CamelBak® ‘Official Water Bottle Of’ Campaign Goes Nationwide; Three New Teams Sign Up to Ditch Disposables

CamelBak® ‘Official Water Bottle Of’ Campaign Goes Nationwide; Three New Teams Sign Up to Ditch Disposables

From Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, to Brooklyn, N. Y. -- what started in Northern California as a mini-movement to encourage the use of reusable water bottles, has now gone nationwide.

Petaluma, CA (PRWEB) June 3, 2010

From Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, to Brooklyn, N. Y. -- what started in Northern California as a mini-movement to encourage the use of reusable water bottles, has now gone nationwide.

Three wild and wacky sports teams – the Los Angeles Racing Dragons, the Austin RockStars Handball Club and the Zeus’ Beard Brooklyn Kickball Team – have ditched their disposals as the newest members of CamelBak’s “Official Water Bottle Of” (http://www. camelbak. com/owbo) campaign. The campaign is designed to celebrate the less serious side of sport while underscoring the importance of eliminating plastic water bottle consumption and waste.

Chosen by CamelBak for their unique, if not crazy, take on sporting endeavors, each of the new teams shares a passion for having a good time playing a sport they love while doing something good for the environment.

Meet the newest members:

Los Angeles Racing Dragons (http://www. laracingdragons. org/): Though still relatively unknown, Dragon Boat racing, which originated in China, is one of the fastest growing international sports. The Los Angeles Racing Dragons, who affectionately refer to themselves as LARD, have put fun and family ahead of competition, and they have a loyal following to show for it.

Austin RockStars Handball Club (http://www. austinhandball. info/default. aspx): Though fun is a big part of the lure, the RockStars, who are members of the Texas Team Handball Club, take the sport of American Speed Handball very seriously. This intense team game is extremely fast and aggressive.

Zeus’ Beard (http://brooklynkickball. com/zeusbeard/): Just the thought of kickball brings back memories of good times in the school playground. Well, these big kids from Brooklyn, who play in the co-ed league, definitely know how to have a good time while working up a big thirst – for water during the game and a keg afterwards.

They join previously announced members, the Santa Cruz Derby Girls (http://www. santacruzderbygirls. org/) and San Francisco Sea Lions Underwater Hockey team (http://www. sfuwh. org/), who helped kick off the program in March.

“We love our CamelBak water bottles, which, like us, sometimes take quite a beating during a competition,” said Mike Strong of the Austin RockStars. “We particularly love seeing the look of envy on the eyes of the opposing teams as we stay hydrated with our very own reusable RockStars-logoed bottles.”

CamelBak, which boasts two decades of hydration innovation and leadership, wants this program to highlight the importance of hydration in all fitness activities. It continues to look to partner with passionate, athletic teams and clubs that break free from conventional fitness activities. Teams and clubs that would like to be considered are encouraged to visit www. camelbak. com/owbo (http://www. camelbak. com/owbo) and submit an application.

If chosen, CamelBak will provide BPA-free Better Bottles™ and t-shirts with the team logo, as well as promoting the teams on the CamelBak website and its Facebook Fan Page. As the “Official Water Bottle Of,” CamelBak will have water-carrying rights at the teams’ sanctioned events, so members can enjoy the refreshing health benefits of H2O at every practice and every game.

About CamelBak®
Founded in 1989, CamelBak invented the hands-free hydration category and is the global leader in personal hydration gear. With a mission to continually reinvent and forever change the way people hydrate and perform, CamelBak offers a complete line of technical hydration packs, gear, accessories and aviation / CVC-approved tactical gloves for military forces globally.

With headquarters in Petaluma, CA, a wholly-owned and operated reservoir manufacturing in Mexico and distribution in San Diego, CA, CamelBak designs, tests and engineers its products to perform and last a lifetime. CamelBak is privately held, with products available in 50 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www. camelbak. com or call 800.767.8725.

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Short on Help? Hire a Virtual

Short on Help? Hire a Virtual

How and why to hire virtual assistants as opposed to bricks-and-mortar staffing.

