More Progress

Hello everyone,

Tonight I am please to announce that Try Change has entered into an agreement with Italian American Graphic Designer and Web Developer David B Anthony to design our new Try Change line of clothing. When we started Try Change we thought of just selling the t-shirts on line via Cafe Press but the response to our goal of promoting Hope, Peace, Faith, Diversity and Positive Change was so great that we decide to take a leap of faith to market them directly to local retailers. It's seems as though each week someone or some organization steps up and offers their help in assisting us reach this goal. We will still have our shirts available on Cafe Press as well but with selling directly to retailers we will be able to donate a higher portion of the profits to Volunteers of America Chesapeake.

David Anthony has worked with:

G-Unit

Echo Unlimited

Liberte Clothing

DVS Shoe co

Asylum WSS

just to name a few...

We feel very fortunate to work with David on our vision of offering a sociably conscious line of clothing. I want to thank everyone who takes the time out of their busy day to visit our blog and website. I look forward to sharing our new designs with you in the near future!

Vince

Please feel free to join one of our communities at MyBlogLog, Blogcatalog, Razoo, Idealist, Change.org

Thanksgiving?

I was recently in a large department store and to my amazement they had already started playing holiday music. Maybe I'm getting a little old but I could have sworn there was a time that we dressed up in costumes for Halloween and gave thanks on Thanksgiving before we jumped into the holiday season. It seems every year the stores start the shopping season earlier and earlier, before you know it we'll be shopping for gifts in August.

Don't get me wrong I look forward to the holiday season but I wonder if we miss something by rushing right into. Going out on Halloween was a BIG thing when I was a kid and Thanksgiving was a time for friends and family to gather and say thanks for all that we have not just a time to gather to watch the game. With all this rushing around, do we really take the time to reflex on what each holiday means to us? Do we really take the time to cherish the moments we get to spend with our friends and family? So whatever holidays you choose to celebrate, make sure you make the best out of them...

This season I plan on taking the time to enjoy each holiday and not get caught up in too much of the latest and greatest sale at the local department store. To all the stores out there - I love the music but maybe we can start playing it in December (or at least late November) :-)

Vince

Simple Truths

How can one person effect change? Take a look at this short video to see how...

We can all make a difference!

Vince

A New Direction

I recently came across a great article written by Stanley Crouch of the New York Daily News. This article focused on the now growing shift in the public tolerance towards unruly behaviour of public figures including politicians, sports figures, celebrities and business men and women. The article examines the recent arrest of the rapper "T.I." on weapons charges. T.I. allegedly attempted to purchase machine guns and silencers. If proven guilty he could face 60 years in jail. Mr. Crouch goes on to say, and I agree with him, that America has grown weary of this ridiculous behavior by our public figures. Especially in the world of Hip Hop. Rapper KRS-1 has just launched a Stop the Violence campaign . This campaign will be similar to the campaign that began in late 80'2 early 90's when crack cocaine use was at it highest.

Busta Rhymes, one of the country's most well known rappers, recently told allhiphop.com

" In a lot of ways, as much as we don't want to take responsibility, you know, a lot of the things we say does influence to a degree. It may not be directly, but even indirectly we play a role in what the people might think they want to do tomorrow, based upon what they hear us say today or what they see us live today"

We at Try Change welcomes this change in view points we only hope that this message grows stronger and stronger. This is what Try Change is all about: positive change. Where do we go from here if we allow ourselves to call each other all types of names, let our children wear all types of suggestive garments, sell drugs to each other and even kill each other.

A Change Must Occur.

Vince

Westwood

Allow me the opportunity to brag a little bit about my hometown of Westwood NJ. Located In Bergen County just 10 minutes from NY's George Washington Bridge.

I can give you populations figures, stats, level incomes and an assortment of numbers to formulate where Westwood sits in each of these categories however I'll think I 'll just share my observations during my extended weekend visit.

I woke up Monday morning in the same house that our family has owned for the last 60 years. I rode my bicycle up town. On the way to town I passed several parents that were walking their kids to Berkeley Elementary School. I went to pick up some bagels from the bagel shop that's been in town for at lease 25 years. After breakfast I walked down the street for a 10 minute walk that turned into 3 hours because I stopped and talked with my old school friend, his grandmother, then went to both my aunts houses and finally stopped by our park. All this is located on a street less than a 1/2 mile long. After my conversations, I visited the local pizza shop where I did not have to give my order since he new what I wanted even though I've been living in VA for the last 10 years.

The next day I rode my bicycle for 2 1/2 hours and did not hit one major highway or road way. I walked through my backyard to the football field to watch a Pee Wee Football game and later rode my bike up town to stop at the local soda shop that's been in existence since the 1930's..

