Sue Scheff: Volunteer Spot (Part 2)
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 gather toys, food and clothing for families in need. To promote local seasonal service, we’ve launched a Giving Tree Giveaway sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation. Plan a holiday service activity on VolunteerSpot and Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree in a fire-damaged national forest in your honor. Learn more at www.VolunteerSpot.com/GivingTree
8. What are the benefits of volunteering? How can we create more awareness about the benefits of volunteering?
Volunteering feels GREAT, and studies show helping others actually improves your mood and helps you live longer! Volunteering is also a wonderful way to strengthen your resume, build new professional skills and network within your community.
For families, volunteering together builds meaningful communication opportunities and perspective. Kids who volunteer with their families are more likely to volunteer as adults, and that’s good for all our communities!
9. Are there age limits? Do you recommend teens get involved?
People of all ages and backgrounds can volunteer – from preschoolers participating in food drives to grandparents rocking babies in the hospital.
Service provides an ideal opportunity for teens to explore new interests and passions. If a teen is interested in green causes, consider volunteering at a recycling center, or an Earth Day festival. Curious about a career as a vet? Volunteer at the animal shelter or wildlife preserve. Love children? Join a mentoring program or coach at an after-school sports league in a low-income neighborhood.
Teens also bring very useful technical skills to understaffed nonprofits – like helping them find outreach groups on MySpace, Facebook, Ning and Twitter. Shooting YouTube Videos and updating websites – all of these are super helpful skill that most volunteer groups need lots more of.
10. Please share with us anything more you would like people to know about VolunteerSpot?
VolunteerSpot is really really easy to use and saves so much time! If you know someone faced with coordinating a group of people for your booster club, league, neighborhood association, congregation or nonprofit, please let them know about us! VolunteerSpot, DOING GOOD just got easier! http://www.VolunteerSpot.com
Follow VolunteerSpot on Twitter @VolunteerSpot
Visit VolunteerSpot Blog for updates!
Reminder: Holiday Safety Tips
Article for Holiday Jobs and Volunteering for Teens.
Part 1 – click here.
Also on Examiner.com
Sue Scheff: Google Bomb Book Explodes in Canada
I was thrilled to see a Press Release in Canada this week. Google Bomb book has been doing exceptionally well not only in the United States, but also abroad. If you haven’t learned about my story – a cautionary tale of how vicious keystrokes can ruin your reputation virtually, read Google Bomb today – it also offers practical advice to protect yourself before you are hit with Internet slime!
Remember, your BFF today can be your foe tomorrow. Your soulmate today, can be your adversary tomorrow! No one is immune to Internet Slander – so take pre-cautions to secure your name online.
Sue Scheff: Volunteering Just Got Easier!
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 class party or whose turn it is to help at recess or other really clutter some communication – I knew several parents that just said ‘take me off the list’ because of this.
It’s not that parents didn’t want to help, it’s that there wasn’t a good way to ask them – so that’s when I got the idea for VolunteerSpot.
We launched our ‘Early Edition’ in the Spring of 2009. What started as a tool to help my PTA in Austin, TX has grown to helping more than 100,000 volunteers participate in their communities across the country.
2. VolunteerSpot offers many resources. What do you feel people benefit most from your organization?
We save volunteer leaders time and frustration and get more people volunteering. Typically we hear that it’s always the same people volunteering at school, little league, library, etc. With VolunteerSpot, we make it easy for more parents to volunteer – because it’s so easy to find a spot on the schedule that fits in their busy lives. Open an email, click to the schedule, click a shift and you’ve found a volunteer job. Plus parents also love our automated reminders so they never forget what they signed up to help with.
3. How many different states have participated in VolunteerSpot and how can people join?
We’re currently serving volunteers in more than 40 states (and several countries)! Anyone can launch a VolunteerSpot sign up – it’s really easy to get started with our simple planning wizard. It’s been truly remarkable seeing all the wonderful ways folks find to use VolunteerSpot. In addition to helping parents and teachers coordinate volunteers at school and sports, we see congregations and nonprofits using us for their good work like after school mentoring programs, literacy outreach, community arts festivals, handicapped riding programs, building teams and community kitchens.
