…Jeffrey gave to you…“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” by the Pointer Sisters, one of the most joyous versions of the song. 

 And what a wonderful song it is to capture the holiday week and the buoyancy after New York’s first big snowfall…outside my window, kids are playing, snow plows are rumbling, dogs are scrambling. Some folks are grumbling and others are whining about the weather, as if the fact that it’s December never entered their stream of consciousness mumblings.

I’d say it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it hasn’t snowed in NY on Christmas in years.  But it definitely feels like an old-fashioned kind, the Christmases that they wrote about in songs, though rarely seen here in New York nowadays.

“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” is a grand ol’ tune, of course, and everyone young and old can sing the hook.  Overplayed and over-covered by hundreds of performers, sure, but still a staple for any Christmas collection. My favorite renditions, though, are those not performed in the more traditional, original arrangement, but the funkier, more soulful approach that adds more to the fundamental bliss of the lyrics.  The Pointer Sisters version, from the first – and still best – volume of the A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS series of charity releases benefiting the Special Olympics, is possibly the most jubilant of versions and probably my favorite.

Their arrangement is pretty much a cover version of the Crystals reading from the classic A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU FROM PHIL SPECTOR (look for a special posting about this soon), the greatest Christmas CD of all time.  Other artists reinterpreting the Crystals classic include the awesome Jackson 5 cover from their classic THE JACKSON 5 CHRISTMAS ALBUM, and the great Bruce Springsteen live track so often played during the holidays.

But it’s the Pointer Sisters, and A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS as a whole, that’s put into heavy rotation at my home every holiday. 

The Pointer Sisters peformed the song live on the Johnny Carson show to promote the album~

I gotta stop watching this stuff.  I’m running out of Kleenex™.

Click the pic

Craig T. Monroe announced today that he would tithe (10%) of his commercial real estate commissions earned in 2010 to
SOC Enterprises for the benefit of any of its consumers/employees/families who participate in Special Olympics.

Craig serves as a volunteer board member for SOC Enterprises and actively promotes SOC as an alternative to leasing or buying expensive commercial real estate in the DC Metro area.  He earns no commission for placing clients at SOC.  Instead he focuses upon creating jobs at SOC.  Craig creates jobs at SOC by showing private business owners easy and affordable ”alternative solutions” to their warehousing, order fulfillment, delivery, call center, and printing needs. 

With the inception of his tithe program he now “closes the loop but opens the beltway” to commercial clients who cannot directly use SOC but support its mission through their relationship with Craig T. Monroe.

Here is some exciting news for the volleyball community!

Volleyball1on1.com Delivers Video Instruction from Top Volleyball Players and Coaches with New Website

Indoor and beach volleyball players worldwide can subscribe for access to up front and personal volleyball instruction from masters of the game

Los Angeles, December 16, 2009 – Today, former NCAA volleyball champion Andor Gyulai (UCLA ‘98) gave recreational and competitive volleyball players reason to celebrate, with the launch of volleyball1on1.com – an interactive membership-based website that will bring invaluable game-improvement resources to the masses.

Volleyball ranks #1 amongst all participation sports with reportedly over 800 million worldwide. However, for recreational and competitive players alike, there are limited resources available to quickly improve one’s game. It’s for this reason that the former NCAA Champion made it his personal mission to create a means for anyone to have access to the most knowledgeable and skilled volleyball players and coaches in the world. Now, volleyball enthusiasts everywhere can enjoy the benefits of quality instruction conveniently from their own computer. Short and easy to digest videos in a personal 1on1-like setting give players and coaches at all levels of the game a valuable resource to improve one’s game or coaching ability. The favorite tips, tools, drills and resources learned from and used by several seasoned masters of the game are finally accessible to those outside the borders of volleyballs hotbeds like Southern California.  

“Players often learn the sport of volleyball from teacher-coaches in school and seldom have access to quality coaching beyond their local area, yet it’s imperative to receive high level instruction in order to progressively improve one’s game,” said Gyulai. “Learning the sport and all of its little nuances from those who have lived and breathed volleyball in the trenches for several years expedites the learning curve and yields quicker results than just playing or attending camps.”

The user-friendly website initially launches with video instruction from 6 top players and coaches, with new content, players and coaches being added weekly. Among the initial 6 video instructors are an Olympic Gold Medalist, current and former AVP/FIVB professionals, a Brazilin beach volleyball coach, and an NCAA Champion/MVP. The variety of knowledgeable and talented video instructors ensures that subscribers receive the best information available to improve their game – all from a single source.

