Issue Date: Vol. 50, No. 6, June 2010, Posted On: 6/21/2010
Bringing Cashless Vending Into Focus
Alicia Lavay-Kertes
Alicia@vendingtimes.net
National Automatic Merchandising Association, NAMA, Bank of America, cashless vending, vending, vending business, vending machine, coin machine operator, vendor, vending news, bulk vending, coin-op, coin-op games, coin-op news, Vending Times, Alicia Lavay
The industry is talking about the National Automatic Merchandising Association's new Cashless Solutions program. For readers who are not familiar with NAMA's newly formed relationship with Bank of America Merchant Services, you can read more about it elsewhere in this issue.
If you are aware of it but are still confused, I have a sneaking suspicion that you're not alone. Don't get me wrong. I truly believe that this is a real game-changer, just what we need to revitalize the industry. We have recognized for years that offering patrons the ability to pay with their debit or credit cards can overcome much of their resistance to $1-plus vend prices. And we have known that alert use of today's technology can allow us to devote more attention to spending patterns and better meet patrons' desires, while learning more about those patrons. So why isn't everyone doing it? Because it costs money. Perhaps worse, it involves a great many parts, and it's not easy to see how they fit together.
The good news is that NAMA has been able to negotiate attractive processing rates with BAMS for the new Cashless Solutions program. Those who have been on the fence, wondering whether (or when) to adapt or purchase new vending equipment, now see several paths that they can follow. Access to the details gives shape to the imagination; people can envision the steps involved in getting from here to there.
For this reason, suppliers should be aware that a great many operators now will be drafting plans, even if only in broad outline, and those plans will include hardware and software preferences. Now is the time to make themselves and their products visible and desirable.
To understand the opportunity, we need to understand the choices. The NAMA program is a good place to start, because it is detailed and transparent. It is an excellent source of questions to ask prospective service providers.
When I took a step back, I recognized that my confusion largely was caused by the number of participants involved in a cashless transaction. NAMA does a good job of explaining this. In broad outline, there are four, including the cardholder. Completing the transaction involves looking to see whether the card is valid, then sending the charge to an acquiring (or merchant bank) for settlement and to an issuing bank, which issued the card and bills the cardholder. This basic structure predates wireless networks and even the networked merchant terminals used in retail stores. Underlying it was (and is) a supervisory body - a "card association" or something that does the same things - to establish and enforce rules, and to route transaction data to the cardholder's bank.
Automated transaction processing at high speed has slashed the cost of doing all this. It has made accepting cards attractive to retailers selling lower-price merchandise. For that to happen, though, more components had to evolve. These include a secure wide-area communications medium or channel (in vending, almost always a wireless network), a "payment gateway" to receive the transaction request, retrieve the data and generate reports, and a "payment processor" to receive data from the "gateway" and route it through the card association to the acquiring bank.
This complexity makes it hard to tell who is doing what, and to whom; but it does encourage competition and so widen choice, spur progress and keep costs down. Variety offers operators the ability to choose, or assemble, a program that meets their needs most closely.
This point isn't often made, but I think it should be. If one giant organization controlled every part the system, including the communications medium, and allowed no competition, it would have little reason to improve and it could charge what the traffic would bear. As it is, we have a fruitful mix of competition and cooperation that has expanded the playing field.
Another point worth making is that every advance in vending payment has imposed a cost, but also has increased sales volume and made it possible to sell a wider variety of merchandise. The ability to offer major credit and bank debit card acceptance can strengthen the appeal of "closed" (hosted internal) cashless systems in the many locations that can benefit from them. This is good for operators, suppliers and locations alike. It broadens the range of available options that operators can adapt to their locations' needs.
And, unlike coin changers and bill validators, cashless terminals give vending access to a new world of retail promotional opportunities. They represent another step (and it is a big one) in vending's long journey toward the retailing mainstream.
Operators now can, and should, study their particular situations carefully, evaluate their options, and adopt the new technology they need when they need it.
The worst thing to do would be to ignore opportunity when it knocks. We cannot let the world pass us by.
What's Inside
Microtronic Components
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Terri Starnes-Bryant, My Fearless Story...........
I am native of High Point, NC and a lifelong resident. I attended Ledford Senior High School and upon graduation, attended Western Carolina University where my selected major was Graphic Design. After three semesters at WCU, I transferred to Guilford Technical Community College and took courses in Accounting, Art and Photography. Due to life struggles, I was never able to attain a college degree, but that didn’t stop my drive for success.
