The purpose of this high-impact, interactive workshop is to provide workshop is to provide business-owners, non-profit professionals, church leaders, social entrepreneurs, artists – anyone who has a worthy project that could benefit from financial and “in-kind” sponsorship with a simple, proven method for securing from $10,000 to over $100,000 in corporate sponsorship per year.

“Every year corporate sponsors literally pay billions of dollars to sponsor sports, events, teams and even people pursuing their hobbies and there are literally billions of dollars in corporate sponsorship available yet a large portion of it goes unclaimed and unspent,” said Kim Anthony, Sell the Bees® workshop facilitator. “The problem is that most people mistakenly think that they need to be a pro or at the top of their field to get corporate sponsorship and even if they think they could, sponsored they have no idea where to begin or what to do.”

According to Kim, one of the biggest mistakes that people make is “selling the flower” instead of “selling the bees.” “Your event (project or program) is the flower and the people who attracted to your event are the bees. Sponsors are most interested in the people (bees) who will be impacted by your project, i.e. number of people, their ages, demographics, buying habits, interests, centers of influence, etc. The person who can most effectively communicate these values to potential sponsors will win the day – and most importantly, the funding,” says Anthony. “At Sell the Bees, we’ll teach you how to do just that.”

Other topics discussed in the workshop include: How to create an irresistible sponsorship pitch letter; 10 biggest mistakes people make and how to avoid them; The difference between hard dollars and soft dollars; Leveraging the media to attract corporate partner; Know how much money to ask for (and not sell yourself short); Getting sponsors to renew again and again

“Another obstacle that keeps most people from getting started is that they only dream about getting sponsored and they never take action to actually do it. The amount of money one has or limited experience level should never keep them from living their dream, especially those dreams that make a difference in the lives of others,” says Kim. “Our intention with this workshop to champion and support people with great ideas – yet a lack of funding to secure the support that they need to make positive impact in our community and in the world.

Registration begins at 7:00 p.m. and the workshop is 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. For more information or to register for this Interactive Workshop please call (909) 985-0072 or (310) 773-6140. The cost is only $49 before May17th and $69 thereafter.

About the Facilitator: Kim Anthony is a professional speaker, trainer, non-profit consultant and author of “Sell the Bees: How to Get Sponsors for Your Project, Programs and Special Events.” A gifted fundraiser and social enterprise advocate, she has raised more than $10 million in sponsorship funding for non-profit organizations and social venture projects.

Mona Johnson

First of all the group meeting reminder should state what the group meeting is about. If there are several topics to be discussed they should be listed on the reminder. The date, location with the address and zip code should be listed on the reminder also. The start and the ending time of the group meeting should also be listed on the reminder. Individual’s time is very valuable and they should be told when the group meeting will start and end. No one should be scrutinized for leaving a group at the time it is designated to have ended. For this reason groups should start and end on time.

Groups are gatherings of individual who formally or informally share ideas or make plans. As a member of a group one of your first questions, if you are not sure, is to find out how formal or informal the working dynamics are of the group. This will dictate much of your behavior and attitude about the other members of the group. Is the group a social group or is it driven by a goal and a timeline.

Unless the building is on fire it is important to remember you should never interrupt someone who is talking in the group. Even though what they are saying may not be of importance to you. If they are, what appears to be off topic, ask the group leader if this is new to or part of the agenda? If there is not a leader gently ask them if what they are saying will support the goal(s) of the group? If they say no ask the group, not the person, if ‘we’ can get back to the topic of the group discussion.

If you are in a group, whether you are the leader or not, and if it has not been suggested ask that only one person be allowed to speak at any given time. This is important for communication and listening reasons and for the person keeping a record of what goes on in the group.

It is good etiquette not to engage in side conversations. By not allowing someone to talk to you during a presentation or while a group member is talking will help give order and stability to the group. Side conversations are rude and can cause confusion. Side conversations distract from the main agenda of the group.

Being a good group participant can increase your etiquette and leadership skills.

