Take part in this Easy Project right in your area!

2008/2009 Everyday Heroes Project

Go Visit it only takes a few seconds to swing by one of the following places

Local Fire Department
Local Police Department
EMT Dispatch Center
Hospital

In addition, you could visit any other service places within your area of town!

Take cookies, cakes, pies, etc. with you. This is an effort to say "Thank You" to the unsung heroes who perform miracles everyday. Take along your camera and friends can go with you as well. You can personally bake the goodies or get your local Wal-Mart, K-Mart or grocer to donate the items. You can visit any local department at any time they are always welcoming and invite you to look at the Fire Trucks, police cars, etc. Also, you can make appointments to meet with them and tour the grounds... Make it a family event or Birthday party event you could learn something new. Who knows maybe someone you know may be or become as one of those unsung heroes!

Most of all volunteer your time it only takes a little time from your day as you run those errands of the afternoon!


Thanks for volunteering!

How to Save $5,087 This Year

Common-cents math that can really make a difference.

Looking to cut down on your expenses? Here are a few simple ways to squeeze out more money from even the tightest budget.
Grow your savings account. Some major credit-card providers help you save with programs that round up purchase totals to the next dollar. So if you spend $39.17 on new sneakers for your child, 83¢ goes into your savings account. Savings limits vary by card and accrue according to how much you use that card — but even one dollar’s worth of rounding up on most days of the year could net you $300.
Make your own lattes. Instead of buying $3 lattes every weekday morning at a pricey café, purchase an espresso machine for around $40 and make your own. Even after your $40 investment, you’ll save around $740.
Consolidate credit-card debt. You can save money by getting a card with zero interest for the first year and paying it off before the 12 months expire. On a $5,000 balance, with an annual rate of 18%, you’ll save $900 in interest expense.
Enjoy drinks at home. Restaurants make a lot of money on alcohol sales. Outsmart them by having a glass of wine (about $8) or bottle of beer (about $4) before you go out or when you get home. Or choose a Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB) restaurant, where you supply the drinks and pay a nominal corking fee. Do this once a week and save $624.
Consider carpooling. With gas prices hovering around $3 per gallon, scale back on unnecessary trips. Do you drive your child five miles to gymnastics class three times a week? Carpool with other parents and cut out two of those round trips. If you get around 10 miles a gallon, your yearly savings will be $312.
Cut cell-phone costs. Got teens? Texting costs an average of 10¢ per message. Some companies offer a $40 per month plan that offers unlimited texting. If your teen sends 200 messages a week — and this is conservative for most — that’s a whopping $20 per week, or $1,040 a year. After paying, say, an extra $60 per year (including the additional $5 a month for the unlimited texting) on the plan, you save $980.
Hop online for coupons. Look for two-for-one dinner coupons or check out www.restaurant.com to get $25 coupons for only $10. That’s a net savings of $15 on your meal. Do this every week and save $780.
Use a programmable thermostat. If you’re typically out during the day, your home doesn’t need to be maintained at a comfortable 72°. A programmable thermostat allows you to pre-program temperature settings. You can buy a basic model at most hardware stores for about $33. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Website, using this technology can save you about $150 a year in energy costs, for a net savings of $117.
Read newspapers online. Here’s a way to save both money and trees: Cancel your newspaper subscription and read the paper online for free. For a major paper, you would save $143.
Raise your homeowners insurance deductible. If you have a low deductible, consider bumping it up to $1,000. You’ll save as much as 24% on premiums. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average annual premium for homeowners insurance is $764. Increase your deductible and save $191.

October - National Disability Employment Awareness Month

This October marks the 63rd celebration of National Disability Awareness Month. Congress commemorated the month in 1945 to increase public awareness of the contributions and skills of the more than 51 million people classified as disabled in the United States today (U.S. Census Bureau).

What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

Congress designated each October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

This effort to educate the American public about issues related to disability and employment actually began in 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."
Since 2001, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in the U.S. Department of Labor has been responsible for planning NDEAM activities and materials to increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities. Various programs carried out throughout the month also highlight the specific employment barriers that still need to be addressed and removed. ODEP provides information online that can to be used for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, as well as other educational programs throughout the year on its Publications webpage.

Dyslexia Is a Gift http://www.dyslexia.com/bookstore/giftbook.htm

Why is dyslexia a gift?

Dyslexic people are visual, multi-dimensional thinkers. We are intuitive and highly creative, and excel at hands-on learning. Because we think in pictures, it is sometimes hard for us to understand letters, numbers, symbols, and written words.
We can learn to read, write and study efficiently when we use methods geared to our unique learning style.

What is Davis Dyslexia Correction?

Davis Dyslexia Correction® provides tools to overcome problems with reading, writing, and attention focus. These methods enable children and adults to recognize and control the mental processes that cause distorted perceptions of letters and words. Once students can be sure that their perceptions are accurate, they can resolve the underlying cause of their learning difficulties through methods that build upon their creative and imaginative strengths.

Some Talented Dyslexics

Inventors/Engineers/Scientists:

Albert Einstein
Thomas Edison
Alexander Graham Bell
Artists:
Leonardo da Vinci
Walt Disney
Military/Political Strategists:
General George Patton
Winston Churchill
Woodrow Wilson
Performers:
Cher
Whoopi Goldberg
Danny Glover
Athletes:
Greg Louganis
Bruce Jenner
Jackie Stewart

About the International Dyslexia Association!