(PRWEB) November 17, 2004

Is your business short on help? Good help, that is. Did the best Administrative Assistant you ever had leave because her husband was relocated to Timbuktu? Now what? YouÂ’ve been through countless resumes and none of the candidates seem to measure up. Maybe you need extra help once in a while, just to keep your regular Admins head above water. Are you a small business owner who canÂ’t afford, or donÂ’t have enough work, for a full-time secretary?

Why not hire a Virtual Assistant or VA? Gaining in popularity among large and small businesses alike, VAÂ’s can help bail you out of a rough spot on a temporary basis or even work long-term just like a regular employee.

In todayÂ’s soft economy and world of corporate scandals, failures, and layoffs, many a good employee has been ousted from his or her job. The ambitious ones are out there daily trying to find a new position. Trouble for them is, the help wanted section of most newspapers has become extremely thin. Most people canÂ’t go very long without some sort of income. So, the most ambitious and resourceful are making their way back into the working world any way they can. For many, this means starting a business of their own.

What does a person do when all they know is secretarial? What do they do when they need to feed their family and pay the mortgage? They donÂ’t go work for minimum wage at a fast food chain (well, some do). Many create their own business and several are opting to become virtual assistants.

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

In short, a VA can do just about anything a regular employee can do. You just wonÂ’t see his or her face every day. Many assistants are JackÂ’s or JillÂ’s of all trades, some are more specialized, but hereÂ’s a list of some of the things a virtual can do:

· Accounting

· Bookkeeping

· Human resources

· Concierge services

· Collections

· Sales

· Marketing

· Travel arrangements

· Research

· Word processing

· Appointment setting

· Meeting arrangements

· Event planning

· Letter preparation

· Transcription

· Reports

· Proof reading

· Manuals

· Newsletters

· Flyers

· Mailings

· Data entry

· Data processing

· Document scanning

· E-mail processing

· Answering phone calls

· Procedure documentation

· Customer support

· Follow up phone calls

· Cold calling

· Copyrighting

· Web design

Virtuals are typically a very intelligent bunch as well. Many are college educated and even more have countless years of excellent business experience to draw upon. This comes in very handy when youÂ’re looking for ideas.

How Does a Virtual Work?

Virtual assistants come in all shapes and sizes, just as any business does. Typically, however, VA’s work from home-based offices. They’re the savviest of the savvy when it comes to operating on a low budget and using technology to their advantage. Most are equipped with the latest software (and lots of it), multiple phone lines, Internet, e-mail, fax machine, cellular phone, copy machines, scanners, and a great attitude. Many even come with a cat or dog! He or she will use all of the latest technology to communicate with the client and get the work done as quickly as possible. And, possibly best of all, they only “clock in” when they’re on your project, not while they’re sitting at your desk, using your electricity, playing solitaire!

WhatÂ’s All This Going To Cost?

All well and good, right? But arenÂ’t virtual assistants more expensive than regular employees? Absolutely not! Actually, a virtual is far more cost effective than a regular employee. You may pay more per hour than a regular employee, but leave out the FICA, state unemployment taxes, Social Security, health insurance, vacation time, sick time, 401(k), profit sharing, Christmas bonus, holiday pay, and other benefits you need to offer a regular employee, and a virtualÂ’s wage comes out far lower than that of a regular employee.

A virtual can save money in other areas as well. How much does it cost you to maintain office footage, a computer, a phone line or two, a refrigerator, a microwave, a desk, electricity, heat, air conditioning, and parking for your regular employees? With a virtual, you donÂ’t need any of those things either - he or she supplies his or her own.

The fee for a virtual usually depends upon the area of the country where he or she is located and their area(s) of expertise. Virtuals charge between $15 and $75 per hour. But, you only pay for the time he or she actually spends working on your tasks. Some will ask that you pay for a “minimum guaranteed usage” each week or month. Many will also agree to work for varying hourly rates depending on the task. For example, if they’re to perform basic word processing, the fee might be $18 per hour, but if they’re expected to research the legalities of transforming your LLC into a Corporation, they may charge $45 per hour. Yet, others may agree to a flat fee based upon individual project requirements. Either way, you come out ahead.