Given the highly competitive nature of sports today, kids, parents and coaches are seeking just about any edge they can get on the competition. “Video instruction simplifies and breaks down the game of volleyball making it easy to grasp the fundamentals, improve skills and follow along,” said AVP veteran and Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Fonoimoana. “My video instruction on volleyball1on1 makes it easy for anyone with an internet connection and a desire to improve their game to find out the secrets I used to help me play my best and win Olympic Gold.”                                                      

Investing in sports training is one of the best ways to improve performance. It’s also a great way to instill the values of fair play, hard work and good sportsmanship. “Having quality information flowing into your brain translates into taking purposeful action in training and competition,” Said Stein Metzger, three-time NCAA Champion (UCLA) and ’96 MVP. Also, “the more you hear what a top player or coach is telling you, the more you’ll be able to incorporate their wisdom into your game…and eventually you can even hear the advice in your head and make self-corrections right there on the court.”

Volleyball1on1 offers two membership options to consumers and both include a free two-week trial. One option includes access to weekly video instruction from a single player or coach for $4 per month and the second option includes access to all players and coaches on the volleyball1on1 roster for $20 per month. In addition to these paid services, a free weekly newsletter is available to all subscribers and guests who opt-in. The newsletter will include links to free videos, highlights of new content, players and coaches, promotions for camps/clinics being held by volleyball1on1 video instructors, product/service recommendations and much more. In the coming weeks, new video instructors will be announced including top AVP professionals and a prominent coach from the US Men’s National Team.

Several video instructors working with Volleyball1on1 are giving back by donating a portion of their income to charitable causes such as Dig for Kids and Special Olympics. Anytime a new member joins, a portion of the monthly rate will make its way to a good cause and help out the philanthropic endeavors of worthy organizations in need of help.

The complete lineup of video instructors, video content, volleyball-related products and subscription options can be viewed directly on volleyball1on1 online at www.volleball1on1.com. For more information on volleyball1on1’s services or partnership opportunities contact Chad Convis, volleyball1on1 recruiting director at (310) 795-5753 or email at chad@volleyball1on1.com. 

Volleyball1on1.com is a leading producer of premium instructional video content designed to improve performance and enjoyment of the sport for players, coaches and volleyball enthusiasts of all abilities. Proprietary video content is delivered to online consumers globally on a monthly membership basis. Volleyball1on1.com is the ultimate resource for volleyball players and coaches worldwide.

 # # #

The Ultimate Resource for Volleyball Players & Coaches

Right before I began my weekend of studying for finals, I threw on ESPN and waited for the aderol to kick in. About an hour later I had seen one of the better college football games of the season, Appalachian State vs. Montana. This game had everything from big hits, huge plays, and of course, an amazing finish. Did I mention the second half was played in the snow?

Biggest Upset Of All Time?

I hadn’t realized that Appalachian State still had Armanti Edwards, the quarterback who beat Michigan a few years back. He was making some of the most ridiculous throws while being hit, or on the run. That includes one of the most amazing fourth down pass plays that I have ever seen with the game on the line, The Eagles 4th and 27 is the only better one I can think of.

When Appalachian State converted the fourth I figured there was no way they lose, they were going to score and win the game in overtime or by going for two. Montana’s defense held them though on the last play of the game, resulting in this strange leap of jubilance from my seat. I was hoping for overtime, but then I realized I didn’t care at all about the game.

This game got me really excited to get home and start airing out 30-yard bombs this winter break to my big play target J.R. Unikas, who just returned from abroad. Last year might have been the worst back yard football season of all time, not only was there always a foot of snow consistently on the ground, but it was just unbearably cold out. We all looked like, well in the words of Barack Obama, “like the special olympic.” How pumped up must Montana be right now, heading into a national championship against Villanova after that amazing game, gotta love the BCS though..

And I forget if we had done a top-10 teams of the decade on the blog, but Appalachian State has won three championships, lost in the semis this year, and beat Michigan at the Big House(by the way they were national championship favorites returning a lot of seniors). Gotta give them a shout out.

Freezin’ for a reason!   Polar Plunge on the Outer Banks to raise funds for the Special Olympics. 

Plunge into the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean and warm your heart knowing you’ve raised funds for thousands of Special Olympics North Carolina athletes.

Brave the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, February 20, 2010. Registration begins at 10:30am, Plunge starts at 1:30pm!

A beach party like none other with live music, giveaways, and awards culminates in the highly anticipated plunge into the Atlantic Ocean–costumes and all.

You can make a difference in the lives of thousands of children and adults with intellectual disabilities by supporting Special Olympics North Carolina in the first annual Polar Plunge in Outer Banks, NC.  In North Carolina, Special Olympics Programs reach more than 38,000 athletes. All of the athletes’ expenses – including training, uniforms, and travel related costs – are paid for through generous donations from individuals and businesses.

The Polar Plunge is an exciting and worthwhile fundraising event for individuals, families, schools, organizations and businesses to get involved in.   

For 30 years, P&G has been a loyal supporter of Special Olympics, and this year is no exception. It’s almost time for the annual P&GbrandSAVER promotion! On Sunday, December 27, 2009, keep an eye out for your P&GbrandSAVER coupon book in your local newspaper. With more than $88 in savings in each book, you can feel good about purchasing your favorite products, especially when the savings also translate into funds for Special Olympics. For each coupon redeemed, P&G will donate 3 cents to Special Olympics. And there’s no limit! So get your coupon books and help change someone’s life.  Find your local newspaper that carries the P&GbrandSAVER coupon book.

