Miss Clay County & Miss North Florida Pageant (MAO)

Volunteering at the pageant was a lot of fun! Here are some fun photos from the event I love volunteering and being with friends and seeing someone you know win is just as special and icing on the cake! Most of the ladies in the photo are heading to Miss Florida and Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen pageants this July! To the New Queens have the time of your life at State!


Enjoy!

April is National Volunteer Month: What are you going to do?

Volunteers are people who give and receive. If you are one of those people who would like to give more but can’t quite figure out how to do it, then this column is for you. April is national volunteer month and the people, places, and events all around you will eagerly accept your interest, abilities, time and talent.

But it all starts with you and what you’d like to do. Are you passionate about working with people, communities, wildlife, the environment or preserving our national parks?

On the local level, you can find out about needs in your own backyard through the Points of Light Institute www.pointsoflight.org


They believe that each person is able to make a difference and contribute to creating healthy communities. Their HandsOn Action Centers enable you to search for volunteer opportunities in your local community if you are interested in using your skills to help people or causes that are important to you, want to meet people who share your interests, and learn how to get involved, visit www.handsonnetwork.org, go to Action Centers and click on your state to find an affiliate. Volunteer opportunities will be listed by city and organization with a key that provides links to directory information, Web sites, online volunteer matching, and volunteer management training.


Another way to find local things is through your United Way Chapter and through 1-800volunteer.org and the volunteer match programs. Also contact your friends to see if they volunteer and also a great way is your church family they are always needing good volunteers.

Volunteering can also be spontaneous. Walk around your community to see if anyone needs some help - or go to a community bulletin board, often found in the post office, town hall or library. Go to the local supermarket and see what they do to help in the community search the web find your passion!





HERE IS GREAT NEWS Bewteen Points of Light - HandsOn Network and Starbucks Partners and Customers such as yourself - This just makes me want to volunteer more so I challenge you to step out of your confront zone - find your passion for something and GO Volunteer encourage your friends and family to help! Once you do there is no better feeling in the WORLD knowing that you have helped someone in need! Remember you never know you may be the next person needing a helping hand!


Points of Light Institute's HandsOn Network brings volunteer opportunities to Starbucks Partners and Customers across the country.
HandsOn Network Works with Starbucks to Host Community Service Activities as Part of April Global Month of Service Initiative.


Contacts:
Anne O'Neill
Points of Light Institute
(404) 844-5360
aoneill@pointsoflight.org

Johanna Clark
Allison & Partners
(310) 496-4452
johanna@allisonpr.com


ATLANTA - March 24, 2011 - HandsOn Network, the volunteer arm of Points of Light Institute in the United States, announced today that it will work with Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) to host service activities across the country in April as part of a global month of service dedicated to engaging Starbucks partners (employees) and customers in meaningful service opportunities.

Earlier today, Starbucks announced that the company is partnering with nonprofit organizations around the world to host a global month of service throughout the month of April 2011. Starbucks continues to celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and the global month of service is part of its company-wide commitment to inspire and invest in community service around the world. The company's goal is for 200,000 hours of community service to be volunteered globally this month alone.

HandsOn Network will work with Starbucks to host three large-scale service events across the country during the month of April, including:

On April 9 in Los Angeles, volunteers will make a real difference for the students and residents of Hyde Park and Vermont Square by participating in clean up and refurbishment efforts that will give their neighborhood schools and a local park a much-needed makeover

On April 23, volunteers will come together in New York City to make improvements to P.S. 180, update landscapes at Morningside and Riverside Parks, help renovate Abby House, YouthBuild and Abyssinian Towers, and assemble gift baskets for local residents in need

On April 30 in Seattle, volunteers will update and improve local schools, parks and community gardens in the city's Mount Baker neighborhood including painting, landscaping and renovation projects

In addition to these events, the HandsOn Network and its 250 local action centers across the U.S. will work with individual Starbucks stores to help identify and organize service activities in communities across the country.

