Palindr-antonym?

Feb 242010
 

Huh?  OK, confession.  Sometimes when I can’t make up my mind I make up a word.  Help me out here.

A palindrome is a word, phrase or sentence that ‘reads’ the same backward or forward. They can be simple like ‘race car’ or ‘deed’ or ‘madam.’ Or, more complex, like ‘A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!’

An antonym  is a word opposite in meaning to another, like ‘fast’ and ‘slow.’

Which is this?  (Watch it all the way to the end before you decide.)

Whatever you decide to call it, I bet you’ll call it ‘amazing.’

Have History Will Triumph

Feb 022010
 
Domestic Violence Action 3

Domestic Violence Action 3 (Photo credit: UMWomen)

 

If Vermont’s domestic violence victims can’t get to the lawyer, there’s one who can come to them.

Wynona Ward was 48 years old when she graduated from law school.   I had the privilege of getting to know her when we collaborated on a project to expand services to domestic violence victims in Vermont several years ago.

An abuse survivor herself, Ward left home at the age of 17.  She married her childhood sweetheart Harold and went to work as his partner in long-distance trucking.  Her work-life took a dramatic turn when she learned that a child her family had been abused by her (Ward’s) brother.

To say that Ward ‘took action’ is a bit of an understatement:  she became a volunteer victims’ advocate and worked with her own family members to convict her brother.  The experience propelled her back to school…  and beyond.

Winona Ward became a family law attorney and founded Have Justice Will Travel enabling her to bring compassion, expertise and options to the homes of some of Vermont’s most isolated victims of domestic violence.

Voted one of CNN’s Heroes of 2009, you can read more of her story here.  Or, go directly to the Have Justice Will Travel website to learn more about this remarkable woman and her innovative — and life saving — work.

Inspired to Give

Jan 262010
 
Little Red Wagon Foundation

Little Red Wagon Foundation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Zack Bonner was only 7 when he started the Little Red Wagon foundation to “help kids in distressed situations.”

He began doing community service in 2004, taking his little red wagon door-to-door, collecting fresh water for victims of Hurricane Charlie. In 2005 he started the Little Red Wagon Foundation. As his website says, “five years and lots of successful projects under our belt we are looking towards the future.”

Beliefnet.com voted Zack the Most Inspiring Person of 2009 and, on December 26th, he set off — on foot — from Tallahassee in an effort to become the youngest person to walk across the country. Along his approximately 2,473-mile route to LA, he and his team will visit programs for the homeless, with an eye toward raising both money and awareness on behalf of homeless kids.

According to Dreams for Kids Executive Director Tom Tuohy, children are the fastest growing homeless population.

You can follow Zack and his progress on his website’s “Zack tracker.”

 

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