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Today's topic for Our Daily Challenge is 'Commit.' A task I dont like everyday is taking so many vitamins and supplements, but I made a commitment to better health and eating and there are a few physical problems I am 'working on.' Anybody who shares this personal task will probably relate to most of the words the alphabet blocks reveal.
Gilles Villeneuve using all the road and then some in his March 77B. Trois Rivieres '77. The dark area next to the curb was asphalt put in so the cars wouldn't smack the concrete curb.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Knight Concert Hall
1300 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida
Remarks by the President at a DNC Event
Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami, Florida
7:50 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Miami! (Applause.) It's good to see you. (Applause.) It is good to be back in Miami. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you, everybody. Thank you. Everybody have a seat. Have a seat.
What do you guys think of our new DNC chair? (Applause.) Debbie Wasserman Schultz. We are so thrilled to have her. You want Debbie on your side. (Applause.) She's a mom, she's got that cute smile and all that, but she is tough. Don't mess with Debbie. (Laughter.) We are so glad of her leadership.
I know that a lot of folks have already been acknowledged. I want to make sure to mention resident commissioner Pedro Pierluisi of Puerto Rico. Where is he? Pedro, are you still here? There he is right there. (Applause.)
Adrienne Arsht, thank you so much for everything that you've done for the civic life in Miami. (Applause.) Our Florida finance chair, Kirk Wager, is here. (Applause.) Founding co-chair of Gen44, Andrew Korge, is here. (Applause.) Alonzo Mourning is in the house. (Applause.) And, look, he's not from Miami, but he's got 11 championships, so I've got to mention Bill Russell is in the house. (Applause.) Bill Russell -- greatest champion of all time in team sports in North America right here. (Applause.)
It is wonderful to be back. Many of you I've known for a very long time, some of you I'm getting a chance to see for the first time. And it got me thinking back to election night two and a half years ago, in Grant Park. It was a beautiful night in Chicago, and everybody was feeling pretty good who had supported me. And it was an incredibly hopeful time. And you will recall -- maybe you won't but I'm going to remind you -- (laughter) -- I said, this is not the end, this is the beginning. This is the beginning.
Because what I said to the American people that night was that for almost a decade too many Americans had felt as if the American Dream was slipping away. We had seen economic growth and corporate profits and a stock market that had gone up, but there were too many folks who were struggling each and every day, working as hard as they could, being responsible for their families, being responsible to their communities, but somehow they just couldn’t keep up. Wages and incomes had flat-lined, even though the cost of everything from health care to college tuitions to gas had all skyrocketed.
Around the world, the impression of America as a preeminent force for good had lost sway. We were in the midst of two wars. We didn’t seem to be able to tackle challenges that had confronted us for decades -- didn’t have an energy plan that was worthy of the greatness of America; didn’t have an immigration system that would allow us to be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants; had a school system in which we had no longer -- we were no longer at the top and weren’t preparing our young people to meet the challenges and demands of the 21st century global interdependent economy.
And so when I started the race for President, what I said to all of you was, if you’re looking for easy answers, you’re looking in the wrong place. If you’re looking for just a bunch of partisan rhetoric, I’m probably not your guy. But if you want to join me on this journey,, to make sure that America is living up to its ideals, if you wanted to reclaim the that sense that in America anything is possible if we’re willing to work for it, and if you wanted to see if we could get beyond some of the politics of the past and point towards the future, then I wanted you to be a part of this process. And so all that culminated in Grant Park that night.
But then I said, you know what, this just gives us the opportunity to do what’s possible. This is not the end state. I didn't run for President just to be President. (Applause.) I ran for President to do things -- to do big things, to do hard things.
What we didn't know at the time -- I said this is going to be a steep climb to get to where we want to go, to achieve that summit. We didn't know how steep that climb was going to be because what we now know was we were already in the midst of what would turn out to be the worst recession since the Great Depression -- came this close to a financial meltdown that would have spun the global financial system out of control.
We lost 4 million jobs in the six months before I was sworn in, and we’d lose another 4 [million] before any of our economic initiatives had a chance to take effect. And all the challenges that ordinary families, working families, middle-class families had been feeling for years were suddenly compounded. Folks were losing their jobs, losing their homes, didn't know what the future held.
And so we’ve spent the last two and a half years trying to heal this country, trying to mend what was broken. And with the help of people like Debbie and Pedro, we’ve made enormous strides. With the help of you, we have made enormous strides. I mean, think about it. An economy that was contracting is now growing. An economy that was shedding millions of jobs, we’ve seen over 2 million jobs created in the last 15 months, in the private sector. (Applause.) The financial system stabilized. And some of the decisions that we made were not popular. Everybody acts now like, well, yeah, that was easy. (Laughter.) Think about it.
Just think for a moment about the U.S. auto industry. We were on the verge of the liquidation of two of the three big automakers in the United States -- Chrysler and GM. Now, there’s been some revisionist history that’s been offered lately about, well, they might have survived without our help -- except nobody at GM or Chrysler believes that. They were going to break that up and sell off the spare parts. And as a consequence, you would have seen a million people -- suppliers, dealerships -- all gone, in the midst of this incredible hardship that people were already experiencing. (Applause.) And we made tough decisions and we made the right decisions. And now we’ve got the big three automakers -- (applause) -- all profitable, all increasing market share, hiring back workers.
And we didn’t forget the promises that we had made during the campaign. We said we wanted to make sure that once again America would have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. And so in pursuit of that goal, we said let’s stop subsidizing big banks as middlemen on the student loan program. (Applause.) Let’s take back billions of dollars and give it directly to young people so that millions of children -- a million of our kids are going to be able to go to college without $100,000 or $200,000 worth of debt.
We said we’re going to start building a genuine clean energy industry in this country, and made the largest investment in clean energy in our history. And we did that. We said that we’d begin the process of rebuilding our infrastructure in this country, and made the largest investment rebuilding our roads and our bridges and our ports since Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s, putting hundreds of thousands of people to work all across America, doing the work that needs to be done.
We said we had to finally, after generations, deal with the travesty of the richest nation on Earth having people who went bankrupt because they went sick and couldn’t afford to provide health care to their families -- (applause) -- and we passed a historic health care law that is going to make sure that everybody in this country can get health care and is going to help drive prices down on health care in the bargain. (Applause.) We promised we’d do that, and we did it.
Oh, and along the way, we did a few other things, like pass equal pay for equal work legislation. (Applause.) And make sure that never again will you be barred from serving your country in uniform just because of the person that you love. (Applause.) And we appointed two women to the Supreme Court, one of them the first Latina in our history. (Applause.) And we expanded national service so that our young people would know what it means to give back to this country. (Applause.)
And we passed financial regulatory reform so that not only would we not see a reprise of the financial shenanigans that had gone on before, but we’d actually have a consumer bureau that would be able to look after folks when they take out credit cards and they take out mortgages, so that they wouldn’t be cheated. (Applause.)
And on the international front, we said we would end the war in Iraq -- and we have ended combat operations in Iraq and will be bringing our troops home this year. (Applause.) And we said that we would start refocusing our efforts in Afghanistan, and especially go after al Qaeda -- and we went after al Qaeda and we’re going after al Qaeda -- (applause) -- and beginning the transition process so that Afghans can take responsibility for their security.
And in the meantime, we dealt with a few other things -- like pirates. (Laughter.) And pandemic and oil spills. So there were a few other things that kept us occupied.
And I describe all this not for us to be complacent, but for all of us to remember that as hard as these battles have been, as much resistance as we’ve gotten, as much as the political debate has been distorted at times, that our basic premise -- the idea that when we put our minds to it, there’s nothing America can’t do -- that's been proven. (Applause.) That's been borne out. We have the evidence. We’ve brought about amazing change over the last two and a half years.
And we couldn’t have done it without you. We couldn’t -- we could not --
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Keep your promise, stop AIDS now!
THE PRESIDENT: That's all right. That's all right. We’re good. We’re good.
AUDIENCE MEMBERS: (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: Hold up. Hold up.
So -- now, here’s the thing. The reason we’re here today is because our work is not done. (Applause.) For all the progress we’ve made, our work is not complete. We’re not at the summit. We just -- we’re just partway up the mountain. There’s more to do. There is more to do.
We still don't have the kind of energy policy that America needs -- and all of you experience that at the pump each and every day. Our economy is still vulnerable to the spot oil market and us having to import billions of dollars, when we could be not only producing more energy right here at home, but we could be producing energy that's clean and renewable and what would ensure that we could pass on the kind of planet to the next generation that all of us long for. (Applause.)
We know that we’re not done when it comes to issues like immigration reform. I was down here at Miami Dade -- (applause) -- an amazing institution that embodies what America is all about. Young people who can trace their heritage to 181 different countries were represented. (Applause.) And some of you who may not be familiar with the ceremony, what they do is they bring out the flags of each country where somebody can trace their roots. And everybody cheers. The Cuban flag comes up and everybody goes crazy. (Applause.) The Jamaican flag comes up and everybody is hooting and hollering. (Applause.) See, sort of just like this.
But then there’s one flag that comes up, and that is the American flag, and everybody explodes -- (applause) -- because that’s the essence of who we are. Out of many, one. But we don’t have a system that reflects those values. It is still an issue that’s exploited, that’s used to divide instead of bringing people together. We’ve got more work to do.
We’ve got more work to do when it comes to rebuilding the infrastructure of this country. We’ve got a couple of trillion dollars worth of work that needs to be done. We were at a Jobs Council meeting up in North Carolina and the chairman of Southwest, the CEO of Southwest, he explained how because our air traffic control system is so archaic, we probably waste about 15 percent of fuel because planes are having to go this way and that. The whole system was designed back in the 1930s before you even had things like GPS. But think about -- what’s true for the airlines industry is true for our roads, it’s true for our ports, it’s true for our airports, it’s true for our power system. We’ve got more work to do.
