Another week of summer and more great book news

I can't believe another week of summer has flown by! Before I know it, the boys will be headed back to school and I'm going to be shoveling horse poop in the snow.

I have more great book news to share. As many of you know, a portion of my proceeds is going to benefit Koins for Kenya, a Utah non profit organization, that helps villages in Kenya through education and other efforts. Brett Van Leeuwen, the creator of this organization is headed to Kenya next week to open Koins newest school in the village of Majengo. In a ceremony to hand over the bore hole water wells Koins just finished, he is going to give copies of my book to the Minister of Education, Kilemi Mwiria and the Minister of Lands, Kombo Mwero. I am so excited and really hope that they enjoy my story. Like I said in my interview with KSL, although I can't pick up and go to Africa to be a part of the Koins for Kenya experience, I know that my pennies can make a difference. I hope that my book will bring attention to the fact that even though we have plenty of problems right here at home, we are so incredibly fortunate for what we have and it is still important to give back. Regardless of where you choose to help, what is important is that find something you are interested in and care about and find a way to help support that cause-whether by increasing awareness, recruiting volunteers, volunteering your time, or donating your pennies.

KSL News story

My story aired on the 4 pm news on Friday. I was at my cabin with my family and some of my niece and nephews and that is why I was unable to share it with you, but in case you missed it, here it is. Please enjoy!

My Penny Story

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

KSL Interview

I am so excited because I did an interview with Candice Madsen for KSL this morning! My cute twin sister and niece Annie helped me get ready for my big T.V. debut and my mom and I ventured down to the KSL studios. Being around horses and maneur all the time, I usually wear my dirty cowboy boots, so this morning in heels was a big change from my daily routing...and I have the blisters to prove it. Filming was fun and I think I said everything I wanted to say about the book. I was a little nervous, but it hopefully it will turn out great. Candace said she would call and let me know when our segment will air, but it will probably be sometime tomorrow.

Candice Madsen and I filming my segment

As soon as I hear, I will post it so you can tune in to KSL channel 5 and hear about The Power of a Penny.

Book Signing: Hastings bookstore

I am pleased to announce another books signing even! I will be hosting a book signing at Hastings Bookstore in Rock Springs, Wyoming. If you are in the Wyoming area, come meet me and get your copy of The Power of a Penny signed!

Save the date:

Saturday, August 15th

1-3 P.M

Hastings Bookstore

1451 Dewar Dr.

Rock Springs, WY 82901

Located in the Plaza Mall shopping center

In other exciting news, I am meeting with Candice Madsen from KSL Channel 5 news tomorrow to talk about my book! I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Pennies support a cause: Primary Children's Hospital

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! As you know, a portion of my proceeds will be donated to Koins for Kenya, and after my mom passed along some of her penny stories, I realized just how many charity organizations are impacted daily by the power of pennies. I already featured a video on the children of New York and their pennies at Rockafeller Center, and now I'll tell you a little about pennies making a difference at Primary Children's Medical Center.

This memory is a combination of both mine and my mothers. I remember the fun of helping collect pennies for a good cause. So, here is my mom's memory:

For many years the penny has played a role in a charity for the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Each year, the LDS church had a penny march or "Pennies by the Inch." Each family was (is) asked to measure every member of their family, and add up the total inches. For every inch, you were asked to give a penny. I remember collecting these pennies in my neighborhood for several years. My children were generous with their pennies when they realized they helped many little sick children in the hospital get better.

It's amazing what a difference pennies can make. Clean out your couch cushions this week and donate all the change you find to your favorite charity cause!

Change created by change

When I googled the power of a penny, many very interesting stories came up. I picked this video to share because it is attached to a great story about school children in New York that saved their pennies to help others during the holiday season. This video shows all of the pennies they collected and it is pretty impressive to see what kind of change can be made by children.

Enjoy and have a very safe and happy 4th of July.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oWWcuF2CFI

Release day!

Today is my official release date for the book!  That means that you can find The Power of a Penny, the Priceless Journey of One Penny in bookstores near you today!  Go out and request it, and if they do not have it in stock, ask them to place an order for you online. Once you have read it, share your love of the book by going to Barnesandnoble.com and writing a review so others looking for a great read can find it too!

I can't believe this day is here!  Thank you to my family and friends for all of your support throughout this process!

Koins for Kenya

A big part of my book is the contribution of a portion of my sales to Koins for Kenya, a non profit organization that helps communities in Kenya. What does Koins for Kenya do, you may ask? Well, with little to no modern amenities, Koins for Kenya sends a team of volunteers to help build the community and all efforts are centered around education. After building a school in the community, the volunteers focus on teaching life skills in the areas of farming and education that will benefit the individuals long after the Koins for Kenya volunteers have left. Where many relief organization just supply food, Koins for Kenya follows the motto, "Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime." Started by Bret Van Leeuwen, this Utah-based organization is making a life-changing impact on many people's lives. 

Many people say pennies are worthless. However, this organization is the epitome of taking people's pocket change to make positive change in the world. This organization is a real-life example of the message of my book: never underestimate the power of a penny. 

To learn more about this organization, being a part of a project team, or how you can help, visit: www.koinsforkenya.com. You can also join the group, "Koins for Kenya" on Facebook and  you will be able to support the cause on Facebook soon. 

Welcome!

Hi there! This is the first of many entries to come detailing my journey in writing and publishing my first book, The Power of a Penny. I am so excited to share my experience with all of you and learn all about your stories of how a penny has impacted your lives! I'll keep you up-to-date as we get closer to my book's release date and share what inspired this book, fun-facts about the penny, and other penny-related fun. If you are interested in ordering copies of this book or have any questions, please e-mail powerofapenny@gmail.com.

Enjoy!