Why Should I Trust Someone IÂ’ve Never Met?

VAÂ’s are as concerned with your business success as they are with their own. In fact, their success depends on your success. So, a virtual can become one of the best assistants and business partners youÂ’ve ever had. Just like you, they are business owners and very interested in helping their clients.

Virtual Versus Temp or Temp Agency

Virtual assistants tend to work harder than the average person issued to you by a temporary agency. Keep in mind that the temp agency is charging you as much as 20% more than the worker is actually getting paid. This practice often leads to the use of unskilled or unacceptable laborers. Hiring a virtual allows you to choose who works with you. YouÂ’ll also need to provide all of the tempÂ’s supplies like paper, toner, pens, computer, electricity, etc, whereas, the VA comes with his or her own supplies.

How many times have you hired a temp who you spent time training, only to have her stick around for three weeks, then you had to train yet another temp? A virtual, as we mentioned, is in this to succeed and help you succeed. YouÂ’ll have to train him or her too, but only once!

Oh, yes, and you still need to pay the temp while she sits there and waits for another assignment from you. Not with a virtual. While sheÂ’s waiting for the next assignment from you, you can bet sheÂ’ll be working on something for another client.

Choosing a Virtual Assistant

Now that youÂ’ve decided to hire a virtual assistant, how do you go about choosing one? There are several things you need to know before you start looking:

· What exactly do I need help with?

· What expertise does the VA need?

· How much do I have to spend?

· How quickly do I need this project done?

· How long will I need virtual assistance?

· How often will I need my VA to work?

· What hours should he or she be available?

· What days of the week?

· Is there any specific software he or she needs to have?

· Is what I need accomplished so specific that I’ll need to incorporate some training time?

· How will I pay him or her? Visa, MasterCard, Check, Paypal?

· How do I want to communicate with my VA? Phone, e-mail, snail mail, or a combination?

· Does my VA really need to be located in a particular time zone, country, part of the country, city?

· Any other particular qualities you’d like your virtual assistant to have?

Just as you would screen someone who would apply to work in your office, youÂ’ll still need to spend a little time screening your virtual assistant. YouÂ’ll need to tell him or her what you need and want, and what is and isnÂ’t acceptable. YouÂ’ll also need to negotiate pricing and terms with the virtual.

The best thing you can do to ensure you receive the help you need, is behave as though youÂ’re choosing a new car. Push the buttons, turn on the stereo, kick the tires, and ask, ask, ask. Listen to what the potential VA has to offer you as well. He or she may even be able to do several other tasks, which you hadnÂ’t counted on, or even offer some very sound business advice.

Who Benefits by Using a Virtual Assistant?

· Large corporations

· Small businesses

· Home based businesses

· Busy executives or managers

· Entrepreneurs

· Students

· Even individuals who just need a little extra help

What Happens if I DonÂ’t Like the VA IÂ’ve Hired, or S/he DoesnÂ’t Work Out?

Unless youÂ’ve signed a contract guaranteeing a particular amount of time or pay, the answer is rather simple: you just donÂ’t offer any more assignments.

If you do happen to have a bad experience with one virtual, however, donÂ’t let is sour you from finding another. Treat it as though you simply had a bad date. Bad dates to happen and some people just arenÂ’t compatible. Get back out there and look for another VA that better suits your needs or personality.

A Win-Win for Everyone

The use of virtual assistants truly is a win-win for everyone involved. For the employee-challenged business, VAÂ’s dramatically increase your labor pool. And, for the cash-strapped entrepreneur, virtuals save money - lots of money. WhatÂ’s more, itÂ’s better for the environment to hire a virtual. Just think of all the vehicle emissions youÂ’ll be saving by having one or two workers telecommute. As for the VA, they typically enjoy a better quality of life, as they are also able to be home and raise their children in between working on your projects.

Gayle Buske is the co-owner of the virtual staffing agency, Team Double-Click, Inc.. The company provides virtual assistance for small and home-based businesses. Visit Team Double ClickÂ’s website at http://www. teamdoubleclick. com (http://www. teamdoubleclick. com), email Gayle at gayle@teamdoubleclick. com, or phone 888.827.9129.