We’ve made incredible progress on education, helping students to finance their college educations, but we still don’t have enough engineers. We still don’t have enough scientists. We still lag behind other countries when it comes to training our young people for the jobs, the high-skilled jobs that are going to provide high wages and allow them to support a family.
But we’ve made incredible progress K through 12 with something we call Race to the Top, which basically says -- (applause) -- to school districts and to states, you reform the system and we will show you the money, and so providing incentives. And 40 states across the country have made critical reforms as a consequence to this program. But we still have schools where half the kids drop out. We still consign too many of our young people to lives of desperation and despair. We’ve got more work to do.
And we’ve got so much work to do on our economy. We’ve got so much more work to do on our economy. Every night I get letters. We get about 40,000 pieces of mail at the White House every day, and I ask my team to select 10 letters for me to read that are representative of what people are feeling out there. And I will tell you these really are representative, because about half of them call me an idiot. (Laughter.) And -- but most of the stories are just some ordinary folks who have done the right thing, have worked hard all their lives. Some of them are small business owners who have poured their savings into a venture, and then when the recession hit they lost everything, and now they’re trying to get back on their feet.
You get letters from moms who are trying to figure out how to pay their bills at the end of the month, and they’re going back to school while they’re working to see if they can retrain for a better job. Sometimes you get folks who have sent out 100 resumes and haven’t gotten a response, and are trying to describe what it’s like to tell your child than nobody wants to hire you. Sometimes you get a letter from a kid who says, my parents are about to lose my home -- Mr. President, is there something you can do to help?
And in all those stories, what you see is incredible resilience and incredible stick-to-itiveness, and a sense on the part of people that no matter how down they are, they’re not out. And they don’t expect government to solve all their problems. All they’re looking for is that somebody cares and that we’re doing everything we can, trying every idea to make sure that this economy is moving. And they don’t understand how it is that good ideas get caught up in partisan politics, and why is it that people seem to be arguing all the time instead of trying to do the people’s business.
So we’ve got more work to do -- investing in our education system and making sure that -- (applause) -- making sure that our infrastructure is built and we’re putting people back to work, and helping the housing market recover, and dealing with our budget in a way that allows us to once again live within our means but doing so in a way that is consistent with our values.
You know, this budget debate that we’re having in Washington right now, it’s not just about numbers. It’s about values. It’s about what we believe and who we are as a people. The easiest thing to do to balance a budget is you just slash and burn and you cut and you don’t worry about the consequences. But that’s not who we are. We’re better than that. (Applause.)
I don’t want to live in a country where we’re no longer helping young people go to college, and so your fate is basically determined by where you were born and your circumstances. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I don't want to live in a country where we no longer believe that we can build the best airports or the best rail systems. I don't want to live in a country where we’re no longer investing in basic research and science so that we’re at the cutting edge of technology. I don't want to live in a country where we are abandoning our commitment to the most vulnerable among us -- the disabled, our seniors -- making sure that they’ve got a basic safety net so that they can live with dignity and respect in their golden years. (Applause.)
And so here’s the -- the good news is that we can bring down our deficit and we can work down our debt, and we can do so the same way families all across America do, by prioritizing and deciding what’s important to us. So we’re going to have to scrub the federal budget and get rid of every program that doesn't work, and get rid of every regulation that is outdated. And we’ve got to make sure that we build on all the tax cuts that we’ve provided to small businesses and to individuals over the last couple years so that they’re getting back on their feet.
But we’ve also got to make sure that whatever sacrifices we make, whatever burdens are borne are spread among all of us; that we’re not just doing it on the backs of the poor; that we’re not just doing it on the backs of our seniors; that we’re not just doing it on the backs of the most vulnerable. (Applause.)
And the other side say, well, you know what, we can just cut and cut and cut and cut -- and by the way, you, Mr. President, since you’ve been so lucky, we’re going to give you a $200,000 tax break. I’d love to have a tax break. I don’t like paying taxes -- I’m the President. (Laughter.) This notion somehow that I enjoy paying taxes or administering taxes, that makes no sense. Nothing is better for a politician than saying, you know what, forget about it, you will have everything you need and everything this country needs and you don’t have to pay for a thing.
But, you know what, I don’t want a $200,000 tax break if it means that 33 seniors are each going to have to pay $6,000 more a year for their Medicare. (Applause.) I don’t want that. I don’t want a tax break if it means hundreds of kids won’t be able to go to Head Start. (Applause.) That’s not a tradeoff I’m willing to make. That’s not a tradeoff most of Americans are willing to make. That’s not who we are. That’s not what we believe in.
And the reason I’m not willing to make a tradeoff, it’s not out of charity. It’s because my life is better when I know, as I’m driving by a school, you know what, those kids in there, they’ve got the best teachers, they’ve got the best equipment -- I know that they’re going to succeed. That makes me feel better about my life and about my country. (Applause.)
And if I’m seeing an elderly couple stroll by holding hands -- and I’m saying to myself, you know, that’s going to be Michelle and me in a few years -- and I know that whatever their circumstances, I know they’ve got Social Security and they’ve got Medicare that they can count on, that makes my life better. That makes my life richer. (Applause.)
So that's what this campaign is going to be about. It’s going to be about values. It’s the same thing that the 2008 campaign was about: What's important to you? Who are we? What is it about America that makes us so proud?
When I think about why our campaign drew so much excitement, it was because it tapped into those essential things that bind us together. I look out at this auditorium, and I see people from every walk of life, every age, every demographic -- but there’s something that binds us together, that says this is what makes our country so special.
And that's what’s at stake. That's the journey that we’re on. And the only way that we stay on track, the only way that we continue that journey is if all of you are involved. Because what also made the campaign special was it wasn’t about me -- it was never about me -- it was about us. It was about you. (Applause.) It was about you being willing to be involved, and you being willing to be engaged. Because that's also what makes America special -- ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Now, two and a half years have passed since that night in Grant Park, and I’ve got a lot more gray hair. (Laughter.) And what seemed so fresh and new, now -- we’ve seen Obama so many times on TV, and we know all his quirks and all his tics and he’s been poked apart. And there’s some of you who probably have felt at times during the last two and a half years, gosh, why isn’t this happening faster? Why isn’t this easier? Why are we struggling? And why didn’t health care get done quicker? And why didn’t we get the public option? (Laughter and applause.) And what -- I know the conversation you guys are having. (Laughter.) "I’m not feeling as hopeful as I was." And I understand that. There have been frustrations, and I’ve got some dings to show for it over the last two and half years.
But I never said this was going to be easy. This is a democracy. It’s a big country and a diverse country. And our political process is messy. Yes, you don’t always get 100 percent of what you want, and you make compromises. That’s how the system was designed. But what I hope all of you still feel is that for all the frustrations, for all the setbacks, for all the occasional stumbles, that what motivates us, what we most deeply cherish, that that’s still within reach. That it’s still possible to bring about extraordinary change. That it’s still possible to make sure that the America we pass down to our kids and our grandkids is a better America than the one we inherited. (Applause.) I’m confident about that. I believe in that, because I believe in you.
And so I’m glad you guys came to the rally. But just like in 2008, if we want to bring about the change we believe in, we’re going to have to get to work. You’re going to have to make phone calls. (Applause.) You’re going to have to knock on doors. You’re going to have to talk to all your friends and all your neighbors, and you’re going to have to talk to the naysayers. And you’re going to have to go out there and say: We’ve got more work to do. And if they tell you, I don’t know, I’m not sure, I’m not convinced -- you just remind them of those three words that captured this campaign, captured the last campaign and will capture the 2012 campaign: Yes, we can.
Thank you, Miami. God bless you. (Applause.) God bless the United States of America.
END
8:20 P.M. EDT
May 2014, Helsinki, Finland.
Somewhere there is also one for me and my wife.
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M5
Lens: Olympus M.17mm f1.8
Focal Length: 17mm
Shutter Speed: 1/1250 s
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO/Film: 400
Phillip May, president and chief executive officer of Entergy Louisiana, talks about the devastation to Southwest Louisiana and Entergy's commitment to rebuild. Entergy’s Hurricane Laura information website provides customers with storm restoration and recovery updates. Visit the site at entergy.com/hurricanelaura
Sourcing high quality cocoa in the village of Bonikro in Côte d’Ivoire
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Nestlé is happy for you to use this image to illustrate a news story, blog or article. Please credit the photo: © Nana Kofi Acquah /Nestlé
The Colorado Republican Party holds its "Commitment to Colorado" press conference on August 9th, 2021.
Photographed is Colorado Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert.
Photo taken by Sage Naumann.
Photo may be used by any entity with attribution to Sage Naumann.
Do you have a concern regarding potential non-compliance with our commitments? Speak Up! We take all allegations we receive seriously and investigate them.
Link: www.nestle.com/aboutus/businessprinciples/report-your-con...
In recognition of their outstanding service to Delaware, Governor John Carney honored 13 young people and five groups with the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards during a ceremony May 24 at the Polytech Adult Education Conference Center in Woodside.
“Across the state, I am impressed by the level of commitment our young people have to serving others,” Governor Carney said. “I am proud to honor their energy, spirit and willingness as they help us to build stronger and healthier communities. Without question, they demonstrate that one person can make a difference in the lives of others.”
More than 200 people, including Renee Beaman, director of DHSS' Division of State Service Centers, which oversees the awards, and Georgeanna Windley, Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service, joined the Governor in honoring the young volunteers for their outstanding service, community impact and inspiration to others.
The Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor and are coordinated by the State Office of Volunteerism and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.
2017 GOVERNOR’S YOUTH VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD WINNERS
INDIVIDUALS
Wei-Ling Moloy
Arts & Culture
Nominator: Angela Williamson
Wei-Ling Moloy is an active volunteer at Hagley Museum & Library, serving as a youth leader in its Youth Leadership Program (YLP) and as a camp counselor. As a youth leader, Wei-Ling facilitates and designs programs and activities related to Hagley’s stories of technology, science, and innovation. As a camp counselor, she supported the adult camp instructors by interacting with campers, assisting with activities, and maintaining the enjoyment and safety of campers. Beginning in 2014, as a shy, quiet volunteer, Wei-Ling has grown into a strong leader who is respected both by her fellow youth leaders and the adult mentors in the Hagley Museum & Library volunteer program.
Suprit Bodla
Community Service
Nominator: Jim Power
Since 2013, Suprit Bodla has volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America, Christiana Care Health System and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). He has organized a variety of fundraisers to benefit LLS and also to raise public awareness of the fight against blood cancer. Suprit is also a student mentor for the Science Ambassadors Program at the Charter School of Wilmington, where he, along with his peers, helped to organize a STEM tutoring program at Marbrook Elementary School and work with the Delaware Children’s Museum to provide science and match activities for Engineering Week.
Nadeem D. Boggerty
Community Service
Nominators: Adrienne Gomez
Dover High School honor student Nadeem D. Boggerty has been volunteering in his community for the past six years with his church, his school and through social organizations. One of the many organizations at which Nadeem volunteers is the Calvary Church in Dover, where he and his family help pack boxes and assist with dinner on Thanksgiving each year. Nadeem also participates in several social service organizations (the Omega Gents, a program steered by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; EMBODI, hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and BeB.O.L.D., a nonprofit youth mentoring organization in Dover) where he has helped feed the homeless, staff information tables at Back-to-School Fairs, toy drives, First State Community Day, and other activities that support the local community.
Sarah Davis
Education
Nominator: Michelle Neef
Fourteen-year-old Sarah Davis been volunteering with Faithful Friends Animal Society for four years. Sarah passionately promotes, educates and supports her community and has become a true leader and advocate for her generation. Furthermore, she displays great compassion while taking the initiative to ensure the safety of animals. Her tenacity has saved the lives of many dogs and cats, and improved the lives of neighbors who care for them. Sarah has provided long-term foster care to neonate kittens and delivered food from Faithful Friends Animal Society Pet Food Bank to pet owners with low incomes or those struggling in other ways to assist them in keeping their family pets in their home. She also rescued dogs and cats from perilous environments and has been instrumental for the Trap-Neuter-Return program, which works to reduce and improve the community cat population.
Cheyenne McGowan
Environment
Nominator: Emily Krueger
Cheyenne McGowan started with the Brandywine Zoo as a summer teen intern with its Zoo Camps during the summer of 2016. After the summer, she continued her volunteer efforts by signing up to help with various educational events at the zoo, including International Red Panda Day, Vulture Weekend, and Noon Year’s Eve. Her role for these events was educating the public at learning stations using animal artifacts, activities, or crafts. In addition, Cheyenne frequently came in to interpret the zoo’s animal exhibits to the public as a docent. Since she started volunteering a year ago, Cheyenne has helped educate hundreds of people at the zoo, which serves the greater Wilmington area, on different environmental topics, including climate change, animal adaptations, and specific animal facts.
Michael Robinette
Health & Special Needs
Nominator: Margaret Jenkins
Since 2013, Michael Robinette has volunteered with the Mary Campbell Center’s Children & Youth program. Mike works with more than 100 children each summer, in a variety of age groups with unique physical or intellectual disabilities. His responsibilities include assisting children in different activities throughout the day such as arts and crafts, games, swimming and cooking. Mike also supports staff with talent show planning and production. Additionally, he provides supervision and companionship for campers on field trips during the summer camp program. Mike gets to know the campers on a one-on-one level and is quick to learn their likes and dislikes, and when they need or want help.
Santiago Vizcaino
Health & Special Needs
Nominator: Richard Huber
Santiago Vizcaino began volunteering with the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired in the summer of 2016. During his time with the agency, Santiago has provided assistance in producing resource material for students with visual impairments, assisting staff with departmental projects and developing training procedures for the organization. Beginning at the Instruction Resource Material Center, Santiago produced large-print reading material for students, which were provided to 247 students. He developed a process that allowed books to be converted to PDF format, which allows a student with a visual impairment to use an iPad or other electronic device to review the document via voice narration or zoom text option, depending on the individual student’s needs. In addition, Santiago helped to develop training procedures for other volunteers.
Joy Baker
Human Needs
Nominator: Joyce Sessoms
In 2016 alone, Joy Baker volunteered an estimated 200+ hours in a variety of capacities in the Delmar and Laurel communities. She serves on the Youth Board of Directors of The ARK Education Resource Center, volunteers at her church as an assistant to the program coordinator responsible for youth activities, and is a member of the National Honor Society. For ARK, Joy acts as a recruiter and fundraiser, and is also an active participant in ARK-sponsored events like the Back-to-School Extravaganza held in Janosik Park.
Katelyn Craft
Human Needs
Nominator: Emily Holcombe
In July 2016, Katelyn Craft began volunteering at Exceptional Care for Children (ECC), Delaware’s first and only nonprofit pediatric skilled nursing facility for children who are medically fragile. Through the Resident Playdate volunteer program, ECC is able to provide the residents the chance to interact with individuals who can offer something other than medical care. At age 14, Katy knew she wanted to bring smiles and joy to children who have extensive medical needs. She has spent more than 100 hours reading, playing games, watching movies, assisting with arts and crafts projects, or just spending quality time with children who have little family involvement. In addition, Katy volunteered her time assisting with special events and fundraisers, like the Gala Fundraiser and Visits with Santa.
Daevean DeShields
Human Needs
Nominator: Aaron Tyson
Following the inspiration of his grandfather, Daevean DeShields created Project HOOP, which stands for Helping Out Other People. The goal of Project HOOP was to fill 1,000 bags with supplies to be distributed to people who are homeless through Faith United Methodist Church’s Open Hands Sound & Clothing Ministry. After recruiting from his local and school community (including his school principal), Daevean was able to meet and surpass his goal with a remarkable 1,015 bags assembled.
Jakob Ryan Thomas
Public Safety
Nominator: Shirin Skovronski
For almost two years, Jakob Ryan Thomas has volunteered as a junior firefighter with the Mill Creek Fire Company. In 2016 alone, he responded to 488 calls of emergency responses to structure fires, motor vehicle crashes, medical assistance, and other miscellaneous calls, amassing more than 500 volunteer hours. Jakob’s actions assisted the community in multiple emergencies, which were often quite serious and dangerous in nature.
Richard Thomas
Public Safety
Nominator: Robert Bassett, Jr.
Richard Thomas has been a volunteer firefighter with Camden-Wyoming Fire Company for two years, assisting in more than 300 emergency situations such as car accidents and house fires. Richard also assists with teaching fire prevention to children. Despite his youth, Richard is well-respected at the fire company and is seen as a mentor for new firefighters.
Ananya Singh
Social Justice/Advocacy
Nominator: Meghan Pasricha
For the past nine years, Ananya Singh has been a member of the Global Youth H.E.L.P. Inc. (GYH), a Delaware nonprofit whose mission is to train and support young people to become leaders by serving their communities through community service projects. Ananya served first as president of the middle school chapter and is currently chair of the high school chapter. Her time and efforts have been vital for many different community service projects, including the Annual Backpack Donation for the YWCA Home-Life Center, the Christmas Hygiene Product Donation, the Annual Ice Cream Party for the YWCA Home-Life Center and the Premier Charities Feeding the Homeless. She also has taught English and karate to younger children.
GROUPS
Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club
Arts & Culture
Nominator: Kenny Monroe
Following the devastation of Hurricane Matthew (Sept. 28-Oct. 10, 2016) in the Caribbean, the Teen TITAN program members of the Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club developed the “Hope for Haiti Donation Drive.” In a relatively short time, the Team Titan program members spent 400 hours collecting clothing, toiletries, bottled water, educational material and other items. More than 300 items filled more than 10 boxes and were sent to the people in Haiti to be used as they began to rebuild and recover from the effects of Hurricane Matthew.
Cape Henlopen High School Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Program
Community Service
Nominator: Angela Thompson
For 10 continuous years, the participants of the Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Program (JROTC) at Cape Henlopen High School have learned that everyone belongs to a community and therefore has a responsibility to that community. The 45 young men and women who comprise the current JROTC roster continue that legacy of service by devoting an average of 2,000 man-hours to community service activities benefiting a number of organizations, including the Delaware Seashore State Park, Beebe Medical Center, American Red Cross Blood Drive, the Salvation Army, Brandywine Senior Citizens Center and the National Kidney Foundation.
A.I. du Pont Middle School – Walk in the Kings Footsteps
Education
Nominator: Michele Fidance
When posed with the question “What will I do to walk in the footsteps of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?” the student body of A.I. du Pont Middle School in Wilmington decided to answer the question literally. A small group of students, led by Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) instructors, were given the project of researching the speeches of Dr. King in order to choose quotes that meant something to them. The students then inscribed their selected quote on a cut-out of a footprint, which was then affixed to the wall in the cafeteria as a means to inspire their fellow students. Once students beyond the JDG classes saw the footprints, they wanted to participate as well. The project helped to raise awareness among students of Dr. King’s life, teaching and legacy, and how it translates into community action and service.
