A New African Friend

Yesterday was an amazing day! I went to the Cottonwood Country Club to talk to the Murray Rotary Club. I told them about my book and then introduced two very special guests who talked about Koins for Kenya. I finally got to meet Bret VanLeeuwen, the founder of Koins for Kenya. We have corresponded through phone calls, and emails but never officially met. I also got to meet Mr. Anthony Yama, who is the Koins for Kenya co-ordinator in Africa. It was amazing to hear about how bad it really is in Africa. They have had a two year drought and so they haven't been able to grow any food. They have been surviving on corn donations from the U.S. He said the women walk about five miles to get water which is shared with their animals as well as what they use to bathe in, and to drink and cook with. It was sad to hear that the infant mortality rate is very high there. Bret told about going to visit a family there and he didn't see the youngest daughter named Hope. So he asked the mother where she was and was shown a rough grave where she had buried Hope a few months before after she died from dysentery. It is hard not to feel gratitude for our way of living after you hear a story like that. Many of the Rotarian members bought books from me and I'm excited to donate a portion of that proceeds to Koins for Kenya to help with their amazing cause.

Third Penny now Available

The third penny in the 2009 new penny reverse series is now available. I haven't personally been able to get one yet, but it is in circulation. It is called the "Lincoln Professional Life Penny," and depicts Pres. Lincoln's professional life in Illinois. The final penny in the series is supposed to be released on November 12, 2009. When I looked on line, I was amazed that for $2.50 I could get one of the newest pennies. I wonder what President Lincoln would have said about spending $2.49 just to get a coin with his likeness on it. Crazy, that's what he would say!!!

Speaking of crazy, I have another crazy weekend coming up! I will be at the Provo Borders bookstore which is located on 4801 N. University Avenue, in Provo, from 1-3 PM tomorrow. I hope to see some family and friends there!

Then on Monday I will be speaking at the Murray Rotarian Club with the founder of Koins for Kenya, Brett VanLeeuwen and the director of Koins for Kenya in Africa, who is visiting the United States for a few weeks and speaking to many groups about this great cause.

Never a dull moment at this house!

Hidden pennies in Southern Utah

In my book, "The Power Of A Penny," one of the characters finds a penny in a gutter. Her grandmother tells her that whenever she finds a penny, if it is heads side up, she smiles and puts it in her pocket. If it is tails side up, she filps it over and leaves it to make someone else smile. This inspired me to do something fun on our recent trip to southeastern Utah. I had a pocketful of pennies which I would leave heads side up at some of the places we visited, hoping someone would find it and smile and put it in their pocket. It is fun to imagine the journey these pennies will make because there were tourists from all over the world there. So if you happen to visit Spooky Canyon, Hells Backbone or Calf Creek, look for a special penny and know that I am thinking about you!

The Pumpkin Man

My kids were out of school because of UEA, so my husband and I met some friends and went on a little trip. We started out in Green River, Utah at Rays Tavern - (our favorite burger spot in that area,) where we met an amazing man named Scott Babansky and several of his friends who had their trucks full of pumpkins to deliver to school children. The next morning we ran into Scott again at breakfast and he invited us to visit his pumpkin farm so our kids could pick out some pumpkins. As we talked to him, I learned that this man has a heart of gold and is all about making the world a better place for other people.

It all started when he was younger and his father had a few extra pumpkins in his garden. He called a school for disabled children that was near his home and asked if they would like some of his pumpkins. He probably had ten, but they needed 150 - so Scott's father sent him out on a hunt across two counties to find enough pumpkins for all of the children the day before Halloween. He said it was no small feat, but after he saw the smiles on the faces of the handicapped children, he knew what he wanted to do every year. He now delivers 20,000 -30,000 free pumpkins to school children every year with the help of his friends and family.

Scott took our kids to a special patch where there were special white pumpkins. He told them whoever could find the white pumpkin would get a robot. The kids were ecstatic! Each one of them found a special white pumpkin and all of them got a funny little robot. This kind man made a wonderful day for complete strangers - but it sounds like that is where he finds the most joy in life.

I was grateful for the few hours of fun that he provided for my family and the wonderful memory my children will have of that day, so I gave him a copy of my book, "The Power Of A Penny," as a way to say thank-you.

Take That!

When KSL channel 5 news ran a story about my book on July 24th, several people posted some nasty comments on the internet saying I shouldn't send my money to a third world country. So.... I just had to rebuttle and get the last word in. You can watch my You Tube video clip by going to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-573k2jSnEU. If this doesn't link you to my video, type in: What are you doing to make a difference? on the You Tube website.

Let me know what you think. I know this is a very contraversial subject, but I think I ask a valid question, "What are you doing to make a difference?"

The worth of a penny to a new generation

I am always amazed when I am standing in line at a store and the person in front of me doesn't want to keep the pennies the clerk tries to hand them back as change. It is never an elderly person or even a mid aged person who rejects their change. The customer is usually 30 or younger. I always want to step up and tell the clerk I will take the coins if they don't want them, but then I would probably get some strange looks -- so I don't.

Does this new generation not understand the worth of every penny? Or are they just lax in their money skills? I know a penny doesn't buy as much as it used to, but when combined with 116 more, you have enough to buy a coke.

I must be getting old, because right now I am counting every penny I have and using them to provide food for my family in this wonderful economy. Maybe one day this new generation will understand the worth of a penny.

On November 6th, I have another book signing scheduled for the Borders Books in Costa Mesa, California. The address is 1890 Newport Blvd., from 6-8 PM. The following day, I will be at the Borders on 3333 Bear St., in Costa Mesa as well from 1-3 PM. Anyone who happens to be in the area on those dates I would love to see you!

Fetchin' Water Walk

The Koins for Kenya organization is a large part of my book The Power Of A Penny: The Priceless Journey Of One Penny. On Saturday, September 26th, this organization is going to host their first annual "Fetchin' Water Walk" at Rock Canyon Park which is located at 2620 N. 1200 E. in Provo, UT. Registration begins at 7:30 AM and the event will begin at 8:00 AM. Volunteers can go to www.koinsforkenya.com before hand and print out a collection sheet. Then, on Saturday, Sept. 26th they can experience what African men and women do every day to satisfy their water needs by walking to get a pail of water. This is a great organization where
100 % of all proceeds go directly to villagers in Kenya to help improve their living conditions and teach them skills that will last long after the volunteers have returned home.

On my end, I'm still trying to sell as many books as I can to help this great cause. So, tomorrow night I will be at the Uintah County Library - 155 E. Main St., in Vernal, Utah. I have been asked to come and talk about my book, The Power Of A Penny: The Priceless Journey Of One Penny and to discuss why I wrote it. Afterwards I will be doing book signings. I hope to see you there!