Listed below is brief “shopping list” of P&G products that will be included in the coupons.  These are only, about, a quarter of the products that will be present in the booklet … so think of how much you can save!

Be sure to look for the coupons in your local newspapers, starting December 27th!  If you’re unsure as to what local papers will have the coupons, check it out here : http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/brandsaver-coupons.jsp.

“Having Awareness as a corporate partner for Special Olympics makes sense. They have opportunities and resources for our supporters that make the relationship a win-win for both the Special Olympics and our supporters.”
–Development Manager, Special Olympics Michigan

Trust is a word that conveys reliability and strength of character.  Yet it is also a concept with great fragility and a trait that must be carefully tended.  Awareness Home Funding views our past successes with great appreciation.  The recommendations of our partners reflect our responsibility to organizations and clients alike, but also drive us to perform at a higher standard.  When you succeed, we succeed.  Working together the communities we serve ultimately succeed.

As a partner, we have communication methods that will work with you however you connect with your supporters.  Our program is easy to implement and incorporate into your current fund raising efforts.  Changing your mode of operation just does not make sense.  We respect your hard work too much to not value the trust placed in us.  It is what a partner does.

Contact us today and let our passion further yours.

“I wholeheartedly recommend Awareness Home Funding to other charitable organizations, they’re for real.”                                         –Director, Humane Society of Kent County

Thursday, December 3^rd was a great night for Special Olympics New Jersey!  With the help of our fabulous volunteers and the holiday spirit that was brought to us by 8 different Girl Scout troops, caroling the night away, the night was a huge success.  A little over 200 runners were present and (so far) over $12,000 was raised! 

Many local schools showed their support in various ways.  Notre Dame High School runners & Madrigal singers raised over $1100, they also created the Jingle All the Way 3K banner and all decorations in the gym.  Fifteen Notre Dame students volunteered at the complex in advance to decorate and help with set up.  Because of all of their hard work and effort, they were the winner of the Spirit of the Season award! 

Lawrence High School had a team of runners, a large group of volunteers, plus the Lawrence High School football players were the *unified partners playing along side SONJ athletes in the unified basketball game.

Other schools that were present included Steinert High School, the Lawrenceville School (which had 2 teams of runners), and the Hun School (which had a large group of volunteers). 

 The Girl Scout troops from Montgomery, Lawrence, Ewing and Princeton donated over 600 ornaments and decorations.  In addition, there were carolers present from troop #s:  99, 729, 1273, 1102, 70626, 70288, 70992, 71071, and 1179. 

Award winners from the evening included:

• The fundraising winners:
  • Highest Team – Montgomery Special Olympics New Jersey Local Program – raised $4593 with 37 runners/walkers/joggers present.
  • Highest Individual – Tracey Shimonis-Kaminski with $460.

• Our costume winners:
  • Carl Bauer (the snowman) an SONJ athlete who spoke at the start of the race.
  •  Kathleen Pental (the Christmas tree) who graciously took pictures with anyone who asked all evening!

A special award was presented to Chef Engle’s Culinary Arts students (Mercer County Vocational School) for their wonderful job in creating and serving chicken soup and chili! 

 Special thanks go out to MD Advantage for over $1200 in corporate and individual donations, Terhune Orchards for cider & donuts, Panera for the bagels, Costco/Stop and Shop for the Hot Cocoa Bar, and Montgomery Girl Scouts for 50 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

* Unified Sports is a moving and exciting initiative for higher ability athletes of all ages, from youth to adults. Mixed teams provide the public direct opportunities to experience first-hand the capabilities and courage of Special Olympics athletes.

British disability swimmers won nine medals at the International Paralympic Commission World Short Course Championships in Rio de Janeiro last weekend.

Liz Johnson, who also won gold in Beijing in 2008, set a new world record in the women’s 100m breaststroke to take home another gold medal.

Special Olympics

As seen by the coverage of this feat, the Paralympics, for people who are physically disabled, tend to steal the limelight in disability sport because of their association with the Olympics.

The equivalent for people with intellectual disabilities is the Special Olympics and Cardiff has been right at the very heart of the competition since it first came to the UK.

In 1959, the late Joyce Robinson (below) founded the Cardiff Chameleons, the country’s first swimming club for intellectually disabled persons.

(Source: www.cardiffchameleons.co.uk)

The Chameleons went on to become the first group in Great Britain to register with the Special Olympics in 1979 and has been involved in the games ever since.

The slideshow above shows pictures of Team Wales at the 2001 Special Olympics held in Cardiff and the 2005 Special Olympics held in Glasgow.