"Starbucks' commitment to creating thriving neighborhoods everywhere it does business is a powerful example of how a company can mobilize its scale, reach and, most importantly, the passion and energy of its people to be a force for good," said Amy Smith, president, HandsOn Network. "Points of Light Institute and HandsOn Network are proud to partner with Starbucks and offer our network of volunteer resources to help create change by bringing the global month of service initiative to life across the U.S."

"Involvement in our communities and neighborhoods is something Starbucks has been passionate about since our inception," said Vivek Varma, executive vice president, Public Affairs, Starbucks Coffee Company. "By working with HandsOn Network and tapping into its network of community-based resources, we are able to provide unique opportunities for our partners and customers to make a difference."

In addition to working with HandsOn Network here in the U.S., Starbucks has partnered with Volunteer Canada, UK Youth in London and Charyou in Shanghai, and will coordinate with other organizations around the world to identify and organize partner-led service opportunities that address local community needs.

To learn more about Starbucks Global Month of Service and to register for service projects in the U.S. and Canada, visit www.starbucks.com/communityservice. Customers can also learn more about volunteer opportunities in their neighborhood by visiting a local Starbucks store.

More information about the many different ways HandsOn Network is working to connect volunteers with service opportunities is available at www.handsonnetwork.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @HandsOnNetwork.

About Points of Light Institute Points of Light Institute inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. The Institute has a global focus to redefine volunteerism and civic engagement for the 21st century, putting people at the center of community problem solving. We are organized to innovate, incubate and activate new ideas that help people act upon their power to make a difference. Points of Light Institute operates three dynamic business units that share our mission: HandsOn Network, MissionFish and the Civic Incubator. For more information, visit PointsofLight.org.

About HandsOn Network HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute, is the largest volunteer network in the nation and includes 250 HandsOn Action Centers in 16 countries. HandsOn includes a powerful network of more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve and creating meaningful change in their communities. Annually, the network delivers approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at $626 million. For more information, please visit www.HandsOnNetwork.org.

About Starbucks Corporation Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest-quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.

April 6, 2011 - National Start! Walking Day

Get Up and MoveThese days, adults like you are spending more time at work than ever before. An unfortunate side effect is that, as a nation, we're becoming more inactive. This is a problem when you consider the fact that physical inactivity doubles the risk of heart disease!

But take heart! It's a problem you can help fix by convincing your company to take part in National Start! Walking Day.

On this day, employees are encouraged to wear sneakers to work and take at least 30 minutes out of their day to get up and walk. It's a great way to raise awareness of the Start! movement and to give your coworkers a friendly push toward a healthier life.

Get the Ball Rolling - Sign Up for Your Toolkit!
It's simple to get your company to participate in National Start! Walking Day. Start by having your HR representative or Worksite Wellness coordinator fill out this registration form to download the National Start! Walking Day Toolkit for your company. It includes posters, flyers, a PowerPoint presentation and signs, which you can use to set up walking paths around the office. Look for the link to the kit in your confirmation email.

Get Others Involved
Begin by inviting coworkers to wear their sneakers to work
Encourage employees to get in their 30 minutes of walking that day.
Change one of your meetings to a walking meeting, and let your colleagues know why.
Start! Shopping for something green to wear. It shows you support the American Heart Association's walking movement.
Host a walk and/or rally to show your commitment to living longer, healthier lives.
Get the word out about your walk by first registering for our free, downloadable National Start! Walking Day Tool Kit. In your confirmation e-mail you'll have a link to access posters, flyers, e-mail scripts and more to easily promote National Start! Walking Day in your workplace.
Join others across the country and be part of the solution to get America walking.
Discover and share more information from the American Heart Association about why physical activity is so important.
Rally your family, friends and neighbors to walk that day - and every day.


Get Healthy
Taking just 10 minutes three times a day to walk will help you longer. In fact, studies show that just one hour of vigorous exercise will increase your life expectancy by two hours. It makes sense to walk more and eat well - to live longer.


http://www.startwalkingnow.org/about_start_walking_day.jsp

Drive to End Hunger Sweepstakes

Drive to End Hunger Sweepstakes

Hands On Network

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

You can help HandsOn Network respond to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. In these first few days since the earthquake, we are working with our HandsOn Tokyo affiliate in Japan and we are communicating with our international partners to determine support needed on the local level. We have set-up an account with MissionFish/Ebay and Paypalto collect donations to assist HandsOn Tokyo with relief efforts. Over the next few days we’ll continue to update you on current activities and ways you can help.

