All Because Of A Little Book

After I wrote The Power Of A Penny, I traveled to Africa to experience the amazing things I had learned about a humanitarian organization called, Koins for Kenya did with the money I donated to their cause from the sale of my books. After spending two weeks in rural Kenya with people living in absolute poverty, my heart was touched and I now how a love for these people, most of who I don't even know their names.

While we were in Kenya, a twelve year old boy named Charo died under a mango tree fifty feet from where our group was sitting one night. He and his family had come into the village where we were staying after walking for several hours trying to get medical help. They had been turned away from two other villages and were headed to the dispensary in Mynzeni to get help, but didn't make it in time. I can't describe the feeling of sadness I had the next day as we traveled to the village of Gona where Charo was from to deliver pencils to his classmates. They were so grateful and happy to see us, but we knew they were mourning the loss of their friend. While we were there, the villagers presented the leader of our expedition with an envelope containing ten percent of what it would cost to build a new school in their village. The Koins for Kenya foundation requires the villagers to come up with this amount before they ever consider helping them with a project. This amount is a huge sacrifice for the villagers because most of them make an average of $300 per year. But they know that educating their children is the only way they can break the cycle of poverty they are living in. Not only were they willing to donate the money,they committed to provide all of the unskilled manual labor required in the building of the school.

I was horrified when I saw some of the classrooms where these kids where attending. They were little more than dirt, bug covered floors with dry mud walls topped by a thatched roof. During the rainy season, the roof leaks, and the walls collapse after turning to mud. The few classrooms that did have desks had four and five children squished onto a desk built to sit three students.

I was so touched by Charo's classmates, I was inspired to come home and donate a tree to the Tree's for Charity Gala in my town in honor of Charo. While I was in Kenya, I had several girls from the secondary school help me made beaded heart ornaments to decorate the tree. I also brought home handmade huts like the one Charo lived in and little Kenyan people made from banana leaves. There is a colorful garland was made from the fabric of the conga skirts the women wear. The women didn't have anything to decorate for the ceremony when they turned the money over for their school. So they had all snipped a little bit of material off of the top of their conga skirts and tied to a string which they put up to decorate the pathway in their village for us.

One hundred percent of the money from the sale of this tree will go towards a school for Charo's classmates. A two room school costs $10,000.00 to build. I don't anticipate making any where near that to go towards the school, but I do hope to add whatever I can towards the cost.

Here is a link that will give you more information about the Tree's for Charity Gala: http://www.koins4kenya.blogspot.com/.

There will be a free viewing for the public of all of the tree's this Friday and Saturday at the Western Park in Vernal, Utah. Monday night there will be a dinner and live auction where the tree will be sold. Anyone wishing to contribute to this cause without actually buying the tree can either donated directly to the Koins for Kenya foundation, www.koinsforkenya.org or call the Vernal City Chamber of Commerce and specify that you would like to add a tax deductible tree topper to Charo's tree.

My Heart Is In Africa

Yesterday the Vernal Express ran a story about the trip to Africa my son Brayden and I took.

To read the story, go to www.vernal.com and in the search box type: Students helping Students then click go.

When we arrived at the village where we stayed for ten days, one of my friends said, "Now your penny has come full circle." It truely did. I would love to write about all of the stories I heard about in Africa, but I fell so inadequate as a writer to be able to tell the stories like they should be told.

When I wrote The Power of a Penny, I never imagined that I would travel to Africa. It seemed so far away and like such a hard thing to do emotionally and physically. I'm glad the decision to go on the trip happened so fast because I probably would have changed my mind about going once I found out about all the shots I had to have, the malaria medicine I had to take that made me depressed and the chances I was taking by going to Africa. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I am so grateful I got to go because I learned so much and experienced a deep love for the people I met. I may never get to go back to Africa, but the village of Gona will always have a place in my heart! I wish there was some way I could raise $l0,000.00 to give to Koins for Kenya so they could help the villagers build a school for those kids. I keep waiting for the quarterly check from Tate Publishing for the sales of my books. Even if it is just a penny, it will be a start to help with the school!

Anyone have an extra $10,000.00 sitting around? It would go towards a good cause. I will even make sure the school is named after you!

I have been focusing on the Christmas tree I'm going to decorate for the Tree's for Charity festival. I was stumped on how to decorate a tree with the things I brought back from Africa and yet have it still be Christmasy so someone would want to bid on it. After many hours of searching for ideas, I think I finally found what I want to do. I know it's only September, but I have several vacations, a family wedding and other things going on and before I know it, it's going to be November!

