Round 2: Checking in the celebs!

Round 2: Checking in with more celebs!

Well, before I get to that -- Don't you just love snow days!? Okay, many of you are screaming yes, yes, I do! Me, not so much. I've never been a big winter person, although the first snow on the tree branches is just beautiful, but when you work from a home office, a snow day often means "What I've scheduled to work on today is often put to the side because the kids are home!" Now my kids are older and are good at entertaining themselves and each other, but when the kids are home you think differently. It's harder to write articles and blogs, so instead I focus on administrative things I need to do.

Now that the kids are getting older though (two of them are teens), they have volunteered to help me out in the office too! My 15-year-old daughter, who is great at web design, put together a new blog for me (more on that another day), and my son, who loves to sell things and make money, got to work on what we were selling on Ebay. So it was a productive, although extremely COLD, day here in the northeast yesterday.

My favorite indoor snow day activity? Hot chocolate and a good movie! We re-watched Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and caught Dreamgirls for the first time on HBO. Both great movies! What do you like to do on a snow day? Let me know!

Thought I'd let you in on more celebrity charity involvement:

In keeping with the holidays, Style.com thought it would be great to put some of the focus on giving back - and to highlight the ways people in the fashion industry do that. They invited designers, retailers, and models -- including Iman, David Lauren, Donna Karan, Margherita Missoni, Kenneth Cole, Betsey Johnson, Narciso Rodriguez, Francisco Costa, Simon Doonan, Zac Posen, and more to discuss their favorite charities and what it means to give back.

Check this out:



Style.com also published a list of the charities, so if you are inspired you can find out how to get involved.

GL Gives Back

I've been a Guiding Light fan for as long as I can remember. One of the stars of the show, Crystal Chappell grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and several of the cast members visited this holiday season to give back the community through the Salvation Army. Check it out here.

J.K. Rowling helps the less fortunate

J.K. Rowling sold her limited edition handwritten book “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” for almost $4 million dollars. Money raised from the seventh copy will go to the Children's Voice charity.

For all you boxing fans --

On Thursday, December 6, Tabú Ultra Lounge at MGM Grand transformed into Santa Clause's headquarters when Floyd Mayweather Jr. hosted a Toys for Tots fundraiser. Mayweather took a break from his rigorous training for Saturday's boxing match against Ricky Hatton to join Santa and a bevy of Santa's sexy helpers to gather gifts for underprivileged children this holiday season. Joining in these efforts, NBA legend Gary Payton and TV icon Robin Leach assisted in filling the lounge with presents and holiday cheer.

Doing something good on Super Bowl Sunday

While I watch my Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre go to this year's Super Bowl (don't tell me otherwise people!), there is more going on that day than just football! The Surf City USA® Marathon, formerly known as the Pacific Shoreline Marathon, may have changed its name, but the marathon will continue its successful charitable partnership with the Free Wheelchair Mission. The charity has set a goal of raising enough money to provide 12,000 free wheelchairs to the disabled in undeveloped countries from this year’s event, scheduled for Super Bowl Sunday, February 3, 2008, on the shores of Huntington Beach, CA.



To show there is more to do on Super Bowl Sunday than just watch football, former NFL quarterback Jay Schroeder has committed to run in the event and serve as the keynote speaker for the fundraising dinner on February 2 at the Hilton Beachfront Resort.

“I am excited about the opportunity to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday in such a healthy and rewarding way,” said Schroeder. “Once I heard about the great work the Free Wheelchair Mission does, I knew it was a cause I wanted to support. I encourage all runners to fundraise and all of my former neighbors, classmates and fans in Southern California to sign up to run or sponsor a runner.”

For the third consecutive year, the “Run for Mobility” will allow runners the chance to permanently change lives by raising money to purchase special wheelchairs for the physically disabled in undeveloped countries. Thus far, through the partnership between the charity and the marathon, more than 13,000 people have received a free wheelchair and the gift of mobility thanks to runners.

In the “Run for Mobility” program, runners can become fundraisers by running the marathon, half marathon, or 5K, and committing to raise donations from businesses, friends, and co-workers as part of the activity. For people who want to help support the cause but do not have a runner to sponsor, Free Wheelchair Mission is encouraging people to support Jay Schroeder’s run by visiting his personal fundraising page at www.RunforMobility.org. Jay has established a goal of $5,700 for his run – one wheelchair for each of the 144 touchdown passes he threw in the NFL.

The Run for Mobility raised $165,000 in its inaugural year, and $465,000 last year. This year’s goal is $650,000, enough to “lift” 12,000 people off the ground and into a wheelchair. Each wheelchair costs just $48.35 to produce and is delivered for free, with no conditions.

As an extra incentive, the Free Wheelchair Mission will pay the registration fee and guarantee a spot in the Surf City USA Marathon for any person willing to raise a minimum of $500. For more information, visit www.RunForMobility.org or www.RunSurfCity.com.

Until next time,

Lisa