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I was determined to make it in the business world one way or another. I attempted many business ventures, only to be stopped by financial limitations or family issues, but knew entrepreneurship had to be in my future someday.
I married my first husband, secretly, at 17 years old in South Carolina while at WCU. We were married for three years before we told our family and that was after we had a full blown wedding with gown, pictures, cake and all the works. Not until I was pregnant with my first daughter did I finally tell my mother how long we had actually been married. Quite a shock is an understatement.
Within nine months of giving birth to our daughter, I was pregnant with our son. Someone told me it was harder to conceive the second time around – WRONG, but anyway, we were on the roller coaster of life. My first husband was overwhelmed and turned to drugs and alcohol – I was blind to it for awhile but really had no idea until he lost his job. That was the turning point in our marriage and I left. Within one month, he took his life. He was only 29 years old and the kids were five and three.
I tried hanging wallpaper for a living, which was great for a while, and then I tried a pet sitting service, which bombed. My closest success was a courier service where I did really well until my best customer told me I had to be available 24/7. With two small kids, there was just no way to make it work. I even flipped a few houses on my own, where I was nicknamed “Terri Tool Time” – I thoroughly love working with tools. I had various jobs from bank teller to graphic designer, to finally coming to work for my future husband. I actually had to beg for the job. It’s one of those stories that you tell your kids when they start looking for a job – keep going back until they throw you out the door – well he didn’t throw me out and gave me a chance to prove myself. I offered to work for two weeks without pay just to show I could do the job. I started in the warehouse where I learned to drive a tow motor. I cleaned, filed, stacked, stocked, answered the phone, you name it, I did it. We obviously started dating and through some trials and tribulations, we finally got married.
He had two young daughters and I had a daughter and son. We weren’t exactly the “Brady Bunch”, but we tried. I previously had a tubal ligation after my son was born, but we decided to try to have a child together, so I had a reverse tubal and it worked – another daughter. Our attempt at raising the most dysfunctional family I had ever encountered turned totally upside down. Once the older kids were in their teens, we went through everything from teenage pregnancy to drug abuse to alcohol abuse to shooting BB guns at passing cars. It was horrible and I was the weak, too lenient parent who had a real hard time with discipline, so my kids paid the price and I had a stress Heart Attack at age 45. They were in and out of drug rehab and/or jail multiple times, still addicts, but now clean, prayerfully for good! We now have three beautiful grandchildren and starting to make life seem promising and exciting again.
My husband sold his company due to the economic downturns and we have made major life adjustments. Our home of 16 years burned to the ground due to a chimney fire. Our whole world was falling around us. While this was happening, I was able to attain U.S. distributorship of Microtronic, a technology product out of Switzerland and finally had my own company! I tried it on my own, but eventually partnered with a great businessman and it is quickly becoming successful! The future holds many great mysteries and adventures and I can hardly wait! My being featured in the book, "Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom" is truly a whole new chapter in my life!
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I was determined to make it in the business world one way or another. I attempted many business ventures, only to be stopped by financial limitations or family issues, but knew entrepreneurship had to be in my future someday.
I married my first husband, secretly, at 17 years old in South Carolina while at WCU. We were married for three years before we told our family and that was after we had a full blown wedding with gown, pictures, cake and all the works. Not until I was pregnant with my first daughter did I finally tell my mother how long we had actually been married. Quite a shock is an understatement.
Within nine months of giving birth to our daughter, I was pregnant with our son. Someone told me it was harder to conceive the second time around – WRONG, but anyway, we were on the roller coaster of life. My first husband was overwhelmed and turned to drugs and alcohol – I was blind to it for awhile but really had no idea until he lost his job. That was the turning point in our marriage and I left. Within one month, he took his life. He was only 29 years old and the kids were five and three.
I tried hanging wallpaper for a living, which was great for a while, and then I tried a pet sitting service, which bombed. My closest success was a courier service where I did really well until my best customer told me I had to be available 24/7. With two small kids, there was just no way to make it work. I even flipped a few houses on my own, where I was nicknamed “Terri Tool Time” – I thoroughly love working with tools. I had various jobs from bank teller to graphic designer, to finally coming to work for my future husband. I actually had to beg for the job. It’s one of those stories that you tell your kids when they start looking for a job – keep going back until they throw you out the door – well he didn’t throw me out and gave me a chance to prove myself. I offered to work for two weeks without pay just to show I could do the job. I started in the warehouse where I learned to drive a tow motor. I cleaned, filed, stacked, stocked, answered the phone, you name it, I did it. We obviously started dating and through some trials and tribulations, we finally got married.
