The first event for Girls for Gis took place on September 19 of last year and was attended by 16 women and girls age 8 and up. Since then a variety of events have taken place, including events in Coppell, Austin and North Richmond Hills earlier this year. The San Antonio event is being held at Carlson Gracie Texas. Girls with Gis events allow women to practice against other women, which is an excellent introduction for women new to the sport.

Freeman Nguyen says she took up Brazilian jiu-jitsu several years ago after tiring of kickboxing and soon found herself enjoying the variety of movements and techniques. She thought jiu-jitsu perfect for women in that it emphasizes leverage and using an opponent’s strength against them. At the same time, she noticed that it was sometimes hard for a woman to establish herself, as the first few months are the most difficult, and many women might be intimidated as beginners grappling with a bunch of sweaty men. Girls in Gis allows women and girls to get into jiu-jitsu by practicing with other women.

To find out more about Girls in Gis, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and upcoming events, visit the Girls in Gis facebook page and website.

The event, dubbed ‘Lovecology’ was attended by over 500 singles, according to reports. Held at the CQ Function Centre in Melbourne, the event delivered free champagne and food to attendees as well as a variety of raffled prizes donated by corporate sponsors.

The event was a dress-up affair, with a $60 ticket price. DJ’d by Mark Pellegrini and Andreas, and featured a performance by the ‘lovecology’ dancers. To find out more about St. Vincent’s foundation and the work that they do, please go to http://www.stvfoundation.com.au.

The site features videos and pictures of ice climbing, bungee jumping, paragliding, kiteboarding and many other activities, including pictures of Sheehan’s own outdoor treks, such as the above picture from Mt. Whitney (which is the highest peak in the lower United States). She notes that the site’s purpose is to inspire others to go into the outdoors and be adventurous. The site also invites anyone to submit their own outdoor adventures to highadventureworld@gmail.com.

Talan has a personal stake in defeating lung diseases, as his mother died of lung cancer 25 years ago, a week after he got married. Talan starting creating large climbing teams for the “Hustle up the Hancock” climbing event as a project in Landmark Education’s self-expression and leadership program. This year’s team has raised over $7,000 thus far. For more information or to contribute, take a look at The Hustle up the Hancock website, the “Life is Good” team fundraising page, or Talan’s personal fundraising web page.

See also a story about Talan’s original project at the Landmark Education News site.

Family Fest in Terrace Park

by Oscar Halpert

In the place longtime Mountlake Terrace residents refer to as Candy Cane Park, about 60 people came together on a blustery, cold Saturday, Oct. 4 for Family Fest, resident and community organizer Sharon Riegie Maynard’s kickoff event for her latest project, The Children of Our Village.

Maynard, organizer of Bears in Terrace and founder of the neighborhood newsletter The Broadcast, started the new group this year as part of a continuing education program she’s involved in.

The non profit organization’s goal, she said, is to enrich the lives of children and “make sure all children have experiences that inspire their life, that spark their future dreams so they live their fullest lives.”

She brought together others who share her passion for helping kids and, by extension, families. Pam Graham, program manager for Lynnwood-based Family Support Center of South Snohomish County attended the event at Terrace Creek Park, along with Sammie Hayes, director of the nonprofit group Momentums. Sno-Isle Libraries’ Mountlake Terrace children’s librarian also attended.

Families were entertained by music and an assortment of speakers made presentations geared toward families.

“What I’m seeing is we have the people nationally and internationally who could make children of our village part of an international movement that helps their community nurture the community in better ways,” Maynard said. “I think children are a reflection of what the community’s about.”

MaryKay Mullally — Making a Difference

by Barbara Nelson

Tired of running a software development team in California, Jamaican-born MaryKay Mullally became involved in self-development seminars. One of her courses involved developing a half-marathon-training group. The result? “I ran my first marathon in January 2002, two months before turning 41,” the now vibrant 47-year old mother of two, said.

