Proof Positivity: Honesty Flies High

Casey Taylor sat in a seat on a plane that held a heavy box under the seat. When she opened it up there was an Olympic Gold metal inside. She did a Google/ Facebook search and left a message on the Facebook account “Did you leave anything on the plane? Like maybe an iPod, maybe a wallet or perhaps a gold medal?”

Brendan Hansen didn’t know he had a Facebook account one of his sponsors had set it up. The Olympic gold medal was from the men’s 4×100 medley relay and Brendan had been looking for it. Casey was getting nowhere with Facebook so she decided to call she called the University of Texas, Hansen’s Alma mater. Brendan got the call from the athletic department of the school and it turns out that Brendan and Casey only live two miles away from each other.

Brendan insisted on rewarding her $1,000 which she in turn donated to The Red Cross and StandUp2Cancer.

Proof Positivity: Paul Newman

83 year old acting legend Paul Newman passed away Friday after battling cancer. He supported causes dealing with AIDS, Cancer, Children, Health, and Homelessness. He supported Canary Foundation, HELP USA, and Hole in the Wall Gang. Paul Newman was the founder of Hole in the Wall Gang.

Proof Positivity: Awards to hand out

This is not a meme. This site doesn’t even have to be linked to the award. Before I give out the award I would like for you to view a video.

The following are a few blogs that make a difference in the lives of others.

Twenty Five Days to Make a Difference
Make a Difference Blog
Teddy Tour Giving Victims a Voice

A butterfly goes through a cycle of life. Starting from something that may not be so pretty to something beautiful and majestic. A butterfly is inspirational. It gently glides through the wind as if music plays under it’s wings.

Geoffrey’s Place
Ya-attitude.com
This Time~This Space
Nardeeisms
The Fearless Blog
Naked In Eden

Proof Positivity has been awarded another Brilliante Weblog Award from Pentad. So, you can copy and paste awards here.

This is a meme here are rules

l. The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.
2. Add a link to the person who you received the award from.
3. Nominate up to seven other blogs.
4. Then add their links to your blog.
5. Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on to in the comments section of their blog.

I will list one to Chelle. I love her photography blog. I swear I smell fresh air when I visit. I can’t link the other one. (you know the one I’m talking about) This is geared toward kids give that one an award too.

Proof Positivity: Journey of Jane

Jane wants to walk across America for three charities American Heart Association , American Diabetes Association , American Cancer Society . Jane has two children neither live with her. She quit her job as a headstart teacher and is ready to follow her dream. This is going to be a coast to coast walk and no one has walked for three charities across America. The Nike corporation has already been contacted with more work along the way. Why would she walk for those three specifically? Thelma Josephine Bowling was a diabetic. She suffered uterine cancer, and then, eventually, heart disease that shank her heart and led to her passing away. Jane has taken care of her mom through all of the illness. Driving to doctors appointments nearly 90 miles away from home. Thelma Jo Bowling is a family member that is missed a great deal. I am a contributer to Jane’s blog, I’m her daughter. In the name of Thelma Josephine Bowling, my grandmother, my mom will walk across America.

Proof Positivity: Carity Water September Campaign

Charity: Water has a goal of raising $1.5 million to build 333 wells in Ethiopia to provide clean water. September matches Charity: Water’s birthday. They are asking everyone born in September to give up presents and ask for money to fund the wells. Founder Scott Harrison asked for his birthday to give $32 donations to build a well in Kenya, Africa instead of gifts. $159,000 was raised and it all went toward three hospitals and one school. 75% of Ethiopia has no access to clean drinking water. They can’t boil water, tree cutting is illegal in much of the north, and firewood is reserved for cooking. There is very little rainfall and this adds to lack of clean water.
charity: water is a non-profit initiative bringing clean water
and basic sanitation to people in developing nations.
a $20 bottle can give a person safe, clean water for 20 years.

4,500 children die each day from diseases caused by a lack of safe
drinking water and proper sanitation

Women and children walk up to six hours to get to water. Most of the time water comes from contaminated sources that is shared with animals. On the trip back home the jugs of water weigh about 40 pounds.

Proof Positivity: What Does Peace Mean to Me?

As previously mentioned today is the International Day of Peace.

The question is: What does peace mean to me?

Peace is a time in the world where there is no slavery. Community service organizations would not be needed there would be no poverty, child abuse, or harm done to any man, woman, or child. The guns of the malitia would silence themselves. All humans on Earth would destroy all their weapons. Governments would talk instead of have war. No one would take over for someone else’s resources.

Peace is the moment I can close my eyes and know my children will be ok in this world.

Peace is the moment I hear the birds sing.

Peace is the moment I can smell the fresh country air.

Peace is the moment when golden color on the trees arrive.

Peace is sitting on my swing on a crisp fall morning.

Peace is a good book.

Peace is Christmas eve.

Peace is joy.

Peace is hapiness.

Peace is when we can all be one and help our fellow man.