4. Do you charge any fees? Do you have sponsors?
VolunteerSpot is free for teachers and grassroots volunteer leaders. We ask that workplace volunteer teams, leagues and nonprofits with budget contribute to keep us free for groups that can’t afford us. Sponsors are important to our business and we’ll be adding new features soon to help them support the good work of our volunteers.
5. What motivates you and what inspired you to start this wonderful organization?
Professionally, I’m a business process expert. When I saw good people drop out of volunteering, and leaders burn out over frustrating communication obstacles, I just knew that there had to be a better way! By simplifying the volunteer experience, our tool has increased volunteer participation by more than 20%, reduced leader burnout and increased donations to the organization that use us!
Part 2 continues with how VolunteerSpot can help you! Click here.
Follow VolunteerSpot on Twitter @VolunteerSpot and get updates on their Blog.
Reminder: Holiday Safety Tips!
Article on Holiday Jobs and Volunteering for Teens
Also on Examiner.com
Sue Scheff: LIVESTRONG and Ziggy Helping Others
With the recent news of the controversy of breast cancer early detection, there isn’t a better time for you to learn more about how breast cancer effects so many lives.
Tom Wilson II, cartoonist of Ziggy, lost his wife, Susan, on November 18th, 2000 to her battle with breast cancer. Last spring he bravely released his memoir of this painful and spiritual journey through Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Loving Badly…How Ziggy Saved My Life (Health Communications, Inc 2009).
Tom Wilson recently announced he is donating 100% of his personal royalties of his book from November 18th (Susan’s death) until January 19th (Susan’s birthday) to LIVESTRONG.
From Tom Wilson:
Dear LIVESTRONG Friends,
My wife, Susan Shephard Wilson, died in my arms on November 18, 2000. She was forty-four years old. From the moment she was diagnosed with Stage 3b invasive breast cancer, Susan, who had always been my strength, began to teach me what it truly means to LIVESTRONG.
“From the first day we discovered this arch villain called cancer had struck at the very heart of our life together, I witnessed the one constant in my life, my beautiful, sweet, gentle “Tweety Bird” become a hawk so fierce that General Patton himself would have saluted her. Susan went into battle with more strength and courage than any fictional superhero could possibly muster…”
Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly…How Ziggy Saved My Life, came from the journaling I did in an effort to make sense for myself of the seven years my family battled the consuming, insidious disease that is cancer. The decision to publish the raw, emotional, and painful story of our personal war against cancer and my personal struggle against the crippling grief, was in the hope that telling it might bring comfort to someone else struggling along a similar path of cancer diagnosis.
When I recently had the opportunity to meet with the staff at the LIVESTRONG Headquarters in Austin, Texas, I saw an extraordinary chance to allow this terrible tragedy in my family’s life to do something truly positive for fellow survivors and co-survivors.
ZIGGY’s MILLION DOLLAR LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE is OUR opportunity to come together to make a real difference! Through this campaign starting November 18, the anniversary of Susan’s death, to January 19, her birthday, I am donating 100% of my personal royalties to LIVESTRONG, and coupled with the HCI affiliate program, that averages out to roughly $4.50 from every purchase of Zig-Zagging to the LIVESTRONG organization when ordered from this link. My HOPE is that together we will raise a MILLION dollars (or more!)for LIVESTRONG over the next two months!
With love,
Tom Wilson
…and Ziggy
I have read this wonderful book. If you haven’t, isn’t now the time to do so? It is not only a gift to yourself, it is a way to give to a wonderful charity. Holidays are almost here, I am confident there is someone on your gift list that will benefit with a gift from Ziggy. After all, who doesn’t love Ziggy?
Read an excerpt from Zig-Zagging - click here.
Order Zig-Zagging today!
Click here to subscribe to my articles and read more.
Also on Examiner.com
Sue Scheff: ReputationDefender Expands with NameGrab – Own Your Identity!