Until then, here’s what you can do right now:

* Volunteer: Our HandsOn Tokyo affiliate is continuing to monitor the situation and will be identifying volunteer appropriate activities. For now, you can register your INTEREST to volunteer for potential upcoming volunteer opportunities related to the relief and recovery of earthquake and tsunami impacted communities by registering with HandsOn Tokyo

*If you are local to Tokyo volunteer opportunities may become available more quickly.

*If you live outside of Japan, volunteer opportunities may take longer due to need to find proper accommodations and support for international volunteers.

*If you register your interest to volunteer, as soon as volunteer opportunities become available HandsOn Tokyo will send you an email updating you on those opportunities. Until then please do not call as HandsOn Tokyo’s offices as they are temporarily closed.

* Donate: Right now, monetary support is needed more than anything else. To donate resources to support recovery efforts Visit the HandsOn Tokyo homepage on eBay (Please do not send goods, monetary resources are most useful until needs are fully assessed)

* Teach: Resources at generationOn can help children and young adults better understand what their role in disaster relief, even when the disaster is far away, through lessons of philanthropy. Click here for lessons and other resources.

* Follow: Up to date information related to the disaster will be posted on twitter (this will only be updated when new information is available)

PLEASE BE REMINDED AS WITH ALL DISASTERS PLEASE DO NOT SELF DEPLOY TO THE REGION IMPACTED BY THE DISASTER. PLEASE WAIT UNTIL VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE IS REQUESTED.



Australia Floods

HandsOn Network is actively reaching out to our partners in Australia including Volunteering Victoria, The Smith Family and Volunteer Queensland. At this time the below information is the best way to stay informed on upcoming engagement opportunities for this disaster.

Over the past few weeks, Volunteer Queensland has had an overwhelming response to the recent floods with an outpour of over 60,000 people expressing interest in volunteering.

For more information please visit the Volunteer Queensland website, which will be updated with details of a few practical ways you can help the flood-effected state, or visit Volunteering Victoria.

Where to Give/Donate for Flood Relief:

Queensland floods: Donate to the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal





Gulf Oil Spill Update

"The best thing people can do right now for the region is to support tourism — travel to the Gulf or shop remotely from Gulf-area vendors."

Diana Brinson, Executive Director, HandsOn South Alabama

A request line has been set up for individuals who want to volunteer. Please call to register: 1-866-448-5816.

“Since the Deepwater Horizon explosion the night of April 20, federal authorities, both military and civilian, have been working onsite and around the clock to respond to and mitigate the impact of the resulting BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Response Team (NRT) has been activated and Unified and Area Commands (National Incident Center- NIC and Joint Information Center-JIC) have been established near New Orleans to coordinate search and rescue operations and oil spill response efforts. For more information from the White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov.”

BP has hired a training company to design four levels of training in oil spill clean-up. It is hiring paid temporary contractors, called Qualified Community Responders, to handle all clean-up activity. Volunteers have mainly been engaged in beach clean-up activities, which is mostly done. Volunteers will not be able to assist with clean-up efforts post impact, and any potential volunteers that want to assist oil clean-up efforts will have to become a Qualified Community Responder and get paid for their work.

For latest information about the response effort, visit the Deepwater Horizon Incident, Joint Information Center (JIC).



Donate


http://handsonnetwork.org/donate

20 + Ways to Give Without Giving "Stuff"

Plant a Tree in Her Name

Have an urban treehugger on your list? Dedicate a city tree in his or her name at TreePeople, a nonprofit organization offering sustainable solutions to urban ecosystem problems. Gift certificates range from $25-$100 at treepeople.com, 1-818-753-4600.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/best-green-gifts#ixzz1GgE6qBel


Give a (Volunteer) Vacation

Make the next vacation be about more than sipping cocktails or gazing at historic architecture. Volunteer vacations are a chance to give back to local communities, restore and protect local ecosystems or otherwise help out while enjoying a holiday. The testimonials from vacationers tell the tale: They can be more satisfying and offer a greater sense of renewal than even the most relaxing getaways.

