Room to Read

Check out Room to Read, where they believe "world change starts with educated children."

The Meaning of Memorial Day

Fresh Baked Bread

Wow. This piping-hot, fresh-baked wheat bread couldn't have arrived at my doorstep at a better time.

It's been a long few days at work, today happens to be the coldest day in Lake Hughes history (by my books at least). The wind is blowing, it is freezing, and it's May! Nearly June! 

Then, just when I sit down for dessert after not really having eaten a proper dinner, I get a knock at my door. My good neighbor, Gina, who says, "I wasn't sure who would be home but I made wheat bread! It's perfect because it makes 2 loaves so I have one to share!" 

Yes, happiness and warmth landed in my fingertips via a fresh-baked, homemade loaf of wheat bread. Ahhhh... just when I thought I might have to "find" something to blog about... the world proves me wrong again. Wow.  

Green Mountain Coffee...

...brewing a better world.

Green Mountain coffee believes, "in using the power of business to make the world a better place. Each step on the long road from tree to cup gives us an opportunity to create better coffee, and a better world. From carefully sourcing and roasting the highest quality beans, to empowering employees and protecting the environment, we focus on what's important. Our goal is to create truly inspired coffee that's environmentally sound, socially just, and undeniably delicious."

From protecting the environment to raising awareness around sustainable products, to partnering with supply-chain communities to supporting local communities, Green Mountain prides themselves on corporate responsibility.

In 2009, their employees donated over 10,000 hours of time to deserving organizations. They also gave nearly 1 million dollars to 1,200 organizations. And every year they increase their goals.

I'm no coffee drinker, but I've heard Green Mountain tastes great - and this makes it even more delicious! Go, Green Mountain!

Backbone: Stand in the Storm

Start the video at 2:11 to hear the song!

Meat Loaf, John Rich, Lil John, and Mark McGrath from this past season's Celebrity Apprentice, reuinted Team Backbone for charity once more - for Stand in the Storm.

100% of the proceeds from Stand in the Storm will be donated to the four celebrities charities - St. Jude Children's Research Center (John Rich), The United Methodist Children's Home of North Georgia (Lil John), Save the Music Foundation (Mark McGrath), and The Painted Turtle (Meat Loaf).

Stand in the Storm is available on iTunes. Download now!

Happy 1/2 birthday, 365 Days of Service

Happy half-birthday to 365 Days of Service!

For the past 6 months, since Thanksgiving Day, many individuals have been celebrating service and today we recognize all those that have contributed, followed, encouraged, and supported the efforts of 365!

What has happened in the past 6 months? Together, we:

• Watched a selfless woman collect stray shopping carts in a parking lot so they wouldn't hit other cars
• Found ourselves speechless as samaritans stood up for the survivors of Pearl Harbor
• Marched for Babies
• Learned how to live a plastic free life
• Appreciated supportive co-workers
• Investigated the gift of anonymous greeting cards
• Been offered marriage
• Recognized those who empower others in their health and independence
• Appreciated our parents
• Done what is right!
• Helped teens reach their college dreams
• Responded to one request: good thoughts.
• Paid the difference
• Been a Big Sister
• Shared books with children
• Learned of 500 places to make a difference

Yes, we've made a difference - and we've celebrated a lot of service. And the best part? We're only halfway there. There are 182 more days to share!

365 thanks all contributors and followers. Your eyes and heart for service is evident and it is because of individuals like you that 365 successfully highlights the good in all of us.

Keep seeing, keep believing, keep sharing. Happy half-birthday to the 365 Days of Service community!

Encouraging Cards

Sometimes we have hard days. This morning I woke up and I knew that today might be one of them. It's not anything overly concerning or bad - but my plate was stacked with a line-up that was more than usual. In the end I was confident it would all turn out - but I knew I'd be happier and relieved at the end of the day compared to the beginning. Out of my bed I went...

And the day proved to be what I anticipated. Challenging at multiple points. Manageable but not ideal.