Many of my readers know I am probably one of ReputationDefender’s largest fans. If you have read my recent book, Google Bomb, you will completely understand why.
Back in 2003 I was attacked viciously online. Slime balls of lies, twisted truths and much more. In 2006 I won a landmark case with a jury verdict for damages of over $11M! The jury sent a very clear and strong message – free speech does not condone defamation. Be careful what you post online, it may not only haunt you later, it could cost you a bundle.
After my court room victory, I felt vindicated and like a new person. However what I didn’t realize is that all that ugly stuff online still existed.
My next call-out was to Michael Fertik, CEO and Founder of what was, back in 2006, a small new company. He assured me he could help me with my virtual image. As promised, within a few months, I was back to myself both emotionally and virtually.
Since then, I have recommended these services to many people. I receive hundreds of emails of people that are being harmed online. ReputationDefender has grown from the few people I remember, to an entire staff of caring and dedicated people that are there to help you manage your online reputation.
For the record: I am not a spokesperson or sponsor of ReputationDefender. I do not participate in their referral affiliate program and I have never received any gifts or money from them. I am simply a very satisfied client.
Today they announced their latest service, NameGrab. Here is their recent press release. I am confident this is another fantastic asset to their growing and successful business. Read on!
ReputationDefender Launches Online Identity Management Service
NameGrab Allows Users to Control and Protect Their Names 
Across the Web, Dominate Search Results and Promote Their Personal Brands Online
REDWOOD CITY, CA–(Marketwire – November 16, 2009) – ReputationDefender, the leading comprehensive online reputation and privacy management company, today introduced NameGrab, a new service that allows users to control their online identities and promote their personal brands online. NameGrab’s proprietary technology automates the process of reserving your name across hundreds of social networking sites, thus ensuring both that search results produce the ‘real you’ and that your personal brand is accurately reflected online.
In today’s search-dominated world, your high-quality online identity has never been more crucial. NameGrab provides the tools to help you proactively secure that identity by claiming the most important social profiles on the Web on your behalf. Using NameGrab’s innovative technology, you can now:
– Control and protect your name across the Web;
– Own your name on hundreds of social networking sites, including
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter;
– Prevent imposters from posing as you online;
– Dominate search results for your name; and
– Ensure that people find the real you.
“It’s impossible to overstate the importance of protecting your good name on the Internet. By gaining control over your brand and image across social networking sites, you can ensure that friends, colleagues and potential customers using these powerful online properties can easily find the real you and not someone else,” said Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of ReputationDefender. “NameGrab is ideal for anyone with a presence online — new college graduates, job hunters, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers and realtors who use the Web for new client leads. NameGrab is the only service that makes reserving and managing your name across social networking sites truly effortless — ultimately putting control of your name back in your own hands, where it belongs.”
NameGrab is also available for businesses looking to improve customer connectivity and efficiently manage their online footprints. NameGrab provides access to all registered usernames and passwords within one convenient, secure location, limiting excess email, and allowing users to easily manage which profiles need content and be alerted to the latest social networks and new profile availability. For more information on NameGrab, please visit: http://www.namegrab.com
About ReputationDefender
ReputationDefender is the world’s only comprehensive online reputation and privacy management company. Through its suite of services, including MyReputation(SM), MyEdge(SM), MyChild(SM), and MyPrivacy(SM), ReputationDefender helps its customers manage and protect their online information. ReputationDefender also helps customers promote themselves and their businesses online. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, ReputationDefender serves customers in over 40 countries and has been featured in Washington Post and Forbes cover stories, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Follow ReputationDefender on Twitter @RepDef
Visit ReputationDefenderBlog and get involved with the conversation and chatter!
Sue Scheff: Teen Brings a Gun to School with a Hit List
After last month’s horrific incident that nearly ended a 15-year old Michael Brewer’s life, a 14-year old in Miami brings a gun to school while the teacher notices this student scribbling names on a paper. What was it? He remarked to the teacher he wanted to kill another student. The police later found a handgun in his backpack.