Join me weekly as I answer your questions and share ideas as we explore the journey to good manners! Send your questions or comments to the Inland Valley News, 2009 Porterfield Way, Suite C, Upland, CA 91786, e-mail to editor@inlandvalleynews.com or e-mail, msparksj@verizon.net.

Mona Johnson is the CEO of Personnel Best a consulting firm specializing in how to conduct effective meetings, public speaking, team building, leadership development, microphone etiquette, networking, organizational and self-awareness.

Upland, CA– This is graduation season. Over the next several weeks there will be many that will graduate from some level of higher education. From “pre-school” all the way to post graduate degrees including Masters and Doctorates. It’s a time to feel proud about your accomplishments, celebrate a milestone in your life and a time to plan next steps.

I remember when my son Freddie was just a wee little boy graduating from a Christian pre-school close to twenty years ago and he was given a little lamb called “fleecy.” He loved that little stuffed animal and would play with it all the time. The lamb represented the fact that little ones still needed guidance so they wouldn’t go astray. However, it gave him pride because it was a gift that showed he accomplished something, but it also served as a reminder that he still had more to learn.

If you’re graduating or accomplishing a goal that you’ve strived to complete, pause and enjoy the moment, but don’t stop there. Keep striving to be the best you can be. Learn as much as you can about the world, your community and the things that you’re passionate about. Try to find some sort of reminder (your own “fleecy”) that brings a smile to your face and makes you proud, but will also keep you humble and hungry to keep going.

Life is short and none of us know how long we have on this earth. Don’t throw your life away by not becoming the best person you can be. The goal is not to compare yourself to others, just to yourself. Learn to be balanced along life’s journey, but don’t allow yourself to get complacent or lazy. Continue to set goals and review them from time to time to track your progress.

When I was a little girl my grandmother would oftentimes make me do something that I didn’t want to necessarily do, such as learn the piano or read another book, but as I look back on my life they became building blocks that provided the foundation on which I stand today. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and one day you will look back and realize you’ve accomplished more than you ever imagined. Keep going.

Congratulations Graduates!!!

Healing Without Hate: It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle. Pass it on!

Visit www.WendyGladney.com &www.forgivingforliving.org. You can email her at wendy.gladney@gmail.com. Also follow her blog: Wendygladney.blogspot.com. Wendy is featured on Radio Free 102.3 KJLH on Dominique DiPrima’s Front Page Friday Mornings @ 5:00am.

Past participants of the Lupus 5k Walk for Hope

The vision of the Inland Valley Lupus Foundation (IVLF) is to continue bringing awareness throughout the Inland Valley about Lupus as well as create an outreach program for individuals and families who are directly impacted by Lupus. IVLF will have semi-annual and annual events that will raise funds to continually provide financial support for families and individuals with medical related expenses involving Lupus as well as provide health and wellness education workshops to help with managing this disease.

The Lupus Walk for Hope was started 4 years ago in an effort to raise money for Lupus research, bring people together and educate them about Lupus as well as spread awareness throughout the Inland Valley about Lupus. IVLF in partnership with Shining Glory Publications (SGP) are working together to bring about awareness. The upcoming Lupus Walk for Hope will be held this coming Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Katherine states, “After my diagnoses of Lupus, I struggled not only with managing the disease but also finding other survivors to reach out to for support. The frustration with having an autoimmune disease is that unless you have one it is hard to understand the daily struggles of living with one. I was hospitalized twice with life threatening complications from Lupus and I remember how scared I felt not knowing what was happening with my body. I want to be able to provide a place Lupus patients can go to get support in managing their disease, encourage them to hold onto hope and learn how to live a victorious life.”

The walk will be held Saturday, May 18th starting at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 2343 North San Antonio Ave. Pomona; Ca 91767. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. IVLF and SGP are encouraging everyone to make a donation to the cause and wear purple to show support or in memory of someone affected by Lupus. They challenge 100 people or more to join together and walk in honor of or in support of individuals affected by this condition.