Learn more at CharityGuide.org.


Adopt a Sea Creature

Oceana works to protect the oceans and its denizens through science, litigation and advocacy. You can support the organization by adopting one of the sea creatures the group fights to protect — a dolphin, shark, polar bear, penguin, octopus or sea turtle. $35-$150 at oceana.org.

Give a Soldier a Cell Phone

With the U.S. waging two wars, thousands of troops will be away from home during the holidays.

A great way to give them a gift is to donate a cell phone — even a used cell phone — to an organization like Cell Phones for Soldiers, which sells the phones to recyclers, and uses the proceeds to buy calling cards troops use to call home.

Create a Green Collar Job


Give a Mercy Corps Climate Change Kit in your friend or loved one's name, and you can both feel proud to have provided job training to youth. The next third-world solar power installer or organic farmer will thank you. Learn more at mercycorps.org, 1-888-256-1900.

Community Supported Farm Share

Give them the gift of fresh, nutritious vegetables! Community supported farms sign up members in advance and then dole out the harvest throughout the growing season (and sometimes even through the winter). Shares (or partial shares) can cost a couple hundred dollars, and vary by farm. Look up a CSA (that stands for Community Supported Agriculture) near you using the "Get Local Info" tool on the thedailygreen.com homepage.

Feed an Elephant for a Day

Help a former zoo or circus elephant load up his trunk and find peace at Tennessee's Elephant Sanctuary -- a licensed refuge designed specifically for elephants rescued after being abandoned or abused. Feed an elephant for a day for just $30, or purchase an acre for that elephant for $1,400. Learn more at elephants.com, 1-931-796-6500.

Prepare an Organic Meal

Do the shopping, seat your guests and prepare a delicious meal made with organic and seasonal ingredients (like the great winter acorn squash dish pictured here). What's better than the gift of good food and good company? For meal ideas, see The Daily Green's recipe archive. http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/recipes/

Clean Water (for Someone Who Needs It)
The Daily Green doesn't encourage the use of disposable plastic water bottles. This is a worthy exception.

Charity Water, a nonprofit organization bringing clean, safe water to people in developing nations, now offers "Bottle of Charity." Your $20 pays for water and sanitation projects that will provide third world citizens clean water for -- at least -- 20 years! Learn more at charitywater.org, 1-646-688-2323.

National Parks Annual Pass

Kathy Lee Bates wasn't kidding around when she wrote the poem "America the Beautiful." Help others see the beauty through a Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which allows your recipient (plus a vehicle and 3 additional adults) free entrance for one year to America's National parks and other public lands. $80 at nps.gov, 1-888-ASK USGS.

Donate Winter Clothes

Every gift doesn't have to be for someone you know. Many people have closets full of old clothes that aren't doing them any good. Why not take an hour away from shopping and put it into sorting clothes?

Look for local community coat drives, church thrift shops, organizations that outfit low-income people for job interviews, or other charitable organizations that help the homeless or others in need.

Make it into a personal gift by offering to help organize a cluttered friend's closet.


Green Clean Their Home

Give the gift of a clean house, cleansed with homemade or nontoxic products. A great gift idea for a DIY enthusiast (or, say, the unemployed recent graduate) to show you really care. Learn how to clean green with
http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/green-cleaning-spring-cleaning-460303

Adopt a Cheetah

Someone bugging you for a pony? Give a cheetah instead. The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center's Adopt-a-Cheetah Program is designed specifically to engage children in the conservation, rescue and rearing of an endangered cheetah. In addition to updates from the "Cheetah Chat" newsletter, your child will receive an adoption certificate, mug, stuffed cheetah and a plaque at the entrance to the adopted cheetah's enclosure. $170 at hesc.co.za.