P.S. duPont Middle School Student Council – Adopt a Family
Health and Special Needs
Nominator: Mallory Stratton
Each year, the student council of P.S. duPont Middle School in Wilmington spearheads its annual Adopt-A-Family Drive. The drive involves the school community at-large adopting the families of 15 to 20 P.S. duPont students who are need assistance to make the holiday season a little brighter. The donations of clothing, books and toys generated by the student council benefited upwards of 50 fellow students and their siblings in 2016.
Delmar High School - Wildcat Wellness Pantry
Human Needs
Nominator: Michele Fidance
The Wildcat Wellness Pantry is a food pantry at the Delmar American Legion, which provides nonperishable food and household items for individuals in need. The pantry is staffed by as many as eight Jobs for Delaware Graduate (JDG) volunteers. The JDG volunteers come in on Saturdays to assist families in need and taking inventory to ensure the pantry can reach even more people. An additional group of more than 60 volunteers collect the proceeds from canned food drives that occur during the school year to continually stock the pantry.
Nestlé Waters in Jordan established two greenhouses supervised by an external expert in the area. Close to our factory, the facilities support residents of the nearby Husseinieh village in planting, harvesting and selling their crops. Water for irrigation is also provided.
A box of matches turned into a bonfire.
"When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire leaving no trace of yourself." - Shunryu Suzuki
Here's to commitment to Dragonboat, and being MIA in Baguio! :(
Dec. 1, 2011, marks Iraq's Day of Commitment. The ceremony hosted by the Iraqi government at Al Faw Palace, in Baghdad, Iraq would be the last of it's kind as U.S. forces continue to draw out of Iraq. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, took the opportunity to thank U.S. and Iraqi service members for all of their sacrifices that led to the end of an almost decade long war.
U.S. Forces Iraq
Photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Barrieau
Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/d5lt8f
St George’s Park chairman David Sheepshanks believes England’s men’s senior team will become increasingly successful and realistically will reach a World Cup or European Championships final during the 2020s, as a result of the FA’s long-term commitment to coaching excellence.
Speaking at Salford Business School’s ‘Beautiful Game: Ugly Business’ football business expert panel debate at the University of Salford’s MediaCityUK campus last night (Tuesday 9 September), the FA’s National Football Centre head also claimed that in the last 25 years too many English players had been “rewarded for mediocrity”, but that this culture was already changing.
Comic Expo - Long Beach - March 2015
LBCE Announces Guests of Honor, Special Guests & Programming Highlights
Long Beach Comic Expo is unveiling legendary guests and buzzworthy panels, as well as innovative programs and new partners, in preparation for the 6th annual Long Beach Comic Expo, to be held at the Long Beach Convention Center on February 28 and March 1, 2015. The Expo will play host to more than 140 guests and 50 panels and, for the first time, it will be held in the full exhibit hall.
Guests of Honor & Special Guests
Long Beach Comic Expo is proud to announce bestselling writer Chris Claremont and bestselling artist Ethan Van Sciver as the Long Beach Comic Expo Guests of Honor. Mr. Claremont has written some of the most beloved and influential comic books of all time; 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of his first issue of THE UNCANNY XMEN.
Mr. Van Sciver is one of the most popular artist in comics; this year marks the 10th anniversary of his iconic work GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH. Both guests will be making their very first appearance at a Long Beach convention.
Comic book superstars Arthur Adams (GUARDIANS TEAM UP) and Rachel and Terry Dodson (HARLEY QUINN) are being named Long Beach Comic Expo Special Guests in recognition of their astounding careers as comic book artists.
The convention is proud to recognize the following Special Guests for their commitment to creating stories for kids and young adults across a wide array of media: animation, collectible cards, comics, prose novels, toys and web comics:
•Cecil Castellucci, the young adult novelist (TIN STAR) and writer of the influential YA graphic novel THE PLAIN JANES
•Steve Ellis, the artist of the young adult webcomic THE ONLY LIVING BOY and MAGIC THE GATHERING cards
•The Four Horsemen Studio, influential toy designers of Mattel's Masters of the Universe, The Dark Knight, Harry Potter, DC Universe Classics and Man of Steel toy lines, among others
•Stan Sakai, the writer/artist of the award winning USAGI YOJIMBO graphic novels
•Greg Weisman, acclaimed animation writer and producer (GARGOYLES; YOUNG JUSTICE) and author of the fan favorite RAIN OF GHOSTS YA novels
•Brian Wood, writer of the influential graphic novels DEMO and THE NEW YORK FOUR
Programming Highlights
As in past years, attendees will be treated to a wide array of programming. Highlights include:
•One on one creator spotlight panels with Chris Claremont, Sandy King Carpenter, Gerry Conway, Katie Cook, Terry & Rachel Dodson, Stan Sakai, Richard Starkings and Ethan Van Sciver hosted by EAT.GEEK.PLAY.
•Publisher panels hosted by Jesse Snider, including the 40th anniversary of X-Men celebration, The Lion Forge & IDW Publishing Presents Miami Vice: Remix, and much more.
•Panels for Buffy The Vampire Slayer Comics and Star Wars Rebels: Kanan the Last Padawan comics.
•The Dawn of the Rise of the Devastator: Funny Books for Humans panel , with writers from Cracked, CollegeHumor , Funny or Die, The Meltdown and The Onion.
•#MakeComics workshops where aspiring writers and artists and fans can learn the entire process of making comics from comic book greats all weekend long. T opics include How to Build a Portfolio, Breaking Into Comics, Writing and Marketing.
•The first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity event with keynote speaker Reginald Hudlin.
•Amazing animation panels: DISNEY AFTERNOON, GARGOYLES, GI JOE, and YOUNG JUSTICE, featuring major voice actors.
•Major media panels including Rotten Tomatoes and Screen Junkie's Honest Trailers & Movie Fights.
•A special screening of the upcoming Magnet Releasing film THE DEAD LANDS.
•GeekFest Film Fest films at Long Beach Comic Expo, the only Los Angeles area venue to host the full slate of programming for the world's 1st traveling film fest of "geek" films.
•The Dollar Baby Film Festival.
•The comic book convention premiere of the SHE MAKES COMICS documentary.
•Publishing panels devoted to YA & crime novelists.
•Kids programming including How To Draw My Little Pony.
•Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, will commence its celebration of 10 years of the groundbreaking Graphix imprint and participate in a panel with acclaimed cartoonists Jennifer L. Holm and James Burks and other creators.
•A Saturday night Cosplay Contest and Cosplay panels.
In recognition of their outstanding service to Delaware, Governor John Carney honored 13 young people and five groups with the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards during a ceremony May 24 at the Polytech Adult Education Conference Center in Woodside.
“Across the state, I am impressed by the level of commitment our young people have to serving others,” Governor Carney said. “I am proud to honor their energy, spirit and willingness as they help us to build stronger and healthier communities. Without question, they demonstrate that one person can make a difference in the lives of others.”
More than 200 people, including Renee Beaman, director of DHSS' Division of State Service Centers, which oversees the awards, and Georgeanna Windley, Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service, joined the Governor in honoring the young volunteers for their outstanding service, community impact and inspiration to others.
The Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor and are coordinated by the State Office of Volunteerism and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.
2017 GOVERNOR’S YOUTH VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD WINNERS
INDIVIDUALS
Wei-Ling Moloy
Arts & Culture
Nominator: Angela Williamson
Wei-Ling Moloy is an active volunteer at Hagley Museum & Library, serving as a youth leader in its Youth Leadership Program (YLP) and as a camp counselor. As a youth leader, Wei-Ling facilitates and designs programs and activities related to Hagley’s stories of technology, science, and innovation. As a camp counselor, she supported the adult camp instructors by interacting with campers, assisting with activities, and maintaining the enjoyment and safety of campers. Beginning in 2014, as a shy, quiet volunteer, Wei-Ling has grown into a strong leader who is respected both by her fellow youth leaders and the adult mentors in the Hagley Museum & Library volunteer program.
Suprit Bodla
Community Service
Nominator: Jim Power
Since 2013, Suprit Bodla has volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America, Christiana Care Health System and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). He has organized a variety of fundraisers to benefit LLS and also to raise public awareness of the fight against blood cancer. Suprit is also a student mentor for the Science Ambassadors Program at the Charter School of Wilmington, where he, along with his peers, helped to organize a STEM tutoring program at Marbrook Elementary School and work with the Delaware Children’s Museum to provide science and match activities for Engineering Week.
Nadeem D. Boggerty
Community Service
Nominators: Adrienne Gomez
Dover High School honor student Nadeem D. Boggerty has been volunteering in his community for the past six years with his church, his school and through social organizations. One of the many organizations at which Nadeem volunteers is the Calvary Church in Dover, where he and his family help pack boxes and assist with dinner on Thanksgiving each year. Nadeem also participates in several social service organizations (the Omega Gents, a program steered by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; EMBODI, hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and BeB.O.L.D., a nonprofit youth mentoring organization in Dover) where he has helped feed the homeless, staff information tables at Back-to-School Fairs, toy drives, First State Community Day, and other activities that support the local community.
Sarah Davis
Education
Nominator: Michelle Neef
Fourteen-year-old Sarah Davis been volunteering with Faithful Friends Animal Society for four years. Sarah passionately promotes, educates and supports her community and has become a true leader and advocate for her generation. Furthermore, she displays great compassion while taking the initiative to ensure the safety of animals. Her tenacity has saved the lives of many dogs and cats, and improved the lives of neighbors who care for them. Sarah has provided long-term foster care to neonate kittens and delivered food from Faithful Friends Animal Society Pet Food Bank to pet owners with low incomes or those struggling in other ways to assist them in keeping their family pets in their home. She also rescued dogs and cats from perilous environments and has been instrumental for the Trap-Neuter-Return program, which works to reduce and improve the community cat population.
