|
February 2009 - Posts
-
Another conference teaser!
|
-
Here's another conference teaser! We're all looking forward to hearing Candice and Crystal sing!
|
-
I was happy to find this on YouTube - just like this song. And of course I'm a huge John McCeutcheon fan!
|
-
The sound quality on this file isn't great - but I think this song applies to the HPS Network very well - it takes a lot of little peices to make things happen.
|
-
I must confess - I stole this video from Sara's Facebook page. It's of Ryan playing with his nephews. It's just too funny! And so cute!
|
-
I got the following e-mail this morning from a good HPS friend, Nancy. Nancy and her husband owned a wine shop for a while with another couple. She's a wine lover! I'm posting this to support her efforts. I know at least one wine lover that reads this site. Grin! From Nancy: I have some exciting news to share with you! I’m back in the wine biz as a Wine Consultant for WineShop At Home. We offer wine tastings in the comfort of your home, monthly wine club, great stemware, personalized wine labels, and gifts. Dave and I have already sampled several of the wines and we are impressed! We’ve also tested the stemware against our Reidel and it definitely compares, at half the price!
I invite you to visit my website at http://www.wineshopathome.com/nancylee to learn more about the products and services I have to offer. While you’re there, sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter, The VinNote, that features wine lifestyle articles, product previews, and wine education.
I welcome the opportunity to conduct a wine tasting in your home. It’s a fun way to spend time with friends to celebrate a birthday, girls night out, etc. Everyone loves wine and learning all about it, so you can’t go wrong!
Some of you are not in close proximity to me but I’m sending you this information because I want you to think about me when you’re sending gifts to your friends, family, and business associates. We ship to many states and more are being added as we “speak.” For a list of states that we currently ship to, click here: http://www.wineshopathome.com/AboutUs/ServiceAreas.asp.
I look forward to hearing from you and to being your personal Wine Consultant! Please let me know how I can be of service. I thank you in advance for helping me make my business a success!
Cheers!
Nancy Lee
|
-
This is a press release from NORD, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, about Rare Disease Day. I'll write more about this later. Countdown to Rare Disease Day
CONTACT: Mary Dunkle mdunkle@rarediseases.org(203) 744-0100 (office)(203) 942-6443 (cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Day to Focus on Rare Diseases as Public Health Issue
Danbury, CT, Feb. 25, 2009-----Millions of Americans affected by rare diseases—and millions more around the world—will observe “Rare Disease Day” this Saturday (February 28, 2009) with special events, proclamations, and online postings.
A counter has been installed on the website of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) at www.rarediseases.org to count the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the first-ever Rare Disease Day to be observed in the United States.
“The theme of this day is that rare diseases are an important public health issue,” said NORD President Peter L. Saltonstall. “Although each disease may affect a small number of people, when considered together these diseases affect between 25 and 30 million Americans. And people with rare diseases share certain challenges such as difficulty getting a diagnosis, lack of treatment options, and problems related to reimbursement.”
NORD is organizing the Rare Disease Day observance in the U.S. Its counterpart in Europe, the European Rare Disease Organisation (EURORDIS), first got the idea for such a day last year and, this year, asked NORD to expand the observance to the U.S. Now, several other countries, including China and Australia, have signed on, too.
In the U.S., participating organizations asked their governors to issue proclamations declaring Feb. 28th Rare Disease Day in their state. At this time, the following states (shown in green) have issued proclamations:
A rare disease is one that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. There are nearly 7,000 such diseases affecting between 25 and 30 million people in the U.S.
On Saturday, patients and their families, researchers, medical professionals, and companies developing treatments will send messages around the world to raise awareness of rare diseases and the particular problems encountered by those affected. Several special events are planned around the country, and many videos, blogs, and patient stories will be posted online.
|
-
 Author and radio personality Debbie Mandel to speak at the HPS Family Conference
Living with health challenges can be stressful whether you’re a caregiver or the affected person. Get a few tips on how to manage those stressful situations from Debbie Mandel, a well-known stress management specialist. Mandel is back by popular demand after her humorous, energetic and heart-felt presentation last year. Come prepared to laugh and let go of life’s pressures.
