households (5.6 million households) accessed emergency food from a food pantry one or more times.2
  • In 2010, 59.2 percent of food-insecure households participated in at least one of the three major Federal food assistance programs –Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamp Program), The National School Lunch Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.2
  • Feeding America provides emergency food assistance to an estimated 37 million low-income people annually, a 46 percent increase from 25 million since Hunger in America 2010.[4]
  • Among members of Feeding America, 74 percent of pantries, 65 percent of kitchens, and 54 percent of shelters reported that there had been an increase since 2006 in the number of clients who come to their emergency food program sites.4

[1] U.S. Census Bureau. Carmen  DeNavas-Walt, B. Proctor, C. Lee.  Income, Poverty, and Heath Insurance Coverage in the United States:  2009.

[2] USDA. Coleman-Jensen, A., Nord, M., Andrews, M., & Carlson, S.  Household Food Security in the United States in 2010.

[3] Feeding America. Gundersen, G., Waxman, E., Engelhard, E., & Brown, J. Map the Meal Gap, 2011.

[4]Rhoda Cohen, J., Mabli, F., Potter, Z., Zhao. Mathematica Policy Research, Feeding America.  Hunger in America 2010.  February 2010.


[i] U.S. Department of Labor.Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2010 Annual Average Unemployment Rates.

Feeding America Website

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Thanks to GBK Events – Gavin and his great staff. As always you host the best.

Related Posts:
Samantha Harris from Dancing with the Stars and Entertainment Tonight has Revealed her Cancer has Spread.

Actress Carole Wells On Her Career and New Children’s Book Amberella

Carole WellsActress Carole Wells talks candidly about her astounding Hollywood career and about her new children’s book

Event: Carole will be at the los angeles book fair april 22nd where you can meet her and get a copy of her book. – More details below…..

Carole WellsCarol Wells

Carole started working in television and motion pictures at the age of 12.

Her first commercial was Dial Soap, then cast on the Eddie Fisher Coke Time. She played a young “Lizzy” in her first film by the same name.

She continued to co-star in most of the television shows in the late fifties, sixties and seventies. She co-stared in the TV series “National Velvet” and “Pistols and “Petticoats.” She has made over one hundred television shows, both live and taped. She co-starred in ten motion pictures. Her last was “Funny Lady” with Barbra Streisand.

Carole is a coloratura soprano having performed opera and light opera all over the US stages and in many other countries. Carole is concert pianist, loves writing music and has written several books and poetry.

She taught writing classes at UCLA. Carole has always been interested in medicine and studied metaphysics and healing.

Her passion is traveling and meeting people of all cultures and their techniques of healing. Carole went to Hollywood High School and is active in the Hollywood High Alumni Assoc where she is the Vice President and curator of the HHSCelebrity Museum She majored in English and Music attended USC and UCLA and UCSB.

She has been involved with many charities helping children for forty years. She was president of Las Floristas and won twice the Humanitatian Award from Los Angeles. She has three sons, one daughter and five grandchildren.

Carole wrote Amberella to help young people learn how to be confident and use their power. So many young people have responsibilities beyond their years as she did.

Carole filmed over a hundred television shows, ten motion pictures, and traveled all over the world singing in theaters. In the process she learned it was important to respect, listen to older people, get as much education as possible, travel abroad, and study languages.

The Dalai Lama has said, “Visualize your desire 1,000 times and it will be manifested.”

Carole has an unshakable belief in God and studied many different religions for ten years including Kriya Yoga. She learned that everything is possible, and dared to live her dream!

Carole Wells with Barbara StreisandShe has spent a major part of her adult life in the service of others, working mainly for physically disabled and emotionally challenged children. Being a musician, she studied sound therapy, and introduced the voice-activated technology to the University of Southern California School of Medicine. This new technology gave mobility to thousands of paralyzed children. As president of the Las Floristas charity, she was able to help raise money to build the Center for Applied Rehabilitation Therapy at Rancho Los Amigos in Southern California. In 1972 Carole worked with Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Refer Johnson and Jan Sarnoff hosting the Special Olympics at UCLA.

During and after the Vietnam War, Carole sang and entertained paraplegic soldiers each month—traveling to the Veterans Hospitals in San Francisco, Long Beach, and Los Angeles. Both the City and County of Los Angeles honored her with their Humanitarian Awards in 1984. Carole has been active in politics and has given speeches for two United States presidents and two senators.

At the age of thirty, having it all, her handsome husband from the famous Southern California oil family, Larry Doheny died suddenly leaving her with two small baby boys. It changed her life. She learned that the important thing isn’t what happens to us; it is how we deal with what happens! As a single parent, she reared her four children to be an example of unconditional love and do no harm to others.

