I first heard about the HIV/AIDS virus as a youth growing up in Indiana in the mid 80s. Ryan White, an Indiana teen, was expelled from his middle school after contracting the virus through a contaminated blood treatment. The story created a firestorm of media coverage while raising millions of questions in communities all over… Continue reading Improving The Lives of Those with HIV/AIDS
Tag: impact
Lending A Hand Through A New Store
The Franciscan Center has been lending a hand to its neighbors for more than twenty years. Those in our community who are less fortunate are served through programs like food pantries, sack lunch deliveries, and a medicine cabinet. In fact, the organization serves more than 100,000 people in our area every year. We were first… Continue reading Lending A Hand Through A New Store
I’m Born To
What were you born to? Were you born to sing, to dance, to become a parent, to practice medicine, or change the world? There is no doubt that we were all born to be and/or do something. I believe that I was born to positively impact the lives of others. That is my purpose and thus… Continue reading I’m Born To
Teaching Global Marketplace to 25 Sixth Grade Boys
Could you engage with and teach 25 middle school students about the global marketplace? What if I told you that they were all boys? Feeling confident? Those were the questions that crossed my mind as I entered Mr. Mann's 6th grade class at Blackhawk Middle School. I was there as a volunteer for Junior Achievement… Continue reading Teaching Global Marketplace to 25 Sixth Grade Boys
Sometimes All You Need Is A Smile
I have two questions for you. First, can you say "Good morning! Welcome to Focus on Health! How are you today?" Let's try it. Say it with me, "Good morning! Welcome to Focus on Health! How are you today?" Awesome! Good work. Second, do you know how to smile? I know you do even if… Continue reading Sometimes All You Need Is A Smile
Rube Goldberg, Students, and A Lot Of Sawdust
Rube Goldberg was a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, sculptor, and author. He was well-known for his inventions that took simple tasks and made them unbelievably complex. A Goldberg contraption often featured an elaborate set of gears, arms, springs, wheels, and rods that were put into motion by balls, a canary cage, pails of water, boots,… Continue reading Rube Goldberg, Students, and A Lot Of Sawdust
Getting On Board
This week's volunteer experience is a little bit different from what we normally share. Most weeks I write about an experience with a specific organization. The goal is always to share our story, the lessons learned, and to shine a light on the great organizations that serve our community. This particular blog will highlight a… Continue reading Getting On Board
A Brown Bag Lunch To Stop Abuse
What is child abuse? Could you properly define it if someone asked? We could ask one hundred people and we would probably get one hundred different answers. I am sure that many definitions would be similar, but few would be the exact same. This is something that needs to be addressed. One of the best… Continue reading A Brown Bag Lunch To Stop Abuse
UPDATE: Linnie Mae’s New Friends
Two weeks ago we launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign for our new children's book LINNIE MAE'S NEW FRIENDS. Our goal was to raise $5000 to help cover the expenses involved in printing and distributing hard copies of the book. As of this post, we have reached the $3500 dollar mark and 70% funded. We feel… Continue reading UPDATE: Linnie Mae’s New Friends
A Cold Day in a Bounce House
One year ago, we were blessed with 80 degree temperatures on St. Patrick's Day. It was an extremely warm day for March in Northeast Indiana. This year, we were not as fortunate as below-average, near freezing temperatures and a stiff breeze graced the day. A holiday of green also featured some blue this year. Blue… Continue reading A Cold Day in a Bounce House
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