Wreaths Across America

It was my great honor this year to participate in Wreaths Across America, a program that places Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans all over the nation. This year's participation at Boulder City Veterans Cemetery provided 2400 wreaths for this one cemetery alone. If you are interested in learning more about the incredible company and its owner who started the whole thing, please feel free. http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Disabilities Awareness Month

October is Disabilities Awareness Month.  This year's disability service providers expo was again held at Lorenzi Park.  I was honored this year to be able to open the event with a proclamation from the Governor.  Our friends at People First allowed us to share their booth.  I hope that I was able to help a few people by pointing them in the right direction to the service providers who were best suited to their particular needs.  I know that I was happy to find a service dog organization which may be able to help my son.  I also made some more contacts in the disabled veterans community and was able to see some old friends from the Governor's Council. It was a really good day.

From Arizona with Love

Laughlin, Nevada. Little riverside town that faces the Colorado River and neighboring Bullhead City, Arizona. Most people come here to gamble and play on the river. I've never really had any love for the river at this point of entry. It smells. The casinos are low speed but, if you don't mind hanging with the senior crowd, can actually be a welcome break from the high speed roller coaster of Las Vegas.

After just returning from Orlando forty-eight hours earlier, I would have rather stayed home. But this was supposed to be a Coast Guard Rendezvous with mixers from the active duty side. Sounded like I could make some great contacts. However, my commander told me NOT to bring my uniform because this weekend was not about any formal schmoozing. It was supposed to be fun. Fun? OK, I’ll play along.

Friday evening we arrived and I promptly upgraded to a suite. Good move. Then we went off to the “cheese and cracker” social hour. Bad move. The only ones in attendance were the folks I already knew and drinks were not free. One of the academy recruiters had me cornered for at least half an hour trying to convince ME that my son wanted to be an officer, not enlisted. DUH! Graceful exit to Outback Steakhouse.

Saturday, everyone seemed to know what they wanted to do/see; except me. So we decided to see what all the fuss was about in a town called Oatman on the Arizona side. Folks were saying how you could do some great shopping there and the prices were really great; not like those outlet centers that charge too much. Always up for some good shopping, we decided to head out.  Bad move.

I started to suspect something was up about 10 miles off the 95 highway. So far it was a lot of nothing but flash flood warning signs and some really mean looking black clouds. Then it started to rain. Then the rain became rocks. It felt like someone was having us on. “Oatman? Oh yeah, just head out that way. Hehe.”  But we figured if we made it through the hail gauntlet there would be a pot of gold in the form of excellent shopping. What there was, was a town full of jackasses. No really. Jackasses. It felt like a foreign country. You couldn't get around for all the livestock. So naturally, I refused to get out of the car.

We laughed all the way back to the highway about the donkey who thought my camera was food and how automatic windows are simply not fast enough sometimes. We joked about how I came out of my seat when the lightening was directly overhead and the thunder clap sounded for all the world like Zeus was royally pissed off. And the shopping? Not exactly what I had envisioned. Homespun and wind chimes are just not my thing. Besides, three t-shirts for $13 is no bargain if you have to feed one to a donkey to make it back to your car.

Fun Times in Orlando

So here's how the government trip went: not great.  It's a funny story now but on Sunday afternoon, not so much.  Turns out the hotel vastly overbooked.  So quite a few of us were re-routed to other hotels.  OK, I'm not happy but, so long as they will provide transport, I'm OK.  What?  No transport?  What do you mean it's not that far and I can WALK?  In four inch heels?  OK, fine.  I'll do that.  Then we'll talk again.

So after they took me to the alternate hotel ("See how close it is?") and I checked in, unpacked, and changed, I started walking to the original hotel for the Sunday night opening meet-n-greet.  Sure as shootin', blisters.  On both feet.  Straight to the reception desk for band aids.  After that?  Cars were dispatched with great haste to take me back and forth to the hotels.  The rain and my lack of adventurous traveling companions kept me from seeking out the local attractions.  However, I must thank the guys from Wisconsin (Josh and Kevin), for taking me out to see the Bears/Packers game on Monday night at a local sports bar.  That was a good time.

