Wednesday, November 5th was 5 months to the day I made my retirement official on June 5th being my final day working for “PEP”!!  “People Enhancing People,” as its proper name is a nonprofit organization, assisting others having various disabilities to obtain quality personal care assistants.This unique organization was started by a physically disabled couple very close to me.  I watched and assisted in its creation, with Jim and Claudia Carlisle being awarded a nice grant, allowing their dream to become a reality in July of 2003. Susan Beaulieu, a former “PCA” for the Carlisles was the 3rd original person to help develop this dream.  Susan is also a good friend to me, as her mom remains one of my long-time and very dear friends from high school!!I have talked about “friendship” from time to time, and the importance it stands for.  The Carlisle’s had given me the chance to continue working when I faced a devastating down-sizing and lay-off in 2000 from a health care facility which I was employed for over 22 years.  It is difficult to even imagine a person having a physical disability would find herself living a nightmare of being let go after working for so long.  Stress hit me with all the worries of: “What now?” “How do I survive?” “What about my house mortgage?”Well, I did survive!  Though - another full time, competitive job was not meant to be!  I was blessed with many friends and family with many good suggestions! One, being to pursue the early retirement possibility!  However, I sure faced opposition ~ let me tell ya!  I ended up writing letters, appearing before the “Board” of the Retirement System, and finally speaking on my own behalf before the Legislature. You can only imagine how nerve-wracking that was!  But guess what?  Fourteen months after being on this long, agonizing road, I won!

Jim and Claudia Carlisle have been good friends for such a long time, and asked me to assist with typing for Jim; he has had his accounting business for 40+ years; plus working towards to create a nonprofit organization to assist others having disabilities needing quality assistance to live independently.

Working on that dream for them required one-on-one typing for Jim.  I volunteered at first.  I loved helping out.  The grant proposal took extensive time to be developed.  Finally Jim was pleased with it, and he submitted the proposal.  They received word they would be awarded the grant!  What a very happy day that was!  I continued helping and eventually was offered a part-time position!I experienced the rewarding feeling of helping others receive quality care…  PEP is PCA Choice Provider also known as a Fiscal Intermediary. I was given the opportunity of working in the payroll department and knowing many of the incredible office staff.PEP has grown from the small dream to a very successful company since the day it began its operation in July, 2003!  My respect and best wishes for PEP will always remain in my heart!

The photo is of Dana, PEP’s Billing and Payroll Manager and myself at my retirement picnic held this past July.

PEP has been a big supporter of the greeting cards; for this I am extremely grateful! Thanks, “PEP” for everything!

My retirement has now given me the time to do what I love best! Writing is my passion.  I have written a “Computer Help Guide Book” as well as other material.    Sharing a business partnership with Sandy is fabulous!  Our Blog continues to grow.  It’s my hope you are are able to see my desire to touch so many of you with our cards.  This is why I continue to show some of my favorite custom cards.

It IS all about friendship and wanting to give to others.  I am blessed with the cards and remain thankful Sandy kept nudging me to try it.  I urge you to give it a test drive at http://www.sendoutcards.com/3721

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

November 4, 2008–Election Day!  Glued to CNN, I watched the results come in as many of you did. As the evening went on, I became more confident of my decision 18 months ago to support Barak Obama as my new President!

He Won! I cried!  I fought back tears as he gave his Victory speech (although it was more a speech of Gratitude and an invitation for us all to unite as Americans to bring about change). I wanted to see the genuine hope in people’s eyes as Obama talked of the future. He talked of working together to bring America back to being a strong and caring Nation, giving its citizens the power and the responsibility to help make that happen.

Where am I going with this, you might be thinking. I guess I want to talk about visulization. My visualizing that Obama would become our next President is similar to my visualization of my own life. If you are readers of this blog, you know that both Jan and I have Cerebral Palsy. Yet we have strived to overcome!