Working with a group of people who are so kind, sensitive, and caring, I was fortunate to come to my desk at the end of the day and find this wonderful card. Inside were messages of encouragement and support - and it means the most when it comes from the people that know you best.

Thanks, team.

For the Kids

Marlee Matlin and John Rich performed the world debut of "For the Kids" in the season finale of the Celebrity Apprentice this weekend.

I watched. I was inspired. I wanted to share.

Help for Joplin, Missouri

Here's how to help the tornado victims of Joplin, Missouri. Please help. Send positive thoughts and love their way!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/23/joplin.how.to.help/index.html?hpt=C1

Masanga Marimba Ensemble

Masanga Marimba Ensemble Farmer's Market Clip from YouTube


Last month 365 recently featured a couple of posts on local famers' markets. Today, another reason why farmer's markets are amazing.


Every Sunday, the Santa Monica Farmers' Market features local, live music. Every artist different - every artist one that exposes the community to music that most would not know of otherwise. Me included.


It only took one Sunday performance for me to know that the Masanga Marimba Ensemble is some of the most fun, upbeat music I will ever enjoy. Masanga plays modern and traditional music from Latin America and Africa on 7 Zimbabewan marimbas. The best part? They encourage everyone to get up and dance, they allow children to come and play the marimbas, and they bring a crowd of people - a community - together in celebration of their music.

Celebrities put star power to good use

As a part of an organization who benefitted from Meat Loaf's play in this season's Celebrity Apprentice, this immediately caught my eye (not to mention the man on the front screen!).



Celebrities donate to charity, serve as spokespeople for good causes, and even start their own. Check out this Charity Navigator list of celebrities doing good!

Charity Navigator

Charity Navigator: Your guide to intelligent giving.

"Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of over 5,500 of America's largest charities."  It is an independent, non-profit, which through their evaluations of organizations help inform donor decisions and help non-profits showcase their committment to smart spending and stewardship.

Charity Navigator provides a number of resources when it comes to charitable giving. It guides individuals with "Top Ten Lists," Tips and Resources, Featured Articles, and hot topics. Through Charity Navigator you can find the "Top 10 Slam Dunk Charities,"  "How to Avoid Charity Scams when donating to the Japan Relief Fund," or read "Donors and Non-Profit Leaders: In which ways do they see eye-to-eye."

Through Charity Navigator you are able to search their 5,000+ charity database and click on their page to see their ratings. Each page also leads you to similar interest organizations - which is a great way to learn about even more charities! Check it out today!

The Heart of the City - Santa Monica's Carousel

Just today a friend pulled out a newspaper article from the LA Times on July 26, 2009. She handed me the article and said, "Read this - for 365." Perfect timing!

If you have a moment, please read this article, "Santa Monica's heart revolved around it," the story of the historic carousel housed in the Looff Hippodrome on the Santa Monica Pier. The story of the carousel is the story of the city.

The highlighted paragraph for us all to learn from says this, "The Roths, who build and maintain wooden facades for Disney and other clients, have added a "guest animal" to the carousel. Recently it was a rabbit. Next comes a dinosaur, a triceratops. Though a newly constructed unpainted horse is part of the circling herd, it's there as a learning tool, to show visitors how the carousel animals are carved. Out of respect to the original horses, a new equine will never be added." 

Wikipedia

Do you remember the days of the Encyclopedia? Encyclopedia Britannica, anyone?

I remember when our first Encyclopedia Britannica arrived to our door. My mother opened the boxes with pride - an investment to the knowledge and growth of her children! Throughout school I'd research pages and pages for different reports and turn the tissue-paper thin pages with care. To me, the fragility of the pages represented the importance of the books. I knew if I treated it with care, it would treat me well too. 

Gone are the days of the bound Encyclopedia. Welcome, Wikipedia.

Here's what Wikipedia says about Wikipedia:
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. It's 18 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world, and almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site. Wikipedia was launched in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger and has become the largest and most popular general reference work on the internet...365 million readers.