 (Source: www.cardiffchameleons.co.uk)

Cardiff Chameleons

A fitting way to celebrate the club’s 50th year therefore was to attend the 2009 Special Olympics in Leicester. The club was enormously successful and took home around 100 medals

But this wasn’t a one-off for the team as Chameleons’ swimming coach Pam Bailey explains: “We go to quite a few competitions all year round, and this year we also went to the Special Olympics European Swimming in Majorca.”

At that competition, the swimmers won nine Gold medals, five Silver medals and four Bronze medals.

Despite this however, the club does not cater solely for swimmers wanting to take part in competition, they also teach new members to swim and the focus is very much on ensuring that the members enjoy themselves.

Another of the swimming coaches, Robin O’Donovan, said: “I’m here for them to enjoy themselves. If I say: ‘Have you enjoyed yourself?’ and they say ‘Yeah!’ Great! That’s what I like.”

Community Aid

The club used to have its own pool at Ely Hospital, but sadly this facility closed in 1996.

The club was only able to keep going because the club’s members had negotiated the free use of other swimming pools before the closure.

As Pam Bailey says: “We wouldn’t be able to run the club if it wasn’t for that.”

Gymnastics, Athletics and Cycling

Due to the club’s massive success in swimming, they decided to expand into different activities such as gymnastics, athletics and cycling.

As some of the swimmers and athletes started to get older, they began looking for a sport that required less physical exertion and so the Cardiff Chameleons Bowls Club was born.

Elaine Daw, the Chameleons’ Secretary said: “Our founder member, Mrs. Joyce Robinson, felt it was a good opportunity for our members to try another sport.”

The club meets every Friday at the Cardiff Bowling Club at the Welsh Institute of Sport and regularly enters competitions.

Notably, the team travelled with the swimmers to the 2009 Special Olympics and were as successful as their water-borne counterparts.

Their mixed doubles teams took Gold with Ceri-Anne Davies and Angus Pirrie, and Silver with Louise Daw and Alan Beech.

The Chameleons celebrate their success at the Leicester Special Olympics

From Left to Right: Angus Pirrie, Ann-Marie Coles, Ceri-Anne Davies, Janet Broomfield, Louise Daw and Alan Beech

Disability Sport Wales

All the sports run by the Chameleons are brought under the umbrella of Disability Sport Wales.

Joanna Coates-McGrath (left), Cardiff’s regional development officer, said of the organisation:

“It’s basically increasing participation opportunities for disabled people. All ages, all abilities, all sports, [just creating] more opportunities out there for them to take part in whatever environment that might be.”

Part of that involves setting up new clubs for which there is often a demand. However, which clubs are ratified depends very much on the virtues of each proposal as Joanna Coates-McGrath explains:

The organisation does have a performance strand, but all of the teams facilitated by Disability Sport Wales cater for both competitively-minded people and for those who are there to make friends.

The Future

Many of the people closely connected with the club have gone on to coach the side. For example, Pam Bailey’s brother was one of the first Chameleons, and Robin O’Donovan’s son was also a member.

Now, one of the swimmers is hoping to pass on his experience to the next generation. David Parsons, who went to his first swimming club aged just seven and has competed in numerous competitions, would like to be a full-time coach.

David Parsons: Pictured at the Special Olympics in Glasgow (2005)

(Source: www.cardiffchameleons.co.uk)

He says: “What I like most is seeing people coming on. I like to see them get to the same level as me. I want to be a full time coach by the time I’m 30.”

With young members coming through and taking over the responsibility for the club, the Chameleons should have no trouble surviving for another 50 years.

For more information about times, venues and other sports, visit: http://www.cardiffchameleons.co.uk/Resources.html or http://www.disabilitysportwales.org/

“New England Handicapped Sports Association (NEHSA) bears witness to the triumph of the human spirit by helping people with disabilities and families enrich their lives through adaptive sports, recreation, and social activities.”   I didn’t really understand the meaning of the words, but they piqued my interest.  I went to the office one day and there was a service dog lying there waiting for his mistress to return.  She had been a ski racer when she lost her sight at age 15.  She was 32 then and had been dragged there by a friend.  She knew she would never ski again.  She was wrong.  When she came back to the lodge after her lesson she was flying high.  She remembered the skiing part and when she found out that a sighted person could guide her down the slope she was suddenly free!  I was hooked.   I started out as a blocker.  My job was to keep people from getting too close.  Then I started training as an instructor and became certified to teach blind people to ski! 

NEHSA is poised to become the premier provider of winter sports to the disabled in the northeast, if not the country.  300 trained volunteers give more than 5000 hours of lessons on snow.  The main locus is Mount Sunapee but we are expanding to other ski areas in New England.  Several of our skiers have competed in both Special Olympics and the Paralympics.  NEHSA’s programs have expanded to include summer activities like kayaking, rock climbing, water skiing, basketball and lots of social activities. 

