The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

It's official!  Krantz Dental Care of Mandarin (Jacksonville) has done it again! Doubling their intake from last year, Krantz Dental Care of Mandarin , collected a new record of 1,400 pounds of Halloween candy for our troops serving overseas.   “ It’s a win-win situation ,” says Dr. Alan Krantz.  “ We get to promote a healthy Halloween for children, while at the same time, are able to let our troops know we are thinking of them.  Some of the children even wrote notes to be included with the candy—it was extremely touching to read their messages.” All last week, children brought in their candy to Krantz Dental Care and received $1 for every pound.  In addition, Krantz Dental Care donated an additional $1 to Feed a Needy Neighbor , a Jacksonville program that helps local families.  Local schools got involved this year with Durbin Creek Elementary, Pine Forest Elementary and Creekside High School collecting 650, 62 and 85 pounds, res...

Being a teenager can be difficult. Keeping up with the trendy clothes , hair styles and hanging with the cool group is all part of being a teen in high school today. However when it comes to teens with special needs, having a friend is one of the hardest parts of going to high school. Circle of Friends is changing that one school at a time. Circle of Friends is a social skills programs for teens and adults with disabilities such as autism, through understanding, acceptance, friendship and inclusion. Going into local high schools, teens are changing lives. They provide valuable support and friendship to those with disabilities. Teens and adults that were once isolated and lonely with their disability are now experiencing living through Circle of Friends. From a simple phone call, to going out to eat, Circle of Friends is providing a sense of normalcy to people with disabilities. Special events are planned such as dances and organized outings to the movies and shopping help these ...

Are you as shocked and horrified at the events that happened to 15 year-old Josie Ratley as many of us are? Isn't it time this violence and bullying stopped ? Facebook has become one of the strongest social networking sites to help spread news, assist causes and bring people together with common interests. Recently " Pray for Josie Lou Ratley " group was created. This group has been established to foster coordination, donations and positive actions on behalf of Josie and her Family. Please join them as they band together to right this terrible wrong! Take the time to leave your good wishes, prayers and support. Get Well Cards can be sent to: Broward General Medical Center Patient Josie Lou Ratley 1600 S. Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 954-355-4400 The Ratley family does not have health insurance to pay for Josie's medical care. You can donate at any Wachovia Bank branch or mail your donations to: Wachovia Bank 2989 PGA Boulevard Palm Be...

Does your teenager (18 years old and up) have a passion for their pet? Do they enjoy helping others? If so, The Humane Society of Broward County offers a rewarding program. Animal Assisted Therapy Programs (AAT) is a rewarding experience for your teen and their companion animal. First you will need to attend the Humane Society of Broward County's Volunteer Orientation. Volunteer Orientation is scheduled through their Volunteer Services Department at 954-266-6814. The Animal Assisted Therapy Program (AAT) is not only for young adults; parents and people of all ages can help make a difference in many lives. If your teen is seeking a career in psychology, social work or veterinarian, this could be an excellent introduction. For adults, it is a great way to meet others that share your love of animals and helping others. Once you have completed the Volunteer Orientation, you will be required to attend a 2 ½ hour AAT class without your animal. This class will teach you all about ...

Where do you live? Many of us live in places we truly love and most of live where we can financially afford. Sometimes these are good areas, sometimes they are not, but as long as you have your family and make it your priority, the real estate location is not a priority. A misconception is that more troubled teens come from " bad" neighborhoods , maybe that is true, however that doesn't eliminate the fact there are also troubled teens in very good neighborhoods and A rated schools. Most important is that you don't become a product of your environment as much as you insure your family is kept together with good morals. Being an educated parent can help you and your kids have a better life wherever you live. Teach respect, empower your children with dignity and integrity no matter what neighborhood they come from. Teach them responsibility and accountability for their own actions. Encourage your teens to volunteer , get a job, start a group to help others o...

Did you take part in Black Friday? Many people set their alarm clocks for those 4:00am sales. Everyone is looking for a bargain. In a year that has been less than financially friendly to many families, these early morning sales can help them make a difference in giving their child that special gift they asked for. During this time of year, it is also time to think about so many gifts that won't cost you money, however will be priceless in their value. Here are some ideas: Your time. It is that simple, your children crave your attention and would love to have more time with you. Can you make a promise to take more time out of your schedule and give it to your child? Learn about " Family Time Out " all year round. Volunteer with your family. There is nothing more fulfilling than giving back to those with less. Contact your local Goodwill , Red Cross or Salvation Army . Find out where the homeless shelters or soup kitchens are in your area - take a day to donate your t...

Pay it forward and feel good! Did you miss part one ? Click here. Part 2: 6. Tell us how VolunteerSpot can help others .We do all the busy work behind coordinating volunteers and save more time for meaningful work. Our simple online tool eliminates the need for clipboard sign up sheets, reply-all email, Excel spreadsheets and phone tag. For example, it takes more than 200 parent volunteers to put on a school carnival http://www.volunteerspot.com/ebooks/Carnivals/ That’s a lot of coordination! we make it easy for each class’s parents to sign up to staff a booth or concessions stand saving carnival organizers a week of work! This video gives a quick tour of our sign up tool: http://www.volunteerspot.com/video/ 7. The holiday season is around the corner, do you find it gets busier or do you feel that many people are simply too busy to volunteer? I believe that the holidays bring out the best in everyone. There is an influx of new volunteers at community kitchens and charities that ga...

It is always better to give than it is to receive. We hear that a lot and for good reason. It is true! This is such an important topic, there will be two parts to this article. VolunteerSpot is a fantastic organization designed to help you give back to your community. There are no more excuses! During this holiday season, take the time to learn more about your neighborhood and what their needs are. The founder of VolunteerSpot , Karen Bantuveris, recently took time to answer questions about her mission and hopefully will give you inspiration to take steps to help others this holiday season and all year round! Part 1: 1. Why and when did you start VolunteerSpot? I'm a working mom and when my daughter entered school I knew I wanted to be active in the classroom and with her Scout troop, etc. I wanted to quickly and easily schedule my volunteer commitments with the rest of my business calendar, but my inbox kept filling up with back and forth emails over how many cupcakes to bring to...

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards , the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. For their extraordinary efforts in serving others through volunteerism, ten middle and high school students from across the country were named America’s top ten youth volunteers for 2009 in a ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters, capping the 14th year of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Each year, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honors the outstanding community service of young Americans. The results are now in the top ten youth volunteers from the May 4th ceremony have been announced! Want to watch the winners receive their awards? I invite you readers to watch a webcast event, replaying all of the wonderfully inspiring moments and announcements: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=57997 You can get your children and community involved by encouraging them to visit http://spirit.prudential.com/ where they can f...