Cheyenne McGowan
Environment
Nominator: Emily Krueger
Cheyenne McGowan started with the Brandywine Zoo as a summer teen intern with its Zoo Camps during the summer of 2016. After the summer, she continued her volunteer efforts by signing up to help with various educational events at the zoo, including International Red Panda Day, Vulture Weekend, and Noon Year’s Eve. Her role for these events was educating the public at learning stations using animal artifacts, activities, or crafts. In addition, Cheyenne frequently came in to interpret the zoo’s animal exhibits to the public as a docent. Since she started volunteering a year ago, Cheyenne has helped educate hundreds of people at the zoo, which serves the greater Wilmington area, on different environmental topics, including climate change, animal adaptations, and specific animal facts.
Michael Robinette
Health & Special Needs
Nominator: Margaret Jenkins
Since 2013, Michael Robinette has volunteered with the Mary Campbell Center’s Children & Youth program. Mike works with more than 100 children each summer, in a variety of age groups with unique physical or intellectual disabilities. His responsibilities include assisting children in different activities throughout the day such as arts and crafts, games, swimming and cooking. Mike also supports staff with talent show planning and production. Additionally, he provides supervision and companionship for campers on field trips during the summer camp program. Mike gets to know the campers on a one-on-one level and is quick to learn their likes and dislikes, and when they need or want help.
Santiago Vizcaino
Health & Special Needs
Nominator: Richard Huber
Santiago Vizcaino began volunteering with the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired in the summer of 2016. During his time with the agency, Santiago has provided assistance in producing resource material for students with visual impairments, assisting staff with departmental projects and developing training procedures for the organization. Beginning at the Instruction Resource Material Center, Santiago produced large-print reading material for students, which were provided to 247 students. He developed a process that allowed books to be converted to PDF format, which allows a student with a visual impairment to use an iPad or other electronic device to review the document via voice narration or zoom text option, depending on the individual student’s needs. In addition, Santiago helped to develop training procedures for other volunteers.
Joy Baker
Human Needs
Nominator: Joyce Sessoms
In 2016 alone, Joy Baker volunteered an estimated 200+ hours in a variety of capacities in the Delmar and Laurel communities. She serves on the Youth Board of Directors of The ARK Education Resource Center, volunteers at her church as an assistant to the program coordinator responsible for youth activities, and is a member of the National Honor Society. For ARK, Joy acts as a recruiter and fundraiser, and is also an active participant in ARK-sponsored events like the Back-to-School Extravaganza held in Janosik Park.
Katelyn Craft
Human Needs
Nominator: Emily Holcombe
In July 2016, Katelyn Craft began volunteering at Exceptional Care for Children (ECC), Delaware’s first and only nonprofit pediatric skilled nursing facility for children who are medically fragile. Through the Resident Playdate volunteer program, ECC is able to provide the residents the chance to interact with individuals who can offer something other than medical care. At age 14, Katy knew she wanted to bring smiles and joy to children who have extensive medical needs. She has spent more than 100 hours reading, playing games, watching movies, assisting with arts and crafts projects, or just spending quality time with children who have little family involvement. In addition, Katy volunteered her time assisting with special events and fundraisers, like the Gala Fundraiser and Visits with Santa.
Daevean DeShields
Human Needs
Nominator: Aaron Tyson
Following the inspiration of his grandfather, Daevean DeShields created Project HOOP, which stands for Helping Out Other People. The goal of Project HOOP was to fill 1,000 bags with supplies to be distributed to people who are homeless through Faith United Methodist Church’s Open Hands Sound & Clothing Ministry. After recruiting from his local and school community (including his school principal), Daevean was able to meet and surpass his goal with a remarkable 1,015 bags assembled.
Jakob Ryan Thomas
Public Safety
Nominator: Shirin Skovronski
For almost two years, Jakob Ryan Thomas has volunteered as a junior firefighter with the Mill Creek Fire Company. In 2016 alone, he responded to 488 calls of emergency responses to structure fires, motor vehicle crashes, medical assistance, and other miscellaneous calls, amassing more than 500 volunteer hours. Jakob’s actions assisted the community in multiple emergencies, which were often quite serious and dangerous in nature.
Richard Thomas
Public Safety
Nominator: Robert Bassett, Jr.
Richard Thomas has been a volunteer firefighter with Camden-Wyoming Fire Company for two years, assisting in more than 300 emergency situations such as car accidents and house fires. Richard also assists with teaching fire prevention to children. Despite his youth, Richard is well-respected at the fire company and is seen as a mentor for new firefighters.
Ananya Singh
Social Justice/Advocacy
Nominator: Meghan Pasricha
For the past nine years, Ananya Singh has been a member of the Global Youth H.E.L.P. Inc. (GYH), a Delaware nonprofit whose mission is to train and support young people to become leaders by serving their communities through community service projects. Ananya served first as president of the middle school chapter and is currently chair of the high school chapter. Her time and efforts have been vital for many different community service projects, including the Annual Backpack Donation for the YWCA Home-Life Center, the Christmas Hygiene Product Donation, the Annual Ice Cream Party for the YWCA Home-Life Center and the Premier Charities Feeding the Homeless. She also has taught English and karate to younger children.
GROUPS
Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club
Arts & Culture
Nominator: Kenny Monroe
Following the devastation of Hurricane Matthew (Sept. 28-Oct. 10, 2016) in the Caribbean, the Teen TITAN program members of the Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club developed the “Hope for Haiti Donation Drive.” In a relatively short time, the Team Titan program members spent 400 hours collecting clothing, toiletries, bottled water, educational material and other items. More than 300 items filled more than 10 boxes and were sent to the people in Haiti to be used as they began to rebuild and recover from the effects of Hurricane Matthew.
Cape Henlopen High School Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Program
Community Service
Nominator: Angela Thompson
For 10 continuous years, the participants of the Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Program (JROTC) at Cape Henlopen High School have learned that everyone belongs to a community and therefore has a responsibility to that community. The 45 young men and women who comprise the current JROTC roster continue that legacy of service by devoting an average of 2,000 man-hours to community service activities benefiting a number of organizations, including the Delaware Seashore State Park, Beebe Medical Center, American Red Cross Blood Drive, the Salvation Army, Brandywine Senior Citizens Center and the National Kidney Foundation.
A.I. du Pont Middle School – Walk in the Kings Footsteps
Education
Nominator: Michele Fidance
When posed with the question “What will I do to walk in the footsteps of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?” the student body of A.I. du Pont Middle School in Wilmington decided to answer the question literally. A small group of students, led by Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) instructors, were given the project of researching the speeches of Dr. King in order to choose quotes that meant something to them. The students then inscribed their selected quote on a cut-out of a footprint, which was then affixed to the wall in the cafeteria as a means to inspire their fellow students. Once students beyond the JDG classes saw the footprints, they wanted to participate as well. The project helped to raise awareness among students of Dr. King’s life, teaching and legacy, and how it translates into community action and service.
P.S. duPont Middle School Student Council – Adopt a Family
Health and Special Needs
Nominator: Mallory Stratton
Each year, the student council of P.S. duPont Middle School in Wilmington spearheads its annual Adopt-A-Family Drive. The drive involves the school community at-large adopting the families of 15 to 20 P.S. duPont students who are need assistance to make the holiday season a little brighter. The donations of clothing, books and toys generated by the student council benefited upwards of 50 fellow students and their siblings in 2016.
Delmar High School - Wildcat Wellness Pantry
Human Needs
Nominator: Michele Fidance
The Wildcat Wellness Pantry is a food pantry at the Delmar American Legion, which provides nonperishable food and household items for individuals in need. The pantry is staffed by as many as eight Jobs for Delaware Graduate (JDG) volunteers. The JDG volunteers come in on Saturdays to assist families in need and taking inventory to ensure the pantry can reach even more people. An additional group of more than 60 volunteers collect the proceeds from canned food drives that occur during the school year to continually stock the pantry.
June 9, 2016 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to honour the service of our women and men in uniform, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today visited Canadian Forces Base Borden to participate in the unveiling of the new Borden Legacy Monument, part of the CFB Borden Centennial Celebrations.
The monument is a gift from the local communities of Simcoe County to honour the two million sons and daughters of Canada who have trained at CFB Borden over the last 100 years. It will continue to pay tribute to the over 20,000 sailors, soldiers and aviators per year who train at the base to serve this country.
During the unveiling, an urn containing battlefield soil patriated from Vimy, France, was enshrined in a niche in the monument. More than 66,000 Canadians made the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War, including at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Quotes
“Today, we all come together to take part in these centennial celebrations, united in common purpose. The Borden Legacy Monument is a fitting honour to those who serve in uniform to protect our values and way of life at home and abroad.”
Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
“The monument unveiled at Borden today, during the Centennial celebrations, is a longstanding symbol of honour and remembrance bestowed upon all the women and men who wear the uniform in service to Canada. It demonstrates one community’s proud commitment to and passion for the Canadian Armed Forces.”
Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister
“On behalf of the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, I am honoured by this gift to CFB Borden. Those involved in the Legacy Project, led by Honorary Colonel Jamie Massie, have thereby shown the greatest respect to our military personnel – those who have come before, who are here today, and who will serve Canada in the future.”
General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff
Quick Fact
The battlefield soil was retrieved from Vimy, France, in June 2015, during a ceremony attended by Lawrence Cannon, Canadian Ambassador to France, a delegation from Simcoe County, members from Base Borden, French Forces, and the Vimy Foundation.
docs.simcoe.ca/ws_cos/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&Revi...