He had two young daughters and I had a daughter and son. We weren’t exactly the “Brady Bunch”, but we tried. I previously had a tubal ligation after my son was born, but we decided to try to have a child together, so I had a reverse tubal and it worked – another daughter. Our attempt at raising the most dysfunctional family I had ever encountered turned totally upside down. Once the older kids were in their teens, we went through everything from teenage pregnancy to drug abuse to alcohol abuse to shooting BB guns at passing cars. It was horrible and I was the weak, too lenient parent who had a real hard time with discipline, so my kids paid the price and I had a stress Heart Attack at age 45. They were in and out of drug rehab and/or jail multiple times, still addicts, but now clean, prayerfully for good! We now have three beautiful grandchildren and starting to make life seem promising and exciting again.
My husband sold his company due to the economic downturns and we have made major life adjustments. Our home of 16 years burned to the ground due to a chimney fire. Our whole world was falling around us. While this was happening, I was able to attain U.S. distributorship of Microtronic, a technology product out of Switzerland and finally had my own company! I tried it on my own, but eventually partnered with a great businessman and it is quickly becoming successful! The future holds many great mysteries and adventures and I can hardly wait! My being featured in the book, "Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom" is truly a whole new chapter in my life!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Welcome to the Fearless Women Revolution!
Hello to All my wonderful, Family, Friends and Colleagues. . . . I have been selected to be in the below referenced book . . .which is amazing!! And terrifying!! Please read the Press Release context and my comments and picture at the bottom and let me know if you have any ideas.
Welcome to the Fearless Women Revolution!
In her extraordinary photography book, Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom, internationally acclaimed author and photographer Mary Ann Halpin has brought together 40 female entrepreneurs from across the country to celebrate their courage and strength in having worked through their fears to achieve great personal and professional success. With the release date of June 22, 2010 the launch of Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom will be celebrated throughout summer to culminate in a national event in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Chicago, Calgary, Toronto and many more.
After the publication of her book, Fearless Women, Midlife Portraits, Mary Ann was inundated with letters from women all over the country who wanted to experience the empowerment of their own personal portraits. This desire prompted the idea of Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom. This fine-art coffee table book of 40 women each holding a sword of courage, reveals the stories of how they have transformed their challenges into triumphs. The book represents women who have overcome childhood trauma, physical and emotional illness, and near financial devastation. These courageous women are mirrors and examples for us all. Their stories show us that in order to create conscious change within, we must face our fears and walk through them.
Following each story is a Fearless Wisdom quote that imparts a heartfelt belief and a soul-inspiring gift. The back of the book holds a dedication page for a fearless friend, sister or mother to place their picture and share their own fearless experience.
The women adorned on the pages of this book will use its promotion as a vehicle to raise awareness and support for their most impassioned cause and beloved charity. An annual “Fearless Women Day” is being created in honor of the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified, which gave women the right to vote. On this day, August 26th, 2010, selected women from all over the country and Canada, will be given a Fearless Women - Susan B. Anthony Award to celebrate her fearless contribution to the world. The ultimate goal of the award is not only to honor the selected fearless woman, but also to support her dream and help her gain closer access to her goals.
About Mary Ann Halpin
Mary Ann passionately focuses her lens on women's issues. Her first book, Pregnant Goddesshood: A Celebration of Life, has garnered national attention for its powerful images. However, controversial at the time, Mary Ann portrayed pregnant women as radiant and beautiful beings and encouraged them to embrace and celebrate their pregnant bodies with a commemorative portrait. Her photography book blazed the trail and inspired photographers to create maternity portraits that are continuously popular with expectant moms today. Images from Pregnant Goddesshood have been featured in LIFE magazine. Mary Ann has appeared on television shows such as The View, Inside Edition, Extra, and A Baby Story where the book sparked heated national discussion. As a leader in her field, she has been featured on the hit reality show “Starting Over” where she can be seen generously mentoring a young photographer who tragically lost her mother on 9/11.
Her second publication, Fearless Women: Midlife Portraits, contains compelling black and white portraits of women holding swords who have dared to approach aging with passion and fearlessness. This book features celebrities such as Joni Mitchell, Cybill Shepherd, Erin Brockovich, and many other extraordinary women.
Continuing with the “Fearless” theme, Mary Ann has served as a speaker on the “Fearless Women Panel” at eWomenNetwork International Business Convention in Dallas 2008-2009. After photographing over 130 women at the conference, she was inspired to create Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom.