Mt. Sunapee trails

Come check it out on a bright wintery day.  See the empty wheel chairs lined up waiting for their owners to come back from skiing.  Visit our website www.nehsa.org.   Other links include www.dsusa.org (disabled sports usa); www.usparalympics.org; www.mountsunapee.com; professional ski instructors of America www.psia.org;   electric wheelchair hockey www.usewha.org; Lake Sunapee Rowing Club www.lakesunapeerowing.com.; Leaps of Faith Disabled Waterskiers  www.leapsoffaithwaterskiers.com.  Wounded Warriors  www.woundedwarriors.org.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Sunapee

Chris McKee, ABR, SRES

REGISTRATION FORM

GEICO offers many rewarding and stable careers in Sales, Customer Service, Claims, Auto Damage, Service, Property & Casualty, Business Administration, and other fields and provide leadership programs, summer internships, and training, more info at http://www.geico.jobs.

What you’ll find here:

• Video Profile of jobs at GEICO
• Summary of the job
• Tanscrip of the video
• Keywords that may be helpful in your other searchs

Summary:
GEICO is one of the largest private passenger auto insurers in the U.S. and is owned by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. Established in 1936, GEICO has a base of 8.5 million policy holders that is steadily growing. We are the fastest growing insurer in the U.S., and with that growth comes career advancement for our associates. Jobseekers at any level should consider joining our team. Our reputation for stability, growth, and excellent customer service is well earned, and our consideration extends not only to our policyholders but also to our employees and communities. We’re currently seeking applicants for GEICO careers at offices throughout the United States, and you can find current openings in your area at http://www.geico.jobs. We seek out positive “people” people who are comfortable interacting with and helping others every day-including GEICO customers, and associates on the GEICO team. Our goal is to provide low-cost insurance without sacrificing high-quality customer care. As a company, GEICO is focused on people. In fact, our first operating principal is to show respect toward our associates by providing them opportunities to advance and grow within our company. With the help of the guidance and feedback our managers provide and the work-related training we provide to our associates, hardworking GEICO employees can pursue multiple career paths within GEICO over a long period of time without ever leaving the company. In addition, we concentrate on diversity in the workplace and feel that it’s important to give back to our communities through work with charities such as United Way and Habitat for Humanity. Visit us at http://www.geico.jobs today, and see which GEICO career opportunities await you.

Transcript:

SPEAKER: GEICO has developed itself as being the new thing.

SPEAKER: Every time our marketing team comes out with a new marketing campaign, it’s always like the number one talked about advertisement on TV or the radio.

SPEAKER: GEICO is a household name. Everybody knows the GEICO Gecko. They think I come to work with the Gecko each day.

SPEAKER: That just opens the door though for our customers. And once they call us, they see that we’re not just commercials, we’re not just entertainment, we’re a solid professional insurance company.

SPEAKER: GEICO is the fastest growing insurance company in the industry.

SPEAKER: We are in a period of enormous business success and have been for the last number of years. We enjoy the heck out of it, but we don’t take it for granted.

SPEAKER: Our approach to become a number one is very aggressive.

SPEAKER: Our drive to focus on the customer is definitely setting us apart from our competitors. We don’t just advertise having a great price, but we also can provide great service.

SPEAKER: You have to be able to change with customer needs, even anticipate customer needs. And not just what your customer wants today, but what they might want tomorrow or a year from now. Being part of a winning team means you have to be able to deal with change as it comes.

SPEAKER: We know something about longevity, we know something about stability. We’re in a business that isn’t going away. People will continue to need automobile insurance forever.

SPEAKER: For the past few years we’ve been promoting about a quarter of our associates every year. Everyday I feel like I get an email that somebody is getting promoted.

SPEAKER: We have certain job functions, certain responsibilities where you can make a very logical, systematic progression, and at the other hand, the nice thing about GEICO is you can spend a long career here and have many different careers without even having to leave the company.

SPEAKER: Whether it’s through sales or our customer service department or in claims. You can be an actuary, a product manager, you can work in IT. It’s such a big company that there’s so much to do.

SPEAKER: There’s a lot of classes that GEICO offers and it helps you move from one position to another.

SPEAKER: Since I’ve been at GEICO I’ve had the opportunity to take classes for my current job, for the job that I’d like to get some time, and also develop basic skills in myself, such as public speaking or working on different Microsoft applications. Learning about different moral or ethical dilemmas that I might encounter in the business world. Learning about relevant legislation that might impact my job as well.

SPEAKER: We’re all very very friendly, we’re diverse. There’s high school graduates, college graduates that join us, and then there’s more experienced associates. This is their second or third career at GEICO.

SPEAKER: We make it easy for every associate to see the impact that they’re actually making towards the company.

SPEAKER: Our supervisors and managers really do a good job of giving you really good feedback and telling you where this project is leading or how this is going to help our profitability or our growth.

SPEAKER: Through different projects that I was involved in, I feel like I’m making the system more efficient. I’m cutting the cost down for the customers and bringing more customer satisfaction.

SPEAKER: Our number one operating principal here at GEICO is to provide opportunities for our associates. So there’s something to be said about a company that puts their associates and their success first.

