Category: Jim’s Corner

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

Motherhood is a lifelong journey during which moms provide guidance, teach life skills, and juggle the other demands of raising children while managing family budgets and often navigating their own careers. It’s an adventure of love, resilience, and self-sacrifice.

But it’s not just a singular story. Motherhood, like life itself, is lived in moments. They’re the experiences that shape the essence of the relationship of not just mother and child but also the whole family and the broader community.

 These moments – like learning of pregnancy, the first time your child says, “I love you,” or cuddling with her before bedtime – live deep in our hearts and minds.  They’re not just about the words spoken or the actions taken; they are about the emotions they evoke and the memories they create.

On this Mother’s Day, I’d like to take a closer look at the lasting impact of these “MOMents” from the perspective of everyone in the family and show how they give us even more reason to celebrate Mom on her special day.

A grandfather’s perspective

As a young father, I admired how my wife, Marylou, handled the toughest job in the world. During that time, we were not only raising a family but also launching a business. Our days were filled with non-stop activity, yet Marylou navigated it all with remarkable skill and composure.

Now, as grandparents, we’re able to step back and observe the next generation, and it’s just awe-inspiring. All three of our kids are amazing parents, and their spouses are equally wonderful. But there’s something about seeing my daughter as a mother that just fills me with such pride.

At times, I like to drop by Erin’s house (sometimes unannounced…) and just sit back and watch her in action, whether it’s preparing a family dinner with her children, helping with homework, or reading bedtime stories.

Going to her home and spending time with her family fills my heart with such warmth, especially when I see her go out of her way for the kids. It’s also fun to watch Marylou teach my granddaughters Abby and Emma how to bake as she passes down recipes from generation to generation.

A child’s perspective

Wanda, a community member, shared that her mom grew up in a bustling household surrounded by siblings. After she married, the young family moved to the country, and her mom’s siblings soon followed. “She still helped take care of her sister’s kids,” Wanda recalls.

But tragedy struck the family. Wanda’s 36-year-old dad was working as a lineman for a utility company when a power pole fell to the ground and killed him. Her mom, while still grieving, had to find work and raise the young family on her own.

The caring spirit of Wanda’s mother has continued for years. Wanda says:

My mom continued taking care of my cousins, who were grown by then and unable to find work. She took care of them until they passed away. She was a good mom then – and at 94 still is! I love her very much.

Wanda’s story is a testament to the enduring love, resilience, and selflessness of mothers – and the power of their response in difficult moments. Despite facing tragic circumstances and immense challenges, her mom’s caring spirit shone brightly, extending love and support not just to her immediate family but also to extended relatives in need. It’s a reminder of the impact a mother’s love can have beyond her own children.

A mom’s perspective

On this week’s Celebrations Chatter podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Nicole Saphier, a medical correspondent on television and a radiologist specializing in the early detection of breast cancer.

Nicole’s journey of motherhood is one of resilience and determination. Originally from Arizona, she was a standout student and athlete in high school when she became pregnant. With the support of her mom, Nicole decided to have the child. As she told me:

I was that statistic. I was the pregnant teenager walking the halls senior year of high school. And I would be lying if I said it was easy, and I went through all the expected emotions. But the decision to have my son created the person that I am today, and I couldn’t imagine life any other way.

Despite her dreams of attending college on the East Coast, Nicole stayed close to home to raise her newborn, worked 30 hours a week, and completed her studies at Arizona State University. Nicole shares, “I was juggling multiple responsibilities, but with the help of my family and friends, I persevered and earned a medical degree in radiology.”

While at college, Nicole’s grandmother died of breast cancer. That moment helped define Nicole’s career path as a specialist in the early detection of the disease.

The importance of sharing stories

Nicole is also the author of the new book, Love Mom, which was inspired by the reaction to her own story and her realization that other moms have stories that can prove helpful to others. It features contributions from numerous moms and touches on difficult topics like depression, miscarriage, divorce, blended families, and more.

When you read other people’s stories, you’re able to get little tidbits of information that may motivate you, may help you, and may support you in something that you’re feeling. I know that we can feel isolated and alone, but at the end of the day, we’re kind of all in it together.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let’s also remember and embrace the moments, big and small, that shape our relationships with our moms and enrich our shared journey.