With 25,000 members strong, the groundswell of the revolution has already begun and is taking America by storm. The women featured in the book hail from cities such as: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, High Point, Austin, Nashville, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Kansas City, Seattle, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boulder, Calgary and Toronto. They are all eager to share their stories.
We invite you to be a part of the revolution!
. . .I am the only woman in North Carolina and we are all looking for ideas to promote the book and I, for the “Fearless Women Day” in North Carolina. If any of you have ideas or media contacts throughout North Carolina (as well as the United States and/or Canada), I/we would be greatly appreciative. We have a few great ideas and have approached ABC’s Good Morning America, who is very interested, but this revolution needs to also be in every major (and minor) city throughout, to celebrate women (mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, friends, etc.). We need ideas for the nominees for the “Fearless Women Day” in each city that wants to be involved - and especially in North Carolina! We are obviously trying to raise funds for our individual charity through book sales. I will have 75 books with my picture on the cover for $30 each, but have unlimited access of books with Pam, our “cover girl” above. I am still trying to connect with my chosen charity to see if they are interested in being involved, but if there are any suggestions, I am somewhat open. I welcome all feedback and information. Please feel free to share this email if you have contacts that may be interested in a project such as this. I am also looking for Bookstore(s) that may want to participate in our promotion(with Pam on the cover). Please also contact me to find out if your city is planning to be involved. Thank you for your time and attention!
Fearlessly yours,
Preorder your autographed copy by Mary Ann Halpin
Terri Starnes-Bryant
President
1-800-879-3586
www.MicrotronicUS.com
Welcome to the Fearless Women Revolution!
In her extraordinary photography book, Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom, internationally acclaimed author and photographer Mary Ann Halpin has brought together 40 female entrepreneurs from across the country to celebrate their courage and strength in having worked through their fears to achieve great personal and professional success. With the release date of June 22, 2010 the launch of Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom will be celebrated throughout summer to culminate in a national event in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Chicago, Calgary, Toronto and many more.
After the publication of her book, Fearless Women, Midlife Portraits, Mary Ann was inundated with letters from women all over the country who wanted to experience the empowerment of their own personal portraits. This desire prompted the idea of Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom. This fine-art coffee table book of 40 women each holding a sword of courage, reveals the stories of how they have transformed their challenges into triumphs. The book represents women who have overcome childhood trauma, physical and emotional illness, and near financial devastation. These courageous women are mirrors and examples for us all. Their stories show us that in order to create conscious change within, we must face our fears and walk through them.
Following each story is a Fearless Wisdom quote that imparts a heartfelt belief and a soul-inspiring gift. The back of the book holds a dedication page for a fearless friend, sister or mother to place their picture and share their own fearless experience.
The women adorned on the pages of this book will use its promotion as a vehicle to raise awareness and support for their most impassioned cause and beloved charity. An annual “Fearless Women Day” is being created in honor of the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified, which gave women the right to vote. On this day, August 26th, 2010, selected women from all over the country and Canada, will be given a Fearless Women - Susan B. Anthony Award to celebrate her fearless contribution to the world. The ultimate goal of the award is not only to honor the selected fearless woman, but also to support her dream and help her gain closer access to her goals.
About Mary Ann Halpin
Mary Ann passionately focuses her lens on women's issues. Her first book, Pregnant Goddesshood: A Celebration of Life, has garnered national attention for its powerful images. However, controversial at the time, Mary Ann portrayed pregnant women as radiant and beautiful beings and encouraged them to embrace and celebrate their pregnant bodies with a commemorative portrait. Her photography book blazed the trail and inspired photographers to create maternity portraits that are continuously popular with expectant moms today. Images from Pregnant Goddesshood have been featured in LIFE magazine. Mary Ann has appeared on television shows such as The View, Inside Edition, Extra, and A Baby Story where the book sparked heated national discussion. As a leader in her field, she has been featured on the hit reality show “Starting Over” where she can be seen generously mentoring a young photographer who tragically lost her mother on 9/11.
Her second publication, Fearless Women: Midlife Portraits, contains compelling black and white portraits of women holding swords who have dared to approach aging with passion and fearlessness. This book features celebrities such as Joni Mitchell, Cybill Shepherd, Erin Brockovich, and many other extraordinary women.
Continuing with the “Fearless” theme, Mary Ann has served as a speaker on the “Fearless Women Panel” at eWomenNetwork International Business Convention in Dallas 2008-2009. After photographing over 130 women at the conference, she was inspired to create Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom.