Thankfully the teacher alerted authorities, she is an example of being proactive and definitely a teacher that needs to be commended for her immediate response.
What is going on with teens today? Why are they turning to criminal activity?
Criminal Activity and Your Teen
For many kids, adolescence is a trying phase of life. Body changes, school pressures, and personality changes can be very overwhelming to your teen when occurring all at once. Because of these pressures, adolescents can be more susceptible to things like peer pressure. Whether it’s out of a desire to fit in or stand out, your normally levelheaded teen can be easily pressured into committing dangerous and illegal acts they might never otherwise consider.
Sometimes, these activities are relatively harmless, and can include things like dying their hair a bold color, or cutting a class or two. But often, many teens find the desire to fit in so strong they are willing to compromise their own morals to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. They may be more likely to experiment with drugs or alcohol, or commit other criminal activities, all for the sake of ‘fitting in’.
Though there are many dangers your teen may encounter, this site deals specifically with teenagers and criminal activity, like shoplifting, vandalism, and violent crime. Teens can partake in these activities for many reasons- peer pressure being just one of a long list of possibilities.
References: NBC6 News, Parents Universal Resource Experts, Teen Criminal Activity Awareness, Teen and Youth Violence Prevention
Click here to read more articles about Parenting Teens.
Also on Examiner.com
Sue Scheff: The High Price of Bullying
After one of the most horrific acts of violence by teens in South Florida, which left 15-year old Michael Brewer with burns over two thirds of his body, 3 of the 5 teenagers accused of this despicable crime will be tried as adults.
This is a strong and solid message by Broward Circuit Judge Lee Seidman. What type of child or teen does this unconscionable act to another person? It is very disturbing to believe this type of violence exists and that bullying can reach a level of nearly killing another person.
Should minors be charged as adults? In some instances, such as this one, many believe that to be true. This crime was so heinous that adults have a hard time comprehending how anyone could do this to another person.
As a parent we need to take the time to talk with our children about this incident. Open up your lines of communication, talk about bullying, discuss consequences and answer their questions and concerns honestly.
Neighbors 4 Neighbors has created the Michael Brewer Fund to help the Brewer family with the high hospital costs. Additional fund raising is taking place throughout South Florida. Visit and join their Facebook Michael Brewer Foundation.
For more information on this story: Miami Herald, CBS4, ABC News
Learn more about bullying at Love Our Children USA, STOMP OUT Bullying, National Youth Violence Prevention Center.
Be an educated parent, have a safer teen.
Click here for more about this author.
Also on Examiner.com
Sue Scheff: Cyber stalking and Internet Defamation – Must See Documentary
For everyone and anyone that is reading this, you use the Internet. I recently watch the most compelling and disturbing documentary. I almost feel like Oprah when I say – you have to watch this! I have never been so moved to anger, rage, and other emotions that we are now confronted with because of monsters that lurk online.
My recent book, Google Bomb, is the tip of the iceberg after watching this film. The victims, and now crusaders, in this film contacted me after hearing about my book and my own experiences.
Many people that have read my book say they have nightmares if they read it before going to bed. I never really understood that. Until I watched this documentary and lived it through other’s lives. My story is horrible, what I endured, however since I was so enmeshed in surviving on a daily basis, I didn’t realize how traumatic it was.
I know many of you have limited time. Watch this 50 minute film in segments if you have to, but watch it.
The title is “Stalkers” however I would prefer to use a phrase that was recently introduced to me – “criminals with a keyboard.”
This film shares two stories with you. One with Graham Brown-Martin (pictured above) and his lovely wife, Ren as well as their toddler daughter and the other with a man, Chay, who in one weak moment had a one night stand that takes obsession to a new level. If there was ever a “Fatal Attraction” through the Internet, we have found it. However, unlike the Hollywood movie, Chay literally only had a one night stand, no strings attached. He never heard again from her until months later, and it would be the worse next years of his life.
Are you ready to watch? http://www.digitalsafety.com/cyberstalking
Don’t miss a minute of it! Visit Digital Safety for more information.
Sue Scheff: Where is your name online?