Going to Africa - all because of a little book about a penny

Tomorrow is the big day we set out to Salt Lake before flying out to Africa on Thursday. I'm excited to go to Kenya and meet all of the amazing people I have heard so much about.

I was talking to one of my friends and she said something about my book and it hit me, I am living the last chapter of my book, (kind of). We have saved the coins in the jar, and now we are going to use them to help the kids in Kenya for my son's Eagle scout project. I still believe it all happened for a reason - and we are about to find out why!

African Eagle Project

My fifteen year old son has finished all of his Scout requirements and is ready to work on his Eagle Project. We were trying to figure out what to do for his project and then I received a call from my friend, Brett VanLeeuwen. He started a humaniarian organization called Koins for Kenya. He told me he is going to Kenya in July and would love to take Brayden with him to build 100 desks for the school children there for his Eagle Project.

When I told Brayden about this idea, he beamed and said, "Let's do it!" As I have learned more about the children in the villages that he goes to, I know this is what Brayden should do. Over the past seven years, Koins for Kenya has gone over to an area of Kenya outside of Mombosa and built eighteen schools. In July they will finish two more school buildings, but they need desks so the school children aren't sitting in the dirt with chiggers and bot flies. (I got chiggars on my honeymoon in Florida and they were horrible! To see what bot flies do - go to YouTube and type in bot flies to see how bad they are.) Each desk costs $15 and sits three students.

We have received the funding for the desks, but now Brayden needs to raise enough money to get to Kenya to build them. It would be a life changing experience for Brayden and an experience he would never forget.

Right now he is selling roses and chocolates for Mother's day and he is also pre-selling African coin bracelets that he is going to make from the coins he will bring back from Africa to help pay for his way there.

If you are interested in helping him get to Africa, please email me:

powerofapenny@gmail.com

If you want to see pictures of the desks go to koinsforkenya.org.

Thanks for all of your love and support!

I got it!

I just got back from a trip to California, and I came home with one of the new pennies! My sister and I stopped at a CVS pharmacy to get drinks so we didn't have to pay so much for them at the hotel and I walked out of there with a brand new penny! I was so excited about it and my sister said she didn't know what the big deal was, "It was just a penny." (Maybe she needs to read my book, "The Power Of A Penny" again, because it is not JUST A PENNY!
The big deal is that you can't go to the bank and request a roll of these babies. They are randomly sent to different banks and they can't be ordered. Anyway, it made my whole trip!

Home on the Range

A couple of days ago, I found an old penny by our hay shed. When it rains or the wind blows, all kinds of old stuff magically appears after being buried for years. I brought the penny in and cleaned it up and to my wonderful surprise, it was a 1909 penny and it had an "S" on it. This was absolutely amazing because I wrote my book about this exact penny which is very rare. It isn't in great condition so I could never sell it but it means so much to me because it was in the last place I would have ever imagined!

I was telling an old farmer about this today and he said there was an old homestead once where I found the old penny. It was fun to talk to him and learn about the area before my barn was built there. I still think that penny was sent to find me!

National Read Across America Day!

To celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday - it is National Read Across America Day!
Like millions of other children, my kids learned how to read by reading Dr. Seuss books. I love the witty words and the lesson's these books teach. We have a whole collection of these books, but my favorite is one that not many people know about. It was written in 1938 and it is called the 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.Unlike most of Dr. Seuss's other books, it was written in prose rather than rhyming.
It talks about a poor boy named Bartholomew Cubbins who takes off his hat as the king passes by, because that is the law, but another hat magically appears on his head. The king's procession stops and the king tells him to take off his hat, so he does and then another one appears. This keeps happening so he is arrested and taken to the castle. Several wise men are brought in and no one can figure out what to do because each time Bartholomew takes off his hat, the new hat is even better than the last one. In the end, the 500th hat is magnificant and the king offers him 500 pieces of gold for the hat.
As we go through life, each of us takes off one hat and another one automatically is put one. When I took off my graduates cap when I graduated from college, I got married and immediately put on my wife crown, and then I added a mother crown and so on. The remarkable thing is, each new hat gets better and better!

So grab a book, maybe, "The Power Of A Penny," and cuddle up with a blanket - you don't have to have an excuse, because the government is telling you to sit down and read today!

Another great use for a penny!