SPEAKER: As a company we’re interested in what the customer wants.

SPEAKER: Our goal as a company is to please a customer so much that when they’re done talking to GEICO, they feel so excited about that, they’ll go out and they’ll tell their friend or family member about the wonderful interaction they had with GEICO.

SPEAKER: To do this job you have to be able to care about your policy holders and your non-policy holders.

SPEAKER: Every person we quote, every claim we adjust, we know that the impact on the person that’s not currently with us can define whether or not they will actually ever try us.

SPEAKER: It isn’t a transaction that we’re dealing with with the customer, it’s an interaction.

SPEAKER: Whether we get a sales call or whether we get a service call how are we talking to our customers? Are we making it easy for them?

SPEAKER: And when it comes to customer service, it doesn’t begin and end with just talking to someone on the phone or interacting with a policy holder face to face. Customer service to us also means how we treat each other. The department’s interaction on a daily basis. Everyone is our customer as far as GEICO is concerned. And so we also focus on giving great customer service to each other.

SPEAKER: The type of person I feel is going to be very successful is one that comes in with a great attitude and a desire to do well. Come in with that great attitude because it’s going to show in your performance on a day to day basis. Not just being content on, OK this is my job, this is what I’m going to do. But what is that next step where it’s actually going to take you to be more successful?

SPEAKER: We’re in a people business. We want folks to be good team players, to link up with their colleagues to make positive change here. We want them to have superior interactions with our customers. And you genuinely got to like people to be able to successfully do that.

SPEAKER: Associates here work hard and play hard.

SPEAKER: There’s a lot of hard work involved. We have high expectations of all of our associates. But there is no reason why we can’t do all of that and at the same time have fun.

SPEAKER: You really enjoy coming to work every day. There’s always a party when it’s somebody’s five year anniversary or their 10-year, 25- or 35-years.

SPEAKER: We have luncheons and celebrations every time we have successful projects go in.

SPEAKER: Some of the opportunities or activities that are available to our associates include sports teams through GEICO, softball, basketball.

SPEAKER: Different cultural events. We promote different ethnic groups to come out and demonstrate their cultural background.

SPEAKER: GEICO’s presence in the community always means that there are a lot of opportunities for associates to get involved.

SPEAKER: We participate in causes such as the United Way.

SPEAKER: The Relay for Life.

SPEAKER: Habitat for Humanity projects.

SPEAKER: The Big Brother Big Sister program.

SPEAKER: We support Special Olympics.

SPEAKER: The Red Cross’ blood donation event.

SPEAKER: American Cancer Society.

SPEAKER: A lot of the charities that we sponsor and a lot of the public events that we’re involved in, they start at the associate level. If an associate has a particular idea, they bring that to their work and they decide they want to run with it, and the company encourages that.

SPEAKER: There are programs where management will support the cause and actually match contributions.

SPEAKER: It isn’t all about taking from a community where you have a facility. It isn’t about you know, even on a larger basis, the national basis, just taking and taking. You have to give back. And especially a company as fortunate, as successful as we are, you don’t even think about it. It’s just the right thing to do.

SPEAKER: I made GEICO my career choice because it was an opportunity for me to grow.

SPEAKER: Once I got here I immediately felt a sense of belonging. I immediately felt peace of mind. I finally felt that a company is going to do as much for me as I was going to do for them.

SPEAKER: Because if you work hard at GEICO, we are going to reward you.

SPEAKER: The folks who come through the door, the new associates who come through the door understand that I’m going to work hard. I’m going to make sacrifices. I’m going to invest myself in this company and truly invest all that needs to invest. They’re the ones who end up 10 years down the road, 15, 20 years down the road having these enormous careers and all kinds of success well beyond what they ever thought they would do.

SPEAKER: I’ve been here for 15 years at GEICO. The time has gone by really quickly. I enjoy what I do, it’s very exciting. Everyday is different.

SPEAKER: Still to this day I still find the work that I do interesting and challenging. I’m going to learn something new today. I’m going to get involved with something today that I haven’t done before, and it just makes life great.

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Jolly Jaunt's many running shoes!

25:40!!!!  25:40!!  I finally did it – I finally met one of my goals for this year, in running a 5K race somewhere in the 25s! I broke that elusive 26 minute barrier! Wahooo!!!  I was smiling about that all day yesterday.

The picture on the left is of our shoes after the race.  (Some of us are camera shy, meaning we don’t want our sweaty mugs out there for everyone to see.)  As you can see, one of us, Meg, wears the Vibram Five Finger shoes. She really loves them. Me, I just can’t bring myself to wear them. I am really not a biomechanically efficient runner. I can’t imagine my running form would get any better with them.

A few weeks ago, a few of my coworkers decided to do this race and pledged to raise $200. As of the last time I looked, they had raised over $800. We could join the team and just pay $35 to register without having any fundraising responsibilities, so that’s what I decided to do.  We ended up with 4 people from work, including a coworker, for whom this was his first race EVER, and Lis and her husband rounded out the team with a toal of 6 people.