In today’s cyberspace world, the Internet is considered the information highway; however how do you determine what is Internet fact or fiction? Recently in Boca Raton, Florida a new service opened and it couldn’t be at a better time.
Today more and more people will Google you and the statistics are growing in regards to employers and college recruiters using Search Engines to research applicants. It has become imperative that you own your name and maintain your Internet Resume.
•53% of Americans Google each other. – Pew Internet & American Life
•26% of college admissions officers use search engines to research candidates. University of Massachusetts Center for Market Research
•64% of teens say that most teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about. -anti-drug.com
*77% of executive recruiters use search engines to research applicants. -CareerBuilder
Here is a recent Press Release to learn more about placing your name online:
BOCA RATON, FL (November 3, 2009) – With an increasing number of Internet users Googling themselves and others on a regular basis, having an established and positive online search profile is a necessity for both individuals and companies.
Whether it’s a job seeker concerned about what potential employers see about them online or a business owner with a new product launch, having a strong Internet presence under one’s own name is an absolute necessity.
With this in mind, a Florida-based Internet marketing company has announced the launch of PlaceYourName.com, a new service that helps users manage and control what is seen about them when their names are searched online.
Using a combination of Internet public relations, Web site development and proprietary techniques, PlaceYourName.com offers its users the ability to place their name, news and biographical content online, creating a positive search engine profile in the process.
For less than $50, PlaceYourName.com helps empower users to take control of their online image, regardless of writing ability, computer knowledge or whether or not they have an existing Web site.
PlaceYourName.com offers registered users a personalized User Control Panel (UCP), where they input their information, news and content. After approving changes made by a PlaceYourName.com editor, the information is then placed online across a wide variety of content portals.
Once distribution takes place, users then have the ability to log back into their UCP and see the new information in the search engines in real-time.
The cost, ease-of-use and emphasis on personalized name promotion are what separate PlaceYourName.com from other traditional online visibility services.
PlaceYourName.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of Search Me Group, LLC, an Internet marketing company dedicated to establishing online visibility for individuals, companies and organizations.
For more information, visit http://www.PlaceYourName.com or call 1-561-404-4790. Take a few minutes to watch the video and see how PlaceYourName can help you!
If you doubt that maintaining your virtual image is important, be sure to read my recent book, Google Bomb! The Untold Story of How the $11.3M Verdict Changed the Way We Use the Internet.
Also on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-19494-Broward-County-Parenting-Teens-Examiner~y2009m11d3-New-service-helps-Place-Your-Name-virtually-correct
Sue Scheff: Conversations with Moms Continues with her praise for Google Bomb Book
CEO and Founder of ReputationDefender.The response has been overwhelming to Google Bomb book and I am thrilled that the reviews just get better and better. Be sure to order your copy today.
Source: Conversations with Moms
By: Maria Melo
When I wrote about my review of the Google Bomb book, I was not surprised about all the emails and comments I received concerning online reputation. I felt like I had learned a lot from reading this book and was a little less naive about the potential threats online.
Read complete interview: http://conversationswithmoms.com/2009/10/30/reputation-defender-protect-familys-online-reputation/
Follow ReputationDefender on Twitter @RepDef
Follow Conversations with Moms on Twitter @ConversationsWM
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Recent
- Sue Scheff: Volunteer Spot (Part 2)
- Sue Scheff: Google Bomb Book Explodes in Canada
- Sue Scheff: Volunteering Just Got Easier!
- Sue Scheff: LIVESTRONG and Ziggy Helping Others
- Sue Scheff: ReputationDefender Expands with NameGrab – Own Your Identity!
- Sue Scheff: Teen Brings a Gun to School with a Hit List
- Sue Scheff: The High Price of Bullying
- Sue Scheff: Cyber stalking and Internet Defamation – Must See Documentary
- Sue Scheff: Where is your name online?
- Sue Scheff: Conversations with Moms Continues with her praise for Google Bomb Book
- Sue Scheff: Youth and Teen Violence
- Magnolia Christian School formerly Carolina Springs Academy Alert
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Links