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Sugarbush Ski Resort Brings Benefits of Sunlight Indoors Verilux, Inc. Chosen as Official Healthy Lighting Supplier

Sugarbush Ski Resort Brings Benefits of Sunlight Indoors Verilux, Inc. Chosen as Official Healthy Lighting Supplier

Sugarbush has partnered with Verilux,® The Healthy Lighting Company™, to bring the benefits of sunlight indoors during dark winter days and long winter nights. The partnership is part of Sugarbush’s commitment to a quality guest experience while adhering to strict environmental standards. Verilux, now the official lighting supplier to the Resort, specializes in energy-efficient lighting solutions for better vision, health and well-being.

(PRWEB) January 11, 2004

As Sugarbush Ski Resort opens for its 45th season, skiers and snowboarders are discovering a healthy difference when they come in from the slopes. Sugarbush has partnered with Verilux,® The Healthy Lighting Company™, to bring the benefits of sunlight indoors during dark winter days and long winter nights. The partnership is part of Sugarbush’s commitment to a quality guest experience while adhering to strict environmental standards. Verilux, now the official lighting supplier to the Resort, specializes in energy-efficient lighting solutions for better vision, health and well-being.

“Our number one priority at Sugarbush is providing an excellent guest experience while maintaining our commitment to the environment and Verilux products speak directly to those aims," says Adam Greshin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sugarbush Resort. “Verilux lighting fits the healthy, active lifestyle of our clients and meets their high expectations for quality, making Verilux the ideal partner.”

Verilux products will be placed throughout the Resort beginning with the Valley House Lodge at the base of Lincoln Peak and the Sugarbush Day Care Center. Following that, Verilux lighting will be installed in the Sugarbush Inn and Conference Center and the Gatehouse Lodge.

“We are proud to partner with a company that has attained an international reputation for quality experience and environmental excellence. These values mirror our own commitment to health and environmentalism,” says Nicholas Harmon, President, Verilux, Inc.

Verilux lighting produces a bright, white light that closely simulates sunlight’s balanced spectrum, bringing the ‘natural’ feeling of sunlight indoors. The eye works most efficiently in natural light, reducing eyestrain and fatigue associated with incandescent or fluorescent lights. Additionally, Verilux products are energy-efficient and long-lasting for minimum environmental impact.

Endorsing environmentally sensitive lighting is part of SugarbushÂ’s broader mandate of environmental stewardship. Sugarbush participates in the Sustainable Slopes program, sponsored by the National Ski Areas Association. Sustainable Slopes is an opt-in program that promotes environmentally friendly programming and practices at mountain resorts. Sugarbush was selected as one of only three finalists for SKI MagazineÂ’s 2003 Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence. The Resort also received a GovernorÂ’s Award in 2002 for Environmental Excellence in Education and Outreach.

About Sugarbush

Since opening in 1958, Sugarbush Resort has been favored by outdoor enthusiasts seeking a quality outdoor experience in pristine surroundings. Located in the Mad River Valley, each season brings different ways to enjoy the fresh mountain air and natural splendor of the region. SugarbushÂ’s newest initiative, The Lodge at Lincoln Peak will be completed in Fall 2005 and will include a state-of-the-art spa, fitness center, several restaurants, a wine cellar, conference facilities and 141 luxury vacation residences. Information on Sugarbush Resort is available at www. sugarbush. com.

About Verilux

Founded in 1956, Verilux, Inc. specializes in naturally balanced, visually efficient lighting solutions for better vision, health and well-being. A leader in wellness lighting technology, Verilux lighting products closely simulate natural light while incorporating ergonomic design features for maximum versatility and ease of use. Verilux was the winner of a Gold Connecticut Quality Improvement Award in 2003. Information about Verilux is available at www. verilux. net.

