Our Habitat House: Fundraising, framing, building a roof...

8517 Hurst Court, Hope Crossing (South on Kelly, from Kelly and Britton)

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Future Contruction dates and number of volunteers needed:

Saturday, Febuary 5 Decking (might need some young men to help lift heavy boards) 5:  Unable to attend do to weather

Saturday, Feb. 12, or 19? Exterior Painting 5-10: SPC weekend-most students gone to SPC.  Director will attend.  On the 19th, Director volunteering at Food Bank and facilitating meeting with Walk the World 2011 organizers.  Asking Mr. Pena to facilitate work for STUCO volunteers.

Saturday, Febuary 26 Sheet Rock 18-20

Saturday, March 5 Interior Paint 15-20

Saturday, April 2 Landscaping 20-25

? Dedication Everyone who can come

RAK Week Extreme Kindness Challenge: Our Ticket to a Kinder World.

http://www.kidactivities.net/image.axd?picture=2009%2F9%2FKindnessStartswithMe.jpg

For seven days during RAK Week, from February 14th - 20th, we invite you to take the Extreme Kindness Challenge. We will suggest a new Act of Kindness each day. Choose a time when it works for you to do the Act of Kindness, but be sure to do it at least once each day for seven days. (If you don't want to do our idea but do a challenge of your own, that counts too!)

Of course, doing good deeds now and then is good for the soul. Gratitude and generosity are part of positive living which can dramatically increase our overall wellness, helping us on our paths to optimal health.

While many people would dismiss this notion as quackery, touchy-feely girl stuff, or being overly spiritual – guess what – there’s scientific evidence that “being nice” is not only good for the soul, but it is HEALTHY for you, too!

A new study done at the University of California “challenges our long-held belief that humans are hard-wired to be selfish.” This isn’t necessarily true! Researchers involved in this study say that Darwin believed that “humans are successful as a species precisely because of our nurturing, altruistic and compassionate traits,” rather than the widely-accepted interpretation of Darwinism that is an “every man for himself” theory. The study states that hard science is showing that “the human capacity to care is mechanically wired into our brains and nervous systems.”

These scientists believe that the idea of selflessness could be the key to a longer life.

While this notion would make sense from a religious or spiritual standpoint, it might be surprising for many of you to learn that there is actual medical and scientific evidence to prove it on a more quantifiable level.

Selfless people - including volunteers and caregivers – appear to be “rewarded” with greater life longevity.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, “Stephanie Brown, associate professor of preventive medicine at SUNY-Stony Brook, followed a group of older adults caring for family members with dementia and other illnesses. If they offered care more than 14 hours a week, they were less likely to die in a seven-year period than their peers.”

As I’ve mentioned in past entries, being grateful can also be healing. It creates positive thoughts which increase endorphins in the body – and these endorphins are medically-proven natural pain relievers! (They are also released during exercise!)

Recent academic studies that being grateful and selfless or generous go hand-in-hand, and also create a healthier mind-body connection….and if it won’t reduce your physical pain, it will at least help you cope with the emotional struggles that go along with chronic illness, in addition to reducing stress!

...We should practice selflessness at all times of year, and not just at Thanksgiving or the winter holidays. It can’t hurt, and will help others while helping ourselves, too! After all, if you “pay it forward,” you never know what will come back to you – and the prospect of a longer life? That sounds like a pretty good deal, too!

Many may then question, if this is all true, how a nice person could be stricken with illness if being kind is, in fact, healthy. Well just think: that person’s condition(s) may be much worse off if they WEREN’T a positive and/or selfless person! Food for thought ♥

Leave a comment and tell us how you’re “doing good” or “paying it forward!” We’d love to hear the effects that this positive experiences have had on you physically, mentally, or emotionally! After all, health is about ALL components of our being – mind, body, and spirit!

Let’s Move Together towards a happier and healthier life! From: http://midatlanticarthritis.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/pay-it-forward-can-being-nice-be-healthy-too-the-science-behind-selflessness/
Visit the Foundation for a Better Life:  http://www.values.com/

YAC training with LD Run to Remember, Kids' Marathon

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Under the leadership of Ms. Turner, 10 LD students, Mrs. Clay, Mrs. Johnson, D.J. and Reshwan started training for the Oklahoma City Memorial Kids' Marathon.  The group must walk or run 25 miles before May 1, 2011 when they will join the Kids' Run to Remember.