The race begins and ends on Charles Street, which intersects the Boston Common and the beautiful Public Gardens.  It’s an out and back loop on Commonwealth Avenue, with the only incline being where Commonwealth Ave.’s thru traffic goes underneath the green grass separating Beacon Street from Commonwealth’s “local” traffic.  (If you’ve ever run the Boston Marathon, you know where I’m talking about, and how hard it is to describe Boston’s roads!)

I have to be honest, I am not sure I would do this race again. The entry fee was on the high end for a 5K race. I realize it went to charity (Special Olympics of MA) though, so I try to take that into account. However, I’ve run other races where the entry fee proceeds go to a charity and they’ve been a lot less.  Yes, the course was fast but I’ve got lots of other fast races that I can choose from, I mean, this is Boston!

Things I liked:

• We had timing chips (D Chrono tags, nice and disposable)
• Fast and flat course, not too crowded with runners, but enough so you didn’t feel like you were running all alone the whole way
• Jingle bells on everyone’s shoes, making it sound very festive
• Number pick-up option the night before at City Sports
• Prompt race start (but see below)
• I set a PR!!!

Things I didn’t like:

• No starting mat at the beginning (so the results on  Cool Running are really not accurate unless you’re standing smack on the start line when the gun goes off)
• Absolutely no way to tell where the start line was once the gun went off. Literally, no markings on the street.
• The race started at 9:57.  What?! When have you ever seen a race start EARLY? I was still setting up my Garmin, because as anyone knows who has one, if you do it too early, and then wait too long at the start, it’ll reset itself to sleep mode.
• They closed down the street, yet only had  a narrow timing mat off to the right where you could jump on it at the very end. What’s the point in giving us timing chips, and closing off the street if you’re not going to have a timing mat at the beginning?
• Results not even broken down into divisions. I’m happy with my placement overall (288/1043) but to me, the “placement in division F35-39″ is usually what I judge myself on more than how I do compared to the overall field.
• Walkers were not given bibs, yet they had to pay the $35 fee. To me, I think that’s crap. If you’re going to take their money, then treat them as many other races do, like real entrants.  Really. (Lis’ husband, Steve, was a walker, and he should have had a timing chip and bib.)  
• Really the bare bones of information on the website beforehand. No info on the fact that if you were a walker, you’d not receive a bib.
• No info on the website (at least that I could see) about being able to pick up the numbers beforehand. We just got the idea to call City Sports beforehand, since we knew that they were a sponsor, and for many races that they sponsor, that’s how registration is handled to take the pressure off of race-day pickup.

At the end of the race, we were all handled bottles of water.  There may have been more stuff around but I didn’t see it ( I mean, other than in the vendor’s tents.) I’ve run races where I’ve paid a lot less and there’s been a lot more food at the end.  Why is that? That little local races seem to really put out quite a spread, but one that is run by a much larger organization doesn’t? I ran a race in October that benefits Special Olympians of Newton, MA, and they go crazy with the after-race spread! So, maybe it’s just this race. That’s what I am going to choose to believe, anyway.

I don’t want to sound completely negative about this race though. There was good support for water around the 2 mile mark. I stopped to get my heart rate down, as my first mile had been run at 8:10, and I suspected that was a bit fast for me.  By the way, my second mile was 8:43, and third was 7:59!!!! I covered the last .1 in 7:30!!! Yay!   I just kept looking at my watch occasionally and doing some quick math in my head, and I was so excited as I rounded the Public Garden, because I knew I still had about 2.5 or 3 minutes and I could still finish before the 26 minute mark (where my watch is concerned, which is the time I’m choosing to go with!)  I kept looking and seeing my Garmin show me something like 7:53 as my pace, and I was like “oh my God, oh my God! I’m going to do it! FINALLY!” And whenever I felt tired, I just kept repeating “25! 25! in my head over and over.”  Such a good feeling, believe me.  (And it’s funny, I didn’t really want to say this goal to anyone ahead of time, other than Lis, because I was worried that might jinx it.  My best races have been the ones where I’ve not put a lot of pressure on myself.

 I am proud of my coworkers for running the race the way they did. Meg and Lisa finished within a second of each other. George ran his first 5K ever, and much faster than he expected.  He thought it’d take about 39 minutes to do it (he runs for time in the mornings, rather than miles – he sets a time goal and aims to get out there and continue running the whole time, regardless of the distance he covers.)  His time on Cool Running is off by probably over a minute or maybe two.  I know this because he started at the back of the pack, and  I even had a time that was off by about 45-50 seconds, and I started in the middle.  His official time was in the 36 minute range. We all finished the race with him, too.  When I finished, I caught my breath, and started walking back on the side of the road so I could see Meg and Lisa, who yelled out to me when they saw me.  I told them I was going to go back and find George, so that’s what they did when they finished. 