I've been a slow taker to the online tool - always one to be hesitant of new technology and protector of the soon-to-be lost art of bound books! But, I do admit, with every single google search, wikipedia is always a reliable reference for my needs. Quick information right at my fingertips!

Fun wikipedia fact of the day: "The name Wikipedia was coined by Larry Sanger and is a portmanteau of wiki (a techonology for creating collaborative websites, from the Hawaiian word wiki,  meaning "quick") and encyclopedia!

Mason Jar Goodies

My version of the Mason Jar... Tupperware.
Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, of course.

Mason jar mixes have grown to be very easy, thoughtful, and often time delicious gifts!

Although I prefer the Tupperware gift over the Mason jar, the thought and deliciousness is all the same...

Prepacked dry goods + directions for wet ingredients and baking =

Your favorite treat gifted for someone else to enjoy!

What's not to love of the Mason jar gift? You allow people to enjoy a good treat. You share a great recipe. You give them a fun activity to do when the time is right. It's cute. It's thoughtful. It's delicious. A pretty great combination of stuff. Just add a little butter, a couple of eggs, a teaspoon of vanilla. Put in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Voila!

The above was gifted to our wonderful auditor. While I have no idea what the auditing world is like - this is what I know... Our auditors are really friendly, encouraging and supportive of our camp program and our staff.  They fit right in with everyone in our office and we (as in me and others who have nothing to do with the auditing process) look forward to their visit every year. That's how nice they are! And they bring us doughnuts and more importantly, they bring their good spirits! As is tradition, every year when one of our auditors comes into our office we celebrate her birthday. Enjoy the cookies! Happy Birthday, Brie!

Homeboy Industries

Homeboy Industries Tortilla Strips sold at the local grocery store!

Jobs not jails.

Homeboy Industries "assists at-risk and formerly gang involved youth to become positive and contributing members of society through job placement, training, and education."

Homeboy Industries started as a job placement program in the roughest neighborhoods in LA and has grown to offer multiple free services to individuals to assist them in redirecting their lives. Counseling, education and skill development, legal services, job training, job placement, tatoo removal, counseling, substance abuse and addiction assistance, are among the services they provide. In addition, Homeboy Industries runs four businesses: Homeboy Bakery, Homeboy Silkscreen and Embroidery, Homeboy/Homegirl Merchandise, and Homegirl Cafe. These business serve as training programs for individuals and once individuals complete their program they become eligible for jobs within these successful businesses.

Why do they do this? "By offering multi-level solutions, Homeboy Industries recognizes that moving beyond gang life is a process, and that re-directing lives in a positive direction strengthens not only the individual, but also that person's family, providing a more constructive, healthy environment for their children, and, by extension, to the community at large."

Here are some startling facts from the Homeboy website:

• In East Los Angeles, over 53% of adults never completed high school
• In October 2010, Education Week labeled Los Angeles the "dropout epicenter" of the nation
• Los Angeles County is home to 34% of California's poor, with a poverty rate of 16.1%
• 75% of youth gang homicides in California occur in Los Angeles County

Homeboy Industries is an incredible organization who makes good on their mission. "Nothin stops a bullet like a job."

Children give to charity

The most thoughtful gift-giving I have seen have come from children... children who thoughtfully give their gifts to someone else in need.

I'm fortunate to be inspired by one family, including 3 boys, who give all of their birthday gifts to charity - every year, every boy's birthday. Mom and Dad, who know they can provide a gift for each of their sons, encourages their children to learn more about giving by giving to others. On birthday party invites their childs tell friends about a specific charity and encourage all party-goers to give a gift that will benefit the children of the chosen charity.

Last week I saw mom and son. With pride they said, "we dropped off another birthday party donation." Then son followed up this, "And our friends are catching on. One of my friends had a birthday party and he donated his presents too!" Wow!

365 salutes these children who so selflessly and thoughtfully give to others!

Feeding America

Feeding America is the nation's largest hunger-relief charity.

A network of over 200 foodbanks nation-wide, Feeding America provides over 3 billion pounds of food and grocery products to individuals in need each year. The number of individuals they serve? 37 million. 14 million of those served are children and another 3 million are seniors.