Here are the times for our running club today (each time is for one mile run)-
Cate V.- 10:55, indoor training 1.5 miles
Madelyn L.- 8:55, indoor training 1.5 miles
Matthew G.- 13:51, indoor training 1.5 miles
Edward P.- 14:05, indoor training 1.5 miles
Kyle C.- 8:59, indoor training 1.5 miles
Dylan D.- 7:59, indoor training 1.5 miles
James V.- 9:03, indoor training 1.5 miles
Colby S- 8:44, indoor training 1.5 miles
Parker G.- 10:06, indoor training 1.5 miles
Ford W.- 10:13, indoor training 1.5 miles
Mrs. Clay- 12:00, indoor training 1.5 miles
Mrs. Johnson- Walked a mile, did not attend
D.J.- Walked a mile, did not attend
Reshwan-will walk a mile this week, did not attend
First Meeting with LD Kids Marathon runnersThanks again so much for joining us!! I am very thankful to have such a wonderful group of people to work with and I know this is going to be an incredibly successful club :O) Kelly Turner  2nd Grade Teacher, 405.749.3141, turnerke@casady.org

Second Meeting with LD Kids Marathon runners: It was too cold to run outside. Miss Turner presented a You Tube trainer. The trainer taught us how to run and strecht properly. Then Miss Turner trained with us watching a DVD with the trainer of the Biggest Loser Miss Turner won on a radio contest, which she uses for her personal training. We had a wonderful workout.

From Matinee with a Purpose to "Pay it Forward" Collaborative art project

http://www.kidactivities.net/image.axd?picture=2009%2F9%2FKindnessStartswithMe.jpg

Devin, Mrs. Pargeter, and Mrs. Clay previewed the movie "Pay it Forwad" on MLK Day as part of the matinee with a purpose.  In the month of February, in the Pay it Forward fashion, to inspire random acts of kindness, friendship and issue the MLK 25 challenge (25 acts of service in 2011), YAC and the art club are sponsoring a collaborative art project.  Students can come at any time they are free to leave their artistic contribution through drawings, words, poetry, etc, on Devin's Giant Pinwheel or the two doves provided by the Respect Diversity Foundation.  Finished art work will be displayed at the Omniplex in March

Elizabeth Lesser: Take "the Other" to lunch | Video on TED.com

Food for thought: Elizabeth Lesser: Take "the Other" to lunch Video on TED.com

The Peace Tree: Inspiration for Respect Diversity Annual Exhibit decorating project

From cultural collisions to cultural understanding to give peace someday a chance

MLK DAY 25 CHALLENGE

On Monday, President Obama and the First Family honored Dr. Martin Luther King with a visit to Stuart Hobson Middle School, where they took part in a mentoring project organized by Greater DC Cares' Mentoring Matters Initiative. The President said a few quick words: "Dr. King obviously had a dream of justice and equality in our society, but he also had a dream of service, that you could be a drum major for service, that you could lead by giving back to our communities. And that's what this program is all about and that's what these participants are all about. Michelle and I the girls are extraordinarily proud that each year on Martin Luther King's birthday this is how we celebrate, is making sure that we're giving a little something back to the community. And I hope that all the projects that are taking place all across the country on this day are getting similar attention, because this is part of what America is all about. And after a painful week where so many of us were focused on tragedy, it's good for us to remind ourselves what this country is all about."

CNCS also released The King Legacy of Service 25th Anniversary video that tells the story of how the MLK federal holiday has evolved into a national day of service that brings Americans together to solve community problems. Featuring service leaders and civil rights luminaries such as Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, and Ruby Bridges, this video reminds us of the importance of keeping Dr. King's legacy of service alive and challenges us to make service a part of our lives - every day of the year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFjqaTIu7E0

In order to encourage ongoing service throughout the year, CNCS launched the MLK 25 Challenge - a call to all Americans to honor Dr. King by pledging to take at least 25 actions during 2011 to make a difference for others and strengthen our communities. From something as simple as cleaning a neighborhood park to a more intensive commitment such as becoming a mentor, the key is to give of yourself in some way to help others. You may want to volunteer in a range of efforts, or make a sustained commitment to a single cause. There is no shortage of work to be done, or lack of ways to get involved. Follow your passion, and find something that's right for you. www.mlkday.gov/twentyfive/