Another great banquet for Fall River Youth Soccer!  I was honored to sing the anthem and have a wonderful night with the two soccer teams I coach and my fellow Board members.  It was a fantastic night of soccer and fun!

It took two very motivated, inspiring 8th grade girls to dream up a fashion show that would take on a life of its own…

Khoryn Cote and Elizabeth Kaegael, both 13 years old, were very touched by a video they saw about inclusion and children with disabilities called, “Including Samuel. “  From there, they decided they wanted to put on an event that would make children with and without disabilities feel beautiful inside and out.

I was very proud to emcee such a touching fashion show that included babies through high schoolers, both with and without struggles, who strutted their stuff on the runway.  We all had a blast, and all the proceeds went to charities for children with disabilities. 

Great job, girls!

Today I filmed a clip that will be featured in local American Heart Association intiatives focused on working with students to understand more about their heart health and get involved in the fight against heart disease.  I can’t wait to see what the clip could lead to!

Another fun soccer season has kicked off for FRYSA!  My Under6 Ireland and Under8 England teams are excited about the season ahead, and it promises to be a blast for all of our 600+ Fall Season Recreational players!

For more information about FRYSA, please visit: www.fallriveryouthsoccer.com.

I was privileged to present the Peaceful Coalition with a Heroes of Peace Award during Fall River’s National Night Out.  I nominated this amazing group based on their dedication to creating peace within our community and the ways in which they have made great strides toward this goal.  It was a fun evening for all who attended!

I had the pleasure of returning to the Rotary Club of Fall River to give my thanks and share my presentation to them about my trip to Uruguay.  They are an incredible group, and I’m so grateful that I was able to take part in this international experience of creating friendships across the world as a result of my local club’s efforts.  Thank you again, Fall River Rotary, for your continuous support!!

My family had a fantastic time at the annual Freemason Family Fun Day held at the Fall River Grand Lodge.  We enjoyed terrific company, delicious food, and great fun!!

It was an honor to sing the national anthem and attend the local Rotary International’s Million Dollar Brunch.  This event, which began locally, is held all over the world to help end Polio…a goal very much within reach because of R.I.’s efforts.  They are simply one of the most inspiring organizations anyone could ever meet!

Congratulations to our newly crowned Miss Massachusetts 2010, Loren Rabinowitz!  We are proud to have her represent our state at the Miss America in January!!

The Miss Fall River Committee is so proud of our 3 ladies who did unbelievable at the pageant! 

It was a great pageant, and it was wonderful to be able to catch up with my Miss Massachusetts sisters!

I was very proud to graduate as a member of the 2010 Leadership SouthCoast class today.  I am grateful to this program for its in-depth knowledge of my region, networking opportunities, and additional tools to help contribute as a leader in my area.  It was a great class, and I am very excited where this program will continue to go!

Yet another amazing event sponsored by Children in Balance!  Spencer Borden was the final Fall River elementary school to have its fun family health initiative, and it had the most amazing turn out of students and their families!  We saw some delicious healthy cooking take place, participated in some fun and awesome dance/exercise moves, and toured the booths of the amazing health-related organizations in Fall River.  What a fun (healthy!) night!!

Well, I’m about halfway through my South American visit to Uruguay where I am representing my country, city, and Rotary District.  It has certainly been an adventure so far!  My team and I have visited many schools and hospitals, met many gauchos (Uruguayan cowboys) both young and old, gave numerous presentations to Rotary Clubs and at the District Conference, tried some amazing new food and dessert, and even had our fun with meeting new furry creatures along the way.  Most importantly, we have experienced a beautiful culture full of warm and inviting people, amazing customs, and breathtaking scenery.  I thank Rotary International and the loving Rotarians of Uruguay so much for making this cultural exchange possible.

It was great to be visiting this week at Peaceful Coalition’s meeting!  The Peaceful Coalition is a program at B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River (that has additionally branched out into the middle schools) that provides options to students who are deemed at-risk and/or gang-involved.  It aims toward prevention and intervention with regards to violence in the schools, and the message of peace has spread far and wide as a result of these students’ and advisors’ efforts. 

As a past advisor to the group, it’s amazing to see how much they continue to grow.  While the issue of violence is certainly prevalent in our city, I cannot imagine where it might be without the determination of Peaceful Coalition.

Another great fundraiser at Spencer Borden Elementary School!  We had a blast cooking breakfast for the students and their families at this annual PTO event, and everyone had a delicious breakfast and a terrific time!

Mayor Flanagan of Fall River, MA unveiled a Peace Pole at Government Center today in an international initiative to promote peace.  I was priveleged to have painted this very Peace Pole with my colleagues and students from St. Vincent’s Home.  Each side of the pole reads, “Let Peace Prevail on Earth,” in the languages of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Khmer.  It was exciting to be part of an project that will hopefully grow city-wide very soon!

It is always a fun-filled time attending the Fall River Rotary Club’s meetings!  This week was no exception when I was invited to speak to share my upcoming trip to Uruguay and thank the Club for their support.  I’m so appreciative to have such an outstanding group of people who are always willing to give so much to others.  Thank you again for having me as your guest!

Over 125 years ago, the Sisters of Mercy established St. Vincent’s Home as an orphanage in Fall River, MA.  Today it celebrates still serving children and families in need so many years later.  We had a wonderful anniversary event to kick off our 125th anniversary, with the Bishop and the Mayor taking part in the festivities.

For more information on St. Vincent’s Home, please visit: http://www.stvincentshome.org/.

The Eagle Performing Arts Center hosted an intimate night of music with Cheryl Wheeler and PattyLarkin in a benefit for the Katie Brown Educational Program.  It was a night of great company, music, and mission!

I was so happy to attend the 2010 Miss America Pageant at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas to cheer on our Miss Massachusetts, Amanda Kelly!  She looked so beautiful up on the stage during the TLC live event.

Congratulations to our new Miss America from Virginia, Caressa Cameron!

This weekend I participated in a retreat for Rotary International’s District 7950 Group Study Exchange (GSE) trip to Uruguay.  I was chosen to be a member of this 5-person team that will visit District 4980 in Uruguay from April 14 – May 15, 2010.  The month will consist of living with various Rotarians in Uruguay; presenting on the United States, my community, my profession, and my family to various Rotary Clubs; shadowing Uruguayans in my profession to gain a new perspective on methods and theories; and developing a deeper understanding for a different culture.  I will return as a Goodwill Ambassador to Rotary International, and I am so proud I can represent my country, state, city, and family in this awesome opportunity.  My thanks to the Rotary Club of Fall River for their sponsorship!