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November 2009
November 20, 2009
Written By: Teresa Mack
Good morning and happy Friday everyone!! So many exciting things are on the horizon, we are anxious to share them with all of you! This morning on BE Inspired we had the pleasure of talking with a local woman who's passion for helping others is apparent through the stories she shares, and in the work she does both in our community and around the world. Tara Davis, a regional representative with Hope International, braved the early morning hour to share a bit about her organization and their mission. Hope International is a Christian faith-based, non-profit organization focused on alleviating physical and spiritual poverty through microfinance programs. They 'work to empower men, women, and families to break the cycles of physical and spiritual poverty through the provision of loans, savings services, basic business training, mentoring, and discipleship'. It is difficult for us to imagine what life would be like with NO access to banks and financial institutions. In many parts of the world, people completely lack access to capital. People who are creative and intelligent are mired in poverty because they lack this access. They lack banks, and just as importantly they lack the training necessary to pull themselves out of poverty and teach their children how to do the same. Microfinance services can make the difference between economic entrapment and the realization of dreams. This organization is making a HUGE difference in the lives of men, women, and children living in some of the world's most impoverished regions. What sets this organization apart is their holistic approach to alleviating poverty. Hope offers microcredit and basic business training, which enables these individuals to obtain loans, build businesses and break free from this vicious cycle. They also help these individuals break free from spiritual poverty by teaching these life skills through Christian principles. What is most impressive about this organization is the 99.6% repayment rate, which is proof of how efficient their method of aid is. For more information about Hope International, please view this video http://www.youtube.com/user/HOPEInternational#p/u/4/OrKQZeoAzyI or email us at info@BeWomenOnline.com.
Remember the BE Challenge this week! Send a handwritten note to someone for no reason at all! Send your results to us on our Facebook page (fan us at be girls) or to info@BeWomenOnline.com. Results will be shared on Monday's show!
If you are a business, organization, women's (or men's!) group, or a family looking to help, contact us for information regarding our BE Giving Trees this holiday season! We are adopting 20 families through Lutheran Services, all you need to do is put up a tree and decorate it with ornaments detailing the needs of these families and let your customers do the rest! Each customer/client/friend that walks through your doors can choose an ornament, purchase the corresponding need, and drop it back off to sit beneath your tree. We will pick up all items by December 18th, at which time we will wrap and deliver them to Lutheran Services.
Last, but not least, stay tuned for information regarding our BE Inspired event on April 24th at the Polk County Convention Center!! So many exciting and deeply inspiring things are on the program, you won't want to miss being a part of this event!
November 18, 2009
Written By: Teresa Mack
The holidays are FAST approaching, which for many means hectic schedules, undo stress, unwelcome guests, etc. For many, many others the holiday season means something else entirely. For many families living at or below the poverty line, the holidays serve as yet another reminder of their economic hardships. The holidays are not meant to be ANY of these things! This is a time for joy and giving, a time for familiy and friends, and maybe most importantly, a time for communities to come together in support of one another. Lutheran Services in Des Moines has over 300 families on their list of those in need this holiday season. We are asking for your help as we commit to helping 20 of these families. We are looking for 20 businesses that want to participate by 'adopting' a family, we will facilitate all the rest! We will get you the list of needs your family has, put each of these needs on an ornament, and decorate your tree. Your customers simply choose an ornament, purchase its corresponding item, and deliver it to you before December 18th. On December 18th, from 1-7pm we will be gathering at The Living Room (117 5th Street in Valley Junction) to wrap all of these gifts and deliver them to Lutheran Services. There are numerous ways to get involved in this next BE Social! You can adopt one of these 20 families through your business, women's group, or other organization, you can stop by one of the participating stores and purchase one of the items of need, or you can stop by the afternoon of the 18th to help us wrap! Please email us at info@BeWomenOnline.com for more information.