Debbie Mandel, M.A is a stress-management specialist, radio show host, mind/body lecturer, creator of an educational website, and the author of three self-help books: Addicted to Stress:A Woman's 7 Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life, Turn On Your Inner Light: Fitness for Body, Mind and Soul and Changing Habits: The Caregivers’ Total Workout.She conducts inspiring stress-management workshops for people from all walks of life: Couples, medical personnel, cancer survivors, staff development, caregivers, nuns, teachers, young mothers, children and others. She is asked the tough questions which she answers honestly, directly and concretely. Debbie is a popular radio personality. In addition to guest spots on numerous radio shows nationwide, she hosts her own health/fitness radio show on WGBB radio in N.Y. (which airs Tuesdays from 7:00PM – 7:30PM, streams live on the internet and all shows are archived). Her guests are noteworthy physicians, therapists, nutritionists and authors like, Bernie Siegel, Michelle Wiener-Davis, Dale Atkins, Stacy Debroff, Pat Love, Pamela Peeke and David Zinczenko who set up links to her site when she archives their shows. She has been written about or significantly quoted in the NY Post, NY Times, NY Daily News, Newsday, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, London Times, Miami Herald, Denver Post, Oxygen Magazine, Woman’s World, First for Women, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Body and More Magazine, IDEA Fitness, etc. The NY Post, iVillage, Fox5 and NPR interviewed Debbie about her original concept how men and women can “Find Love at Home Depot.” Debbie has a BA from Brooklyn College, Phi Beta Kappa, Summa *** Laude and an MA from New York University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She was a high school English teacher and a college professor and and has since utilized her educational experience to help "you read life to get a sense of who you are."She took care of two parents with Alzheimer’s and is determined to be fully present. She embraces life with a sense of humor and fun which she brings to her own marriage. She has an uncanny ability to objectify stress, re-write the story with a positive spin, and fall in love again and again with life. Despite the tremendous stressors that caregiving places on a marriage, Debbie is able to enjoy a fulfilling marriage where she and her husband, Steve, feel romantic after all these years. Debbie is the mother of three children and a dog. Her hobbies include: gardening and landscaping, exercising, meditation, and belly dancing.
|
-
I've read a lot of horrible stories about the situation in Tansania and Burundi - but this one turned my stomach. I can't believe that humans are capable of being so cruel to one another. I know, nothing new to history, but I can't imagine it. Thank God it's beyond my personal understanding. I can't stop thinking about this child and his parents.
Albino boy slaughtered in Burundi
Agence France-PresseFebruary 24, 2009
BUJUMBURA - A six-year-old albino boy was dismembered alive in his home in Burundi, the latest in a string of murders linked to witchcraft, a police spokesman said Tuesday.
"Last night at around 10:00 pm (2000 GMT), a group of criminals attacked a family in Ruvumo town, in the northern province of Kayanza," Pierre Chanel Ntarabaganyi told AFP.
"They tied up the parents of a six-year-old albino boy and then chopped off his arms and legs before running away... The child was dismembered alive and his screaming woke up the entire neighbourhood."
To read the full story, go to: http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Albino+slaughtered+Burundi/1323777/story.html
|
-
This article comes from a newsletter that was forwarded to me. It's put together by a Web site called www.specialneedsanswers.com. I skimmed the site and I'll be going back - lots of good info there, especially for families of special needs kids. Some of these programs have really been hurting these past few years. I was very pleased to see that funding was being given to social security to help them with the backlog of disability claims. I really, really, really, need them to process my case and get the checks flowing. Things are starting to get very tight. Stimulus Package Includes Increased Spending on Programs for People With Special Needs
Last Updated: 2/18/2009
President Obama recently signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the second economic stimulus plan, into law. While not as far-reaching as the original House stimulus plan, the law does significantly increase federal spending across a wide range of initiatives, including many programs that help people with special needs. Some of the affected programs include:
$12.2 billion to increase funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants. These are used to fund special education programs on a state level. The increase in grants raises the federal government's share of special education costs (with the rest assumed by the states).
$500 million for the IDEA Infants and Toddlers program. This program funds state initiatives designed to assist families of children with special needs who are under 2 years of age.
$400 million for IDEA preschool grants. The grants fund educational programs that help preschool aged children with special needs.
One-time payments to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) recipients. This provision distributes an additional $250 per person one-time SSI or SSDI "bonus" payment, much like last year's economic stimulus payment. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has indicated that this payment will not count as income in the month it is received, although any funds retained by the beneficiary will count as a resource in the month following the distribution, much like a typical SSI payment.
$500 million to help the SSA speed up "processing disability and retirement workloads." Up to $40 million is also made available to help the agency utilize electronic medical records for disability claims.
$500 million in state formula grants. The grants are designed to update and repair job training facilities for people requiring vocational rehabilitation.
$87.5 million in funding for the creation and repair of independent living facilities.
Go to www.specialneedsanswers.com.
|
-
-
-
 Two of our bowlers - Lyra and her big brother Dominick.
|
-
 A few more pics from the NOAH bowl-a-thon....here's Lyra gulping down her drink. Grin!
|
-
 Here's a pic to get your juices flowing for conference. I might have posted this pic last year after conference - but I'm posting it again as I was so tickled to find it. Every year at the HPS conference we have what is called the "Family album" session. We all sit in a huge circle - all 200 plus of us - and everyone gives a brief update on what's happening in their lives, and what they are looking forward to in the next year. Here everyone is grinning because Ryan is telling us all that he's met this girl he really likes - it's his event of the year - and guess what? It was Sara. This year his big event will be getting married to the girl he told us all about last year. And I got a picture of the moment! Grin!
|
More Posts Next page »
|
|
|