About IDA

With over 13,000 members, we are the oldest organization of its kind in the United States serving individuals with dyslexia, their families, and professionals in the field. Since we do not receive government funding, our annual budget is funded by private donations, membership dues, foundation grants, sale of publications, conferences, and other developmental efforts. IDA has an all volunteer Board of Directors.

IDA focuses its resources in four major areas: information and referral services, research, advocacy and direct services (conferences and training) for professionals working with individuals with dyslexia.

We provide information:

To approximately 30,000 people annually via phone, mail and e-mail.Through our website to more than 250,000 visitors yearly.Through 40+ branches that conduct local conferences, seminars and support groups.By hosting an annual international conference that brings over 200 experts in the field together with approximately 3,000 individuals who are concerned with the issue of dyslexia and other learning disabilities.Through publications and newsletters.

In addition, we fund research on neurological, educational and developmental issues as they relate to dyslexia. We advocate for the rights of individuals with dyslexia both through legal and Federal legislative systems.

Nowhere else can a person discover such a full range of useful information, practices, and research about dyslexia than through The International Dyslexia Association!

What is Dyslexia Anyway?

Dyslexia Basics

Definition of Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors: November 12, 2002


What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia may experience difficulties in other language skills such as spelling, writing, and speaking. Dyslexia is a life-long status. However, its impact can change at different stages in a person's life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment.

What causes dyslexia?

The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a dyslexic person develops and functions. Moreover, people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with discriminating sounds within a word, a key factor in their reading difficulties. Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or a desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods dyslexics can learn successfully.

How widespread is dyslexia?

Current studies suggest that 15-20% of the population has a reading disability. Of those, 85% have dyslexia. Dyslexia occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. In addition, dyslexia runs in families; dyslexic parents are very likely to have children who are dyslexic. Some people are identified as dyslexic early in their lives, but for others, their dyslexia goes unidentified until they get older. People who are very bright can be dyslexic. They are often gifted in areas that do not require strong language skills, such as art, computer science, design, drama, electronics, math, mechanics, music, physics, sales, and sports.

What are the effects of dyslexia?

The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the approaches of the remediation. The most common effects are problems with reading, spelling, and writing. Some dyslexics do not have much difficulty with early reading and spelling tasks but do experience great problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays. People with dyslexia can also have problems with spoken language. They may find it difficult to express themselves clearly, or to fully comprehend what others mean when they speak. Such language problems are often difficult to recognize, but they can lead to major problems in school, in the workplace, and in relating to other people. The effects of dyslexia reach well beyond the classroom. Dyslexia can also affect a person's self-image. Students with dyslexia often end up feeling "dumb" and less capable than they actually are. After experiencing a great deal of stress due to academic problems, a student may become discouraged about continuing in school.

How is dyslexia diagnosed?

A formal evaluation is needed to discover if a person is dyslexic. The evaluation assesses intellectual ability, information processing, psycho-linguistic processing, and academic skills. It is used to determine whether or not a student is reading at the expected level, and takes into account the individual's family background and overall school performance. The testing can be conducted by trained school or outside specialists.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using language - reading and writing letters in the wrong order is just one manifestation of dyslexia and does not occur in all cases.

Other problems experienced by dyslexics include:

Learning to speak
Organizing written and spoken language
Learning letters and their sounds
Memorizing number facts
Spelling
Reading
Learning a foreign language
Correctly doing math operations

Not all students who have difficulties with these skills are dyslexic. Formal testing is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia. How is dyslexia treated? Dyslexia is a life-long condition. With proper help people with dyslexia can learn to read and/or write well. Early identification and treatment is the key to helping dyslexics achieve in school and in life. Most people with dyslexia need help from a teacher, tutor, or therapist specially trained in using a multisensory, structured language approach. It is important for these individuals to be taught by a method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time. Many individuals with dyslexia need one-on-one help so that they can move forward at their own pace. For students with dyslexia, it is helpful if their outside academic therapists work closely with classroom teachers. Schools can implement academic modifications to help dyslexic students succeed. For example, a student with dyslexia can be given extra time to complete tasks, or help with taking notes, and/or appropriate work assignments. Teachers can give taped tests or allow dyslexic students to use alternative means of assessment. Students can benefit from listening to books-on-tape and from writing on computers. Students may also need help with emotional issues that sometimes arise as a consequence of difficulties in school. Mental health specialists can help students cope with their struggles. What are the rights of a dyslexic person?The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) define the rights of students with dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities. These individuals are legally entitled to special services to help them overcome and accommodate their learning problems. Such services include education programs designed to meet the needs of these students. The Acts also protect people with dyslexia against unfair and illegal discrimination.

Campbell's Soup -Go Red

We put our heart and soul - into helping women live healthier lives:

As part of our mission to nourish people's lives everywhere, every day, Campbell continues to offer a growing variety of heart-healthy products. In addition, we've pledged $1.8 million over 3 years to help the American Heart Association raise awareness about how heart disease affects women. To further this important cause, we invite you to join us in supporting the Go Red For Women movement.

http://www.goredwithcampbells.com/address.aspx

Please visit the website and become involved... GO RED and M'm! M'm! Good!

See my dress and then create your own and also look at the dress America choose for the GO RED for Women movement!