Proof Positivity: Ark of Hope

Proof Positivity author Blair Corbett sent this to me. Please click on the image to read.

Ark of Hope

Blair’s Article

Proof Positivity: New Hope

In 1998 a woman was made infertile due to cancer. This isn’t unusual or new but what is unusual is she had a transplant using her own ovarian tissue. The woman conceived a baby girl.
Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium spokesman “The research team has managed to achieve what no other team in the world has been able to do – give a young women who underwent cryo-preservation of ovarian tissue prior to cancer treatment the gift of pregnancy.” She was suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Within four month of putting her tissue back in place the graft was working. After four years of enforced menopause her girl time started again and she became pregnant.

Proof Positivity Special Event:

On Sunday, September 21, 2008 Proof Positivity will be recognizing a day of peace. There will be a special post on Sunday about my thoughts on what peace means to me.

Proof Positivity: The Opportunity Foundation of America

The Opportunity Foundation of America was founded in 2000 and it has helped over 800 people. “Vision Statement: To improve the quality of life for children and adults with severe physical challenges.” Imagine that your child has a severe disability. Your child can’t talk and is paralyzed. What if there’s no way to communicate with your child? The Opportunity Foundation of America holds a partnership with Boston College which created Eagle Eyes. This is a long video but wonderful so bare with me. Eagle Eyes has given a some very special children the opportunity to communicate.

Donate:
Send Donations to: OFOA\EagleEyes atten:
Debbie Inkley
7166 Villandrie Lane
Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
Volunteer:
Become an EagleEyes trainer.
Sponsor:
Sponsor an EagleEyes System.

Proof Positivity: Ethiopian Traveling Library

Yohannes Gebregeorgis founded Ethiopia Reads in 1998. Can you imagine your own child never having the opportunity to hold a book in his or her hand? Without knowledge and reading you can’t have a job not even fast food. “Ethiopia Reads is a grassroots non profit/non government organization geared toward bringing literacy and literacy related resources to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia Reads Mission Statement: to develop a reading culture in Ethiopia by connecting children with books.”

58% of Ethiopians age 15 and above cannot read.
Classes in government schools around typically have approximately 180 students at a time.
At present, 99% of schools in Ethiopia have no libraries!

This is a beginning with knowledge comes power. This is the beginning. Because someone cared enough to bring books these children will have the know how to one day create businesses and make Ethiopia a country that’s wealthy.

The goal is to open 100 libraries by 2010.

Proof Positivity: Darfur

I came across a very educational online game. You need to run from the militia which is nearly impossible. It seems that every time you think you’re safe the militia is around and you’re really not safe. Reebok Human Rights Foundation and the International Crisis Group launched Darfur Digital Activist contest.

Over 300,000 people have died from conflict and diseases and 2.5 million displaced from the conflict. There is a very tough video to watch

At BBC there is a list of places that you can go to to help the situation in Darfur.

The reason I have posted this is because something needs to be done and there are ways to help but more needs to be done. I know this isn’t positive news but it does involve community service and good news and community service are what I am all about.

Proof Positivity: Locks of Love

This little boy has donated his hair to Locks of Love. “Our mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children. The children receive hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need.”

Proof Positivity: Envelope Please…

As mentioned previously, this site has won an award and now I must come up with my nomminations for Brillante Weblog Premio 2008.

l. The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.
2. Add a link to the person who you received the award from.
3. Nominate up to seven other blogs.
4. Then add their links to your blog.
5. Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on to in the comments section of their blog.

I think I will nominate only three this go around

Robin Easton at Naked In Eden Blog a wonderful and deserving person.

Nardeeisms because I cherish her friendship.

Mark Stoneman of Stoneman’s Corner because he has given me some really good advice in the past and been really supportive.

Proof Positivity: Blogging for invisible illness week

“National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is held annually in September and is a worldwide effort to bring together people who live with invisible chronic illness and those who love them. Organizations are encouraged to educate the general public, churches, healthcare professionals and government officials about the impact of living with a chronic illness that is not visually apparent.”
Almost half of the population of America, that’s about 133 million, has a chronic condition such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, migranes, or even pain from a car accident. 96% live with an illness that is invisible. They seem perfectly healthy. 60% are between the ages of 18- 64. 9 million are cancer survivors who are having side effects from treatment.

A few sites to look at:
The ICI Experience: Where I Blog About All Aspects Of My Experience of Living With ICI
The Invisible Disabilities Advocate
Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Invisable Illness Week Blog

This is a video from last year but the information is still relevant.