Article by: Bob Bruton, Barrie Examiner Mon. Dec. 15, 2014.
Canadians who have gone to war during the last century, and those who will go in the next one, will be honoured by a new monument at the Angus gate of Canadian Forces Base Borden.
“What I want to do is pay honour to the history to the people who served our country 100 years ago,” said Honourary Col. Jamie Massie, of the Borden Legacy Project. “And a 100 years from now I want soldiers to go through those gates and to be motivated and inspired by this monument.
“To me it's about being Canadian and serving the Canadian Forces.”
CFB Borden's 100th anniversary is 2016, when a century ago, the base was training soldiers for the First World War.
Massie, who spoke to Barrie city council Monday night about the legacy project, noted many of the Canadian troops who went overseas from 1916 until 1918 were trained at Borden – where the original training trenches were restored in 2011.
“You go look at these trenches and how they trained, their optimism about going there,” he said, “and then they show up there and ended up with these absolutely devastating conditions of battle.”
Many who trained at Borden also fought at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 9-12, 1917, when 15,000 Canadian infantry overran the Germans, but with a terrible toll – 3,598 soldiers killed and 7,000 wounded (Canadian War Museum, Tim Cook).
It was that battle which changed Canada from a British colony into a nation, as noted by Gen. Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps during the latter part of the war.
And Massie said it's only fitting that the monument contain Currie's words.
“To those who fall I say, 'You will not die, but step into immortality. Your mothers will not lament your fate, but will have been proud to have borne such sons. Your names will be revered for ever and ever by your grateful country, and God will take you unto Himself.'”
Massie also has a personal connection to Vimy Ridge. His grandfather fought there with the 48th Highlanders and lost his left leg during the battle
“He lay bleeding in the mud for 18 hours before they picked him up. Then they took him and they cut his leg off,” Massie said.
His father also trained at Borden and served in the Second World War.
The monument will include soil from the Vimy battlefield, with the French government's permission, that Massie himself will travel to France next June to collect along with other dignitaries.
“It (the soil) represents not just the DNA of those 3,500 who died and 7,000 wounded, but represents the repatriation of Canadian soldiers, who were lost and buried and forgotten,” said Massie. “To me the monument will inspire and motivate because we are living to the standard that Gen. Currie promised his troops, that we wouldn't forget them.”
The monument will be created by Marlene Hilton Moore, a local artist who creates public art with striking human figures and architectural forms, along with personal art in on-going exhibitions in galleries and museums.
Her Borden Legacy Project will include walls of highly polished black granite, wings of white granite and a First World War bugler. Beyond the bugler will be a contemplation area, nestled among maple trees and four, black, polished granite benches.
“The idea is to create a place where. . .you can have a very quiet and beautiful place to sit and contemplate the meaning of the monument,” Hilton Moore said.
“It will be a reflection point, a chance to think of how lucky we are to have the freedom that we have,” Massie said.
The monument will be paid for with privately donated funds, and Massie said most of the money has already been raised.
“This is an opportunity for our community to say thank you for 100 years,” he said. “All of these people have trained at the base and they have all done their part to bring us the freedom that we share, and we all live with freedom, we live with democracy and we have justice and rule of law, which is what makes us Canadian.”
Base Borden is also an economic driver in the community, with 950 soldiers who work at Base Borden that live in Barrie with their families.
On June 1, 2016 some of the Vimy soil will be left with Barrie's Cenotaph, when it's relocated in Memorial Square. The Vimy soil will then be marched back to Base Borden on a gun carriage.
The Borden Legacy Project will be unveiled in mid-June 2016, marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of CFB Borden.
Soil from Vimy Ridge to be featured in Borden memorial
Nov. 2014, Barrie Advance Article by Laurie Watt
As the CFB Borden turns 100, Grey and Simcoe Foresters Major John Fisher unveiled a project to commemorate not only the base, but the local people who trained there and fought in the First World War.
Known as the Borden Legacy Project, the memorial –— designed by nationally acclaimed, local sculptor Marlene Hilton Moore –— will include some Vimy Ridge soil and serve as a gateway to restored trenches rediscovered a few years ago, just inside the base’s Angus gates.
“The legacy project is the creation and donation of a large, beautiful memorial tied into the Vimy trenches that have been restored. It’s a memorial to all those who’ve served since 1916,” Grey and Simcoe Foresters Maj. John Fisher said.
“Its two walls with inscriptions on them, are dark and light granite. They’re long and angled — a sculpture more than a chunk of rock. There’ll be a large bronze bugler on a base as well. The pathways to the back will lead into the Vimy trenches.
“It will be quite the emotive experience as you walk through this and into the woods and into the trenches, where the soldiers trained before they went over to France.”
Announced at the Spirit Catcher Awards gala in Barrie Tuesday night, the $400,000 project celebrates the link between the base and Barrie, where the Simcoe Foresters were based in the Mulcaster Street armoury.
Fisher recalled the historic night, Jan. 27, 1912, when Minister of Military and Defence Sir Sam Hughes announced a new base would be built on the Simcoe Pines Plain and a new armoury would be built in Queen’s Park in Barrie. The announcement occurred at a regimental dinner at the Queen’s Hotel and set in motion the construction of the armouries, which opened in 1915, and the base, which opened in 1916.
Fisher added the project will also celebrate the many men who fought and died in France.
“Thirty-six battalions left Barrie between mid-September and mid-November 1916 and they went to England and then broken up and sent into France,” said Fisher, recalling the 157th and 177th Simcoe Foresters and the 147th and 248th Grey Battalions.
The face of the project will be Leonard Webster, a Penetanguishene boy who went overseas as a captain with the 157th, the founding battalion of CFB Borden, and who died three days after arriving in Vimy.
Soil from Vimy Ridge to be featured in Borden memorial
Stan Howe
A new memorial is planned for the entrance to Base Borden. Major John Fisher presented the design, featuring an inscribed wall and a statue of a bugler.
Roddy Doyle's', The Commitments is now a musical in London and is playing at the Palace Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. This is 3 exposures with -1+ stops bracketing, then Photomatix for HDR and tonemapping treatment, and finally Photoshop for the finishing touches.
GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS Commitment March along Independence Avenue between 21st and 20th Street, SW, Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography
Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/
Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020
Nikon D3200 - 90mm f/2.8 Macro -
Salmon complete the most profound physiological transformation at the end of their lives. I had the most fantastic experience with the boys tonight. One of my students informed me that salmon were running at Hidden Valley Park and we went to see them. In 36 years this is the first time I have witnessed this astounding evolutionary trait. The boys had so many questions after seeing all the dead fish. Although a little untraditional, this image I think is so gorgeous. This fish has returned to its birth place to help produce the next generation. In its last parental duty it passes away and decomposes in the water column. Its biomass will feed primary producers which will fuel the growth of small invertebrates. The invertebrates will feed the young salmon fry as soon as they emerge...so incredible. Committed parent!
Sometimes he wondered if it was worth doing. Occasionally he doubted his motives. However, he never forgot where the journey started and where it would end. He would see this through. One way or the other.
Continuing its commitment to protect the waters of the Commonwealth, the Baker-Polito Administration today filed An Act to Enable the Commonwealth’s Administration of the Massachusetts Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The legislation will allow the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to join forty-six other states in administering the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for federal water quality protection.
(Photo Credit: Alastair Pike, Office of Governor Charlie Baker)
George Turkington CBE, Director of DFID's Ebola Crisis Unit and Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer AC sign an agreement for emergency Ebola assistance in Sierra Leone.
Find out more about the 'Defeating Ebola in Sierra Leone' conference and how the UK is helping to combat the disease: www.gov.uk/government/news/defeating-ebola-in-sierra-leon...
Picture: Jess Lea/DFID
RAF Vickers VC10 Aircraft
Victoria (ZA147 'Foxtrot') takes a shower before her next commitment; she still looks great, and her 'dance card' is usually full!
This is one of the last two RAF VC-10 aircraft of No. 101 Squadron receiving a final wash by the Serco wash team prior to her final sortie.
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On 26th September 2013 a great chapter of British aviation history closed when, after 47 years of exceptional service, the last flying Vickers VC10 K3 aircraft, ZA147, 'Foxtrot', took off from Royal Air Force Brize Norton and then landed into retirement at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome in Leicestershire. This aircraft holds the record for the fastest ever flight of an airliner from London to Australia.
Until 26th September 2013, RAF Brize Norton maintained a fleet of VC10 as dual-role air transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling aircraft. In the AT role, the aircraft was used for troop carrying, with accommodation for 124 passengers and nine crew. Use of a large freight door in the rear cabin, on the forward left side, of the aircraft allows easy conversion of the aircraft into a dual-role passenger/freight or full-freight configuration. In its full-freight role, the cabin could hold up to 20,400kgs of palletised freight, ground equipment or vehicles, on its permanently strengthened floor. The aircraft could also be used for aero-medical evacuation, for which up to 68 stretchers may be fitted.
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© Crown Copyright 2013
Photographer: Paul Crouch - RAF Brize Norton Photographic Section
Image: Victoria Takes a Shower-1
From: www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/
Note: The reuse of this file is limited, and is currently available under the MOD News Licence only, a link to which is published in the 'MOD copyright licensing information' document on the Ministry of Defence copyright licensing information page.
More info about RAF Brize Norton:
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Dec. 1, 2011 marks Iraq's Day of Commitment. The ceremony hosted by the Iraqi government at Al Faw Palace, in Baghdad, Iraq would be the last of it's kind as U.S. forces continue to draw out of Iraq. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, took the opportunity to thank U.S. and Iraqi service members for all of their sacrifices that led to the end of an almost decade long war.
