Free Coffee at Starbucks for VOLUNTEERS - Are you IN?

Through January 25th (Sunday), if you pledge FIVE (5) hours of volunteer service you can go to Starbucks & say "I'm in!" ... the barista will give you a complimentary tall brewed coffee. Visit the Starbucks website for more information and to print your pledge form & badge (http://www.starbucks.com/).


If you want some ideas for volunteering:

1) donate blood to the American Red Cross (I'll tell you more about this in another post!)
http://www.redcross.org/


2) help gather non-perishable food donations & help stock shelves at your local food bank
http://www.secondharvest.org/


3) contact the United Way or your local Volunteer Center about volunteer opportunities
http://www.liveunited.org/
http://www.pointsoflight.org/


5) visit the Starbucks website and follow their links to the "search by zipcode" option
www.starbucks.com
*** you may be inspired to give more than five hours by the flash intro with music that announces this grass roots campaign!


Thanks Starbucks & willing volunteers!

Today's Celebration

Dr. Martin Luther King
(January 15, 1929 to April 4, 1968)

As a pastor, passionate activist and prominent leader in American Civil Rights, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a key figure in American history. Today’s holiday, the 3rd Monday of January, is in honor of MLKs birthdate of January 15th. It is one of just 3 federal holidays honoring an individual.

Although efforts to create the holiday began soon after his assassination, differing political views kept the holiday from becoming an official celebration until it was signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1983. In Arizona, the holiday is called Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Day and it became official in 2000.

There are many celebrations and service opportunities inspired by Dr. King’s example of public service. Some local events are listed below:


Mesa’s Martin Luther King Parade
Downtown Mesa
11am

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Festival & March
Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee
Route start: 9am, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 1401 East Jefferson
Festival start: 10am, Margaret T. Hance Deck Park, Third Street & Moreland

They had a Dream Too: Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement Forum
Kenilworth Elementary School with Phoenix Union High School Students
1210 N 5th Ave, Phoenix

http://www.theyhadadreamtoo.org/

HandsOn Greater Phoenix Food Drive
For St. Mary’s Food Bank
10:30-11:30am
Phoenix Youth at Risk
1001 E Pierce St, Phoenix
602-973-2212

Rock N Roll 1/2 Marthon 2009

The Valley of the Sun hosted the big game today (go Cardinals!) and the 6th annual PF Chang's Rock n Roll marathon & 1/2 marathon. If one of your new year's resolutions is to improve your health, running may be a fun & rewarding choice for you. Here are some sights to get you started:

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8 week ½ marathon training schedule – for running
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6851-2-2X5X8-4,00.html


12 week ½ marathon training schedules – for running

http://www.marathon-training-program.com/training-program-for-half-marathons.html

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

http://www.half-marathon-running.com/half-marathon-training.html


16 week ½ marathon training schedule – for walking
http://walking.about.com/library/walk/blhalfmarathonavon.htm


Running Events in Arizona
http://www.arizonaroadracers.com/

Search Running Events anywhere in the United States
http://active.com


***Rock n Roll Marathons & Half Marathons around the United States in 2009
http://www.eliteracing.com/home.html

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Before starting any exercise program, be sure to consult your physician!

Happy New Year 2009

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~ Happy New Year to All ~

2009

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to return to the main websites:

Studio22

www.studio22azwa.com

or

Fun Moms

www.funmoms.biz

Light Rail - A Fun Place to Goooooo

Happy New Year’s Eve … Light Rail has Arrived in Phoenix ~

If you live in NYC or San Francisco then riding public transportation is a well established way of life, but in Phoenix it is new and exciting! To celebrate the launch of Valley Metro’s newest form of transportation, you can ride for free until 2:00am tonight (tomorrow morning); it was crowded this afternoon and I bet the New Year's Eve celebrators will keep it full until it closes ~

Riding the system today, my family and I had a friendly, big city experience; I even made some new friends. Denna was a passenger who told me that there are 28 nightclubs along the route and Sean was nice enough to ask me if I got a good photo as I tried to capture a sense of the crowds. And, Nadira, who is visiting from New Jersey, generously shared the handle she was holding onto as we stopped/started through each station.

If you miss out on the free ride today or tonight, it will still be a bargain when the fares begin tomorrow morning. To board just once and ride the whole loop that includes Mesa, Tempe and Phoenix (60 minutes), it will cost $1.25 per person. It’s even more of a bargain if you’re a senior (60 cents) or five and under (free!). An all day pass is $2.50 ($1.75 for seniors, five and under are always free).

We had such a great time today that I’m going to add this excursion to the next version of Fun Places to Go in Metro Phoenix … because Valley Metro’s Light Rail really is a fun place to gooooooooooo!



For more information about the Phoenix Valley Metro Light Rail System:
www.metrolightrail.org

Interested in Management? Two Books to Experience

Interested in Management? Two Books to Experience
First, Break all the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths from Gallup Press

When I consider management books I have read over the years, these two remain on my list of favorites: First, Break all the Rules and Now, Discover your Strengths. Since I prefer environments that are inspired by vision as opposed to being controlled by rules, I was certainly attracted to the earlier book’s title before becoming completely engaged in its content. And, because I was raised in a family that embraces a strengths-based approach to life, the connecting theme of both books fits ideally with my approach to life and business – focus on strengths and manage around weaknesses.

... for the rest of this article, visit: www.studio22azwa.com , you'll find the most current version in the "library" under "business"!

Today is my youngest brother’s birthday, the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party (1773) and the first day of Las Posadas in Mexico. There is always something to celebrate … sometimes its easy to create celebrations and other days we have to look harder for the inspiration. What are you celebrating today?

My daughter & I are watching the Polar Express & having hot chocolate on a rainy Arizona day ... we're celebrating a relaxing pre-Christmas moment together ~ ahhh, to relax is something to celebrate!

About the Boston Tea Party:
www.boston-tea-party.org

About Las Posadas:
http://www.nacnet.org/assunta/nacimnto.htm

American Greetings’ On-Line Calendar of American Holidays:
http://www.americangreetings.com/products/online_calendar.pd