On the up side, there were a couple of great sessions with regard to employment and accommodation tools.  Came back with DVDs and lists of employers looking specifically for individuals (in some cases military) with disabilities.  Once I sort through it all, I'll start disseminating.

H.O.P.E. for Homeless Teens

One of my favorite projects each year is the H.O.P.E. for Homeless Teens event.  This year's event will be held on Saturday, November 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  If you've never been to this event, it is a great time for the whole family.  Every penny of the proceeds goes toward helping homeless teenagers in Clark County, Nevada.  Las Vegas can be cruel to even the most upright of citizens. These kids are not necessarily runaways.  Many times they have been ejected from their homes by a single parent for various reasons.  Think "The Blind Side."  It happens a lot in this town.

SmashMouth

Saturday night's concert was really great.  No lunatics, no problems at all.  The weather was even nice which counts for a lot at an outdoor venue.  And the extra tickets ended up working out just being extra.  It gave us two buffer seats between us and the next folks.  Which was just fine with me.

Steve Harwell did a great job being the hometown boy (he owned a house in Henderson for quite a few years).   And I must say he's looking quite good these days.  I'm sure it has something to do with his announcement of being single again. The weather was even nice which counts for a lot at an outdoor venue.

September 11, 2010

So what are we doing on Patriot Day?  Going to a concert.  Assuming all goes well, we will be seeing Smash Mouth this weekend at the Henderson Pavilion.  I purchased four tickets back in May and the concert was supposed to be on June 26.  Unfortunately it was called due to weather and rescheduled.  So now I have four front row center tickets and only two of us that may or may not go depending on health issues.  We haven't been to a concert in over a year (Secondhand Serenade at the House of Blues) and I hope this works out.

For anyone interested in going, tickets are still available and are only $10 each.  You can purchase tickets online here HendersonLive.com/Tickets.

September with the DD Council

Orlando Resort

September will be a busy month as far as the business of the DD Council  goes.  The general council meeting was held on Thursday, September 2.  All things considered, it went fairly well.  The most difficult task was the discussion on the areas of emphasis for the five year plan.  But the council managed to work out what they wanted and now it goes back to the planning committee. Because of the changes made to those areas, we will have a special DD council meeting before our next regular meeting.  This will satisfy the 45 day notice of public meeting law while maintaining the timeline for submitting the proposed areas to the feds.

Then, on September 23, there will be a training session for Board and Commission members, Executive Directors, and Administrators, at the Attorney General’s office.  The problem with that meeting is the afternoon time of 1-4:30 p.m.  I will try to make that one but it will mean making arrangements for the 12 year old after school.  My Executive Director tells me it isn’t crucial so if the arrangements work out then fine.  If they don’t then fine as well.

But the big trip this month is the National DD Council Convention in Orlando, Florida. I will fly out on September 26 and return on September 29.  I hope to make as many contacts as I did in Washington, D.C., during the NACDD’s annual meeting in June.  It was there that I was fortunate enough to meet with the head of the U.S. commandery of the Order of St. Joachim, Lt.Col. Tim Zack.  I was able to begin my work with the order by developing an awareness campaign on acquired developmental disabilities to benefit our youngest injured warriors.  My focus being on the state of Nevada, I still wanted to be able to take the information nationwide.  All of this resulted in the re-organization of the Military Memos website which now has information on where to locate developmental disabilities benefits within each state.

And while I will still have a sense of urgency about spreading the word for the benefit of our men and women in arms, I think that having a few days in the Orlando resort won’t do me any harm either.

Labor Day

It is a three day holiday weekend. That means that hubby is in the kitchen making his more than a little famous potato salad. I can feel the calories now. And, since this particular holiday is Labor Day, that means I must put away all my white dress shoes until next Memorial Day. Oh wait; I don’t have any! Well done. Off white, bone, cream, spectator, and all those “other” colors can stay out. So why own any white dress shoes at all? Well, they come in handy at a lawn party. However, when one lives in the desert, lawn parties are few and far between.

I do have one pair of white loafers that I dearly love. Hmmm. Wonder if I can get away with those. Best not to chance it I suppose. Perhaps I can pick up the tan version of them at a Labor Day Sale.