Happy Mother’s Day!
Jim

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

This week we honor three extraordinary groups of people – the ones who care for us when we’re sick, guide us to good health, teach crucial life lessons, and provide unwavering love and support. They’re always present despite sometimes being underappreciated.

Monday marks the first day of National Nurses Week and Teacher Appreciation Week. And, as if you needed a reminder, next Sunday is Mother’s Day.

It’s no coincidence that all three occasions occur so close together. The jobs of nurses, teachers, and moms all involve patience, self-sacrifice, and love for other people. In short, all three roles epitomize the essence of caregiving.

If you know a nurse, teacher, or mom, I’m sure you’re aware of how much effort they put into their work. Use your power this week to let them know how much you appreciate all that they do. And make a plan to keep doing so for the other 51 weeks of the year!

All-around appreciation

A few weeks ago, I invited members of our community to share stories of nurses, teachers, and moms to help inspire the week’s festivities. Your letters included moms who teach, nurses who are moms, and every variation under the sun. A few even included moms who are professional teachers and nurses!

While nurses and teachers are not exclusively women, with Mother’s Day approaching, I wanted to spotlight a few of the stories of Amazing Moms who are teachers or nurses to show how interconnected these roles can be.

For instance, Kate Lanoue’s affection for children radiates not only in her capacity as a neonatal nurse practitioner but also as a devoted mother to five children, ranging from ages 7 to 17. She extends care and empathy to infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across multiple hospitals in Jacksonville, Florida.

When she’s not in the NICU, she’s nurturing her own family at home, approaching her role as a mom with the same level of seriousness and devotion as she does as a nurse. As she told me:

As both a mom and a nurse practitioner, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges and fears that come with having a baby while working in the NICU, particularly since one of my own children faced their own health complications. This has motivated me to strive to be a source of comfort for families in similar situations, providing support during uncertain times.

Kate also said that her role as a healthcare provider has shifted her perspective on parenting.

I’ve witnessed the grief and struggles of families in difficult circumstances, and it has allowed me to prioritize and contextualize the challenges I face as a mother, recognizing that many issues are relatively minor in comparison.

A mom who goes beyond being a teacher

Becky Borree wears multiple hats as a media specialist and computer science/coding teacher at Dewey Elementary School in Evanston, Illinois. However, her influence extends far beyond the classroom.

She plays a pivotal role in shaping education within her community through her involvement with the Glenview Education Foundation (GEF), a non-profit volunteer organization that raises money to fund innovative pilot programs in Glenview, Illinois’ school district. The role fits perfectly with her desire to balance work and family while helping the community, she says.

Now as chair of the GEF, she oversees everything from fundraising to grant approvals and events. “I like to tell people that we fund a lot of fun things that your child comes home excited and eager to talk about,” she says.

And that includes her own children. Becky’s fourth-grade son, Tommy, recently helped design a rain collection system for the school that would provide water for the plants in the outdoor classroom. And her seventh-grade son, Franklin, recorded a podcast with a friend in a sound booth that was built through a GEF grant.

An Amazing Mom helping teachers

Then there’s Daniella Vitolo, co-president of the PTA for P.S. 84Q, a public elementary school in Queens, New York. Daniella, a mother of four, not only serves on her local school board but also works two jobs, one as a retail merchandiser, and the other as a parent coach, helping parents with children with ADHD get the services they need from their schools.

The running joke is that my minivan is my office because I’m constantly in the car taking calls. But I don’t do it alone. We have a good network of people who support each other, so it really is all about a community of parents who step in and help each other.

The elementary school where she is PTA co-president, like other schools in the New York City area, is facing the challenge of integrating migrant families seeking asylum. It has changed the educational landscape and shown the need for more resources and support for teachers dealing with increased classroom sizes and workloads. 

Teachers are at the front line of these changes, and Daniella wanted to ensure they felt appreciated. She’s organizing a special event at her school after reaching out to businesses and the community for support:

For Teachers Appreciation Week, we want to show our 50 teachers a token of our gratitude by putting together a flower bar to let them know that they are valued. The teachers are truly selfless. They go above and beyond their jobs, and it’s the least we can do to show them how much we love them.

I’m proud to share that we are contributing floral arrangements to honor these teachers. Like Daniella, we feel it is the very least we can do to show our appreciation.

What you can do

The stories of Kate, Becky, and Daniella show how the roles of nurses, teachers, and moms are so closely related. They’re very special women as they take care of their families and the broader community.