“It was one of the most challenging yet exhilarating things I’ve ever done. I had to dig deep physically and mentally to keep going when my muscles were burning and the voices in my head said I wasn’t going to make it. It required that I be present in each moment, focus on the finish line and just take the next step. Completing that marathon made me feel like I could do anything.”

twists and turns

She was one of five women featured in the June 2008 issue of Prevention magazine, vying for the top prize in the second annual Prevention/ABC News Now Picture of Health contest. The women were selected because they showed that “life does get better after 40, and that you can find your healthy path no matter how many twists and turns it takes to get there.”

This charming woman, who attended St. Andrew High School in Jamaica as a young girl, ran two more marathons in 2003 before creating Step Up For Life in August 2004. Step Up For Life was initially launched as a project in the Self Expression and Leadership Program, one of the core programs of Landmark Education. This program gives people an opportunity to express themselves fully, make a difference in their community and have other people people participate.

“I wanted to empower women with this program by helping them to do something they would never have done and never thought they could do so they could take that into other areas of their lives and know they could do anything by taking one step at a time with the support of other women just like themselves. I wanted women to experience the freedom I felt when I ran and have a tool they could use to reclaim their health. I had 50 people sign up and had to turn people away,” she said.

experience

Of the original 50 women, 40 made it to the starting line at the inaugural Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco and all finished. For many it was the most empowering experience of their lives.

In January of 2005 MaryKay launched Step Up as a business, running three sessions per year to train for local San Diego Half marathons. Just fewer than 1000 women have participated to date.

“I have now expanded my business into a wellness coaching practice and have helped hundreds of men and women to lose weight and reclaim their health and wellbeing. So my focus is more on this aspect of my business,” she explained. MaryKay also coaches people via the phone over a period and helps them to achieve their individual health, weight or fitness goals.

Since being profiled by Prevention magazine and ABC News, she has been contacted by scores of people including high school friends with whom she’d lost touch.

dream

“One phone call I will never forget,” MaryKay said, “came from a woman in Texas on the morning the competition was announced on ABC’s Good Morning America. She told me that she weighed 300lbs and had tried every diet in the book and had failed miserably. She said she hated herself and the night before had gone to bed hopeless and resigned. That morning she turned the TV on to the segment and for the first time in months she had hope through my story. At that point she immediately went to her computer, cast her vote for me, looked me up on Google and called me. When I hung up realizing that my dream to impact millions of people was already being fulfilled, it was all I could do to not breakdown and cry.”

ABC News declared all five finalists winners and MaryKay donated her winning cheque of US$5,000 to NEADS (Dogs For Deaf and Disabled Americans), of Princeton, MA. The organization trains rescued dogs to assist persons who are deaf or physically disabled in leading more independent lives. To learn more about MaryKay’s wellness program visit Step Up for Life

To see the story in its original form, visit the Jamaica Gleaner website.

Based on his own experience as both a doctor and a bike rider, Crowley is adamant that parents make sure their youngsters use helmets. “Just like every time you buckle your child with a seatbelt in a car, you ought to have a helmet on your child anytime they’re out and about on a bike,” he says. He hopes his work will reduce Emergency room visits for young riders.

Crowley’s “Helmet Heroes” was covered extensively by local television stations, including KSL News and KUTZ 2 Noon News.

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programs. Perhaps you are familiar with the multi-bounce rule changes that accommodate the little players’ shortcomings. Dan’s new Wacquetball  rules provide for the less mobile but more than eager senior club members’ special abilities. Wacquetball also appeals to young children just beginning and handicapped kids.

Wacquetball rules allow two bounces, but the biggest change from the regular racquetball rules is his creation of a special three-inch foam ball (the official color is yet to be determined) that is a lot slower, quieter and easier on the arm than the standard racquetball and will not bounce all the way to the back wall, no matter how hard you hit it into the front wall. Dan’s senior group absolutely loves the game.

Dan’s Wacquetball  group was showcased on the local Denver news in April. This news piece can be seen at the following link:

 http://youtube.com/watch?v=8X7gM0ziWOg

This could be the perfect program for you to fill up the courts at your facility during the day, before the high school players and the after-work crowd. Players may eventually want to play with the standard ball and rules, and we welcome the new recruits, but the important thing is to get them on the court and moving at their ability level.

For more information on how you to get involved with Wacquetball, contact Davis at dndvs1@msn.com.