I've heard my mom ask my husband, "How do I know when I need to get new tires?" I found a great way to answer this question and of course, it has to do with a penny.
Insert a penny between the treads of a tire. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time for new tires. The more of his head you can see, the sooner you should get new tires!

The Man With The Most Books Written About Him

Did you know that our 16th president has been the subject of more books than all of our other President's combined? The only other historical figure who has been written about more than him was Jesus. More than 10,000 books have been written about President Lincoln. He was and still is the common man's president. He had great standards and was willing to stick with them, even when he was being criticized and this led him to be elected the president. People are still amazed at his standards and are looking to him as an example. That's why we honor him with a National holiday and why his profile is found on the front of the new penny. Every time you get a penny, remember this amazing man and the virtues which he held.

Don't expect to get one of the new pennies anytime soon. Unlike the state quarters program, which allowed collectors to find the new quarters at their local banks, the new Lincoln pennies won't be available for banks to order. If they are available at your local bank, it will just be a fluke.

I would love to get a couple rolls of these pennies just to circulate them and imagine how some people would be excited to have happened upon one of these new treasures!

A full set

I just received a full set of the new pennies from 2009 and the brand new 2010 penny. Most people would say what is the big deal, it's just a bunch of pennies. The thing is, over the last two years, I have spent so much time talking about pennies to promote my book, that I have really grown to love pennies and appreciate the history that goes along with them. Plus during this time, every penny counts!

Friendship Stew

I recently put together a bunch of my favorite recipes and gave them as a gift to my friends and family. I am not a great cook and I don't have much time to make fancy meals because I am busy taking care of a ranch and trying to promote my book, "The Power Of A Penny." So when I do cook, it has to be fast and easy or I won't make it.

I decided to start a another blog telling about my adventures, my friends and also to share some of my favorite recipes with those I love. My new blog address is:

www.friendship-stew.blogspot.com

I will continue to blog on "thepowerofapenny.blogspot.com," about my book and penny news, but the other blog will be more personal.

Tomorrow is the big day!

At 9:30 A.M. Central time tomorrow, the U.S. Mint director will unveil the new, "Preservation of the Union," penny at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois. Children under 18 will receive one of these new cents for free while adults who are in attendance can trade in their old pennies for up to six rolls of these new coins. They will also be available at the counters of Union Station in Washington, D.C. or at the Senate's credit union after 10:00 A.M.
If you can't make to any of these locations you are out of luck until they start being circulated. I still haven't seen the last of new pennies that were released in 2009.

If you are one of those collectors who just has to have one of these new treasures, you can purchase them on Ebay. Several sellers are advertising that they have them in hand. How is that possible when they haven't been released yet? Hmmmm.... seems suspicious to me, especially the guy who says he has the first penny with a die mistake. The starting bid for one penny is .20 cents or your can "Buy it now!" for 1.99. I found rolls of the new pennies for sale from $35.00 on up to $150.99 plus $6.00 shipping. One seller states that only 60 million of the 2010 P were minted, so you had better act fast if you want to get one of these collectible coins before they are all gone!

Don't expect to make any money!

My advice to anyone who writes books, don't expect to make any money!

I got a check from my publisher, Tate Publishing, the other day. They sold $422 worth of my book, "The Power Of A Penny," and guess how much I got from that? A whopping $39.89. So much for the power of a penny!

I imagine the Tate executives are celebrating by sitting on a tropical island somewhere enjoying a fruity drink with a cute little umbrella in it thanks to me!I hope they get a sun burn!

The Power Of A Penny audio version now available!

Finally, Tate Publishing has my book available in audio form. If you bought my book, you can use the free download code in the back of the book to get it or go to www.tatepublishing.com and you can purchase it for $6.99.

Thanks for your patience and support!

Brrrrr........

Yesterday I ventured to the big city, (Salt Lake). When my husband and I got there, it was 40* and sunny. We were shedding clothes, driving with the windows down and basking in the sun because we thought we were in tropical weather! In Vernal, it has been foggy, and the thermometer has said it is 18* F, but because of the fog, it has felt like 20 below!

I'm always trying to look on the bright side, so I got my camera out today and snapped a few pictures because everything was amazing with the frost. It may be cold but it sure is beautiful!

Trying to do something to make a change

Instead of just sitting around watching the kaos in Haiti, a group of gorgeous young women are helping me put together hygiene kits to send to the people in Haiti. Our goal is to put together 300 kits by next Wednesday! We need the following items: 900 sealed toothbrushes, 300 tubes of 6 to 8 oz. sized toothpaste (no pumps), 600 bars of 3.5 to 5 oz. soap, 600 hand towels(approximately 15x25 in.), and 600 unbreakable combs without sharp handles. Money donations will be accepted as well! Please call: 801-699-2322 if you can help us!