Without the tireless efforts of teachers, nurses, and caregivers, our lives would lack the foundation of knowledge, health, and compassion that sustains us. So, take a moment this week to reach out and thank these incredible individuals for their unwavering commitment to making our world a better place. It’s not an overstatement to say that we would be lost without them.

All the best,
Jim

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

In just two weeks, we’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day, an occasion to honor moms for their love, selflessness, and support. It’s a chance to show appreciation to our biological moms and all the women who play a motherly role in our lives.

Motherhood is a complex journey, and each mom faces unique challenges and struggles. Some may not have the resources they need to thrive, while others may grapple with issues that impact their ability to be the idealized moms that we’ve seen on TV.

Parenthood is a journey of self-discovery and personal development. Even if a mom makes mistakes along the way, she can learn from them, grow as a person, and become better equipped to navigate all aspects of motherhood and beyond.

What makes moms amazing isn’t their perfection but how they adapt to the obstacles they face. I’ve been lucky to meet countless Amazing Moms who not only faced and overcame adversity but are now making a difference for other moms in their communities.

I’d like to introduce you to a few of them and show why Moms Are Amazing.

Supporting military moms

Caro Chambers started in catering, then shifted to recipe development for brands and magazines. Her marriage to a Navy SEAL led to her first cookbook, Just Married: A Cookbook for Newlyweds. Motherhood inspired her second book, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, aimed at helping young moms juggle cooking with parenting.

But she didn’t stop there.

When her husband deployed to Afghanistan in 2021, she shared her thoughts about the situation on social media. After an overwhelming response, she decided to ask for donations to help pregnant mothers whose husbands were away on active duty. In 24 hours, she raised $80,000!

She has since teamed up with her friend (and another military mom), Heather Looney, to support military families in other difficult situations, such as when a servicemember is killed in on-duty accidents. “We raise close to $100,000 every year,” Caro says.

Sharing money smarts

Money often lies at the heart of the hurdles mothers encounter. And the complexities of earning, managing, and imparting financial wisdom to their children often rank among the biggest trials of motherhood.

Carissa Jordan and Nikki Boulukos, two money-savvy moms, grew up in families where money was front and center. Carissa came from a blue-collar family that sometimes struggled, while Nikki was raised by two parents who were accountants.

Both ended up working in finance. Once they became moms, they quickly recognized the lack of resources for teaching kids about money management. Their collaboration led to the creation of Benjamin Talks, a platform focused on financial literacy for children to instill the value of financial planning and setting a foundation for lifelong financial well-being.

Carissa and Nikki developed Benji Bank as a practical tool to introduce children to financial concepts like budgeting, saving, and giving. They emphasize starting financial education early – as young as five – to instill good money habits and decision-making skills.

Additionally, Benji Bank’s giving component supports D.R.E.A.M., a nonprofit focused on financial literacy for underrepresented youth, fostering a sense of social responsibility and community involvement in children.

To learn more about Benjamin Talks – and just in time for Financial Literacy Awareness Month – be sure to check out my conversation with Carissa and Nikki on Celebrations Chatter.

An Amazing Mom helping other moms (and dads)

Another struggle for moms (and dads) is how to return to the workforce after taking time off to raise children. That’s where Anna McKay comes in. Inspired by her own experiences and witnessing women’s challenges in transitioning back to work (aka “returners”), she recognized the need for coaching and support. She views parenting as a career with transferable skills that can be effectively conveyed to potential employers.

After hosting her first group coaching program for mothers, Anna realized the potential of her work. This led her to establish “THRIVE Like a Mother,” later renamed “THRIVE Like a Parent,” to provide coaching sessions and resources for returners, working parents, and caregivers. In 2019, she broadened her services with Parents Pivot, which includes one-on-one coaching, manager training, and support for career transitions, for both moms and dads.

Anna’s approach to coaching is to advocate for parents. She believes in empowering them so that they identify their goals and navigate challenges associated with returning to work. Part of this involves encouraging parents to see the benefits of reentering the workforce, such as financial support, personal growth, and setting an example for their families.

Anna also emphasizes the importance of involving other family members in household responsibilities, teaching children valuable life skills, and reducing mom guilt by promoting independence and responsibility. Her coaching style blends tough love with empathy, guiding parents through the transition while simultaneously being supportive.