When I was a kid I always use to talk about how no one in Westwood wanted things to change and now I know why.

It's a great place to live.

Vince

If the World Were a Village

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oumVHSj6AE8




This video is amazing! Just think about it...it breaks it down to 100 people so its easier to put it in perspective. The actual population of the world is about 6.6 Billion (6,602,224,175 as of Sept. 2007). So how many people are out there that don't have a roof over their heads, don't have enough food, can't read and have no way of improving their situation? And the better question...what can we do to help? What can we do to make a change in the environment and living conditions of our own world?

Mood Follows Action

Mood Follow Action- I have a good friend of mine who said that to me once when I was complaining about something that I have since forgotten. I have not however forgotten that line:

Mood Follows Action. People that I know either through work , the gym or any one of the organizations I belong to typically make comments about how I seem to always be in a good mood. I attribute that to several reasons:

• I try to help others without asking anything in return


• Realize that someone else is living through a very difficult time right at this very moment


• I surround myself with positive pro active people

For me those things and some others are my recipe for happiness. If I'm in a stressful situation I look back at what was going on before the situation came about. Am I really mad about getting the speeding ticket? Or am I upset at myself because instead of getting to bed early I decided to watch a late night talk show, get up late then rush off to work , speeding by a police officer who is only doing what he does so he can help put food on his or her table?

Of coarse there are times when circumstances are placed upon us and on those times it may be difficult to chant the Mood Follows Action mantra :-) For me however, keeping a cool head is easier when I apply and think about the principles I mentioned before. Some other habits that help me are:

• I don't drink


• I don't smoke


• I exercise at least four times a week


• And I don't tell someone else not to drink , smoke or to exercise (maybe sometimes I do suggest it though :-) )

Now if I can just leave the barbecue ribs, hamburgers, pepperoni pizza and tacos alone :-)

Vince

Be The Miracle

Awhile back I had the pleasure in helping a young lady pay for a portion of her first semester's tuition to go to a community college here in our area. Today I was fortunate enough to meet this particular student. She expressed her gratitude and said she that at the time she did not know how she was going to be able to pay for that first semester. It made me think of how we hear or we see people going through a difficult time. We hear or see them say they need a miracle... Well, if we have the resources to help them, why not be the miracle.

One evening while visiting the Hilda Barg Shelter I witnessed a man who found a complete men's suit in the clothes bin. He was so happy because it actually fit him and he needed a suit to go an interview with the next day. Simple items that we take for granted or throw away can actually be the lifeline someone else needs.

So the next time you hear that someone needs a miracle or just plain assistance, why not try to pull some resources to make it happen?

Thank you for making a difference!

Vince

*We invite you to join Try Change in one of our growing communites:

Razoo.com, idealist.org, Change.org, MyBlogLog, BlogCatalog

Lifewraps

Each week Trychange.org showcases an inspirational story or worthy cause of the week. Some of these are local stories some are from the U.K , Asia , Africa and beyond. Today we will highlight Dr. Suellen Miller work with Life Wraps.

As stated on their website:

"Each year 585,000 women die due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, 99% of these are in developing countries. Maternal mortality is the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age in Asia and Latin America, and is the second leading cause of death for women in Africa. The leading cause of maternal mortality is obstetrical hemorrhage. A woman can bleed to death in two hours or less, and in rural areas, where hospitals may be four to eight hours away, this leaves little hope for women suffering from post-partum hemorrhage."

"The Life Wrap is a simple, neoprene and Velcro device, used to treat shock, resuscitate, stabilize and prevent further bleeding in women with obstetric hemorrhage. Each $250.00 Life wrap suite can save up to 50 lives".

To learn more about LifeWraps go to their website http://www.lifewraps.org/ or contact
Dr. Suellen at smiller@globalhealth.ucsf.edu

Thank you for visiting Try Change,
Together we can make a difference!

Vince

Be Part Of The Success Story!

When we started Try Change back in the June 2007 our goal was to have 200 members join the Try Change family via our blog sites or by subscribing on our website's link by August 2008 and slowly sell a number of our Inspirational and Positive t-shirts via CafePress. Well it's mid October and I'm happy to say that we now have 114 people either as friends, contacts, community members or Try Change subscribers!

With the help of all our blogger friends, family and co-workers we've:

• Appeared in several local newspapers


• Are now "Partners" of Volunteers of America Chesapeake


• Held our first Charity Yard Sale


• Have our shirts in the local mall


• Made some great contacts in the business community


• Sponsor of the 6th Annual Springfield Bridge Walk
  

Soon we will be announcing some very exciting news regarding design and distribution of new Try Change shirts! How can you help? If you are currently a Try Change friend, neighbor, community member or subscriber, help us spread the Try Change message by telling someone about us. If your not currently a member, read how we developed Try Change by reading My Story. If after reading My Story you feel you would like to be part of the Try Change friends and neighbor's join us at Razoo.com, MyBlogLog, BlogCatalog, Idealist, or click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Help us achieve our goal of at least 200 friends or neighbors!