U.S. Forces Iraq
Photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Barrieau
Related Photos: dvidshub.net/r/x9u2rk
USAID's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Africa Bureau, Cheryl L. Anderson, has commended YALI Regional Leadership Center West Africa-Accra for its commitment to training Africa’s next generation of leaders. Anderson disclosed this during a day’s official visit to the YALI Accra Regional Learning Center. The Deputy Assistant Secretary was accompanied by Mr. Daniel Moore, Mission Director at USAID/West Africa and Mr. Kevin Stirr, Program Advisor to the Africa Bureau. Credit: USAID
(further pictures and information you can see by clicking on the link at the end of page)
History of the Austrian Province of the Order
About four centuries of eventful events
The history of the Order in Central Europe has its roots on the Tiber Island in Rome. There runs the dynamic, just now by the Pope confirmed Hospital Fraternities Order of St John of God since 1584 a Hospital. In this Hospital 1604 some of the staff of Prince Karl I of Liechtenstein, Envoy of Emperor Rudolf II in Rome, that have fallen ill from malaria are so excellently treated, that the prince shall ask the General Superior to send him some brothers for his territory in Lower Austria and Moravia. Those brothers take over in 1605 under the leadership of Fr John Baptist de Cassinetti the hospital to Saint Barbara in Feldsberg, the residence of the prince.
The second step follows with the delegation of Brother Gabriel Ferrara, an in Italy highly respected surgeon, to Vienna. He installs in 1614 on the road "towards Tabor" a small hospital with 20 beds. Through him Vienna became the starting point for further operations. Already in 1615 another house was founded in Graz. This is followed by Prague in 1620 and 1622 in Neuburg an der Donau. Those foundations form the framework for the further expansions of the Order in the countries of Central Europe.
The first generation of the brothers consists primarily of Italians who are struggling with social difficulties. The brothers win but by their exemplary nursing more and more prestige because their hospitals differ significantly from the in this country already existing hospital facilities, predominantly being hostels, retirement homes and infirmaries - as the Holy Spirit hospitals in Vienna and Graz. The branches of the Hospital Brothers are exclusively hospitals and therefore represent, regardless of their size of first 12 to 20 beds, in the countries of Central Europe the first hospitals in present-day understanding. One of the biggest sponsors was Emperor Ferdinand II, in 1624 the Vienna home endowing with the privilege to be allowed to collect alms in all Habsburg lands.
Due to the Thirty Years' War, the construction initially was just tough. In this by wars and pestilence devastated time, the Brothers of Charity are always to be found where their help is desperately needed. Many of them lose, as a result, their lives - as in 1679 with the great plague in Vienna.
Garden front of the Graz hospital in 1790
Establishment of the "Province of St. Michael the Archangel"
The six hospitals, Feldsberg, Vienna, Prague, Graz, Neuburg an der Donau and Triest, 1659 are raised to the province of the holy Archangel Michael. Until that time, still dominate Italians and some Spaniards that provide about half of the brothers in the convents of the Order in the countries of Central Europe. The exemplary commitment of the brethren but is bearing fruits, and many locals are joining the Order. From 1680 to 1700 a total of 165 brothers are making their profession.
At the end of the 17th Century in all plants of the brothers extensions and conversions are necessary. It develops a certain type of building with church, monastery, hospital and pharmacy in a front. The monks themselves are the nurses and surgeons. For internal diseases a postdoctoral secular physician is appointed who has the title "Spitalsphysikus (hospital physician)".
In principle, the sick are cared for free of charge. For daily maintenance ensure the collections. Despite the collection privilege and other privileges, the Order for the maintenance of the patients, for necessary purchases and for structural measures is dependent on contributions of the respective local lords and donations of wealthy nobles as well as civic benefactors.
Heyday
Within a few decades, doubled the number of the hospitals: Münster, Timisoara, Wroclaw, Eger, Neustadt/Silesia and Proßnitz are significant start-ups. The quality of training of the young brothers is leveled to those in the Latin countries, and since 1718 training centers in Prague and Feldsberg (Valtice - Czech Republic) are being built.
In addition to the imperial family and the Prince of Liechtenstein, other noble houses build on their dominions hospitals. The branches of the Order reach at the end of the 18th Century from Westphalia to the territory of today's Romania. The 31 hospitals of the province with about 500 monks represent a nationwide, well organized and cooperatively-led "network of Hospitality".
Towards the end of the 18th Century occur profound changes in the from Vienna led province. The Age of Enlightenment, the Josephinism, the side effects of the French Revolution and the changes in the Napoleonic period shape the processes strongly. 1781 Emperor Joseph II dissolves the German branches outside of the Habsburg patrimonial lands from the Provincial Association. The branches in the Habsburg lands themselves he separates from the Order leadership in Rome. Although he promotes the Order, but it comes to the isolation of the individual convents.
View of the Johannes von Gott Care Center in Kainbach in the 19th century
"Vienna and Graz Province"
1853 the province can again be linked to the General Curia in Rome and to reform-minded brothers in 1859 the Graz Convention is passed. This built in Algersdorf at Graz a convalescent home, which later on develops into the Hospital Graz-Eggenberg. In Kainbach at Graz 1875 a nursing home for the chronically ill is established and in 1876 in St. Veit an der Glan a new hospital built. Thus, the conditions for an own province are given, which in 1879 as the Inner Austrian province to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is established.
Due to the increase of Slovenian brothers in Graz the next step was to build in Kram in Rudolfswerth/Kandia a hospital, which is opened in 1898. From this house with its auxiliary facilities in Vrbinje, Kamnik and Stari Grad develops after the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire a separate Yugoslav General Delegation, whose existence in 1948 comes to an end by the state confiscation of religious institutions.
Archduke Leopold Salvator visits wounded people in the hospital Graz in 1915 .
Well-trained and recognized personalities lead in this period the Province of Vienna, including Celestine Opitz (1810-1866), who is also a great pioneer of the anesthesia surgery, and his student Johannes de Deo Sobel (1839-1903), who is able to bring the surgery in Prague to the most modern stand. These religious men know how to combine the requirements of progress in medicine with the care of the sick in the sense of the order's founder. The time of the great ancient wards once and for all is over, significant new buildings complement or replace the old hospitals in Vienna, Feldsberg, Linz and Graz.
1914 belong to the Austro-Bohemian Province 15 hospitals with a total of 1,550 beds. However, the World War brought lasting changes, because the majority of hospitals is converted into military hospitals and largely deprived of the power of disposition of the brothers. Due to the going to pieces of the Danube Monarchy the for centuries solid unit with Bohemia and Moravia goes astray, which is 1919 canonically separated, too.
Frater Medardus Oszmeyer treats a patient in the dental clinic in Vienna, 1937
Hardships after the First World War
The Viennese province remain next to the hospital in Vienna Leopoldstadt still the hospital in Linz and the convalescent home in Vienna Hütteldorf. In order to remain Province, in Kritzendorf in 1919 a fourth Convention is built. In 1922 comes the hospital in Eisenstadt because of the integration of the German-speaking areas of western Hungary (Burgenland) to the Vienna province. Only with great difficulty operation in the hospitals can be started. Now that all have to fight for the existence and the old foundation and support funds are worthless, the Order has virtually no resources. The closure of the Viennese house can be avoided only by support from foreign aid agencies. Fortunately, the Vienna City Administration allows an annual public collection.
Soon it comes to the expansion of the province: 1923 through the acquisition of Salzburg's troops Hospital and 1931 by the opening of the Kneipp spa hotel in Schärding. Another convent was founded in Walding at Linz, where a brothers holiday house is installed. As fourth foundation Wien-Gersthof comes along where a maternity ward is taken over and from 1936 on a general hospital is run.
Hospital Bad Kreckelmoos near Reutte in Tirol, 1950
Something similar happens with the Graz province. It can build in 1925 a small hospital in Kreckelmoos near Reutte despite difficult financial circumstances. For the first time gynecological departments in 1926 in St. Veit and Linz are opened. The hospitals of both provinces in this time are literally Hospitals of the poors - the distress in the cities is great, and the brothers themselves are living in modest conditions.
The outpatient clinics, where medical help is available free of charge, are constantly crowded, and also among the hospitalized patients, there are many who are totally destitute and absolutely not are able to pay anything, but nonetheless are looked after free of charge to the best of their knowledge and belief. Especially in Vienna and Graz are - despite of all its own financial woes - even hundreds of hungry people fed daily with a warm meal.
Reconstruction after the Second World War
The next turning point occurs at the time of National Socialism and the Second World War. Except for the Viennese house, all branch offices are expropriated. The main event of this period is the merger of the two in Austria located provinces for "Austrian province" in 1951.
Some facilities have been made soon after the war, so Gersthof 1945, the hospital in Nazareth in 1959, Kreckelmoos 1961 and Hütteldorf 1962. Since then, the brothers lead seven hospitals (Vienna, Graz, Linz, Eisenstadt, Graz-Eggenberg, St. Veit, Salzburg), two nursing centers (John of God Care Center in Kainbach, retirement and nursing home in Kritzendorf) and a spa (Kneipp and health center in Schärding). Since 1978 the Order in Vienna also has its own "school for general health and medical care".
Order and works newly profiled
With the creation of central structures, as in 1975 with the computing center of the province in Eisenstadt, important organizational requirements for responsible economic activity are created. Modernizations concern since the mid-70s all of the facilities. They entail the opening of new departments, and also the appearance of all of the houses changes to this day continuously.
Although traditionally the focus of the work of the Brothers of Charity in the Austrian Province of the Order lies on the hospital sector, becomes the caring for people in the sense of the "option for the poor", ousted from the social center because of special disabilities or by their kind of living increasingly important.