As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, the stories of Caro, Carissa and Nikki, and Anna, are powerful reminders of the impact of motherhood. Despite facing challenges while raising their children, they’ve transformed their experiences into valuable lessons for fellow moms – and for all of us. Thank you for inspiring and uplifting us all.

All the best,
Jim

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

What is the secret to a happy and fulfilling life? Studies show the key is maximizing the number of relationships we have with other people. And how do you do that? It’s simple: You make friends with as many people as possible.

But “simple” isn’t the same as “easy,” especially if you’re shy or introverted. When you go to parties or other events, you might feel lost or even invisible. It’s not just awkward but also intimidating, especially if you notice that everyone else seems to be having a good time.

I speak from experience. As a young man, I was introverted. If you know me nowadays, that may be hard to believe, but I remember that gut-wrenching awkwardness at school dances when it seemed like everyone else knew exactly what to do and what to say.

As I got older, an early job as a bartender helped me break out of my shell. In that role, your ability to start and hold a conversation is just as important as knowing how to mix drinks. This experience taught me the value of small talk.

Breaking the ice

It may be called “small” talk, but it has a big impact on relationships. Those light introductory chats serve as the initial bridge that connects people and paves the way for deeper conversations. Whether it’s the start of a new friendship, a budding romance, or a professional connection, small talk is the social lubricant. It helps people get to know each other on a surface level, establishing common ground, and building rapport.

I’ve found the easiest way to get started is to simply introduce yourself and ask a question: “Where are you from?” or “How did you end up at this event?” or “Have you watched anything interesting on TV lately?” The aim is to get the other person talking and ease any initial tension. They may not be chatting with anyone for the same reason you aren’t.

Prepare yourself with potential follow-up questions based on the conversation’s direction. For instance, if you start with a question related to location, you could inquire about their experiences living there or their travel history.

Most importantly, don’t let the fear of rejection hold you back. Taking the initiative to say hello often leads to positive interactions and a sense of inclusion in social gatherings.

The art of small talk

As the founder and CEO of a nationwide company, I meet new people from all walks of life regularly and after 48 years in this position, I like to think I’m finally close to overcoming my shyness. I’ve come to understand that every relationship is a potential asset, and every conversation is an investment.

I also enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with other people. It’s one of the reasons I started Celebrations Chatter, a podcast that celebrated its 100th episode this past week. As regular listeners know, small talk is always a part of the conversation – and sometimes the main topic.

For instance, I spoke with New York Times columnist David Brooks. His recent book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, offers insights into how different people express themselves and the impact of that communication on relationships.

He’s identified two types of people. “Diminishers” are those who are not curious about you. They don’t ask questions and make you feel small and unseen. “Illuminators,” on the other hand, ask questions, understand your point of view, and make you feel respected.

If you’ve mastered the art of small talk, then you’ve become an illuminator. You’re asking questions and showing empathy for the other person. You’ve set the stage for a deeper relationship. I’ll never forget David’s description:

Most of the book is about how great it feels when somebody sees you. I have spent four years asking people to tell me about a time when they felt seen and understood. And people’s eyes started to glow when they began to tell me about episodes in their lives when somebody took the time to really get to know them.

Playing the host

I admit that I still feel shy sometimes, especially at large gatherings. I’ve found it helpful to give myself a job at such events: Even when I’m a guest, I play the role of host, ensuring that everyone feels welcome.

At a recent Worth Media climate conference, for instance, we had 250 people at a speakers event. I took it upon myself to find people who weren’t talking to other people, spark up a conversation, and connect them with other people in the room.

I’ve come to love playing the role of host even if it makes me look like a whirling dervish. My wife, Marylou, jokes that as soon as I enter a room, I make a B-line to someone standing alone, or against the wall.

I’ve counseled my children and teams to do the same. I remind them that when you’re at an event and busy trying to make sure everyone else has a good time, you’ll forget about being shy.

All the best,
Jim

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

From the smallest chapel to the grandest cathedral, Christian churches around the world today are filled with people reaffirming their faith by celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. Pastors often describe Easter as one of the “standing room only” days, with Christmas being the other.

Those of you who attended probably couldn’t help but notice the diversity of people in the congregation, the warm atmosphere, and the fellowship. When you weren’t singing or praying, you were socializing. You likely felt welcome and part of something bigger than yourself.

