Archive for October, 2010
Volunteering is one of the easiest ways to help support a cause that you’re passionate about. While some choose to volunteer abroad, others see the need for help right in their own communities. This week Glen Ivy’s CEO/President, Jim Root, shared with me the different ways he volunteers his time and energy to various organizations that his two sons are involved in and how it enhances his own life.
Q: What organization or cause did you support and what inspired you?
A: I volunteer my time and energies to our local Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Little League Baseball. My sons Jimmy, 11, and Chris, 8, participate in these groups as do their classmates and friends. I appreciate the opportunities they provide for life lessons and reinforcing values that I believe in; not only for my boys but for me as well.
Q: What was your contribution, and are you able to see results from your efforts?
A: As in any organization or group, what you get out of something is reflected in what you put into it. For me, personally, I get the opportunity to be a “big kid” who’s been there and gets to do it all over again. I try to bring perspective and appreciation of “seeing with a beginner’s eyes” and not getting caught up in the process of winning or accomplishing a task. It’s all a lot of fun for me and I try to share that with the boys so they have fun with it too.
Q: How has this experience affected you?
A: As the leader of a large company with almost 500 employees, that welcomes over 250,000 guests each year and working for a Board of Directors and 17 shareholders, it keeps me grounded that all these folks were kids playing on a field together someplace (and to a large degree, hopefully still are kids at heart) and to see the goodness and intentions in people and not the stress and strain of everyday life.
Q: How would you encourage others to get involved (what would it take)?
A: I’m a very passionate bird-watcher and have lead countless walks in some very interesting places. There is always a question about when are we going to see a such and such bird…and my response is always that it’s not important what we see but that we see…the same is true for getting or being involved: It’s not important what you do, it’s that you do and in your own way, you “pay it forward.” I’ve seen it with the connection made in honestly and appreciatively saying “good job” to a kid, in the joy it brought to a parent who saw effort and engagement in their child, and I’ve experienced it from strangers who said “good job” to me for being involved. Those gifts are priceless and I would encourage everyone do pitch-in where they could. There is never enough paying-it-forward for all that could use it.
How do you help encourage those around you to get involved in helping others? Post your comment below.
At Glen Ivy Hot Springs we enjoy the benefits of nature every day which makes the preservation of the land around us all the more important. Glen Ivy’s Director of Landscapes and Sustainability, Patrick Mitchell, introduced us to The Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit organization with a mission to save and restore California’s magnificent landscapes.
Since its inception in 1995, The Wildlands Conservancy has preserved more than 1,250 square miles of land, more than any other nonprofit organization operating with private funds. With 12 preserves that encompass approximately 146,000 acres of land, they are California’s largest nonprofit landowner.
Their overreaching goal is to “Call people back to the beauty, wonder, and inspiration of the natural world, and to encourage people to be participants in saving our magnificent landscapes and restoring California’s rich biological diversity.” How they achieve this goal is by purchasing and restoring landscapes, and then building visitor facilities to welcome the public back to the land.
Another goal of the organization is to educate youth about the wonder and joys of nature through their free outdoor education programs. Each year approximately 30,000 children are able to experience their outdoor education programs at the various preserves. Through these programs, children are able to discover a world beyond their own neighborhood, while gaining a better understanding and respect for life.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs is featuring “Chair Massage for a Cause” all month long in October, with a share of the proceeds going to support Wildlands Conservancy. Please help us preserve and protect California’s beautiful landscapes!
It is through the generosity of others that enables The Wildlands Conservancy to continue with their work. If you are interested in helping them further their mission, please click here for donation opportunities.
Start your morning off right by whipping up a batch of Pumpkin Pancakes courtesy of our own Chef Bill. These delicious pancakes will not only fill your home with an amazing fall scent, they’ll also fill your tummy with pumpkin goodness!
Pumpkin Pancakes:
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1/teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
½ egg white
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoons white vinegar
Method:
Step #1: In a bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. In a separate bowl mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar until smooth. Stir the flour mix into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Set aside and allow to rest 30 minutes.