With 25,000 members strong, the groundswell of the revolution has already begun and is taking America by storm. The women featured in the book hail from cities such as: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, High Point, Austin, Nashville, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Kansas City, Seattle, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boulder, Calgary and Toronto. They are all eager to share their stories.
We invite you to be a part of the revolution!
. . .I am the only woman in North Carolina and we are all looking for ideas to promote the book and I, for the “Fearless Women Day” in North Carolina. If any of you have ideas or media contacts throughout North Carolina (as well as the United States and/or Canada), I/we would be greatly appreciative. We have a few great ideas and have approached ABC’s Good Morning America, who is very interested, but this revolution needs to also be in every major (and minor) city throughout, to celebrate women (mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, friends, etc.). We need ideas for the nominees for the “Fearless Women Day” in each city that wants to be involved - and especially in North Carolina! We are obviously trying to raise funds for our individual charity through book sales. I will have 75 books with my picture on the cover for $30 each, but have unlimited access of books with Pam, our “cover girl” above. I am still trying to connect with my chosen charity to see if they are interested in being involved, but if there are any suggestions, I am somewhat open. I welcome all feedback and information. Please feel free to share this email if you have contacts that may be interested in a project such as this. I am also looking for Bookstore(s) that may want to participate in our promotion(with Pam on the cover). Please also contact me to find out if your city is planning to be involved. Thank you for your time and attention!
Fearlessly yours,
Preorder your autographed copy by Mary Ann Halpin
Terri Starnes-Bryant
President
1-800-879-3586
www.MicrotronicUS.com
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Full Benefits of TRUE Cashless Vending
Microtronic has many features in Cashless/Prepaid Vending that other systems do not currently offer. Typically operators, as well as some members of NAMA, view “Cashless” as Credit Card acceptance only. We must strongly disagree, as Cashless has many more aspects than simply Credit Card acceptance.
Microtronic Cashless Systems offers a “Cashless” Smart Chip technology that is virtually contactless with no moving parts and is MDB Level 3 compatible. Our system integrates the capability of loading value at the Vending Machine or at our dedicated Loading Station. We also offer the options of Payroll Deduction and Credit Card Loading. With our Credit Card Loading feature, the operator decides how much the “swipe” is going to be. If the charge is $10.00 from the Credit Card, loaded to our media, the percentage rate drops to 2.5% and the operator has that money before any vend has been made. Bonus loading is another feature that many operators are using. To increase the preloading of money to the media, for example, an operator can give a 10% bonus for $5, $10 or $20 loads.
Microtronic offers “Electronic Tokens” which can be used as traditional Tokens that are given out by an operator today. Tokens can be given on a daily basis to purchase isotonic drinks only. Tokens can be “earned” for purchases, such as “Healthy Choice” items, where they build until reaching a level to purchase a “free” Token available item. The Tokens can also be “Virtual Money”, in the scenario of giving a set amount to each employee, on a weekly or monthly basis, as an employee bonus, with any leftover balance disappearing at the end of the period or continuing to build.
Cash money or Virtual Money can be added directly at the Vending Machine on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or set date automatically using the Microtronic system. We also have 4 different price categories available within any given environment. One group can pay full price, while another group gets a 10% discount or penny increment discount, etc. We also have operators that offer a discount when using the Microtronic media versus cash to increase loading.
Microtronic offers a “Bonus” feature that some operators are using today. For instance, a Bonus point can be given on all selections in a Food machine, while there can be one or two rows of prepackaged condiment kits in a Snack machine that can “free” vend with the Bonus point. This drastically cuts down on condiments walking out of the break room or being used for meals brought in.
These are just a few of the features of the Microtronic Cashless System. Contact us for many additional options.
Microtronic Cashless Systems offers a “Cashless” Smart Chip technology that is virtually contactless with no moving parts and is MDB Level 3 compatible. Our system integrates the capability of loading value at the Vending Machine or at our dedicated Loading Station. We also offer the options of Payroll Deduction and Credit Card Loading. With our Credit Card Loading feature, the operator decides how much the “swipe” is going to be. If the charge is $10.00 from the Credit Card, loaded to our media, the percentage rate drops to 2.5% and the operator has that money before any vend has been made. Bonus loading is another feature that many operators are using. To increase the preloading of money to the media, for example, an operator can give a 10% bonus for $5, $10 or $20 loads.