Media Contact:

Heather Leary, Public Relations

Verilux, Inc. The Healthy Lighting Company™

P: 250-385-2285 E: hleary@shaw. ca

JJ Toland, Communications Manager

Sugarbush Resort

1840 Sugarbush Access Road

Warren, VT 05674

802.583.6314

Jtoland@sugarbush. com

Michael Vick & Wade Ford Donate Holiday Gifts To Atlanta Home For Children

Michael Vick & Wade Ford Donate Holiday Gifts To Atlanta Home For Children

Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick and Steve Ewing, Owner, Wade Ford Donate Holiday Gifts To The Carrie Steele-Pitts Home in Atlanta

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 30, 2004

Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick, along with Wade Ford President Steve Ewing, paid a surprise visit to the children of the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home, donating more than $20,000 in gifts and cash to the residential facility for neglected, abused and abandoned children on Christmas eve. Vick also purchased game tickets for the children and invited them to be his guests at the FalconsÂ’ NFC Divisional Playoff Game on January 15 or 16 in the Georgia Dome. 

The homeÂ’s executive director, Olivet Allison informing them just what the children needed, Vick and Ewing collaborated on the donation, which included bed and bath linens, swimming pool supplies, clothing, food and cash. Vick then added playoff tickets and NFC South Division Championship t-shirts as a bonus for the children.

"More than 80 children make their home at the Carrie Steele-Pitts home every night and thousands have lived there over the years,” said Ewing. "Michael and I want these children to know that they can grow up to become whatever they want to be, but they will only realize success by helping others.”

“I have been incredibly blessed throughout my life,” said Vick. “I believe it’s my responsibility to share those blessings with others who are less fortunate than me, especially children. My family will obviously have a nice Christmas, but I want to do what I can to make sure the children at the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home enjoy their Christmas too.”

One day prior to the donation, Vick signed a $130 million contract extension with the Falcons. He is now the highest paid player in the NFL.

The Carrie Steele-Pitts Home is a private, nonprofit, and nondiscriminatory child caring agency that provides 24-hour state-approved residency for neglected, abandoned, abused or orphaned children. The home was established with the mission to provide a healthy, happy and nurturing environment for children without regard to race, creed, color, religious preference or national origin, while preparing them to be self-sustaining adults.

Media Contact:

Diane Larche'

404 273-3227

(For Ford Motor Co.)

Or

Susan Bass,

404 770 965-2706

(For Atlanta Falcons)

Photo by Alex Jones

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American Soldiers Make Friends, Save Lives with Teddy Bears

American Soldiers Make Friends, Save Lives with Teddy Bears

The American Health Association plans to ship another 5,000 Guardian Angel Teddy Bears, dolls, and stuffed animals to Baghdad, Iraq this month.

(PRWEB) June 12, 2005

The American Health Association is continuing their quest to help the children of Iraq with their "Orphans of War" campaign. Over 50,000 Teddy Bears, dolls and stuffed animals have been donated to the charity from all over the United States and have been shipped in increments of five thousand per month through Lt. Colonel Steve Stewart and the Iraqi Assistance Center, Humanitarian Assistance Program, Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq.

Besides bringing joy to these innocent youngsters, these Teddy Bears have a direct effect on keeping many American troops safe according to Stewart because "these kids have repeatedly forewarned our humvees and convoys where these Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are, and these are the very same explosives that are killing or maiming our American troops," explained Stewart.

This "Orphans of War" campaign is an outgrowth of a Teddy Bear campaign initially begun four years ago during the Christmas holiday season in Palm Beach County, Florida and was initially intended to brighten up the lives of lonely disenfranchised seniors without family, friends or the joy of the holidays.

This gave J. Robert Gordon, the executive director of AHA, the idea to take the excess stuffed animals and set up this current campaign with the help of a fellow board member, retired Col. Bob Weinstein. Gordon also had greater hopes that implementing this program would help to save the lives of American soldiers while attempting to improve the lives of children orphaned and effected by war.

The happiness and joy that can be brought to Iraqi children has been and will always be the main concern. “From my personal experience I can tell you that all of the Iraqi children that visit the Iraqi Assistance Center are so excited to receive beanie babies, soccer balls, and stuffed animals. My reward is seeing the children’s face light up when I hand then the toy(s),” writes Col. Stewart in an email. This program has began to effect a wide range of people, even spreading the teddy bears through the Iraqi NGO’s, who distribute the stuffed animals and teddy bears to needy children in the greater Baghdad and Fallujah areas. This campaign has seen such early success that now Col Stewart is nicknamed “Baba Noel”, which means Santa Claus in Arabic.