Here's what they say:
Through the assistance of local and national food assistance programs. Feeding America is able to provide nutritious, fresh foods to Americans struggling with hunger; safe and nurturing places for children to have a meal; emergency assistance for disaster victims, as well as a chance at self-sufficiency for adults trying to break the cycle of poverty and hunger.

Today is Stamp Out Hunger across the United States. Partnering with Feeding America, letter carriers will pick up non-perishable foods at your mailbox and deliver it to your local foodbank.

Didn't have a chance to put out your non-perishables today? Click here to find your local foodbank.

Stamp Out Hunger!

Tomorrow, May 14th, is Stamp Out Hunger across the nation. "Fill a bag. Feed families."

It's easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Place non-perishable food items in a bag.
2. Leave this bag at your mailbox on Saturday, May 14th
3. Letter carriers pick up your donation and deliver to your local food bank.

Good items to donate? Canned goods (meats, fruit, soup, vegetables), cereal, pasta, rice, and bottled juice.

Why? Hunger happens in your own backyard. You can help.

Last year, generous contributions resulted in 77 million pounds of Stamp Out Hunger success. Join tomorrow. Help Stamp Out Hunger!

Happy Nurses Week!

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in honoring nurses - over 3 million of them!

May 6-12 is National Nurses Week, a week dedicated to honor our hard-working, intelligent, caring and according to a recent Gallup Poll, the "most trusted" professionals! 

Here's a wonderful Kaiser Permanente radio ad that properly honors our nurses. As they suggest, nurses, take a bow!

B.Y.O.Bag

B.Y.O.Bag = Bring your own bag!

In a recent visit to Maui, HI, I quickly noticed that when at the store, merchants wouldn't give out any plastic bags. I, having been away from the island for 6 months, wasn't prepared with a reusable shopping bag (sigh, sorry!). The cashier asked me, "Do you have a bag?" with a puzzling look as to why I wouldn't have one. I've not received that response before when not having my reusable shopping bag in hand - but clearly, I knew that I was missing something!

Now in Los Angeles, all of my reusable bags are kept in my trunk and I'm not caught without one (well, hardly ever). Goodness knows that I keep waiting to win the Trader Joe's weekly drawing for shoppers who use reusable bags. Winner receives a $10 TJ gift certificate! I always hope my phone rings with such good news.

But I wasn't prepared on Maui. And be not mistaken, this is not the place to be caught empty-handed.

On January 1, 2011 (1-11-11) Maui County made history when the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinanace was put into effect. From that day on, all plastic bags were banned at checkout. Their reason? When living in paradise and surrounded by beautiful marine life, there's nothing good to come of stray plastic bags in this environment. So, simple enough, they cut it out!

And when I was there, I didn't hear one person complain. Every person in line - whether at a clothing store or the market - had their bag in hand. It was the norm, their culture, together taking care of the 'aina (land).

Here are some interesting facts from the County of Maui website...
Did you know?

• Plastic bags represent 4 of every 5 bags given out at grocery stores. When they were invented, they were introduced as the alternative to the paper bag.
• Between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year.
• Plastic bags and other plastic waste makes its way into the oceans and result in injuries and deaths of numerous marine animals and birds who mistake the debris for food or prey.
• The "Great Garbage Patch" floats between HI and San Francisco. This trash patch is estimated to be twice the size of Texas!
• The 30 million plastic bags used in the US annually requires 12 million barrels of oil.
• The average American uses 300-700 plastic bags a year. If every individual tied their used bags together in a chain, it would wrap the world 760 times!

Those are more than enough reasons to ditch the plastic and grab the fantastic - the reusable shopping bag!

B.Y.O.Bag = Bring your own bag!

Powering Economic Opportunity: Creating a World that Works

Here's an a great opportunity I learned from the Idealist.org blog.