Microtronic offers “Electronic Tokens” which can be used as traditional Tokens that are given out by an operator today. Tokens can be given on a daily basis to purchase isotonic drinks only. Tokens can be “earned” for purchases, such as “Healthy Choice” items, where they build until reaching a level to purchase a “free” Token available item. The Tokens can also be “Virtual Money”, in the scenario of giving a set amount to each employee, on a weekly or monthly basis, as an employee bonus, with any leftover balance disappearing at the end of the period or continuing to build.
Cash money or Virtual Money can be added directly at the Vending Machine on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or set date automatically using the Microtronic system. We also have 4 different price categories available within any given environment. One group can pay full price, while another group gets a 10% discount or penny increment discount, etc. We also have operators that offer a discount when using the Microtronic media versus cash to increase loading.
Microtronic offers a “Bonus” feature that some operators are using today. For instance, a Bonus point can be given on all selections in a Food machine, while there can be one or two rows of prepackaged condiment kits in a Snack machine that can “free” vend with the Bonus point. This drastically cuts down on condiments walking out of the break room or being used for meals brought in.
These are just a few of the features of the Microtronic Cashless System. Contact us for many additional options.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Microtronic Press Release
Microtronic Press Release in Vending Market Watch yesterday. We have partnered with C-Secure for machine monitoring and vehicle and asset tracking. We have also partnered with Fountain Bob for cashless fountain vending to cut down on the losses with self serve applications.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom
Photographer Mary Ann Halpin gathered 40 extraordinary women entrepreneurs to create the book, "Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom" to be released in June, 2010. I am very honored to be one of those women. The portraits and stories of these courageous women have transformed their life-challenges into life-triumphs. Visit: www.maryannhalpin.com for more information.
Mary Ann’s vision is global: she shares: "Dedicated to contribution in the world, each woman in this book will use the opportunity as a vehicle to raise awareness and fundraiser for each of their causes and charities." We will also begin a "Fearless Women Day" that will be held on August 26, 2010 in honor of Susan B. Anthony. This date will be the 90th anniversary of the ratification to give women the right to vote. Many women will be honored around the country on that day.
My story:
I want to help educate people about Drug Addiction and the affects on the individuals and especially their families. As a person who has been affected by Drug Addiction within my family, my “cause” is to become a spokeswoman for Mother's Against Addiction, to help people understand the affects on the family members and where they can go for help. It is very hurtful to watch someone you love go through their battle, as others in the family turn against the addict. The misunderstanding of "why" and the blame game causes deep emotional damage. Support organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are there for the addict. I will be fundraising and giving proceeds from my book sales to start a foundation to help educate the affected families. My website is under construction, but will be up soon: www.mothersagainstaddiction.org.
I am honored to still have my family members who have been tortured by their addiction. The fact that we will be able to share this fearless movement that Mary Ann Halpin has created in the Fearless Women book and through others, help thousands more. Thank you Mary Ann, for beginning this project and being our guide and voice. Blessings often present themselves in mysterious ways and this book, "Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom" is a blessing.
I would appreciate any advice or help that can be given to us...media, contacts, ideas..! Thank you.
Mary Ann’s vision is global: she shares: "Dedicated to contribution in the world, each woman in this book will use the opportunity as a vehicle to raise awareness and fundraiser for each of their causes and charities." We will also begin a "Fearless Women Day" that will be held on August 26, 2010 in honor of Susan B. Anthony. This date will be the 90th anniversary of the ratification to give women the right to vote. Many women will be honored around the country on that day.
My story:
I want to help educate people about Drug Addiction and the affects on the individuals and especially their families. As a person who has been affected by Drug Addiction within my family, my “cause” is to become a spokeswoman for Mother's Against Addiction, to help people understand the affects on the family members and where they can go for help. It is very hurtful to watch someone you love go through their battle, as others in the family turn against the addict. The misunderstanding of "why" and the blame game causes deep emotional damage. Support organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are there for the addict. I will be fundraising and giving proceeds from my book sales to start a foundation to help educate the affected families. My website is under construction, but will be up soon: www.mothersagainstaddiction.org.
I am honored to still have my family members who have been tortured by their addiction. The fact that we will be able to share this fearless movement that Mary Ann Halpin has created in the Fearless Women book and through others, help thousands more. Thank you Mary Ann, for beginning this project and being our guide and voice. Blessings often present themselves in mysterious ways and this book, "Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom" is a blessing.
I would appreciate any advice or help that can be given to us...media, contacts, ideas..! Thank you.
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