Even with the success of the first stages of this campaign, continuing it is becoming extremely difficult. Shipping cost are more than the organization can handle. Mr. Gordon is now accepting, along with the teddy bears and any stuffed animals, a $25 dollar donation for each box to defray shipping cost.

Volunteers are also needed to package the boxes. The Girls and Boys Scouts are regular volunteers who have helped to package past shipments but more hands are needed to send off these gifts of love and hope.

If you have any questions, would like to donate, or to receive information, please mail the organization at American Health Association, Teddy Bear Campaign, 3200 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Fl 33431 or call (561) 361-9091. To find out more about the causes of the American Health Association, and their American Volunteer Corp, visit their website at www. americanhealthassociation. org.

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Tenegar Town Celebrates Dedication Of New Clinic As Beacon Of Hope

Tenegar Town Celebrates Dedication Of New Clinic As Beacon Of Hope

President Johnson Sirleaf received a traditional gift of two roosters along with the keys to a new health clinic built with Mercy Ships funds and oversight. It was constructed by workers from 10 villages and has been handed over to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The new clinic will serve the needs of the residents of Tenegar and surrounding villages for many years to come. Hi-resolution photos and video can be downloaded at www. mercyshipsnews. org.

Monrovia, Liberia (Vocus) November 26, 2008

Hundreds of Tenegar Town residents and community leaders came together from diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds on November 21st as Her Excellency Madame President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf cut the ribbon to the area's long-awaited health clinic.

The Samolu M. Dukuly Memorial Health Center now proudly occupies the original site of a burned-out clinic that stood empty since the facility was looted by rebels in the early 90's during the nation's 14-year civil war.

Plans are for the new clinic to be staffed and operated by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. One building includes a waiting room, pharmacy, lab, records area, and two examination rooms for outpatient services. A second is intended to serve maternity needs of the community. Services will be offered free to the community. The greater Tenegar area has a population of about 6,000 from many tribes including Mandingo, Vai, Gola, Kpelle, and Bassa, all with different dialects and is 90 percent Muslim in population.

During the past 10 months while Mercy Ships surgeons provided free surgeries in the Port of Monrovia, the ship's community development volunteers also provided management and expertise to the Tenegar site. Day workers from 10 different villages contributed 12, 000 hours to clear and construct the clinic. Matching funds came from Mercy Ships Sweden, the Hildebrand Foundation, and Drake family of California.

"A billboard in the city says Liberia will rise again," stated Mercy Ships Managing Director Ken Berry. "Today we celebrate a wonderful demonstration of that rising again, both in the building dedicated today and in the faithful people who built it," he said, stressing the sacrifices made by the Tenegar community.

"You cut back the brush that engulfed this property. You dug the holes that provide a strong foundation for the building. You mixed and placed the concrete to make sturdy framework. You cooked the meals that feed the laborers. You laid the blocks to divide the rooms. You built the roof frame and attached the zinc to keep the rain out, and installed the floor tiles. You banded together to help ensure your future and that of generations to come," said Berry.

"We had been trying to find someone to [repair the clinic], and we talked to many people. Everybody said, 'That is not a real priority. We will get around to it in due course.' When we got the message that Mercy Ships would do the clinic, what a wonderful day it was! And now we have the results of this major contribution to our medical services," said President Johnson Sirleaf as she accepted the keys to the clinic from Mr. Berry.

Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Meimei Dukuly, descendent of the family who first purchased the land in 1850, explained the historical significance of the property in northern Montserrado County. The first clinic, originally built in 1972, was to be a permanent contribution by the Dukuly family to the people of Tenegar. Dr. Dukuly believes the rebuilding is "a miracle of God," and thanked Mercy Ships for the "many invaluable gifts, assistance, and services rendered to Liberia's people."