Churches, of course, offer religious lessons, but they’re also a place of connection where you can meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. I saw this growing up when my parents spent hours taking the 10-minute walk home after church every Sunday.

Regardless of denomination or even religion, services are reminders of the role churches, temples, and mosques can play in our community beyond offering spiritual advice. With more than half of all Americans feeling lonely or isolated, places of worship can serve a role in reversing what experts call the loneliness epidemic.

Time to revisit church?

In January, I noted that overall church attendance – outside Easter and Christmas – has been falling in the United States. A Gallup study released just last week showed only three in 10 adults now attend religious services regularly (every week or almost every week), down 12 percentage points from two decades ago.

That Celebrations Pulse noted how the change aligns with the loss of other parts of our social infrastructure, like local bars, social clubs, physical offices, and more. At the same time, we’re spending more time “connected” to our phones and other screens.

I’m not the only one who has noticed the connection between rising loneliness and fraying social infrastructure. “I think the withdrawal of religion has had very negative effects,” New York Times columnist David Brooks told me in a recent Celebrations Chatter podcast. “Churches, synagogues, and mosques have something else in common: What the physical congregation offers.”

That’s a sense of belonging to a community. Besides services, many churches have book clubs, theater companies, spaghetti nights, coffee klatches, carnivals, and a host of other activities. It’s an opportunity for congregation members to come together, get to know each other, and develop relationships. And the low number of those attending services means fewer people are getting involved with the community that surrounds churches.

Feeling the loss of community

The response to January’s letter was overwhelming. Many community members shared stories of how their connection to church has changed over the years.

Carole told me about how she and her husband belonged to a church early in their 44-year marriage. They became involved in a ministry that helped people in Mexico and, later, Kenya. But over time, the ministry’s leadership changed. Carole and her family did not agree with the new path and felt excluded. Carole continues:

I still have faith in a loving God who is not controlling us like puppets but crying with us when we hurt. It is extremely lonely, not having a place to worship or a community to share or friends.

To me, stories like Carole’s suggest that it’s not just technology that’s affecting church attendance. Churches themselves need to be part of the solution to reverse the trend.

A new direction

A few years ago, a friend introduced me to Jim Bechtold, who was a marketing executive for consumer giant Procter & Gamble at the company’s headquarters in Cincinnati for over 20 years. In the 1990s, Jim and two marketing colleagues started a small Bible study group in suburban Cincinnati. 

The group quickly grew and started convening at a local junior high school auditorium. Then the three founders raised funds, purchased an abandoned retail supercenter, and built their first church, Crossroads Church, that could seat over 1,000 people.

Jim and his partners used their marketing skills to inform local residents about what the church had to offer. Over the years, they built Crossroads Church into one of the fastest–growing churches in the country. They currently have eight locations throughout Ohio and Kentucky.

Jim told me that Super Bowl Sunday is traditionally a very slow day at all churches, so he and his team had an idea. They took advantage of the day and created several events and activities that provided social interaction for all the church’s members. Jim said that instead of empty pews on the holiest day of the football season, their locations attracted nearly 6,000 people!

Beyond a sermon

After getting to know Jim, I realized pastors, in addition to the responsibility of being a good preacher and delivering a great homily, also have a social responsibility as welcoming hosts to the communities around their churches.

Crossroads’ methods might not work for everyone or every denomination, but pastors everywhere should try to take lessons from its success.

All the best,
Jim

Celebrating the Rituals of Easter

Many families cherish Easter traditions that range from church rituals to longstanding family activities passed down through generations. In last week’s poll, nearly 30% of you identified attending services as your favorite part of Easter. It was followed by Easter dinner with family (20%), Easter basket treats (18%), brunch (18%), and Easter eggs (16%).

A number of you also shared inspiring stories. Here are just a few of the overwhelming number of responses.

Deb remembers visiting several churches of different denominations as she was growing up. In her hometown, Easter was truly a community event.

Each church hosted a night. There was a break in these services for years, but now we are back to having Holy Week services for six nights with churches from two denominations joining together to worship and celebrate. It is a beautiful collaboration.

Kay’s Easters started bright and early when she was young.

“We went to sunrise service and watched the sun come up over the mountains. When we got home, we put the ham in the oven and began searching for Easter baskets that were hidden by Mom and Dad. After that, we all ate great food together as a family and counted our blessings.”

