Redefining Christmas? There is a radio campaign on the air currently using this as their tag line. If you visit https://webmail.cboki.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.changingthepresent.org/ you will find a wealth of information about ways to bring Happy Holidays to many deserving individuals . Although I appreciate the underlying sentiment of focusing on the spirit of giving and the good will to all, shouldn’t we really be “rediscovering” Christmas and what it has always meant? Doing away with the expensive baubles, the trappings of commercialization and the materialism is something from which we could all benefit. Consider the bell ringers for the Salvation Army, a prime example of a tremendous contribution to society that is made one dollar at a time.
“The Perfect Gift” program through Coldwell Banker West Shell Foundation facilitates donations as gifts to ProKids, https://webmail.cboki.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.prokids.org/ an organization that has been standing up for Foster Children since 1981. Individual custom gift boxes with a certificate of donation tucked inside may be purchased for $15.00 by contacting Paula Coyle, 513-686-7639 or e-mailing her at paula.coyle@cbws.com. This donation helps provide training and support for volunteer CASAs—Court Appointed Special Advocates. We think that every child should have a safe, nurturing and permanent home, in doing so we build a future with children who will promote philanthropy and community advocacy in their own way as adults. We must never underestimate the power of hope. Gift options like these are “one size fits all” and what they accomplish is immeasurable. We all have the power to change the present.
Kelly Morse
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Holiday cards for the troops at Walter Reed
We've done "Trick or Treat for the Troops" which provided DVDs so the troops in the war zones had entertainment when they weren't being shot at or blown up. Now comes an opportunity to give some attention to those troops who left parts of themselves on the fields of battle and are spending time at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Holiday cards can be mailed to:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Santa at the Movies
What do you get when you mix some Realtors, their past clients, a movie theater, and Christmas together? You get Coldwell Banker West Shell’s annual “Santa at the Movies.” This year, the Milford office will team up with the Mariemont office to sponsor the event at the Showcase Cinema at the Rivers Edge in Milford.
While our agents are making their lists of past clients (and checking them twice), the offices are collecting donations of new toys for Toys For Tots. Donations will be collected in the drop boxes at each Coldwell Banker West Shell office through the date of this event.
The event will be held December 13, 2008. The doors will open at 8:15 AM for pictures with Santa and the movie will begin at 9:00. This year’s movie will be “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”. We appreciate all of our clients, both past and present, and look forward to seeing them at the event.
While our agents are making their lists of past clients (and checking them twice), the offices are collecting donations of new toys for Toys For Tots. Donations will be collected in the drop boxes at each Coldwell Banker West Shell office through the date of this event.
The event will be held December 13, 2008. The doors will open at 8:15 AM for pictures with Santa and the movie will begin at 9:00. This year’s movie will be “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”. We appreciate all of our clients, both past and present, and look forward to seeing them at the event.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
There is more work to be done
We did everything correctly. We studied the candidates and issues from several points of view, taking information from reliable, unbiased sources. We based decisions on the kernels of truth we were able to glean from the ads that bent the truth or distorted the facts and some that were, well, just very hard to believe.
And then we voted. We voted for President and Vice-President. We voted for Senators and Representatives at the national and state level.
We voted for THEM to represent US. We voted for them to represent OUR interests and not the interests of their party. Unless we tell them what our interests ARE they will have no choice but to decide issues based on their own self-interest or what they hear from their cronies, campaign contributors, lobbyists, special-interest groups and others of that ilk.
But we aren’t finished yet. The next administration will make decisions that will change our lives, our children’s lives, and their grandchildren’s lives. The next administration REALLY NEEDS to know what needs to be done to protect OUR interests if they are to make good decisions.
When contacting your elected representatives keep it short and to the point so your comments can be easily tabulated. Every month or so should do it.
You can determine who your federal representatives are by going to
http://whoismyrepresentative.com/ and entering your zip code.
In Ohio you can determine who your state representatives are by going to
www.house.state.oh.us/.
Eugene P. Jasper
And then we voted. We voted for President and Vice-President. We voted for Senators and Representatives at the national and state level.
We voted for THEM to represent US. We voted for them to represent OUR interests and not the interests of their party. Unless we tell them what our interests ARE they will have no choice but to decide issues based on their own self-interest or what they hear from their cronies, campaign contributors, lobbyists, special-interest groups and others of that ilk.
But we aren’t finished yet. The next administration will make decisions that will change our lives, our children’s lives, and their grandchildren’s lives. The next administration REALLY NEEDS to know what needs to be done to protect OUR interests if they are to make good decisions.
When contacting your elected representatives keep it short and to the point so your comments can be easily tabulated. Every month or so should do it.
You can determine who your federal representatives are by going to
http://whoismyrepresentative.com/ and entering your zip code.
In Ohio you can determine who your state representatives are by going to
www.house.state.oh.us/.
