The Kids Are the Wind Beneath His Wings

There are angels amongst us and Michael Hill, CEM, PCMA member and vice president of TTS Logistics, a San Diego, Calif.-based shipping company, is certainly one of them. He is ready at a moment's notice to fly critical care patients to and from treatment locations as part of Angel Flight West. Not only does he donate his time and his plane, a four-seat single-engine Piper Cherokee 235, but all costs associated with the flight as well.

Most recently, Hill, a former naval aviator and instrument rated pilot, and other volunteer pilots, flew more than 50 burn survivor children to Camp CHAMP for burn survivors in Yosemite. "It's gratifying to see the glimmer in the eyes of the children you fly to camp or to their treatment," said Hill. "It puts my life in perspective to see how strong these children are in the face of adversity."

Angel Flight West was launched in 1983 with the mission to provide free air transportation to critical care patients who must travel to and from medical facilities throughout the 13 western states, including Alaska and Hawaii. The costs of all flights are donated. For more information on Angel Flight go to www.angelflight.org.

Hill, a co-founder of TTS, encourages all of his 15 employees to give back in some way. He certainly is a boss who is leading by example. "I will do this until the FAA says I can't fly anymore," he said with a laugh. "This has been one of the most satisfying and gratifying experiences of my life. We can all complain about the trials and tribulations of everyday life but when you meet a six-year old who is battling cancer you realize you have absolutely nothing to complain about."

Greening Live Earth's Event

Live Earth was a monumental music event held on July 7, 2007 to raise money and awareness of the current climate crisis.

Portland, Ore.-based Meeting Strategies Worldwide, an event management, consulting, and training firm specializing in green meeting and event strategies, helped "green" the Live Earth concert held in New Jersey's Giants Stadium, the grand finale of the 24-hour concert series. Concerts were held in New Jersey, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Hamburg, featuring a mix of both legendary music acts like The Police, Genesis, Bon Jovi, and Madonna, with the latest headliners like Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas, and Jack Johnson.

Meeting Strategies Worldwide led the recycling and composting effort in the 50,000-seat stadium, implemented here for the first time, and managed 800 volunteers. Their effort not only included the stadium, but the parking lot as well.

One of the legacies of the campaign will be the creation and implementation of the Green Event Standards. Co-authored by Meeting Strategies Worldwide, it was written specifically for the Live Earth concert series. The ultimate goal is that this document will help guide organizers when planning large-scale events in the future. "The environmental guidelines used by Live Earth are the most remarkable and advanced standards for events in the world," said Paul Hawken, renowned environmentalist. "I believe Live Earth will forever change how all events are done far into the future."

Le Blanc Spa Resort - The Ultimate In Luxury Meeting Facilities

Le Blanc Spa Resort, an upscale, adults-only property located in the heart of Cancún, with world-class facilities, impeccable service, and state-of-the-art technology throughout the resort's 8,000-square-foot meeting space, is fast becoming a premier destination resort for those who demand the best. From the finest haute cuisine to a lavish first-class spa, this celebrated property is known for its soothing minimalist decor, relaxed upscale ambiance, and commitment to exceeding expectations.

Guests will find themselves conducting business at one of the most serene and luxurious properties in Cancún. The resort's meeting facilities are elegantly appointed with high ceilings and modern banquet rooms that include access panels every few feet to provide easy hook-ups for microphones, video, data, telephones, and electricity. In addition, busy guests have access to a fully equipped, ultra-modern business center and wireless Internet capability throughout the resort.

The meeting facilities at Le Blanc are easily divisible into nine breakout rooms through the use of the resort's two ballrooms and spacious foyer. The unobstructed space is also complemented by an open-air terrace, ideal for a cocktail party or festive get-together accommodating groups that range in size from 40-150.

Located between the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and the gorgeous Nichupte Lagoon, the property is within walking distance of the best of Cancún's beaches, culture, and nightlife, and close to many of Mexico's ancient Mayan sites. Step inside the resort, though, and it's clear that this property is its own destination. With four specialty restaurants serving the finest cuisine ranging from Asian delicacies to Italian fare, atmospheric bars that keep the libations flowing day and night, and live entertainment that lasts into the wee hours, it is easy to see why discerning travelers seeking sophisticated style, lavish personal attention, and an exceptional setting choose Le Blanc Spa Resort. For more information: Phone: (877) 753-2526 (in the United States and Canada); group sales: (888) 987-9880; Web site: www.leblancsparesort.com

Social Responsibility: Walking the Talk

If you know Bruce Harris, you know he is all about giving back. Founder and chairman emeritus of Experient, Harris, CMP, recently traveled to the area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina with his 24-year-old son Brent, to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

The two traveled to St. Bernard Parish with a group of 45 from their church, Hudson Community Chapel, based in Hudson, Ohio.