Cindy grew up in a Chinese American household where she learned the traditions of Easter.

When introduced to the idea of dyed Easter eggs, my mother readily took to the tradition. As a child, I reveled in the pastel colors of the eggs. From classmates, I learned of the tradition of Easter egg hunts that further fired my enthusiasm for this new and unique Easter holiday. It was from a subsequent introduction to a Christian church that I learned of the true significance of Easter. What a revelation and life-changing event.

And El spreads the joy of Easter through her neighborhood.

One favorite Easter activity is to hang colorful plastic eggs that contain an Easter candy surprise on our yard’s Rose of Sharon tree. When anyone walks by, they are invited to take one or two Easter eggs for their enjoyment. The neighborhood children get a big kick out of this activity and their joy brings me happiness.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your favorite traditions with the community.

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared March as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The goal was to inspire individuals and businesses to support people with developmental disabilities so that they can achieve productive and fulfilling lives.

My family understood the obstacles firsthand. My younger brother, Kevin, was born with a cognitive disability, and my parents devoted themselves to ensuring his happiness and integration into the community. I’ve written before about how they often rented a community center to host other families like ours so everyone could meet and socialize without stigma.

I often think about how much Mom and Dad worried about what would happen to Kevin once they were gone. Back then, it was common for adults with disabilities to end up in state-run institutions. Thanks to increased awareness, that outcome is far less likely today.

But challenges persist, especially around employment. That’s why in 2015, based on a suggestion from my friend Walter Stockton, my family and I started Smile Farms, a program that helps people with disabilities find meaningful work in the agricultural and hospitality industries. Kevin, along with thousands of others, is thriving in the program.

I’ve been fortunate to become friends with other families of children with disabilities. It’s inspiring to hear their stories of how they’ve overcome the challenges, and, at the same time, brought along other families to ensure a better and more equitable world for everyone.

An Amazing Mom’s advocacy

Rosemary Alfredo’s daughter, Collette Divitto, was born with Down’s syndrome, and she quickly realized that her daughter’s school wasn’t set up to teach her the life skills needed to compete in the workforce.

To overcome that, Rosemary partnered with educators to develop projects and lessons to help Collette develop confidence and self-esteem while she learned. When Collette was in high school, Rosemary worked with school administrators to build an individualized curriculum incorporating traditional learning and valuable life skills.

After Collette graduated from Clemson University’s LIFE program and moved to Boston, she applied for numerous jobs but was continually turned down because she wasn’t the “right fit” for the companies.

That’s when Collette, who inherited determination from her mother, took matters into her own hands. With her mom’s assistance, she combined her life-long love of baking with business and launched Collettey’s Cookies, a profitable online bakery.

Collettey’s has now sold over 400,000 cookies to date and employs 15 people, several with disabilities. Collette travels around the country, sharing her success story and giving lots of credit to her Amazing Mom.

A dad opens doors at Walgreens

Randy Lewis, the former head of supply chain and logistics at Walgreens, is another hero parent. His son, Austin, was born with autism and inspired Randy to think about finding opportunities for people with disabilities.

Over 10 years, he developed a program at the pharmacy chain that has become the model for incorporating people with disabilities into the workforce. And it’s continued after Randy’s retirement: Today, more than 10% of the company’s logistics workforce comprises people with disabilities who perform the same jobs, earn the same pay, and are held to the same standards as other team members. Randy shares:

Everybody knows it works, and two of the distribution centers that have the highest percentage of people with disabilities are not coincidentally the highest performing ones. It’s a good thing to do for the employees, for their families, and in a business sense. And it’s a good thing to do for our shareholders and the bottom line.

Randy told me that Walgreens’ success gained the attention of other companies. Over the years, more than 500 have visited and attended a boot camp where managers learn details of the program.

Many big retailers, including Meijer, Lowe’s, and OfficeMax, have adopted the program. You can learn more about its success – and Randy’s book, No Greatness Without Goodness – on this week’s Celebrations Chatter podcast.

A positive outcome

It’s rare in the business world for competitors to band together, and that gesture of goodwill – and doing the right thing – touched Randy and Austin personally.

When Randy began the program at Walgreens, his family lived in the Chicago suburbs, nowhere near any of the company’s distribution centers. One day, Randy got a call from Rick Keyes, who is now CEO of grocery store retailer Meijer. 