Step #2: Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Ladle in ¼ cup of the batter onto the griddle for each pancake. When the pancake edges start to dry and the bubbles form over the cake flip and cook until golden. Serve hot.
Covering all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties (including the Coachella Valley), the Inland Empire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is dedicated to ending breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality of care for all and energizing science to find the cures. They have two locations to serve the Inland Empire with the main office located in Temecula and the Komen Inland Empire Breast Cancer Resource Center in Rancho Mirage.
Since inception, the Inland Empire Affiliate has awarded grants totaling nearly $4.5 million dollars to local non-profit organizations in the Inland Empire to fund breast health education, screening and treatment.
75% of funds raised by the Inland Empire Affiliate stay in the local community for breast cancer programs for the uninsured women and families and 25% goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Award and Research Grant Program. Komen for the Cure knows that there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done however, with the continued help from others, they are getting close to creating a world without breast cancer.
Interested in supporting the Inland Empire Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure? Volunteer opportunities at both locations, make a financial contribution, participate in the Susan G. Komen Inland Empire Race for the Cure this Sunday October 17, or head to Glen Ivy Hot Springs and take part in “Chair Massage for a Cause.”
One of the hardest parts of supporting a cause is simply finding out how to help. Many opt to make a financial contribution but there are so many other ways to give. Here are a few to get you started with helping an organization that you’re passionate about:
Volunteer Your Time: Whether it’s a few times a month or a few times a year, organizations can always use an extra hand. Volunteer some hours at your local animal shelter or hospital to help out! Check out VolunteerMatch.com and search for volunteer opportunities near you and information on how to get started!
Donate Your Services: Lend your skill set and knowledge to help others. Really good at interviews? Check with your local shelter to see if they need assistance in helping their clients build their resume and gain job knowledge. Handy with a hammer? Share your talents with an organization like Habitat for Humanity and their volunteer construction team!
Donate Items: Grab that sweater that you swear you’ll wear again (when we both know you won’t) or that couch that’s been collecting dust in the garage and head to a local shelter or Goodwill store. Shelters are always in need of used or gently used items and your closets will be tidier for it too. Some services like Donation Town even offer free pick-up and provide a list of charities for you to choose from. It’s that easy!
However you decide to donate, there are many organizations that will be appreciative of your efforts.
Have other idea on how to support a cause? We’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to take our one question poll on how you’ve participate in this month’s challenge!
Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Assisting in any activity deemed necessary for the operations of the Tanning room/service. Maintain appropriate decorum, appearance and professionalism at all times. Inform Spa’s guest of products available for retail sale. Educate our guest on the benefits of both the product and the service they are receiving. Willingness to attend and participate in staff meetings Attend training sessions to increase his/her knowledge of service and products available for sale at Spa. Check work station contents as early as possible and restock if necessary prior to start of appointment times. Clean and restock room stations with all necessary supplies for the next day’s schedule.
Part-time position available. Week-ends, evenings and some holidays a must.
“Chair Massage for a Cause” is in full affect here at the Hot Springs and we’d like to introduce you to another amazing organization that the proceeds from the chair massages will help benefit—Angel Faces.
Established in 2003, Angel Faces is a non profit organization whose mission is to provide healing retreats and ongoing support designed for adolescent girls with facial disfigurements so that they can achieve their optimum potential and develop meaningful relationships for themselves, their families and their communities.
As the only innovative national program of its kind in the United States, the program uses intensive retreats that helps young girls grow more self-confident so that they, along with their families, can begin their own healing process.
During the retreats, the girls experience a variety of activities ranging from presentations in self leadership to jewelry making, making sure there is a balance to their time addressing grief and trauma issues and fun activities. The end result is a new and hope-filled start for the girls who leave the retreat with skills and tools to create the life they want and to overcome the challenges of living with a facial disfigurement
So join us at the Hot Springs throughout October and help give back (while relaxing!) with “Chair Massage for a Cause.” The proceeds will be going towards Angel Faces as well as other local organizations which will be highlighted in the following weeks! See you at the Spa!