November 12, 2009
Written By: Teresa Mack
New BE Challenge! BE positive for a FULL day! No texting, no emailing, & no speaking negative words! We encourage you to do this between now and Monday, and send us your results! We will share these on that morning's radio program. There are words to avoid when trying to stay positive, words like no, can't, and I won't. Can't is actually a 'bad word' in our house. Whenever I hear my son say that he can't do something, I encourage him by saying 'You CAN do it, you just may need a little help, that's all.' He has gotten to the point now where if he hears another child say can't, he runs to me and says 'Mommy! He just said a BAD word!' I don't want my kids to grow up being held back by thinking they 'can't' do things. Anything is possible, we just all may need a little encouragement and help doing things once in awhile. Words like no can be useful once in awhile, but you need to know the appropriate time to use it. We need to be able to tell others no when it involves things like our safety or overcommitting ourselves to something. But right now, I'm talking about the negative side of no. Just don't ever tell yourself yourself no, then you aren't smart enough, or aren't good enough, or that you don't believe that you will be able to do something. We ALL have the ability to do things that we never thought were possible, we just may need to come together once in awhile to cheer each other on in order to do it!
November 9, 2009
Written By: Teresa Mack
Can you believe this weather?! UNBELIEVABLE! We hope you all were able to take a few moments this weekend to slow down and enjoy the sunshine! Sunday morning I left the cellphone and laptop behind and the kids and I headed outside to play in the leaves. Later that night as we were getting ready for bed, my 4-year old son said 'Mommy, today was the BEST DAY EVER!' These little moments are the ones they will remember, so please be sure to take time each day to have UNinterrupted time together as a family! This was our 'BE Challenge' last week, but it is an important one to do every day of the year! A fellow BE Girl posted the following on our Facebook page, which is a reminder again of why family time is so essential!....
"Oh my goodness, PLEASE do this!! I'm a teacher and every year have to remind at least a few parents to take time every day to just have a simple, uninterrupted conversation with their child. It breaks my heart. This costs NOTHING to do and can make all the difference in a child's behavior, self esteem, and success in school. Not to mention how much you'll find YOUR life enriched..."
November 6, 2009
Written By: Teresa Mack
Welcome back Jessica! This morning marked the 1st time in a while that all 4 BE's were together on the show (this doesn't count the 'head' with the rasta wig which we used as a stand-in for Jess when she was basking in the sun in Jamaica!) We covered a ton on today's show so be sure to watch it when you can!
We shared some new information during our 'Daily Good' segment pertaining to a drive we are hosting throughout the months of November and December. Last Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Timm, who is the director of Central Iowa Shelter & Services located in downtown Des Moines. He graciously gave me a tour of their facilities and shared with me a bit about their mission. One of the things that struck me is their need for 'feminine hygiene' products. This seems like such a simple item, and yet it is one of the things that they lack the most! So, we have decided to do this simple, yet necessary drive to benefit the women residents of their shelter. If you want to participate in our 'tampon drive', please contact us at info@bewomenonline.com and we will make arrangements to pick up your items. Please help spread the word by sending an email to all your girlfriends and posting this information on your Facebook and Twitter pages. No one 'likes' buying items like these, but imagine not having access to them AT ALL. Let's come together, pool our resources, and make a difference!
(we apologize, there is only audio until about 7 minutes into the show...bear with us, 6am is EARLY!)
November 4, 2009
Written By: Teresa Mack
In conjunction with Combat Hunger, STAR 102.5's annual drive to benefit the Food Bank of Iowa, we will be hosting a food drive the week of November 16-20. On November 17th, we will be hosting a get together at the Living Room in historic Valley Junction called BE Thankful. From 6-8pm, receive any hot drink for $1 by bringing a non perishable food item to be donated to the drive. During the evening, enjoy networking games and information on ways to get involved in our community throughout the month of November. If you are unable to attend this event, please contact us at info@bewomenonline.com to schedule a time for us to pick up your items. We will be taking all of these items to the Combat Hunger's drop off sight on Friday November 20. Together we CAN make a difference!
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