Oh, and I found out that there had been some private bets at work about who would beat whom, between Lisa and Meg. I’ll have to find out how much was wagered!

Anyway, thanks for reading.

That’s pretty much the same reaction I would have if I was standing ankle deep in 33 degree water. The 2nd annual Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics took place on Saturday, Dec. 5 2009 at Chatfield Reservoir. As usual they had a great turnout and raised a ton of money. Its assignments like this one that makes me love what I do. There’s not much else I can say, so enjoy the photos and be glad you stayed dry.

]]> http://echoleague.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/there-are-a-lot-of-good-causes-to-give-to-out-there-heres-another/ Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:02:38 +0000 Dan Filbin http://echoleague.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/there-are-a-lot-of-good-causes-to-give-to-out-there-heres-another/

click the pic…

Well, here is a fence joke that I came across while browsing the Construction Resource Forums. ENJOY!

SPECIAL OLYMPICS:
An Italian, Irishmen and a Polack went to the summer Olympics one year, but didn’t have tickets to get in.

The three stood outside the gate for a while contemplating on how to get into the Olympics, when suddenly the Italian runs across the street to a construction site, shortly returning with a long pole on his shoulder. He approaches the Olympics admissions gate and says, “Italy … pole vault”, and they let him in!

Seeing this, the Irishmen visits the construction site, returning with a small circular scrap of wood. With this in hand; he approaches the gate and says, … “Ireland … discus”, and they let him in!

Not to be out done, the Polish fellow sets off across the street to the same construction site. Moments later he returns to the Olympic admissions gate with a role of “chain link” on his shoulder and says, …”Poland … fencing”.

I found this to be quite funny and hope you got a giggle out of it as well…

Mr Basement is jumping into freezing waters for Special Olympics

The 14th anniversary celebration of the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge is Saturday, January 30th, 2010.

I will be joining with Marylanders of all ages and other celebrity guests as money is raised to help 15,000+ of Maryland’s Special Olympians from around the state train and compete year round. With over 100 competitions each year, this is the largest fundraiser for Maryland Special Olympics.

Maryland & DC area waterproofing and foundation repair

Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Parkersburg, Lima and Lexington area waterproofing and foundation repair

Special Olympics New Jersey Law Enforcement has raised $2,436,887.15 this year alone, making them #2 in the world (congrats to Special Olympics Maryland for being #1)! Each and every one of the events put on by SONJ’s Law Enforcement this year has been an absolute success, so why not share the successes?

• The 26th Annual Law Enforcement Torch Run – 2,900 police officers carried the “Flame of Hope” a distance of over 900 miles for the opening of the 2009 Summer Games.
• The 22nd Annual Lincoln Tunnel Challenge had record numbers of participants and set a new fundraising record for the event.
• The 16th Annual Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights had 3,600 participants (a record for # of participants at this event)!
• The 13th Annual Continental Airlines Plane Pull held at Continental Airlines at Newark Intl. Airport consisted of 42 teams (also, a record for # of participants)!
• The 3rd Annual Motorcycle Skills, Ride & Show where 45 Motorcycle Officers entered the training competition, trophies were awarded to the top riders in each of six categories.
• The 3rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge in Wildwood, held at Wildwoods Convention Center had 500 participants!

First Annual Events

• 1st Annual Cuba Torch Run: 142 members of the military participated in this event, held Dec. 2008 at Guatanamo Bay, Cuba.

• 1^st Annual Chik’N’Plunge and Fest: 112 people participated in this event, held in Wildwood in August, 2009.

• 1^st Annual Thanks’4’Giving Plunge: Held at Crystal Lakes in Oakland, NJ this past Saturday (Nov. 28^, 2009).  There were 61 Plungers, and over $15,000 was raised (with money still being counted) making this one of the most successful 1^st time Plunges!

Fore more information on events put on by SONJ Law Enforcement check here:

SONJ Website:

http://www.sonj.org/

Plunge Information:

http://www.sonj.org/LawEnforcement/NjPolarPlunge/Home.php

Local Fundraising Events:

http://www.sonj.org/LawEnforcement/LocalFundraisers.php

Lonnie III lives a full life. He works at Puffin’s restaurant in Groton as a waiter. He attends Adult Education classes. He plays sports and spends time with friends. And he keeps up with his father, a self-described “Type A” personality who is juggling multiple projects at any given time.

On Thanksgiving Day, they deep-fried 16 turkeys to give away. They have been remodeling their Pacific Avenue home for years. They study black history, clip coupons, restore cars and collect movies. Together, they quietly commit good deeds throughout the community.

“I have been so very fortunate to have him,” said Lonnie II. “I have learned more from this guy than he ever could learn from me.”

To read this loving and inspiring story click here.

I just watched this documentary, about the life of Jon Owensby, a man with Down syndrome.  I give a little bit to the Special Olympics every year, and I always think I should actually volunteer at some events.  Maybe this will be the final push I need.  This is one of the most touching things I’ve ever seen.

Click the pic to go to his website