He told me they are getting ready to build a distribution center on the Illinois border of Wisconsin, not far from where we live. Rick said that if he could get there, they had a job for Austin. He’s been working there now for nine years, and he has perfect attendance, so there is such a thing as serendipity.

These success stories show the world the power of people with disabilities. When they are given an opportunity to use their skills, they prosper. If you own a business, I hope this letter inspires you to reach out, connect with, and support people who are differently abled in your community.

All the best,
Jim

Celebrating the rituals of Easter

Today is Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week, seven days of rituals that commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. For many, the week starts with today’s processions and distribution of blessed palms and continues with foot washing on Holy Thursday and visiting the stations of the cross on Good Friday.

All the rituals – whether rooted in thousands of years of history or in family tradition – help us renew connections with our faiths and each other. Easter serves as a reminder to reflect on the renewal of faith and its personal significance. It’s also a time to contemplate relationships and the people who hold importance in our lives.

I’d like to hear from you. What are some Easter traditions within your family, community, or church? Send them to me for a chance to be featured in a special Easter edition of the Celebrations Pulse next week and to be selected to win a basket of Easter treats from the 1-800-Flowers.com family of brands.

Written by our Founder and CEO, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. Sure, I get to celebrate my Irish heritage (and enjoy my wife Marylou’s soda bread!), but, for me, St. Patrick’s Day has also always signified the unofficial start to spring.

Spring is all about new beginnings and transformations as it symbolizes starting fresh and starting over. After months of cold temperatures that often result in many of us feeling the winter blues, spring reawakens us and our surrounding environment, bringing everything back to life. This includes welcoming all the beautiful colors associated with the season.

It’s easy being green

Green and spring go together like corned beef and cabbage. It’s the color most adorned by revelers on St. Patrick’s Day. The tradition of wearing green in the United States on March 17 goes back to the 19th century, with the arrival of Irish immigrants who wanted to show pride in their homeland. National Geographic points out that the color became tied to St. Patrick’s Day due to Ireland’s green hills, shamrocks, flag, and mythical leprechauns.

The color also represents balance, serenity, and joy. Three words that the start of spring is all about, reminding us to re-engage with nature and tidy up our minds with a bit of “spring cleaning.”

Let’s have a garden party

March 19 is the first day of spring this year. It’s earlier than usual, which works to our benefit. The new season prompts us to get back to outdoor activities, like gardening. Many of us will be preparing our gardens during these upcoming weeks, and that includes Marylou, who has been tending to hers in our backyard for years. She grows both fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, raspberries, tomatoes, and zucchinis, among other produce.

Marylou embraces the whole farm-to-table concept by growing many of the ingredients of the meals she prepares – and I happily assist her with both the cultivation and the cooking. She grew up in western Pennsylvania, where locals famously can fruits and vegetables in early fall to be used during winter, so Marylou’s garden is enjoyed all year round. She loves that garden, and it brings her – and me – so much happiness during the spring and summer.

“Spring cleaning” our mental health

Spring not only offers a chance to renew our connection with nature but also serves as a reminder to shake off the remnants of winter and prioritize our mental well-being.

One of the best ways to do that after months of hibernation and inclement weather is to get out of the house and connect with friends and neighbors. The arrival of spring gives us the chance to enjoy lots of outdoor activities that bring us together, including watching or participating in spring sports (I return to cheering on my beloved New York Mets), attending flower shows, or tending to community gardens in urban areas, which have been growing (pun intended!) in popularity in recent years.

Just thinking about all that is synonymous with spring makes me smile. Last year, we provided useful tips on how to achieve happiness. I thought it might be useful to share some of those tips, which are still relevant today. You can see the whole list here, but they include moving on Monday, talking on Tuesday, socializing on Saturday, and solitude on Sunday.

You can go one step further. Dr. Chloe Carmichael of our Connectivity Council has what she calls a “Psychological Check-Up.” It consists of three questions you can ask yourself to assess your mental health.

It’s no coincidence that this upbeat day falls right around the start of spring, as our moods begin to brighten from those pesky winter blues. Let’s use this time to “spring clean” our mind, body, and spirit to fully enjoy the benefits of the coming days of sunshine and warmth that spring represents.

All the best,
Jim