Ashoka Changemakers and the eBay Foundation have teamed up for Powering Economic Opportunity: Creating a World that Works. This competition awards $50,000 to five US winners who develop the most innovative, market-based solution that will provide sustainability and employment opportunity to disadvantaged populations around the world. 

Deadline to enter is June 15, 2011 and winners will be those ideas that have proven effective and are replicable.

Read the entries. Be inspired!

Idealist.org

Now here's something that is right up the 365 Days of Service alley: Idealist.org

Whether you're looking for a way to serve right in your neighborhood - or on the other side of the world - idealist.org is your one stop shop!

With over 12,000 volunteer opportunity listings, Idealist guides individuals to assess their interests to find the best match and supports individuals to get involved in service in many different ways.

Idealist represents over 61,000 worthy organizations! Whether it's to find a new volunteer opporutnity or to learn about a new organization, please, check out Idealist today!

Happy Mother's day!

Mom (front) and Wendell skiing!

This is how cool my mother is!

In a day that honors mothers, it is only fitting for 365 Days of Service to pay tribute to one of the best moms out there, Jan Sakuma!

I'm lucky that my mother happens to be one of my best friends. We share everything together - good, bad, ugly, and beautiful. She loves me unconditionally!

She doesn't know this but when applying for a job one of the questions was "Name a person, real of fictional, who inspires you. Please explain." Here's my response:

"My mom because she loves me unconditionally. What inspires me most about my mom is the way she makes me feel. I can call her when I'm happy, sad, excited, disappointed, grumpy, or overly optimistic and she will always be consistent in her love. Probably one of the things I love best about her is that sometimes I think up crazy dreams for myself to accomplish - and she believes I can achieve them. It is from her unending love and support that I feel I can go out and accomplish my dreams. And, what inspires me most is her model allows me to offer this same support to people in my life. She makes me believe that if every child had so much love and support to believe in their dreams, they can and will become their best - and that is what they deserve."
Thanks, Momma for truly being the best! I love you!

365 Days of Service salutes every Mother out there - my sister who is a wonderful mother, my friends who are wonderful mothers, all the grandmothers of this world... Mom's really do make the world go 'round!

Beads of Courage

Beads of Courage is a wonderful organization that provides the arts-in-medicine program to over 90 children's hospitals across the country. For every procedure, every poke, for a length of stay in the hospital, every milestone - children receive a bead to represent their journey, and their courage.

Through the Beads of Courage program, children collect beautiful glass beads they string together to represent their medical care and treatment. This collection of beads become a sense of pride, a story of resilience, and support children coping through hospitalization. 

Learn more about Beads of Courage!

Coach a youth team

Cheering crowds at an old, local, hometown gym called me in to get a piece of the action. Inside, a school-age, co-ed, friendly basketball game between to schools!

Fans were stomping their feet on the bleachers, teammates cheered, "De-fense...de-fense..." and screams were heard across the gym (and outside!) anytime a basket was scored. 

Being in this environment makes me appreciate all of those youth coaches out there who volunteer their time to support the development of youngsters.

Here are just some of the benefits of youth sports - and coaches make it all happen! Children:

• Participate an activity they find enjoyable and fun
• Get good exercise!
• Learn how to work as a part of a team.
• Learn the benefits of being a part of a team.
• Learn a new skill
• Understand and follow rules of the game
• Practice fair play
• Build agility, endurance, speed, strength
• Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and winning
• Learn how to be a good sport when the result doesn't turn out as you hope
• Practice responsibility in meeting the demands of the sport (practices, games, skill-building)
• Appreciate the value of truly giving your best effort
• Experience different emotions and learn to express them appropriately
• Find comraderie and friendships among teammates
• Create lasting memories of childhood sports
• Develop a positive self-image
• Learn and practice leadership skills
• Work as a team to accomplish goals
• Enjoy the half-time and end-of-game snack!
• Progress in skills!
• Have a lot of fun! 

365 takes this day to salute the millions of youth coaches who, everyday, invest in the health, well-being, and development of children through sports!

Happy Boys Day!