For help:
The Hopeline for those suffering with depression

Firomyalga:

Panic Atacks
Fibro and Nutrition
Summarizes Fibro
Fibromyalgia Friends
Living With Fibro
Fibro Network News
How I Live With It
Diagnosed Lupus
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
TMJ, IBS, Relation to Fibro
Fibro’s Related Illnesses
Vitamin B-12 Shots
My Name Is Fibro
Fibro And Chronic Fatigue
Fibro Financial Help Info
Myofascial Syndrome
American Fibro Asso.
Fibromyalgia Research
Helpful Fibro Sites
Having MS and Fibro
Fibro and Pregnancy
Fibro Fact’s
Fibro Disability Info
Sleep Problems
Restless Legs
MS, Fibro and Lupus
All About CFIDS
Fibro And Me
Lupus Foundation
Fibromyalgia Fog

Proof Positivity: International Day of Peace

September 21 marks the International day of peace. “On 21 September, the International Day of Peace, where I call on world leaders and peoples around the world to join forces against conflict, poverty and hunger, and for all human rights for all.” — UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Peace Day is all about creating acts of peace. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982. In 2002 September 21st became the official date.

“Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace.”

On this day there will be a political and personal ceasefire. What are you doing September 21st?

Proof Positivity: What inspires you?

I want to start a once a week series here on Proof Positivity called “What inspires you?” What I want to know is Who inspires you the most? What have they done to be so inspirational? When in your life did they influence you the most? Give as much detail as possible . If you have a blog link leave that as well.

Blogger’s Unite

On November 1oth will be the next Blogger’s Unite initiative. “Bloggers Unite is an attempt to harness the power of the blogosphere to make the world a better place. By asking bloggers to write about a particular subject on 1 day of the month, a single voice can be joined with thousands to help make a difference; from raising awareness for cancer, to an effort to better education systems or supporting 3rd world countries. Read More“

We will be tackling the subject of refugees and we will be linking to Refugee’s United “About Refugees United
Refugees United is a non-profit organization that helps refugees relocate family and friends through the use of the Internet.
Refugees United provides refugees with an anonymous forum to reconnect with missing family. By registering with nick- names, scars, former locations and other markers only identifiable to family and close friends, everyone can remain ‘invisible’ to all but relatives.
All refugees are welcome, regardless of conflict, place or time.
Refugees United is an independent, non-political, non-religious NGO.
No third party is involved. No official papers need to be filled in.
The service is free of charge, easy and safe.
The Refugees United search engine is the first of it’s kind. Visit Refugees United to see how it works and to learn more about the work that Refugees United is doing. “

You can check out the Blogger’s Unite site where there is much more information than I have given you.

Speaking of Uniting to make a difference, so will the networks. They are uniting to Stand Up to Cancer. Friday at 8:00 EDT on ABC, NBC, CBS, and cable’s E Entertainment Channel will spend an hour on discussing research, raising awareness, and fundraising. Be on the lookout for that.

Proof Positivity: Michael Phelps Giving Back

“What [Jordan] did for the sport of basketball, hopefully I can learn from him a little bit and take what he did and put it into swimming,” Phelps told Bloomberg Radio.” Chicago-Sun Times
Michal Phelps has spent 12 years in Swimming. His heroes are his mom and Michael Jordan. He wants to help children form an interest in swimming. Who is better qualified to teach or help develop interest in swimming than gold medalist Michael Phelps?
Interesting Reads:
Michael Phelps blog

Proof Positivity: Patrick Henery Hughes

Here is a father /son duo that will bring tears to your eyes. I will let the video do the talking and tell you what you won’t know by the end of the video. This young man has been interviewed by everyone under the sun ESPN, ABC-TV, Oprah, CBS-TV, The Ellen Show, Extreme Make Over Home Edition, FOX-TV, CSTV, NBC-TV, The Grand Ole Opry, People Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Star Magazine. Yes, the list did include Extreme Makeover Home Edition. For a $500 donation you get the full set of floor plans. “Truly the week of the build and the months following have been magical.We always felt that our company was representing the building industry and possibly the whole community as we constructed this home. Patrick (the father), mentioned after viewing over 1000 photos from that week that in every picture everyone was smiling. Everyone looked so happy. I told him, it really was a labor of love for all involved.” From Extreme Makeover Home Edition blog .

What would you do for your child? Would you run a marathon? Work all night to preform in the band the following day? Would you climb Mt. Everest? Jump from a plane? What is the extreme you would go to in the name of love?

Proof Positivity: Hannah’s Lunchbox

What do you do when you want to make a difference in the world? The Salwen family decided to sell their home. They felt they have so much already while there are others who have much less. The Salwen family intends to move into a home half of the size of the one they are currently living in and using the remainder of the proceeds from selling their house to go to The Hunger Project.

The idea to sell the family home came from 15 year old Hannah finding herself on An Atlanta street between a Mercedes and a homeless panhandler. Joan and Kevin Salwin saw an opportunity to teach leadership. Hannah and 13 year old Joseph knew sacrifice was involved and giving up some of their possessions was part of it.

I feel that these children are natural born leaders. Hannah started volunteering in the 5th grade working at Cafe 458 which serves homeless people and at the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Joseph began working in the food bank when he was 8.

Where Can you check out this gorgeous home? You can go to Hannah’s Lunchbox or call Sally George at (404) 783-3842