Illustrating other aspects of the holistic effort within the community, school children who attended a Mercy Ships program on community health performed songs for the President. She then toured the agricultural area which now boasts an organic demonstration garden, chicken coop, 12,000 plantain trees, 10,000 pineapples, and a low-lying rice field which has already produced 75 bags of rice for the 10-village collective. Six new wells will provide sufficient water for the clinic and the community of 1,200.

The word Tenegar is a Mandingo word that means "building my town on a hill." Certainly this new clinic "on the hill" carries with it the opportunity to provide a shining beacon of hope and healing for years to come.

About Mercy Ships:
Over the past 30 years, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at more than $670 million, directly impacting more than 1.9 million people. More than 850 crew worldwide, representing more than 30 nations, are joined each year by thousands of short-term volunteers. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, community developers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort.

For more information contact:

Pauline Rick, U. S. Public Relations Manager
Mercy Ships
903-939-7649
Rickp at mercyships dot org
Www. mercyships. org

Diane Rickard, Director Media Relations
Mercy Ships International
UK Tel: 44 1438 727 800
Rickardd at mercyships dot org
Www. mercyships. org

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SurgeonsÂ’ Gifts: Plastic Surgery

SurgeonsÂ’ Gifts: Plastic Surgery

After the tsunami disaster, plastic and cosmetic surgeons also stepped up to help where and when they could. But even during normal times, many plastic surgeons routinely donate their time and remarkable skills, bestowing the gifts of changed lives upon complete strangers.

(PRWEB) January 31, 2005

Plastic surgeons helping tsunami disaster victims? No, itÂ’s not a case of emergency facelifts but of highly skilled practitioners lending a hand where and when they can.

For instance, in Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon Paul Wallace M. D. normally spends a lot of his time repairing the battered faces of boxers. Because he knows so much about facial trauma, Dr. Wallace is helping forensic experts in Thailand identify some of the hundreds of corpses stored under refrigeration. Many victims caught in the tsunami were simply battered to death by thousands of bits of flotsam and jetsam, cars, trees and parts of buildings washing to and fro in the raging waters. Although Dr. Wallace worked in some cases with skeletal remains, he recreates facial images on computers using dental records and his knowledge of reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. When it all comes together, an image is constructed that relatives or colleagues may recognize to close the case of a missing person.

“I gained a new respect for the fragility of human life,” Dr. Wallace told CosmeticSurgery. com. Because he was working with decomposed remains, Dr. Wallace was double gloved and covered from head to toe in a plastic suit – despite the high humidity and 90-degree weather and 18-hour work shifts.

“I had to be cut out of the plastic suit every three hours and then drink water for 45 minutes before going back to work for another three hours,” Dr. Wallace says.

Tongtip Bongsadadt, M. D., a plastic surgeon in Toms River, New Jersey, built a successful practice after emigrating to the U. S. two decades ago from her home in Thailand.

When the tsunami hit, Dr. Bongsadadt had already packed her bags and was on her way to the outlying and mountainous areas of Thailand where she normally repairs childrenÂ’sÂ’ cleft palates and lips and performs webbed hand and feet corrections. But this time, because of the huge need, she first checked in the Thai Red Cross to see where her skills can best be used, according to Dr. BongsadadtÂ’s medical assistant, Barbra Doyle

Other plastic surgeons help closer to home.

Jointly administered by the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgeons and the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, Face to Face chooses selected victims of domestic battering to undergo plastic surgery to correct scarred faces. However, the recipient must be living completely on her own and away from the destructive relationship for at least a year. Virtually all the patients are women, who usually regain enough self-confidence and esteem to quit avoiding mirrors, lift their eyes up from the floor, leave the house, apply for jobs, finish school and otherwise resume a more or less normal life. While plastic surgery not only makes faces look better, it also affects whatÂ’s inside the mind and spirit.

“I get so much out of helping these patients, I almost feel guilty,” says plastic surgeon Cynthia Gregg, M. D. in Cary, North Carolina. “It’s not only important for these women to look good again but to have the physical reminders of abuse gone. A patient once told me, ‘I want his hands off my face and his hands off my heart.’