News flash! My book is so popular now, people are stealing it!

I don't know if I just be mad or flattered. I am in a book swapping club and a member in New York requested a copy of my book, "The Power of a Penny." I received a notice this morning that all she received was an empty envelope and a note from the post office saying they damaged it. But where is the book? Someone actually opened the envelope and stole my book!

Listen up! Who ever stole the book, I will forgive you on one condition.....read my book and tell all your friends and family to BUY the book!

So much for a secure mailing system!

My heart is in Haiti

As I watch the devasting news of the horrible things going on in Haiti right now, my heart aches to be there to help those poor people. I feel so helpless not knowing how to help. My neighbor, who is a doctor, has been trying to go since the first earthquake happened but hasn't been able to find a way to get into Haiti. I have a jar full of pennies I have been saving for a rainy day that I can send, but I feel like that isn't enough. My husband would love to bring home several of the orphaned children. When I hear stories of the things these kids are going through, I think I would too, but how do you make it happen?
I made a You Tube video a few months ago when some people criticized me for sending some of the proceeds of my book, "The Power Of A Penny: The Priceless Journey Of One Penny," to Kenya to help with the people who are struggling there. In that video I asked the question, "What are you doing to make a change?" Right now I feel like a hypocrite because I am doing nothing to help the Haitian people. As I sit here in my nice warm house, with a belly full of food and a full cup of water, I try to push the images of the children in Haiti that have been shown on the news the last few days.
I guess I need to take my own advice from the You Tube video, " Don't just sit there, do something to make a difference!"

Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln

The U.S. Mint just put out a statement that said the new Penny design will be released on February 11th, 2010. That is exactly one day before the 200th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln! I wonder if President Lincoln would like all the fuss about a coin honoring him. He was a simple man who probably would want to for go all the fan fare. But this really is a momentous occasion! The old penny with the Lincoln Memorial on the back is no longer going to be produced.
I wonder if any of my great, great grandchildren will search through their pocket full of coins to see if they have one of those old pennies featuring the Memorial on it like I look for the pennies with the wheat on the back. Who knows what is going to happen in the future.... coins may no longer be around, for that matter tangible money may not be around either with the technology that is being developed.
I am so amazed with the machines that are being used today. Just before Christmas, we took our kids to Sea World in San Diego, California. When we got to the gate there were two machines waiting to greet us after we spent seventy bucks for a two day pass. One scanned each person's entry ticket and another was a biometric finger scanner. It instructed us to put our index finger inside a little box which lit up with a green light and then scanned an image of our finger. Isn't this the amazing technology that was so far out there in spy movies a few years ago? There is a big debate on whether amusement parks should be able to do this because law enforcement agencies could use it. Are these parks trying to reduce their work force or are they searching for terrorists within their parks? It seems a little suspicious to me. I'm sure President Lincoln wouldn't approve. In his day if you wanted to talk to your neighbor, you walked over to talk to them, you didn't text them. When you bought groceries at a store, you walked up to the counter and the clerk knew you by name and asked you how your children were. Now you have to scan your own groceries and have a machine scold you for not placing an item in the bagging area.
You would think the cost of things would go down now that companies aren't having to pay employees to do the work. All this just makes the penny worth more in my opinion because you never know how much longer it will be around.

A New Year and a new penny!

Happy New Year! I had the most amazing holiday season ever! I feel so blessed to be able to spend it with family and friends. I didn't get any high dollar gifts like in years past, but I received the best gift of all, the knowledge that the Christmas season is truely about spending time with family and friends. We went to our cabin above Park City and played games, built the annual sledding course and ate tons of junk food while sitting next to a roaring fire!

Now that 2010 is here, I look forward to many new adventures! I also look forward to finding one of the brand new 2010 pennies that will replace the old one I grew up with. The Lincoln memorial on the reverse of the penny will be replaced by a shield with thirteen vertical stripes which represents the thirteen colonies which united after the Civil war to make the United States of America. The words, "E Pluribus Unum," are written at the top of the shield which means, "Out of many, one..."

This year, I hope to tell as many people as I can about Koins for Kenya so, "out of many, one ..." can be unified as a family on this earth helping our brothers and sisters in need, even if they live across an ocean on another continent with the "The Power Of A Penny."