For more information or questions, call Katherine at (909) 461-8601. You can also email ivlupuscenter@yahoo.com

Checks for donations should be made out to Shining Glory Publications who is the Fiscal Agent for IVLF. For check donations on the memo line it should be written as “Lupus Walk”

Reverend Roosevelt and Lady Elect Emma Keys are so happy and are in great expectation of the wonderful service for the day as their church Hope of a Higher Glory Fellowship Church celebrates its second Anniversary. The Keys have been in ministry for over 37 years. Pastor Roosevelt Keys decided to get into ministry after realizing he had a calling upon his life. Although, Rev. Keys ran from his calling, he knew God was always right there. He also ran right into Lady Emma who had been called and figured God sent her to him.
When asked about the origin of their church name, Rev. Keys said, “The name of God came by as I was driving down the street and praying for a church name. Some how Hope of a Higher Glory came to me and I ran with it.”

Pastor Keys believes God has him right where he should be at this particular time and has plans to raise up a healthy church.

The Keys’ ministry began in their home in Humble, Texas. Though the devil tried aimlessly to destroy their ministry in its early stages, Rev. Keys thanks God for his praying wife, Emma. He says, “Emma was not fooled by the devil’s tactics!”

Rev. Keys credits his mother, Letha Mae Keys in giving him his Christian foundation. Lady Elect Keys also would like to credit her mother, Ella Mae Rogers, as well for her formal Christian training. The couple has a total of 5 children, Lamond Guy Edwards, Roosevelt Keys, Nikisha Keys, Jim Willis, and Tydel Keys.

Hope of a Higher Glory Fellowship Church’s Anniversary is this coming Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. The church is located at 2126 Porterfield Way, Upland, CA, 91786. The Keys are anticipating a mighty move of God in the lives of those in attendance. Come and be blessed through mime praise dancers, through song, or through the Word of God which will be brought forth by Minister Lela Johnson.

For more information, please call (909) 917-0351, visit www.hopeofahigherglory.org or email the church office at rooseveltkeys@yahoo.com.

Earlier this year I introduced legislation that I believe will promote corporate diversity and open pathways for minorities, disabled veterans and women. The goal of Assembly Bill 366 is to build upon the Public Utilities – Supplier Diversity Program and encourage companies to open up their boardrooms and executive management teams to minority business leaders.

It is my intention to broaden and include more minority businesses in the PUC Supplier Diversity Program for financial and legal services only. The original legislation that created the program authorized publicly-owned businesses (corporations) to participate if 51% of the stock was owned by minorities, disabled-veterans or women. AB 366 does not change this requirement. As amended May 1, 2013, this bill – and only for corporations offering financial and legal services – would permit corporations to participate if their board of directors and executive management team is diverse; that means 51% of their board and managers must be minorities.

The California Black Chamber of Commerce has signaled its support and the Black Economic Council, while recently critical, has renewed its optimism in the ability of Assembly Bill 366 to usher in a new era of opportunity for African American businesses.

Historically, utility companies have struggled to contract with minority-owned companies that offer financial and legal services. AB 366 is designed to provide more opportunity for minority-owned businesses by adding ‘teeth’ to the language to expand the definition for which publicly traded companies can qualify for these contracts.

In 1986, the Public Utility Commission adopted General Order 156 to promote competition among utility suppliers and encourage greater economic opportunity for minority-owned businesses. Existing law directs PUC to require every electrical, gas, water, wireless telecommunications service provider, and Telephone Corporation with annual gross revenues exceeding $25 million to encourage, recruit, and utilize minority, women and disabled veteran-owned business enterprises in the procurement of contracts.

The intention of AB 366 is not to force smaller businesses to compete with publicly-owned businesses. AB 366 is narrowly tailored to financial and legal services where smaller businesses have been unable to compete.

To prevent fraud and manipulation, the composition of the board of directors must consist of a diverse majority for at least five years prior to the certification of a publicly owned business as a minority business enterprise.

AB 366 also includes a sunset date of five years, in order to provide the opportunity for the legislature to carefully examine the efficiency of the expanded definition.

Diversity opens pathways to ownership as corporate board members and executive officers associate in corporate circles of power that offer opportunities for minorities, women, and disabled veterans that are clearly and currently underrepresented in these areas.