Charity Gift Card

Still not sure what to get them this Christmas? Tis Best partners with more than 200 certified nonprofits so you can give a "charity of choice" gift certificate, allowing recipients to donate anywhere from $10 to $200 to a favorite charity. The colorful gift cards make great last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers. Learn more at tisbest.org, 1-206-501-3005.

A Water Buffalo...or a Bee Hive...or...

Heifer International's mission is to help struggling communities end hunger and poverty through the gift of livestock, bees, seeds, farming tools and the know-how to reap a sustainable harvest from them. Heifer offers a wide variety of options, from a $250 water buffalo to $30 honeybees to a $150 llama that can provide wool, milk and meat for an entire South American family. Learn more at heifer.org, 1-800-422-0474.

Save the Bees (and Some People, Too)

Give struggling farmers in Honduras the sweet rewards of a marketable skill -- the Mercy Corps' Bee Hive Kit. It keeps families and the planet sustainable by providing the beekeeping know-how to provide themselves a marketable resource while helping to preserve the disappearing honeybee. Learn more at mercycorps.org, 1-888-256-1900.

Plant a Billion Trees

The Nature Conservancy is responsible for preserving scenic and ecologically important land around the world. The nonprofit land trust has three gift options this year that allow you to help plant a billion trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, adopt an acre in Las Californias, U.S., or coral reefs in Palau, or a number of other unique gift options. $10 and up at nature.org.

Adopt a Polar Bear

Who can resist this adorable polar bear? As global warming causes the polar bear's delicate ice habitat to shrink, you can help with the World Wildlife Fund's "Adopt a Polar Bear Gift," a cuddly plush polar bear. Proceeds go to support polar bear conservation efforts. $50-$250 at worldwildlife.org, 1-800-225-5993.

Preserve an Acre of Rainforest

Make a donation in your loved one's name. For $100, you can protect one acre of rain forest with the Rainforest Alliance, one of 88 environmental charities that is rated with four stars by Charity Navigator. Consult the independent watchdog's list of most financially responsible environmental organizations before making a donation to the cause of your choice.


Make a Micro Loan

Donations are one way to give in your loved one's name, but micro loans are a more personal way to support projects you care about.

Micro loans, celebrated by no lesser luminaries than Bill Clinton as the future of charitable giving, allow you to loan money to specific people, projects or organizations working on a variety of issues and problems, mostly in the third world. You earn interest, just like any loan (and accept the reportedly low risk of default) — and see exactly how your money benefits others.

For more information, or to make a loan in the name of a friend or family member, start by exploring Kiva, MicroPlace or BlueOrchard.

Give Your Time

Volunteering is perhaps the most important gift you can give to your community. Long commutes and the necessities of the two-income family are thinning the ranks of volunteers nationwide at a time when economic downturn only makes the need greater.

Soup kitchens are often packed with volunteers right on and around holidays. This year, make a point of donating your time not just on the holiday, but in the weeks and month afterward, too. Looking for ideas? Start by exploring VolunteerMatch.org to find opportunities in your community.

Offset Their Carbon

Put a spring in their step by taking 10 tons off their back. With a 10-ton gift card from Carbonfund.org, you invest in clean energy to offset almost a year's worth of your loved one's carbon emissions. $100 for 10 tons or $20 for two tons at carbonfund.org.



Enjoy!


Happy Volunteering!

Drive to End Hunger – NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon & AARP Foundation Fight Against Senior Hunger

Drive to End Hunger – NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon & AARP Foundation Fight Against Senior Hunger

GOOD: Get Your Volunteer On

Volunteering Will Make You Happier & Healthier - Video Volunteer

Thanks For Giving

Find your passion!

Have you recently gone through some dramatic and transformative changes in your life? Whether these changes are related to your job, relationships, or spirituality, the shift has taken some getting used to and you need something positive to focus on. You enjoy a lot of different pastimes, but you really want to devote yourself to something you simply love doing. How do you find your passion? Perhaps just as important, how do you turn that passion into something meaningful and substantial in your life?

