It's Back-to-School Time

With the Fall season getting ready to kick in, students returning to school already kicked this cool season off.! Let's be alert and mindful as we travel on the thoroughfares, to watch our speed and look out for our children. The least small distraction could be critical to the life of a child or yourself. Let's practice safety out there.

Wishing all of the returning students much success during the next two semesters!

Celebrating the Birthday of Tennis Trailblazer, Althea Gibson

Image Credit: www.bet.com

When we examine our diverse gifts and talents, we have the ability and responsibility to use those gifts in a constructive and edifying manner. As we celebrate what would have been Althea Gibson's 87th birthday, I was amazed by her commitment and persistence to follow her dreams during a tumultuous time in our nation, where heightened racial tension was the norm.

Althea Gibson was an athletic pioneer and trailblazer crossing color barriers in golf and most notably tennis. She was born on August 25, 1927 and died on September 28, 2003. Gibson was born in Clarendon County, South Carolina. She became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title (The French Open) in 1956. The next year she won the U.S. Nationals and Wimbledon. She won both titles again in 1958 and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Gipson won 11 Grand Slam Tournaments and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, as well as The International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. 

According to Wikipedia.org, in 1964, at the age of 37, Althea Gibson became the first African-American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour. Racial discrimination continued to be a problem: Many hotels still excluded people of color, and country club officials throughout the south—and some in the north—routinely refused to allow her to compete. When she did compete, she was often forced to dress for tournaments in her car because she was banned from the clubhouse. Although she was one of the LPGA's top 50 money winners for five years, and won a car at a Dinah Shore tournament, her lifetime golf earnings never exceeded $25,000.

Althea Gibson succeeded against all odds, like so many other athletes, actors, actresses, musicians and other entertainers who made a monumental mark in history, regardless of their race or gender. In her second memoir, So Much to Live For, she addressed the challenges she faced with her professional opportunities and endorsements, as well as the various obstacles that tried to cripple her over the years.

We are so grateful for Althea Gibson's trailblazing achievements, which paved many paths for athletes facing similar challenges who made historical feats.

National Peach Pie Day during National Peach Month

I am not a great baker and never pretended to be. My mother was a very good baker and unfortunately I didn’t inherit that culinary trait from her. I truly admire people who have a natural talent to throw down on some amazing cakes, pies and pastries. I found that many of my aunts had a non-scripted way of baking and cooking. They added a little pinch of this and a little dash of that. That type of recipe created some amazing baked goods.

Today is National Peach Day and the month of August is National Peach Month. The peach gives us some great beneficial gifts that makes us love this juicy fruit just that much more. Here are a few of those benefits:

• Peaches contain beta carotene, which is great for improving vision health.
• Great for skin care and filled with Vitamin C.
• Great for helping you lose weight.
• Contains fiber and potassium that helps to reduce kidney related diseases.

So why not indulge today in a slice of melt-in-your-mouth awesomeness! I sure did!

Happy Birthday Usain, The "Jamaican Lightening Bolt"

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Today is the birthday of the man nicknamed the "Lightening Bolt." In 2009, the world witnessed the first man to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres sprinting world records, that had everyone sporting his famous lightening bolt pose. Usain St. Leo Bolt is a Jamaican sprinter who is known as the fastest person in the world. His awards include Track and Field Athlete of the Year, three time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, the IAAF World Athlete of the Year, winner of three gold medals during the 2013 World Championships and dubbed one of the most successful athletes in the 30 year history of world championship athletics. What an incredible achievement and feat!

Join us as we wish Usain Bolt a Happy 28th Birthday!