We feel that we are on the verge of something very special and we want to share it with everyone possible!

Be Part Of The Success Story. Together we can make a difference!

Vince

Driving for Donations

Here's a story that can uplift us all. Driving for Donations is a program started by Pat an 11 year old boy who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in March of 2006. After seeing a good friend of his pass away from the disease Pat decided he had to do something to make a difference. And what a difference he's made! Pat's goal was to add 2007 new donors to the National Marrow Registry in 2007. Well Pat exceeded his goal by adding 5,092 new donors to the list!

As he states on his website:

"Recently, someone I knew died from Leukemia after they were unable to find a matching bone marrow donor. I found out that there is a critical need for people to be added to the National Marrow Registry, especially minorities! I don't want anyone else to die because they can't find a match! That day I decided to do something to help save lives and the idea of ONE CHILD'S DREAM /DRIVING FOR DONORS was born. On April 17, 2007, I began DRIVING FOR DONORS! My family and I drove across the country in a special "Donormobile" . We hosted marrow donor drives in 32 cities and added potential donors to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. We added over 5000 donors in 3 months! "

Pat's been featured on:

• NBC's Today Show



• Access Hollywood



• KDVR-TV in Denver



• WKYC's in Cleveland

Just to name a few. Click here to see the interviews.

He still needs your help, so to spread the word we are making Pat and his story our Featured Inspirational Story of the Week.

Thanks Pat for showing us that we all can make a difference!

Vince

**We'd also like to invite everyone to join of our growing communities at Razoo.com, MyBlogLog, Blogcatalog, Idealist.org or Subscribe to our newsletter.**

Another Step

Try Change made another step in the right direction this week. Volunteers of America Chesapeake has listed placed our logo and link on the Homepage of their website. We are listed under "Our Partners" in the lower left hand corner just under the 2008 Washington Auto Show! We at Try Change feel very fortunate to secure this relationship with one of the oldest and highest ranked charities n the country. We look forward to continuing this relationship through hosting more fundraisers , volunteering at VOA events and more sales of Try Change t-shirts. We invite you to join our family as we go about increasing community members and spreading the Try Change message.

Visit us at Try Change.

Join of our growing communities at Razoo.com, MyBlogLog, Blogcatalog, Idealist.org

Or purchase one of several Try Change t-shirts. Remember a portion of all profits are donated to Volunteers of America Chesapeake.

Thanks for stopping by!

Vince

Happy Birthday Dad

My father would have been 77 years old today. It seems kind of strange writing that I've really never have thought about my dad in the past tense. It really has never seemed like he has left me. It been about two and a half years since he's passed away but the many lessons he taught me still are with me today. I can still hear him giving me advice like the time just before when I went to purchase my and Chrissie's home several years ago "Do not go with any crazy loans, stay with a fix 30 year mortgage". My dad was no financial guru but he was my dad so I took his advice.

Thanks Dad!

I could probably tell you a million stories about my dad but I will share just one quick one. Hopefully I did not share this in a previous blog so here it goes. During my dad's retirement he spent hundreds of hours volunteering at the Army Veteran's Hospital in Paramus NJ. At his wake I saw an older man sitting by himself in the back row , head down crying. I felt compelled to go over to him and tell how much I appreciated him being here for my family. He went on to say "You don't know me but your dad sat by my side for a month while I was in the Veterans hospital while I was recovering from a very serious operation"

During the coarse of the wake and funeral that was a continuing theme "You don't know me but..."

My point?

You don't have to be a millionaire, you don't have to have all the resources in the world, all you have to have is the desire and the willingness to help others who are in need. That's what my dad was all about and that's what Try Change is all about.

Happy Birthday Dad

Thanks for making a difference.

Vinny

First Check

Today was a good day we at Try Change were able send the check out to Volunteers of America for the amount raised at the Charity Yard Sale and first quarter sales of our t-shirts. I was also able to get in contact with a designer that the 2Excess store recommended. The designer is pretty well known but I'll keep his name a secret until we have actually met and finished the design. Other than that it was a pretty quiet evening which I welcome after all the work that went into planning for the sale. I hope to have some news on the new Try Change designs soon and a follow up on all the contacts we made over the last 30 days. Thanks for continuing to support Try Change.

Together we can make a difference!

Vince