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." --Eleanor Roosevelt

A passion in life isn’t something you’re born with. It’s cultivated by your interests, what stimulates you and what you are genuinely excited about. But what if you want to pursue many avenues and just don’t know which one you’d be the most successful at or want to invest the most time in? Or what if nothing particularly lights the proverbial fire under your bottom, but you have a lot of energy that you could devote to something? Or maybe you’re stuck in a job you despise, but don’t know what other route to take that would truly be fulfilling.

Don’t fear. There are plenty of ideas to get your creative juices flowing to find your passion and make something worthwhile of it.

Answer these Questions
Answering the following questions is a great exercise in deciding where your passion may lie and what direction to go in. Write down your answers and look for a common theme. Your passion might be so obvious that it jumps right off of the page.

What do you love about yourself?

What did you want to be when you were a child?

If money were no object, what would you want to do?

What do you daydream about or think about during downtime?

How do others perceive you?

List five things you really enjoy doing and five things you’re really good at.

Name one thing you’ve always dreamed about doing but never told anyone about.


Look Around
Your passion could be right under your nose, but you just might not be in tune with it. Watch out for signs or for moments that inspire you or move you.

It might come in the form of a movie, a human interest story from a newspaper or neighbor, or a great ending to a great book. Go through your closet or look through old photo albums. You may have simply “stored” away memories of any passions or inspirations you had as a child or before you were married, had children or started in the work force.

Once you’re aware of everything around you, finding your passion might be easier than you originally thought.

Network
You know networking is a great tool to use in job hunting, but it’s also ideal to use to help find your passion and turn that passion into a productive endeavor. Let people in on your passion and dreams: They’ll become more of a reality the more you talk about them, and when an opportunity pops up that relates to that passion, they’ll let you know!


If the passion you’ve discovered has to do with a dream job, keeping the lines of communication open with all sorts of people will only increase your chances of pursuing your passion and achieving a goal.

Get Involved
Getting involved in volunteer projects is a fantastic way to test the passion waters. Start out by volunteering with one group. It can be at a soup kitchen, animal rescue group or reading to children at the library for an hour.

Really begin to feel what it means to do something positive for someone else – many people associate their passion with service. They feel it’s their purpose and their calling. Volunteer where you are drawn to, and then volunteer with something at the opposite end of your passion spectrum.

The more projects you’re able to experience, the more your imagination will be sparked.


Reach for the Stars
Nobody can live your life for you - your destiny is in your hands. If you’ve found your passion, you’re already on your way. If you’ve found a passion that seems a little more intangible than others, give it some serious thought, but don’t be afraid to go for it.

Too many people don’t follow their passion because they let the possibility of failure stop them before they even try. How will you know if things are possible if you don’t put yourself out there? Be proactive, reach for the stars and turn your passion into something productive and meaningful that will enrich your life and the lives of others.

What is Heart Disease?

Heart disease results from a blockage or narrowing in the coronary arteries, which carry blood towards the heart, or an infection or other health problem, impairing the functions of the muscles or valves in the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to MedlinePlus.


Significance
In 2006, 631,636 men and women died of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fatalities from heart disease were almost equal for men and women in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Risk Factors
People who have a family history of heart disease, smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, are overweight or obese, do not exercise regularly and/or are over 55 have an increased risk of developing heart disease.

Associated Problems
Heart disease puts people at risk for having a heart attack, stroke or aneurysm; developing angina; going into cardiac arrest and/or developing heart failure.
Symptoms
People with heart disease often do not have symptoms, according to the Nemours Foundation. Some people with the disease develop pain in their back, neck, chest or shoulder; light-headedness; shortness of breath; a rapid or slowed heartbeat; a swollen abdomen, legs or feet and/or fatigue.

Treatment
Drugs that are used to treat heart disease often reduce blood pressure, help control irregular heartbeats, prevent blood-clotting, treat heart failure, reduce cholesterol levels and/or increase blood flow towards the heart. During bypass-graft surgery, doctors attach a functioning blood vessel to a blocked artery to restore blood flow towards the heart, according to USA Today. Balloon angioplasty is a procedure where a catheter device with an attached balloon is used to expand a blocked artery.