As a child, I visualized myself as attending high school, college, being employed and being married. I’m happy to say that I’ve accomplished each goal!  Was it easy, no! However, my desire and determination outweighed  the negative feedback from those who only saw my wheelchair and heard my distorted speech.

After reaching my goals, I began searching for future chapters in my life.  I was still relatively young and wanted to do more. Then I found this neat tool on the internet. It allowed me to send beautiful cards via my computer! I had reached a new level of independence. Learning more about the effects of sending heartfelt greeting in minutes, prompted by a thought, I found a way to give back and help others reach their dreams.  http://www.greetingcardschangelives.com has given me a future!

It is our inner self that makes us who we are. Obama found his inner self. He now wants to help each one of us to find that strength and belief that we can accomplish our goals and desires.

With the Election over, a real hope for the future ahead, we can now focus on a way to make a difference. Can I help you? The holidays are here!  Send a card ~ Change a life!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

For several weeks the October’s issue of Success from Home has been on your local magazine racks in bookstores and other popular places.  The entire issue featured Send Out Cards throughout the magazine.

This magazine shows so many good points of the ways of sending an unexpected card, just as we have done with our Blog.  What excites me the most was when I read the articles from Joel Osteen, well-known minister seen on television, as well as Jack Canfield, well-known author for the numerous books of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul”.

Both Mr. Osteen and Mr. Canfield continue to touch so many people, as well as for me with their books!  So to see their testimony in this Magazine only makes me that more determine to reach others with greeting cards.

Joel Osteen writes how important it is to encourage others, and to make a difference for them.  While we may not realize, there is always someone who needs some kind of encouragement; whether it is a kind word; a silly card to make someone laugh; or a important statement to encourage someone experiencing a serious illness.

I like the statement I read from Mr. Osteen in his article.  He gave an example of a teacher doing an exercise in her class: It showed her students that… “If you want your life to get better then you need to improve someone else’s life.”  The students understood the lesson of how important it is to show people that we all care for each other!  This is exactly what we try to relay to others to feel when we send an unexpected card!

If you happen to get this magazine, you were able to read the article from Jack Canfield.  He had very good points to motivate employees at work.  Among the top suggestions was “Appreciation”!  Again, this ties right in with what Sandy and I are striving for. We truly believe greeting cards have delivered this to those we write to…  We know our independence has continued with so much encouragement for others that know us!  We are so grateful for the ongoing support.

Success From Home featured stories from friends and fellow Team Members…  Each article is very interesting!  So, if you can, get a copy or let me know you want one, and I’ll send you one!

Writing is a huge asset we both share.  We rely on each other for support and advice.  Feedback is another topic Mr. Canfield talks about.  Sandy will agree we depend so much on the feedback we receive from one another, as well as when we receive a call or an email from someone who has received a card from us.

Just a couple days ago I received a phone call from my friend, Jamie. A few weeks ago she had told me she became “Great Auntie” again!  Jamie was so proud of this new little Bundle of Joy!  So I asked her to send me a photo via email.  To surprise her, I created a Picture Plus Postcard, and sent it to her.  Jamie was so thrilled when it arrived in her mailbox!  She called that same night to thank me.  I just wanted to make her day and give her an unexpected surprise!

www.sendoutcards.com/3721 will take you to the website for you to send a greeting card.  What better time to try it out!  The holidays are right around the corner!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Born in 1948, I’ve lived with Cerebral Palsy (CP) since birth, using an electric wheelchair to get around. I currently live with my husband, Rod, in Central Minnesota.

CP is a trauma to the brain, usually at birth, that basically affects motor skills. Its severity depends on how much brain damaged occurred during the trauma. It could be as slight as walking with a limp to living in a completely vegetative state. Me — I cannot walk, so use a motorized wheelchair. I look drunk because of my involuntary movements (which comes in handy at times when I really am drunk!) My speech sounds like a 45 rpm record (remember those?!) being played at 33 1/3. Other than that I’m pretty normal, whatever that is? I was spared my intelligence, which only 40% of those affected with CP can say. For that, I’m grateful!