"We slept on cots in a gymnasium, spent our days in Tyvek suits because we were scrubbing mud, mold, and mildew and yet it was just the most incredible experience. Although the work was hard and the hours were long, you never got tired. It was just so invigorating to be helping," said Harris. One of the homeowners whose home they were working on was reduced to tears. "Although she got money from FEMA, it was used to pay the mortgage for a home she could not live in. She didn't have the money to get the house refurbished. She joined us for dinner that evening in the gymnasium we were staying in and shared with the group her harrowing experience of living through Hurricane Katrina."

Last year, Harris was part of a medical mission to rural India. "These were people with absolutely no possessions at all. They live in grass huts. We dug wells 400 to 700 feet deep to provide the villages with their first clean water ever," Harris explained. The group stayed in an orphanage and then went on daylong excursions with doctors to assist in taking blood pressures, temperatures, and checking heart rates. "For many, this was the first time in their lives that they had been seen by a doctor." As the group arrived in many of the villages, they were greeted by the residents who threw flower petals at their feet. "I felt unworthy of these wonderful people," said Harris. "These are impressions I will never forget as long as I live. It was the most humbling experience of my life." Harris carried his commitment to giving back into the corporate culture at Experient. "When calculating compensation packages at each of our seven regional offices, we looked to see what the regional directors had done to give back, what community involvement or volunteering they and their office were part of," said Harris. When the leader of the company is committed to helping others, it often trickles down to all in the company. "People want to feel like they are part of an organization that cares. Doing something to help others adds texture and depth to just going to work. It gives it more validity."

An Attitude of Gratitude in 7 Steps

Want a 45-minute read that can change the way you approach your work and personal relationships? In The Power of Acknowledgement, author Judith Umlas, who is senior vice president, learning innovations at the International Institute for Learning Inc. (judy.umlas@iil.com), demonstrates how these seven simple principles have the power to transform. 1. The world is full of people who deserve to be acknowledged. 2. Acknowledgement builds intimacy and creates powerful interactions. 3. Acknowledgment neutralizes, defuses, deactivates, and reduces the effect of jealousy and envy. 4. Recognizing good work leads to high energy, great feelings, high-quality performance, and terrific results. Not acknowledging good work causes lethargy, resentment, sorrow, and withdrawal. 5. Truthful, heartfelt, and deserved acknowledgment always makes a difference, sometimes a profound one, in a person's life and work. 6. It is likely that acknowledgment can improve the emotional and physical health of both the giver and the receiver. 7. Practice different ways of getting through to the people you want to acknowledge.

Goody Bags You Can Feel Good About

A Paramus, N.J., teacher who founded a gift-giving campaign for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is taking her idea on the road and into conference and meeting rooms. Jane Cosco started "Operation Goody Bag" for her students at East Brook Middle School not long after American soldiers, sailors, and Marines were deployed overseas in 2003.

Brown paper bags are decorated with drawings and inspirational messages and are then filled with candy, gum, a personal letter, original poetry, and puzzles. To date, more than 59,000 bags have been shipped.

Hundreds of responses have come back to Cosco and her students. Cosco has incorporated these heartfelt responses into a book that she is working on getting published.

"Thank you for the Valentine candy. I am a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot in Iraq. Thank you for your support. It means a lot to us out here that you all care for us. I miss my wife and kids but with their support and support from kids like you, I know that I can make it through this year. Thanks again and God bless you and your class," reads one of the many letters.

In March, Cosco and two students attended the National Service Learning Conference in Albuquerque to get more schools involved in Operation Goody Bag. She set up her supplies and during a break, the conference attendees filled hundreds of bags. It was then that she realized this might be a win-win proposition in the conference industry. "Conference attendees could do something that makes a difference and makes them feel good and the troops could receive something to raise their spirits," said Cosco.

She hit the road again to help create a quick service project as part of the Maryland Department of Education Service Learning Awards Recognition Dinner.

Effective Ice-Breaker
Decorated Operation Goody Bag containers served as centerpieces that were filled with bags, crayons, markers, and stickers. "As it was an award recipient dinner, most did not know each other. When they sat at their assigned tables, our project turned out to be a terrific ice-breaker. Everyone got busy, coloring, laughing at their drawing skills, and the coordinator of event was thrilled. Then, at one break in the program, people got up to walk through the assembly line and fill their bags."

In December of 2006, Operation Goody Bag was named a member of America Supports You, a nationwide program launched by the Defense Department that recognizes citizens' support for military men and women.

At the end of June, Cosco retired from her teaching job to focus full time on Operation Goody Bag, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

To make donations to Operation Goody Bag or to contact Cosco about a conference you may be planning, e-mail her at janecosco@operationgoodybag.org or visit www.operationgoody

Contact Information: Ginny Davito Vice President, Group & Incentive Sales for Palace Resorts Phone: (888) 987-7656 E-mail: gdavito@palaceresorts.com www.palaceresorts.com/groups bag.org.