As President Obama said in his State of the Union Address, an economy built to last is one where if we all play by the same rules and everyone is given a fair chance, America can succeed. This bill supports the President’s vision by seeking to promote diversity in corporate America through the PUC’s Supplier Diversity Program.

I am delaying action on AB 366 until next year in order to continue good faith discussions with minority business enterprises about how to maximize the bill’s benefits on small businesses.

These findings come from The Diversifying Electorate — Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections), which provides analysis of the likelihood of voting by demographic factors, such as race, Hispanic origin, sex, age and geography (specifically, census divisions). The report draws upon data from the November 2012 Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement and looks at presidential elections back to 1996. Using the race definitions from 1968 and the total voting-age population, whites voted at higher rates than blacks in every presidential election between 1968, when the Census Bureau began publishing voting data by race, and 1992.

Blacks were the only race or ethnic group to show a significant increase between the 2008 and 2012 elections in the likelihood of voting (from 64.7 percent to 66.2 percent). The 2012 increase in voting among blacks continues what has been a long-term trend: since 1996, turnout rates have risen 13 percentage points to the highest levels of any recent presidential election. In contrast, after reaching a high in 2004, non-Hispanic white voting rates have dropped in two consecutive elections. Between 2008 and 2012, rates for non-Hispanic whites dropped from 66.1 percent to 64.1 percent. As recently as 1996, blacks had turnout rates 8 percentage points lower than non-Hispanic whites.
Overall, the percentage of eligible citizens who voted declined from 63.6 percent in 2008 to 61.8 percent in 2012.

Both blacks and non-Hispanic whites had voting rates higher than Hispanics and Asians in the 2012 election (about 48 percent each).

“Blacks have been voting at higher rates, and the Hispanic and Asian populations are growing rapidly, yielding a more diverse electorate,” said Thom File, a sociologist in the Census Bureau’s Education and Social Stratification Branch and the report’s author. “Over the last five presidential elections, the share of voters who were racial or ethnic minorities rose from just over one in six in 1996 to more than one in four in 2012.”
Between 1996 and 2012, blacks, Asians and Hispanics all had an increase in their shares of the voting population, with the Hispanic share increasing by about 4 percentage points and the black share by about 3 points.

The number of blacks who voted rose by about 1.7 million between the 2008 and 2012 elections. Likewise, the number of Hispanics who voted increased by 1.4 million and the number of Asians by 550,000. At the same time, the number of non-Hispanic white voters declined by about 2 million ─ the only such drop for any single-race group between elections since 1996. The figures for blacks and Hispanics are not significantly different from each other.

The report also shows that the “gender gap” in voting persists. In every presidential election since 1996, women have voted at higher rates than men. In 2012, the spread was about 4 percentage points. The gap was especially wide among black voters, among whom it reached 9 percentage points in 2012. Asians are the only race or Hispanic-origin group that showed no significant gender gap.

There were large declines in youth voting among all race groups and Hispanics in 2012. Non-Hispanic whites age 18 to 24 and 25 to 44 showed statistically significant voting rate decreases, as did young Hispanics 18 to 24 years of age. The only race/Hispanic-origin/age combinations showing voting rate increases in 2012 were blacks ages 45 to 64 and 65 and older.

Other highlights: Voting rates increase with age: in 2012, the percentage of eligible adults who voted ranged from 41.2 percent for 18- to 24-year-olds, to a high of 71.9 percent for those 65 and older.

Although blacks voted at higher rates than non-Hispanic whites nationally in 2012, this result was not uniform across the country. In the East North Central, East South Central, Middle Atlantic, and South Atlantic divisions, blacks voted at higher rates than non-Hispanic whites. In the Mountain and Pacific divisions, non-Hispanic whites voted at higher rates than blacks. In the New England, West North Central and West South Central divisions, voting rates for the two groups were not significantly different from each other.

These data were collected in the Current Population Survey. As in all surveys, these data are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. The estimates presented in this report may differ from those based on administrative data or exit polls. For more information, see the sections of the report on Source and Accuracy of the Data and Measuring Voting and Registration in the Current Population Survey.