Heart disease is still considered as one of the most sources of death. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, England, and Wales. Although this condition is very worrying, the good news is that the number of deaths due to heart disease has decreased considerably over the years.

This improvement happens because a lot of studies and experiments have been conducted to treat coronary disease. Our knowledge and technology concerning drugs for heart attacks and surgeries to repair heart problems has never been better. The result is real and fatalities due to heart disease are decreased significantly.


Preventive measures for heart disease
Besides better knowledge and technology for treating heart disease, other factors have come up and contribute in reducing the fatalities due to heart disease. A number of preventive measures have been put in place to oppose heart disease. People are also more educated and proactively protect themselves against heart disease by proper dietary habits, stop smoking, do not do drugs, and spending time to do some exercises which can strengthen the heart.

This condition does not mean that heart disease is not a serious issue anymore. Even now heart problems usually cannot be treated easily. You cannot undermine the dangerous of heart disease even with today's knowledge and technology. The one thing that you need to keep in mind is that heart problems are not a hopeless situation compare to the condition years ago.

Regular check-up to prevent heart disease
The best way to diagnose heart disease before it becomes a life threatening situation is to do a regular check-up. It may not prevent heart disease to happen, but it surely can identify early symptoms and help the doctor to give you early treatment immediately. With early treatment, the successfulness of correcting heart problems is much higher. Due to this benefit, if you are someone who is at risk for heart disease, you should undertake regular check-ups.

Are you at risk for heart disease?
It is important to check your family history for any kind of heart disease. If you find any congenital or hereditary heart problems in your family tree, you need to consult with doctor for advice. Regular check-ups are highly recommended to identify any symptoms. Do this to prevent anything serious happens in the future. Prevention is much better than treatment or curing.



Heart Disease Statistics

Every 34 seconds a person in the United States dies from heart disease.

More than 2,500 Americans die from heart disease each day.

Every 20 seconds, a person in the United States has a heart attack.

At least 250,000 people die of heart attacks each year before they reach a hospital.

Studies show that under-educated people are more likely to suffer heart attacks.

The countries with the highest death rates from heart disease are the Soviet Union, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. The countries with the lowest are Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Canada.

Almost 6 million hospitalizations each year (in the United States) are due to cardiovascular disease.

Since 1900, Cardio Vascular Disease has been the number 1 killer in the United States for every year but 1918.

Every 33 seconds, a person dies from Cardio Vascular Disease in the United States.
Men suffer heart attacks about 10 years earlier in life than women do.

911 -Warning Signs

HEART ATTACK WARNING SIGNS

CHEST DISCOMFORT Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
DISCOMFORT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE UPPER BODY Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
SHORTNESS OF BREATH with or without chest discomfort.
OTHER SIGNS may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
STROKE WARNING SIGNS
SUDDEN: - NUMBNESS OR WEAKNESS OF THE FACE, ARM OR LEG, ESPECIALLY ON ONE SIDE OF THE BODY.

- CONFUSION, TROUBLE SPEAKING OR UNDERSTANDING

- TROUBLE SEEING IN ONE OR BOTH EYES

- TROUBLE WALKING, DIZZINESS, LOSS OF BALANCE OR COORDINATION

- SEVERE HEADACHE WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE
- NUMBNESS OR WEAKNESS OF THE FACE, ARM OR LEG, ESPECIALLY ON ONE SIDE OF THE BODY.

- CONFUSION, TROUBLE SPEAKING OR UNDERSTANDING

- TROUBLE SEEING IN ONE OR BOTH EYES

- TROUBLE WALKING, DIZZINESS, LOSS OF BALANCE OR COORDINATION

- SEVERE HEADACHE WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE
CARDIAC ARREST WARNING SIGNS
SUDDEN LOSS OF RESPONSIVENESS

No response to tapping on shoulders.


No response to tapping on shoulders.

NO NORMAL BREATHING The victim does not take a normal breath when you tilt the head up and check for at least five seconds.