Throughout October we will be featuring some of our own staff members who have set an example of service in their communities and abroad. This week we are shining the spotlight on Suzanne Sammut, Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa Massage Therapist, who spent three life-changing weeks in Kenya this summer assisting a medical team sponsored by her church. Life experience was elevated not only for the 700 patients she saw but for Suzanne and colleagues as well.
I had the great opportunity to sit down with Suzanne to ask her about her experience and how it has affected her.
Q: What organization or cause did you support and what inspired you?
A: When the mission trips were announced, something within “called out Kenya.” I thought about it for a couple of months, and one Sunday there was a kiosk with some gorgeous jewelry that caught my eye. Little did I know, they were hand made by a group of women in Kenya who are trying to provide income for their family without using their bodies. Every dollar would go back to them. That’s all it took for me! I bought two and vowed to wear them every day as my inspiration to one day meet the women and their children who made these items. And you know what? I DID!
Q: What was your contribution, and are you able to see results from your efforts?
A: I set up and ran the Triage Clinic , taking patients vital signs, temperatures, blood pressures, while others did height and weight. Later I was hands on assisting the Doctor, cleaning wounds or sores, applying new dressings, and helping distribute medication.
After the first couple days, I felt an amazing strength and confidence in my skill-set and as a caregiver. When someone needed help, I stepped in and gave direction and comfort. A young girl who had a severely infected finger was both shy and in pain. While her hand soaked prior to lancing the area, I held her other hand and let her squeeze away. The children are so brave. Not a sound came out, but a quiet tears rolled down her cheek. After dressing her wound, and I gave her a treat, she gave me a hug.
Q: How has this experience affected you?
A: The entire trip I felt my heart strings being tugged. When patients would say ‘Bless you, thank you. Thank you for coming’ you can SEE in their eyes, they meant it.
I like to be optimistic and find the humor in life. Before the trip when I would hear someone be negative or complain I would say “OK, now tell two positive things.” Now I say “Now tell me two blessings.” That seems to have a profound effect on people and stop them in their tracks. Things don’t seem so bad to them after all. I give thanks each and every day for blessings of the past, present, and the many more that are coming for me in the future. I am fortunate to be where I am, doing what I love, and touching so many lives.
We are wondering how others have felt the difference their efforts have made, whether far away or close to home. Let us know with a comment below.
Stay tuned for more profiles of Glen Ivy staff members who are making a difference and inspiring others! Want to inspire other? Join the Monthly Challenge and find ways to get started!
As part of our Monthly Challenge, Glen Ivy Hot Springs will be offering “Chair Massage for a Cause” throughout the entire month of October. Each day the proceeds will be donated to benefit the following organizations:
To reserve your appointment, please see a guest services representative at any reception desk during your visit.
Pricing:
10 min. = $20
20 min. = $40
30 min. = $60
**Chair massages may not be offered everyday. Please check with the front desk upon arrival for available times.
Throughout the month of October Glen Ivy Hot Springs will be offering “Chair Massage for a Cause.” The proceeds from the massages will be divided among four local organizations and one of those admirable organizations is Feeding America.
Formerly know as America’s Second Harvest, Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Second Harvest helps to provide food and enrich the lives of others while working to solve the hunger problem in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
For every $1 that is donated, Second Harvest helps provide seven meals to men, women and children facing hunger in our country. Even if you can’t make it to receive a relaxing chair massage here at the Hot Springs, there are certainly other ways you can take action in fighting hunger. You can donate monthly online, donate food, or even host a food drive. Whatever way you decide to help, you can be sure that your donations are always utilized efficiently, safely, and effectively to help stop hunger!
So join in our October challenge and make sure to visit us for a chance to relax while knowing that you are giving back!
