Our (Juvenile Hall Facilities) options were limited until "Be the Star You Are" came into our lives. Goosebumps books, comic books, old magazines. Not exactly "mind food." Let's just say we have a "captive audience." Our children have many opportunities throughout the day to pick up a book and read. With that opportunity we have a chance to get positive information into their heads. Most of our young people are looking for anything to cling to, a place to belong. The positive messages they get through the books you donate is a wonderful place to cling. Many have never even been exposed to positive thought, we find them embracing those thoughts and changing their attitudes.

It is a slow and arduous task we have in raising our future leaders.

There is little doubt that the positive impact, "Be the Star You Are," has had will be most evident years from now. For now the Juvenile Hall staff is happy to pass out your materials and see a glowing transformation in progress as the youngsters speak and act more positively.

Shannon Grosenheider
Juvenile Hall Auxiliary
Martinez CA

Dear Cynthia:

  I suffered two heart attacks in January 2003.  The second attack
occurred in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at St Joseph's Medical Center
in Stockton, CA.  Two  nurses saved my life.  I know that those two were
angels disguised as nurses.  After the attack, I had four stents placed
in my heart over the  next four months, and finally in August of 2003,
it was determined I needed open heart surgery.  I had a triple by-pass
as I was told that I did not have much time left if I did not have this
procedure.  I am in my 37th year of teaching World History and coaching
high school football and softball at Linden High School.  I have lost
165 lbs since my first heart attack. The cardiologist and heart surgeons
both gave me a clean bill of health last month and told me to come back
in a year.   I am 58 and feel like I am 28 years old.  This past spring,
my softball team won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV
Championship and I was fortunate to be named California's Small School
Softball 'Coach of the Year'.  Catholic Health Care West and St Joseph's
Medical Center asked if they could put my picture on some billboards in
the Stockton/Lodi area as their 'Miracles Happen' example.  I told them
yes.  This Saturday I am walking in the American Heart Association's
Heart Walk.  I have raised $3,200 for this event and I am excited about
doing this.  I volunteer on Saturday mornings in the heart unit and talk
to patients coming out of open heart surgery and show them that the
procedure does work, and that there are better days ahead.  Why I am
writing is to tell you that I purchased your book 'Be The Star You Are'
last year.  I refer to it every day.  It has been my guiding light on a
daily basis, and God bless you for making this available to the public.
  I can't tell you how grateful I am to be alive, and for the nurses
that saved my life.  I have bequested some land to the nurse who
actually saved my life as my brothers and I also farm walnuts in the
Linden area.  I know she is someone special, and always will be.  Sorry
for rambling, but wanted to say thank you.  I am living life to the
fullest, and grateful for each day, and realize that if you can't have
some fun along the way, why make the journey.