Dial 9-1-1 Fast

Heart attack and stroke are life-and-death emergencies — every second counts. If you see or have any of the listed symptoms, immediately call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number. Not all these signs occur in every heart attack or stroke. Sometimes they go away and return. If some occur, get help fast! Today heart attack and stroke victims can benefit from new medications and treatments unavailable to patients in years past. For example, clot-busting drugs can stop some heart attacks and strokes in progress, reducing disability and saving lives. But to be effective, these drugs must be given relatively quickly after heart attack or stroke symptoms first appear. So again, don't delay — get help right away!


More about heart attack

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help.

Immediately call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.

For more information, visit our heart attack website.

More about stroke

Immediately call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within 4 1/2 hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

A TIA, or transient ischemic attack, is a "warning stroke" or "mini-stroke" that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs may reduce your risk of a major stroke. The usual TIA symptoms are the same as those of stroke, only temporary. The short duration of these symptoms and lack of permanent brain injury is the main difference between TIA and stroke.

For more information, visit our stroke website.

More about cardiac arrest

If these signs of cardiac arrest are present, tell someone to call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number and get an AED (if one is available) and you begin CPR immediately.

If you are alone with an adult who has these signs of cardiac arrest, call 9-1-1 and get an AED (if one is available) before you begin CPR.

Use an AED as soon as it arrives.

For more information, visit our website:


http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/Heart-Attack_UCM_001092_SubHomePage.jsp

http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/


http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/CardiacArrest/Cardiac-Arrest_UCM_002081_SubHomePage.jsp

March Awareness Month

Why not find a passion volunteer and or donate if you can it is up to you to make a difference in the community you live in! Here are some great causes worth looking at! Enjoy volunteering!










American Red Cross Month
Since its founding in 1881 by visionary leader Clara Barton, the American Red Cross has been the nation's premier emergency response organization.

Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs.

Read more about the... http://www.redcross.org/


Mental Retardation Awareness Month
The Arc is the national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families. It is devoted to promoting and improving support. The association also fosters research and education regarding the prevention of mental retardation in infants and young children. The Arc is a grassroots organization with 140,000 members who are affiliated through approximately 1,000 state and local chapters across the nation.

Read more about... http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2530


National MS Education and Awareness Month
National MS Education and Awareness Month is an effort by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF) and affiliated groups to raise the public's awareness of multiple sclerosis. The vital goals of this campaign are to promote an understanding of the scope of this disease, and to assist those with MS in making educated decisions about their healthcare.

Read more about the... http://www.msfacts.org/


National Kidney Month
The National Kidney Foundation, Inc., a major voluntary health organization, seeks to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation. One in nine Americans has chronic kidney disease.

Comedian George Lopez is getting serious about a mission that's close to his heart, or rather, his kidney. The co-creator and star of the hit ABC sitcom "George Lopez" and his wife, Ann, have been named national spokespeople for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).

Read more about the... http://www.kidney.org/


American Diabetes Alert Day
The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of communities.

Read more about the... http://www.diabetes.org/



This is only a few ways to help - check with your local community paper and or Radio Stations to see how you can make a difference!

Volunteering makes you a better person and it even can bring a smile to your day!

Enjoy!

IHOP National Pancake Day Miss America Video News Release

Get your stack of pancakes for a great cause at any local IHop today!

IHOP National Pancake Day - March 1, 2011


About National Pancake Day
March 1, 2011

Since beginning its National Pancake Day celebration in 2006, IHOP has raised more than $5.35 million to support charities in the communities in which it operates. While IHOP's National Pancake Day typically takes place on Shrove Tuesday, this year, the company will host its free pancake event one week earlier on Tuesday, March 1 to build buzz and excitement prior to Shrove Tuesday. With your help, we hope to raise $2.3 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities!

Known also as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, National Pancake Day dates back several centuries to when the English prepped for fasting during Lent. Strict rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products during Lent, so pancakes were made to use up the supply of eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products...hence the name Pancake Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday.



About Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it's needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn more at CMNHospitals.org.