In addition to the traditional forms of hospitality emerge various forms of the so-called "New Hospitality". Socially marginalized groups and self-help groups find in the houses of the Order their nursing and medical home. In addition to traditional outpatient clinics for destitutes (dental clinic and general outpatient clinic in Vienna), in Linz (1993 ) and Vienna (1999) are created outpatient clinics for the deaf and in Vienna a special station for acutely ill Justice prisoners. The latter find here because they are not admitted by most of the Vienna's hospitals because of fear of contact and loss of reputation, the necessary nursing and medical care.
In July 1999, the life-world Schenkenfelden (Upper Austria/Mühlviertel) can, an establishment for the deaf and deaf-blind people with special needs, its work start and 2004 is in Kainbach opened a drug treatment center - for the first time in a Central European religious institution.
"Do good and do it well - for the love of Christ". To his motto of St. John of God, the Austrian Province of the Order feels today so deeply committed as 400 years ago.
www.barmherzige-brueder.at/site/barmherzigebrueder/ordens...
New Year
Just like a new chapter in life. Recharged with full spirit. Blessed by love
* taken @ Gn Pancar, West Java
As part of a shared commitment to advance the health and vitality of the St. Johns River, Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute (MSRI) and the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) are partnering to launch an educational initiative called Connected, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of the St. Johns River as a vital natural resource.
“The St. Johns River is the heartbeat of our city and our region, and as a community, we are all connected to the river in some way,” said MSRI Executive Director Dr. Quinton White, who has studied the St. Johns River and its diverse wildlife for more than 40 years. “As neighbors across the river, Jacksonville University and JAXPORT both understand how important the river is to our thriving city. We share a common goal of ensuring the river is healthy for future generations, because our environment and economy depend on it.”
Every year, the river carries 10 million tons of cargo through JAXPORT, pumping more than $31 billion into the regional economy. It’s also home to thousands of species that depend on the river for survival. Powered by funding from JAXPORT, Connected brings together research, education and global commerce in a mission to educate and engage the community on a broad range of topics related to the river.
“I am pleased to see two organizations that are dear to my heart come together for such an important partnership,” said JAXPORT Immediate Past Chairman Jamie Shelton, who also serves as Chairman of the JU Board of Trustees. “I look forward to seeing the incredible educational opportunities that will come from this partnership, and the positive impact it will have on the health and vitality of our river for generations to come,” Shelton continued.
“I am a firm believer that there is a nexus between commerce and protecting the environment,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “As the largest commercial user of the harbor, we are proud to do our part to help facilitate the connection between environmental stewardship and economic opportunity, ultimately benefiting our river and community.”
As Northeast Florida’s leading environmental research institution, the Marine Science Research Institute at Jacksonville University offers scientific expertise and educational resources to further the mission of the Connected partnership at local schools and community groups. MSRI faculty will offer informative lectures, interactive activities, and resources for educators on topics that include: ecosystems and wildlife found in and around the river; hydrology and water cycles; the river’s role in our city’s history; and its importance to the regional economy.
“Through Connected, we will partner with local schools and community organizations to bring river education to all ages,” said Dr. Melinda Simmons, assistant professor of marine science at Jacksonville University. Simmons will lead local outreach and education efforts throughout Northeast Florida. “Connected is far more than just a series of lectures. It is an open invitation to explore and engage with our beautiful St. Johns River with the goal of inspiring all members of our community to value and protect it.”
To kick off the Connected initiative and establish a baseline for measuring success, Jacksonville University’s public opinion research and polling expert, Dr. Raymond Oldakowski, conducted a survey to assess current community awareness and opinion of the St. Johns River. Of nearly 470 randomly-selected individuals who were surveyed, nearly 80 percent placed a high value of importance on the river as an asset to Jacksonville. More than 99 percent of those surveyed said it is “somewhat” or “very” important for people in Jacksonville to learn about the river, while one in four respondents said they are “not at all knowledgeable” about what they can do to protect the health of the river.
Other important findings from the survey include:
The health of the river was ranked as the issue of highest importance to survey participants, exceeding the river’s perceived value as a source for jobs, recreation and a visual amenity. Approximately 87 percent of those surveyed ranked the health of the river as “very important” to the city.
While a majority of respondents view government agencies as most responsible for protecting the river (57 percent), they also gave significant and equal weight to the role of the business community (46 percent) and individuals (46 percent) in protecting the health of the river as well.
The majority (52 percent) described the health of the river as “good” but in need of improvements in some areas, while 39 percent believe the river is in need of “major cleanup”.
“There are extremely encouraging takeaways from this survey: most people in Jacksonville place a high value on the importance of the river to our community and our economy, and many of us believe in a shared responsibility to protect it,” said Dr. Simmons. “We know nearly one in four people simply don’t know enough about what they can do as individuals to improve the health of the river, and with our partners at JAXPORT, we have an opportunity to educate them.”
A healthy river drives a healthy economy as well. Cargo activity through JAXPORT, one of the most vital seaports on the east coast, sustains 138,500 Florida jobs with an average salary of $70,000, well above the state average. JAXPORT also plays a significant national security role as one of the country’s 17 Strategic Seaports authorized to move military cargo for national defense, foreign humanitarian aid and disaster relief. It is the only port in Florida with this designation, which requires 24/7 on-call status for emergency response.
About Jacksonville University
As northeast Florida’s premier private institution of higher education, Jacksonville University is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Regional Universities in the South, with back-to-back Top 30 rankings in 2020 and 2021. Founded in 1934, the University offers more than 100 majors, minors, and programs, including in-demand degrees in Marine Science, Biology, Nursing, Business, Engineering, Finance, and Psychology, as well as those in the highly specialized fields of Aviation, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Film, Animation, and Healthcare Administration. With its four colleges, eleven schools and two institutes, Jacksonville University’s 235-acre riverfront campus is minutes from downtown and from beautiful area beaches.
About JAXPORT
JAXPORT is Florida’s largest container port by volume and one of the nation’s busiest vehicle-handling ports. Located in the Southeastern United States at the crossroads of the nation’s rail and highway network, JAXPORT is the global gateway to Florida, the nation’s third-largest state. The port offers service from dozens of ocean carriers, with competitive transit times to 140 ports in more than 70 countries.
This is a picture of my grandparent's hands clasped together. I made it with darkroom photography. My inspiration was just love and hope I can have a relationship like theirs. Available for purchase at fineartamerica.com/profiles/rachael-lahar.html
Scenes from the closing of the 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held at UN Headquarters in New York on 23 March 2018.
The UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s rights concluded in New York with the strong commitment by UN Member States to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls. Coming on the heels of unprecedented global activism and public outcry to end gender injustice and discrimination worldwide, the 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) reached a robust agreement highlighting the urgency of empowering and supporting those who need it most and have, for too long, been left behind.
Today, 1.6 billion people still live in poverty, and nearly 80 per cent of the extreme poor live in rural areas. Many of them are rural women. They continue to be economically and socially disadvantaged – for instance, they have less access to economic resources and opportunities, quality education, health care, land, agricultural inputs and resources, infrastructure and technology, justice and social protection.
The outcome of the two-week meeting, known as the Agreed Conclusions adopted by Member States, puts forth concrete measures to lift rural women and girls out of poverty and to ensure their rights, well-being and resilience. These include ensuring their adequate living standards with equal access to land and productive assets, ending poverty, enhancing their food security and nutrition, decent work, infrastructure and technology, education and health, including their sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, and ending all forms of violence and harmful practices. Member States recognize in the conclusions rural women’s important role in addressing hunger and food insecurity. This strong outcome provides a roadmap on next steps that governments, civil society and women’s groups can undertake to support the realization of rural women’s rights and address their needs.
Read More: www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2018/3/press-release-csw6...
Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown
Bridal season is here once again... a time filled with blooming trees, warm weather, and couples making the everlasting commitment of love. We (Red Weasel Media) chose the historical Fort Monroe for our first annual "Bridal Editorial" photoshoot. Our entire RWM staff spent countless hours preparing to deliver a remarkable series of images to kickoff the wedding season. The rustic soul of the decayed landscape made for the perfect juxtaposition. Whether finding the perfect dress or making the final decision on the location for your special day we encourage lovers of all ages to discover the possibilities of thinking outside the box when it comes to your bridal images.
This editorial concentrates on the bold and sheering thought of two souls getting lost amid a concrete jungle. Our bride wanders hopelessly to find her tall and handsome rescuer who waste no time to free her love of the confinement of loneliness. The magnetic connection delivers the subtle contrast as defined as his sharp jaw line. The journey nears as she realizes her prince has arrived.
This feature would not be possible without the vigorous dedication of Hair Stylist UPDOPRO, and our amazing models. I would like to thank everyone who made our first installment a success!
Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of; the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.
Women lawmakers boldly reaffirm their commitment towards a Planet 50:50 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on the occasion of International Women’s Day. UN Women in collaboration with the provincial Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) and the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) celebrated the achievements of local women and renewed pledges, at an event held on 8 March 2017 in the Chief Ministers residence in Peshawar.
During the proceedings, the ‘2017 WPC Awards’ were distributed acknowledging women ‘change-makers’ from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the areas of performing arts, women of courage, human rights, literature and politics. Women being honored included: Yasmin Jaferi (performing arts, posthumous), Rafia Qaseem Baig (Pakistan’s first female to join the Bomb Disposal Unit), Rukhshanda Naz (human rights), Zatoon Bano (Pashto and Urdu literature) and Begum Naseem Wali Khan (female once leader of a political party from 1970’s).
Pictured: Rafia Qaseem Baig
Photo: UN Women/Faria Salman