“I do this kind of work because it’s the right thing to do,” says Dr. Gregg who so far has operated on about 15 abuse victims and remains close to many as they pick up the pieces of a life almost lost. For instance, Dr. Gregg attended the wedding of a patient, a woman whose husband dumped a caustic mixture of bleach and drain cleaner over her head, creating horrible scarring.

“Face to Face has two arms,” explains Steven J. Pearlman, M. D. president-elect of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. “An international arm does reconstructive work on patients in China, Vietnam and other places overseas. In the U. S., the program helps victims of domestic violence.”

Some physicians in The American Society of Plastic Surgeons take their surgical skills to some of the neediest people in the world through another global program, RSVP (Reconstructive Surgeons Volunteer Program.) Yet another organization, the 35-year-old Interplast, sends volunteer surgeons to about 25 sites around the world to correct disabled injuries and congenital deformities. About 54,000 life-changing operations have been given to impoverished patients.

Face the Challenge, a religious and humanitarian organization, usually donates plastic and reconstructive surgery to Third World children with deformities. But when the organizationÂ’s co-founder, Randy Robinson, M. D. of Denver, Colorado, heard about the case of then 16-year-old Shawn Perdon in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, he had to call and offer his help. Shawn was hit by a drunk driver and injured so severely, the last rites were read over him. He spent a month in a coma and woke with terrible facial deformities, including one eye drooped down onto his cheek, a smashed nose, dents in his forehead, scars across his face and sunken cheeks.

“I’ve been in medicine most my life,” says Ginger Robinson, R. N. and Face the Challenge president, “and it took away my breath to look at Shawn. I really had to steel myself to visit at him.”

According to ShanÂ’s mother, Carol, their health insurance carrier would not cover reconstructive surgery because the company considered the plastic procedures elective, cosmetic surgery, and not medically necessary. ShawnÂ’s appearance was hard enough to bear but the fact that little children fled from him in terror was crushing.

In surgery, Dr. Robinson peeled ShawnÂ’s face back, rebuilt his skull, removing 90 surgical screws from the ladÂ’s face. The doctor used bone grafts and surgical paste to fill in the dents in ShawnÂ’s forehead, rebuilt his left eye, created a new nose, installed cheek implants and created a more balanced face.

“My husband and I do this type of work because, from the time we were in college, we wanted to use our skills to benefit people in need and show compassion,” says Ginger Robinson. “Shawn is special to us because our middle son is almost exactly the same age and because Shawn has a soft spot in his heart for little children.”

Just after Leo McCafferty, M. D., started his professional life in a Florida burn unit, Analliese Barnes, then nine months old, was terribly burned in a house fire and brought to the emergency room where a young Dr. McCafferty worked. His heart went out to the child because he had a daughter about the same age. At first, it was a matter of saving the toddlerÂ’s life, but for the young victim, it turned into a life-long relationship with the doctor who became a plastic surgeon. Nonetheless, Dr. McCafferty has never charged AnallieseÂ’s family for his services. And when the doctor moved to Pittsburg, Analliese and her family followed.

“Analliese was burned and severely scared on the left side of her body, from the top of her scalp to the tip of her toes,” says Dr. McCafferty who has to date performed 31 plastic surgeries on the now 16-year-old to help correct the damage from the fire.

“Whatever your profession, there is a way to help people,” says Dr. McCafferty.

“There is no greater feeling in the world than giving of yourself,” says Ronald J. Canigllia M. D. in Scottsdale, Arizona, yet another plastic surgeon who volunteers his time to victims of domestic violence. “I feel blessed with the skills I have and to help somebody better her life is one of the things that keep me going.”

William E. Silver, M. D., of Premier Image Cosmetic Surgery in Atlanta, Georgia, yearly donates his services to two or three battering victims who – except for the terrible facial injuries -- are ready to make a step up in life.

“I particularly recall one fiftyish woman who had all her teeth knocked out, an eyebrow torn off and many other facial scars,” Dr. Silver says. After the doctor donated a year of plastic surgery and other restorative procedures, the woman regained a measure of confidence, screwed her courage to the sticking point, brushed off an older college degree and became a top manager at Bell South where she counseled other women victims of battering as part of her job.

For more information, visit www. CosmeticSurgery. com

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