Eugene P. Jasper
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Toys for Tots Progam
Coldwell Banker West Shell has been a long time contributor in working with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Our mission, along with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
Our primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, shiny new toys at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.
Our objective of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources - our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.
The principal Toys for Tots activities which take place each year is the collection and distribution of toys in the communities in which a Marine Corps Reserve Unit is located and in communities without a Reserve Unit that has a Marine Corps League Detachment or group of men and women, generally veteran Marines, authorized by Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to conduct a local Toys for Tots campaign. Local Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinators conduct an array of activities throughout the year, which include golf tournaments, foot races, bicycle races and other purely voluntary events designed to increase interest in Toys for Tots, and concurrently generate toy and monetary donations.
Please join us in helping local children and families have a wonderful Holiday! You can drop off new toys at our Coldwell Banker West Shell location at 5976 Meijer Drive, Milford OH 45150 or give us a call at 513-831-8001. We will do well be doing good!
Our primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, shiny new toys at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.
Our objective of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources - our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.
The principal Toys for Tots activities which take place each year is the collection and distribution of toys in the communities in which a Marine Corps Reserve Unit is located and in communities without a Reserve Unit that has a Marine Corps League Detachment or group of men and women, generally veteran Marines, authorized by Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to conduct a local Toys for Tots campaign. Local Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinators conduct an array of activities throughout the year, which include golf tournaments, foot races, bicycle races and other purely voluntary events designed to increase interest in Toys for Tots, and concurrently generate toy and monetary donations.
Please join us in helping local children and families have a wonderful Holiday! You can drop off new toys at our Coldwell Banker West Shell location at 5976 Meijer Drive, Milford OH 45150 or give us a call at 513-831-8001. We will do well be doing good!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Trick or Treat for the Troops
GREAT TROOPS STORY!
Peggy Thurza, Branch Manager of our Florence Kentucky Office told me this great story.
The Florence Office donated money to purchase DVD’s for our troops and Peggy went to Walmart in Florence to pick up the DVD’s. She was digging through the boxes trying to pick the best DVD’s and there were two young men standing near by and said, “Wow you must be getting a great deal on those DVD’s”? Peggy said it is a great deal, but, she did not know what to pick out and she mentioned she was buying them for “Trick or Treat for the Troops”. She explained what the initiative was and if they had any ideas. As the conversation continued come to find out that both men served in Kuwait and Afghanistan and asked if Peggy was from Coldwell Banker. They mentioned that they had a recreation room over seas with maybe 5 DVD’s they watched over and over again. One day in November of last year they received a big shipment of DVD’s from the USO and some of them had notes from folks from Coldwell Banker. (How cool is that?) Peggy told me they went on and on about how much it meant to them that they were thought of and that is was much needed because they got tired of watching the same 5 movies all the time. The one young man was on leave and will be returning to Kuwait. He mentioned he was a Walmart picking up baby formula and opened his wallet and Peggy said he had $20.00. He handed her $5.00 and asked her to purchase a DVD for him to send to his buddies over seas.
How powerful is that story? Think of the lives you impact with just a simple message and a little time. It would be easy to forget amongst all the political jargon and the state of our economy that we still have men and women protecting us everyday, whether we are at war or not. Let us continue to remember the soldiers’ and their families that continue to sacrifice for us each and every day. Thank you!!
Thomas Courtney
Director of Corporate Philanthropy
Peggy Thurza, Branch Manager of our Florence Kentucky Office told me this great story.
The Florence Office donated money to purchase DVD’s for our troops and Peggy went to Walmart in Florence to pick up the DVD’s. She was digging through the boxes trying to pick the best DVD’s and there were two young men standing near by and said, “Wow you must be getting a great deal on those DVD’s”? Peggy said it is a great deal, but, she did not know what to pick out and she mentioned she was buying them for “Trick or Treat for the Troops”. She explained what the initiative was and if they had any ideas. As the conversation continued come to find out that both men served in Kuwait and Afghanistan and asked if Peggy was from Coldwell Banker. They mentioned that they had a recreation room over seas with maybe 5 DVD’s they watched over and over again. One day in November of last year they received a big shipment of DVD’s from the USO and some of them had notes from folks from Coldwell Banker. (How cool is that?) Peggy told me they went on and on about how much it meant to them that they were thought of and that is was much needed because they got tired of watching the same 5 movies all the time. The one young man was on leave and will be returning to Kuwait. He mentioned he was a Walmart picking up baby formula and opened his wallet and Peggy said he had $20.00. He handed her $5.00 and asked her to purchase a DVD for him to send to his buddies over seas.
How powerful is that story? Think of the lives you impact with just a simple message and a little time. It would be easy to forget amongst all the political jargon and the state of our economy that we still have men and women protecting us everyday, whether we are at war or not. Let us continue to remember the soldiers’ and their families that continue to sacrifice for us each and every day. Thank you!!
Thomas Courtney
Director of Corporate Philanthropy
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