Janet's Civic Venture

$150 and counting...

We are on our way! 

Making cents

Why did I choose this name for my blog?

1. The play on words captures my love of language.
2. To "make sense" of my life, I need to understand my relationship with money.
3. Raising $100,000 for a Civic Ventures Purpose Prize can begin with just a few cents.

This week I will set up a "deposits-only" bank account and begin to track donations.  Check back later this week to find out how to contribute!

Here is my commitment:  Every time someone joins my Send Out Cards team, I will add $50 to the Purpose Prize fund.  So by doing well, I will also be doing good--making a difference, making change.

Hey, "making change" is another great metaphor related to life and money.  See, isn't this fun?

Send Out Cards is my "encore career" and an amazing company with an online system that helps you keep in touch with everyone who matters.  Take advantage of my 30-day gift account, which comes with 5 greeting cards with your personal note (printed, stamped and mailed for you) and learn more about Send Out Cards at www.sendoutcards.com/janetostrov

Looking for your own encore career?  I recommend ENCORE: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life, by Marc Freedman, Founder of Civic Ventures and Co-Founder of The Purpose Prize.

Will you still need me when I'm 64

When Paul McCartney wrote this, he was just 16, and 64 must have seemed really old.  Now 67, Paul McCartney is still singing, has a new love in his life and actively promotes animal rights and campaigns vigorously against landmines.

Now meet Conchy Bretos, a few years younger than McCartney, and not nearly as rich or famous.  But what a powerhouse!  She rows daily to keep her mind and body in shape and is the CEO of MIA Consulting Group, Inc. a for-profit corporation founded in 1995 for the purpose of creating public housing and affordable assisted living facilities.

Ms. Bretos was honored with the first $100,000 Purpose Prize Award for her innovative work in bringing assisted living services to public housing, saving the state of Florida millions of dollars while allowing the elderly to stay in their own homes and still receive the assistance they needed.  The Purpose Prize awarded by Civic Ventures has helped her continue that work in three other states.  

According to Conchy, who I had the pleasure of meeting several years ago and interviewing on my short-lived talk radio show, Great Minds Coaching:

"The only things I regret are the things I haven't done or did not do."

Not to decide is to decide.

"Quick!  Answer this riddle:  Three frogs are sitting on a lily pad.  One decides to jump off.  How many frogs remain on the lily pad?"

Three... since just thinking about doing something doesn't make it happen. 

I came across this yesterday in a book by David Cottrell titled Monday Morning Choices--12 Powerful Ways to Go From Everyday to Extraordinary.  Ok, so I am a sucker for self-help books and will be sharing some of the titles from my vast collection from time to time here in this blog.

I have created this blog for 3 reasons:

1.  I have always wanted to write a book and haven't (yet), so this gets me writing.

2.  In just 25 short weeks from today I will be 60 years old.  More on that later.

3.  I have decided to raise $100,000 to donate to Civic Ventures [www.civicventures.org] for a Purpose Prize and this is my way of jumping off the lily pad.  More on that later, too. 

Yes, I just decided this today, but something has been stirring in my soul since I "discovered" this amazing group a few years back.  So I decided to take action.  Right now.  Today.  No going back.

I hope you will join me on this journey.