Happy Boys' Day! Often the holiday overshadowed by Cinco de Mayo, Boys' Day is a national Japanese holiday that celebrates the growth and development, health and wellness of boys. 

 In honor of Boys' Day, carp streamers fly across Japan - and in HI too! - representing the boys in the family. Stories tell us that the carp is the chosen flag as carp are the strongest, most resilient fish, and strongest in spirit. Thus is it chosen as the representation of the young males to symbolize their strength and ability to lead and overcome life's obstacles. 

To all the women out there, be nice to men and boys today. Children across the state of Hawai'i are putting up the boys' chairs afterschool as an act of kindness to their male friends in honor of this day to celebrate the boys.

Fear not, ladies of this world, Girls' Day is March 3rd!

Bless You!

As simple (and maybe slightly strange) as this may sound, I've been keenly aware to strangers saying, "Bless you" after sneezes!

Two days ago, the person sitting in the row behind me on the airplane. I sneeze and from the seat behind me I hear a quiet, "bless you."

Yesterday, at a beach. Sitting on my beach blanket, sneeze, and another "bless you" from the person next to me - about 10 feet away!

Today, the store. In the market, a woman sneezes. The person walks by and offers a considerate "bless you" to her.

It was probably the airplane person that tipped me off on this "Bless you" phenomenon. I just didn't expect it from the row behind me. The person next to me, maybe, but the person behind me - hardly. I realize that people say bless you all the time but maybe it's more than all the time! I'm used to hearing it from people I know, but receiving it from strangers all the time or seeing strangers offering it to one another, now that isn't something I've paid enough attention to!

Even if just in response to a little sneeze, it's nice to know that so many are so considerate of one another - offer plenty of blessings along the way!

Gift of Tickets

Aliya and her gifted tickets!

In a special "Aliya and Aunty" afternoon while we waited for Mommy to get her haircut at the mall, Aliya said she wanted her special treat to be playing games at the Fun Factory, Hawai'i's version of the arcade game-wins tickets-redeem for prizes center for children.

Aunty splurges on some 20 tokens for Aliya to play games and let's her choose exactly how she wants to spend her tokens. First stop, whack-a-mole! Aliya settled into the game next to 4 teenagers - obviously outsmarting the game with their combined efforts to hit every single mole that popped up.

Aliya played her game and Aunty cheered her on. As soon as the game was done, one of the teens came up to Aliya and gave her all of their team winnings! See picture above - a lot of tickets to add to Aliya's 3 tickets she won.

The teens were just there to have fun, mindless activity with friends. It was so nice of them to share their winnings - they obviously didn't care about them - but knew that it would make a diffference to a 4-year-old who earned about 5% of the tickets she had in the end! Jackpot!

And, if the teens only knew how happy they made her. See below, Aliya models what she chose for her "winnings." A stunning princess ring, sparkling disco ball necklace, and a snack-size candy bar to top it all off!

May Day

Since 1928, May 1st is May Day in Hawai'i. Every year on May 1st, the state of Hawai'i celebrates island culture - and Native Hawaiian culture specifically. It is also tradition that May Day is also Lei day in the islands where a "holiday" is celebrated around the making, giving, and receiving of lei.

Yesterday, with the lucky timing of arriving to the islands on May Day, I was gifted with this beautiful 3-strand crown flower lei from my aunty. Why I love this lei, you ask? First, I returned to the islands and was immediately immersed in the great island culture and celebration when given this lei. Second, my aunty greeted me right as I stepped to the baggage claim with this lei - and a big hug (traditionally given one with the other). Third, and my favorite, my aunty made this lei and made it completely with flowers from her backyard! A wonderful combination of aloha!

Hope everyone had a wonderful May Day! Thanks, Aunty, Uncle, and Leesh for making mine the best!

On Fire Japan

Hi Everyone,

These fellow Pepperdine Waves are working in Japan and have established On Fire Japan Tohoku Aid to help others know how to support Japan after the earthquake/tsunami.

Thank you to another fellow Wave, Sarah, representing 365 Days of Service, Nashville Chapter, for sharing this with us!