Carole is happiest spending time with her children, five grand children and friends. She loves swimming, playing the piano and singing. Her secret passions are her love for thoroughbred horseracing and watching good movies. Carole is completing a book about my jet set life in the sixties, Doheny Drive, her memoirs, Life After Being Hijacked by Japanese Red Army, and The Girls From Hollywood High. For more information go to Carole Wells.com

Carole Wells IMDB Page

book Amberella Carole WellsThe Book

Amberella, an Action Adventure Fantasy Amberella is an action adventure story of a little princess searching to find her mother. She travels through different exotic lands experiencing frightening and funny encounters. The Queens from different enchanting lands teach her wisdom, respect and secret guide lines to prepare her for her future.

She learns from different animals how to communicate and respect all living creatures. Many children have responsibilities beyond their years.

Amberella is a fantasy to help children cope with adult problems by learning that the Laws of the Universe can make them stronger and more successful.

Amberella demonstrates how to believe in one’s self and dare to live one’s dreams. Critics are saying that Amberella is not only for children, but a book for all ages!

Get a significant savings by purchasing this book from AuthorHouse.

http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000473310/Amberella.aspx

Los Angeles Book Fair at USC

Join us at USC for the 17th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

Dates & Location

April 21-22, 2012
Sat 10 AM – 6 PM
Sun 10 AM – 5 PM

The annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be held at:
University of Southern California
Click here for map.
To locate USC on Yahoo! Maps or similar mapping software, you may use the intersection of Exposition Blvd and S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90089.

Tickets & Admission

General attendance is free!
For information on attending, see our Attendee FAQ.

Parking

Parking at the USC campus will be $10.
Please go to the Getting There page for a detailed map.
Make sure to follow the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on Twitter and Facebook for live traffic and parking updates!

We asked Southern Californians why they love to read.
Watch our video to hear what they said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k7tifSmMkrk

Featuring (in order of appearance):
Veronica Pacheco – favorite author: Jane Austen
Marguerita and Dylan Drew – enjoying books together since 2007
Tyler Wilson – owner, Wurstküche restaurant
Nassim Navi – Festival of Books attendee since 2006
Rebecca Keegan – Los Angeles Times film writer
David Kang – Professor and Director, USC Korean Studies Institute

Dr. Urszula Kotlow of PCH on Getting Help for Children with Mood Disorders

Urszula Kotlow MDUrszula Kotlow, M.D. of Phoenix Children’s Hospital on Getting Help for Children with Serious Mood Disorders.

Urszula Kotlow, M.D.

Urszula Kotlow, MD, is the interim chief of the Division of Psychiatry at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Kotlow earned her medical degree at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine in Worcester, MA. She then went on to complete her pediatric internship at Brown University in Providence, RI, and residency in psychiatry at Yale University in New Haven, CT.

She completed her training with a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Westchester Division in White Plains, NY.

Prior to her tenure with the University of Arizona, she served the Phoenix Indian Medical Center and

Whiteriver Service Unit with the Indian Health Services. She is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and subcertified in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Phoenix Children’s Hospital has provided hope, healing and the best healthcare for children and families since 1983.

Today, Phoenix Children’s is one of the ten largest children’s hospitals in the country and provides specialty and sub-specialty inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital, ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals, is Arizona’s only licensed children’s hospital, providing world-class care in more than 40 pediatric specialties to children from throughout the state and region.

Though Phoenix Children’s is one of the ten largest freestanding children’s hospitals in the country, it is in the midst of a major expansion to meet the needs of the Southwest’s rapid population growth.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital Website
Dr. Kotlow’s Profile

I received a message recently on Facebook from a concerned mother, who has been going through a personal hell, trying to help her kids through their serious mood disorder issues.

After her very young son confided to her that he did not want to live anymore and was contemplating suicide, she was lucky enough, with the help of Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH), to find help and programs that helped her kids, only to find out that the amount of time she was gone from worked cost her, her job and the cost of medications and care was more than she could afford and she is now losing her home.

Robin Miller got in touch with me to see if I could get the word out about mood disorders and she was told by her hospital that they were losing funding for the programs at the hospital.

Believe me she was starting to feel lost and alone. I told her if she could get the hospital staff on the line to explain the issues, that I would happily put out the word.

After hearing this story, I believe that you, as I did, with realize the importance of the work PCH is doing and you will find it important to dig down deep and help this wonderful facility continue to help families in need. PCH never turns a child away, but there is only so much the can do without the proper funds to keep these incredible programs running and fully staffed.

I would like to thank Phoenix Children’s Hospital for saying yes to the interview and for all their kind, gracious and wonderful help with getting the word out that PCH needs donations to continue research and the ability to offer these programs that work to the families that need them. As you will hear in this interview. The sooner you discover mood disorders, not to be confused with behavior issues, the more effective the treatment.

Our plea here is to get you to please donate to Phoenix Children’s Hospital and their incredible programs and for Robin’s, and many other parents sakes, please earmark a portion or all your donation to Behavioral Health Services.JW