I have had the privilege to work with students with disabilities as a teacher’s assistant in the St. Paul, MN Schools, teaching the 3 R’s and bit of independence. That experience allowed me to be Transition Coordinator with the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living. During that period in my life I wrote several independent living skills teaching manuals for the St. Paul Dept. of Education. I also was awarded the very first Governor’s Victory Award in Minnesota for overcoming disability. Winners from each State received their award at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

To balance my life of advocating independence for people with disabilities at the MN Capitol and in numerous organizations, I enjoyed square dancing with the Perfect Squares for 18 years. Perfect Squares is an outgoing gregarious group of wheelchair dancers that perform exhibitions in cities throughout the US and Canada. Jan was also a member and, still is, I might add. I had known Jan but our friendship began to grow as we danced across the country!

Having a disability and working for those with disabilities became a 24/7 job after 40 years. I left the big City behind to escape a hectic lifestyle and moved to the country. Living life as everyone else, I was still being faithful to my purpose of letting others see me doing everything. I even discovered how fun winter could be by riding behind my husband on snowmobile outings! I served the community as Secretary of the local Lions Club. My term is completed in June 2006, and still remain on the Board in the position of Editor for the newsletter.

Surfing the Internet, I came across a web-based system allowing me to send a REAL card to anyone via the Internet. “Wow, what a find!,” I thought and signed up as an Independent Distributor right off the bat. No longer did I have to depend on others to assist me buying, writing and mailing cards for me! The company does it all for me.

I also opened an online downloadable audio book store. Our hectic lifestyle rarely leaves time for relaxing and reading a book, so more people are taking up listening to audio books as they go about everyday tasks. Even music sites like Itunes and eMusic are seeing the market for downloadable audiobooks soar!

The relationship between the webased cards and audiobooks is simple. Both are designed to make life easier. With a click of a mouse, one can now send a card and/or listen to a classic novel. My goal is to present both of these as tools that can provide independence and enjoyment to persons find it difficult to write a greeting card or turn a page in a book.

More info on my two online businesses can be found at http://MakeItHappenOnline.net/

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

I am Jan Snook. I have cerebral palsy (CP), similar to Sandy. My husband, Don, also has CP. There are many different types of CP, depending on which part of the brain was damaged. Growing up with a physical disability proved challenging; but for the majority I am happy with the many positive aspects I have experienced in life.

Friendship is probably one of the finest assets one can have. I have been blessed again and again with so many friends that have come into my life. As many of you have heard I am a square dancer and still am a member of “Perfect Squares” square group in Minnesota.

I have experienced holding down a full-time clerical job for twenty-two years; however, I have also gone through the horrible devastation of job downsizing and being let go! I would never wish that on anyone!

But there are always special friends right there to catch you; and I was fortunate again for friends to help guide me to where I am today. My husband, Don, and I constantly help one another. He, too, has Cerebral Palsy. We have been involved with several home based businesses. Send-A-Card has proven to be the best! It has enabled me to remain connected with the numerous friends we have right from my computer. I love writing! So Send-A-Card is so perfect for me. I can just sit here at the computer write to whomever I wish, and click another button, watching my greeting card being sent from the company based in Salt Lake City, Utah!

Kody Bateman, the CEO and Founder of the company has enabled thousands and thousands of people across America, Canada, as well and several other Countries, to do the same as I do with these greeting cards.

Having a disability though, I have a passion to show others facing similar challenges to have the opportunity of sending these cards. Sandy Morgan, a close friend and our sponsor, was the lady that introduced the cards. It took some time for Sandy to convince me I should try it. I have been told I can be a little stubborn! Now almost three years later, you cannot take those cards away from me! Sandy has me “Hooked” for life. Thanks again, Sandy, for everything you do.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!