Head Coaches Martina and Jim Couldry are delighted with the continued success of our Sandpoint, Idaho team and the overall 30% increase in participation that Idaho has experienced this year.   Sandpoint, Idaho Special Olympics is under-funded and all financial support is deeply appreciated.  Special Olympics in Sandpoint needs more coaches and volunteers and Martina would love to hear from you at martina@cdint.net or call her and Jim Couldry at home when you have a chance to find our what opportunities are unmet at (208) 263-7356. 

 Watch for our Athletic Ambassadors in this year’s 4th of July parade on Saturday!  They should be returning to Sandpoint sometime today!

Unofficially known as the GSA Father-Daughter dance but was name-changed to reflect and allow for other Father models to accompany the girls to the dance.   Heather Bunty and her scouts organized a flawless event that included many new Dads this year.   Delicious food, tasty desserts, and Dads decked out like extras from Hawaii 5-0 were the perfect complement to all the brightly colored dresses worn by our favorite cookie providers.

Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts … it’s all good.  Even fact it’s even great!   Think about getting involved in Scouting while your kids are in elementary school.   These are wonderful organizations that educate and inform and provide a healthy outlet for fun and friendship for Sandpoint’s youth.   The Dads that take their daughters to this event are creating joyful memories while demonstrating to their daughters a few of the qualities to look for in men later in life.   Just one more piece of the puzzle that we all try to put together to help our daughters prepare for all that the years ahead hold.

P.S. All the pictures from the dance are on my Facebook and MySpace pages.   My email is DYoung6962@aol.com and I have copies of the original pics and size.

Aloha

Thank you one and all for caring about our kids, their personal progress, their personal development, and for providing us parents (me) with some outstanding cues to reinforce what you teach and for creating a partnership with us to benefit our children.   We are truly blessed.    The pictures I took today are on my facebook page and you may email me at DYoung6962@aol.com for originals in the much, much, larger size.   The pictures are free to all.   Congratulations to the parents!  

1.  Go to the TEAM WEBSITE here.

2.   Under “Welcome to the Team Page Virtual Reality” CLICK on JOIN TEAM.

3.   Go to the 3rd Option ” Participant Joining A Team” and CLICK.

4.  Click on “next step” at bottom of page.

5.  Click on “new user”.

6.  It will take a few minutes to fill out just the info that applies to you.

7.  After you have joined there is an opportunity to customize your personal page or use the material provided.

8.  There will be a screen to allow you to use material provided and reach out to your friends electronically for a donation.

9.  People can donate to you online.

10.  If you are in North Carolina, California, Florida or elsewhere in the country - you follow all of the instructions AND

go to Twitter.com and join up.  Seriously takes about 30 seconds.

11.   Take some time during the Cancer Relay between 6 pm on Friday through 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning; sign into twitter.com and go to http://twitter.com/bashfuldanyoung and type encouraging notes to the people walking inside the Main Exhibit Hall at the Fairgrounds.  They will see you name, picture, and message on the big screen or wall while they are walking.

We are trying to make this a really fun-filled overnight experience for the teams.   We have live bands, live performers, Sumo Wrestling, Guitar Hero Contest, Wii Tournament, Scottish Highland Dancers, food, beverages, sunrise breakfast, and so much more.   The virtual team was meant to keep us connected even though you have moved on to college, marriage, and jobs that have taken you to other parts of the country.  If you sign up and participate; we can all be connected again and raise funds to fight a disease that has taken too much from us already.   All you have to do is use the computer you are sitting at and in about 20-30 minutes you can be on the team, have a page, send a request to your email friends and relatives to have them go to YOUR page and donate five bucks.   You can check back online at any time to see how you are doing and how our team is doing.

This is about the last chance I will have to make a pitch for you to join up.  I am hoping to check back tomorrow and the next day and see some of your names on our team list.  I will continue to post to my Facebook page each day and I can answer questions at DYoung6962@aol.com or call me at 1-208-290-2249.

The folks who participated in the 6th Annual Canine Caper on Saturday, May 9, 2009 in Bonners Ferry, Idaho were definitely crazy!   Crazy for their dogs (that came in as many sizes as the kids that eat Armor hotdogs ) and excited to participate in a fun 5k walk under shocking blue skies, whipped cream clouds and along the lazy Moyie River.

The funds raised all go to the 2nd Chance Animal Adoption, Inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit group.   Their mission statement is:  “We strive to act as faithful stewards for all abandoned, lost, homeless, and abused animals entrusted to our care in Boundary County, with the ultimate goal of finding lifelong, loving homes for every one”.

There was a lengthy list of sponsors from throughout the community lead by Dr. Marty Becker and his boss Theresa that enabled the Canine Caper Club to create an awesome events where over 100 incredible dogs were able to walk their humans for an outstanding cause.   There was terrific information on hand from http://www.petconnection.com/ along with vendors, Border Bob’s BBQ, a Rotary Club Rummage Sale, food, drinks, dog photos and the contests.   Prizes and awards were given for the prettiest female, most handsome male, smallest, largest, best dressed, most talented, most physically fit dog, the dog who most resembles their human and Best in Caper!

Alex the Tigerboy (my son, my sunshine), made a new friend named “Gary” and they walked together.   After the event, Boundary County Prosecutor Jack Douglas (who started this event 6 years ago) and I checked out Border Bob’s chow and while he and Alex were talking about the walk and the dogs.  I snuck off with Eric Ridgeway, Founder and Race Director for the “Long Bridge Swim” into the Rotary Club Rummage Sale where we both scored some great deals on some terrific items.  The Long Bridge Swim on Saturday, August 1st, is another event I Emcee and Deejay every year and I would encourage you to check it out and sign up the whole family.   I will be in Bonners Ferry for the SWISH 3 on 3 street basketball tourney on August 8th and 9th this year.  The music will be set up directly across the street from Gary & Billie Warnick’s “Blast from the Past” 1950’s Soda Parlor and Candy Emporium.  Alex and I stopped by for ice cream at this authentic soda parlor that was playing stacks of wax from back.   Alex thought Mom might like a Mother’s Day gift that does not melt so we visited the cat that Helen and Stephanie Chase keep on display among the linens, lotions, candles, and all the bath and body stuff at “Tucked Away”.   This was the best smelling shop I’ve been in and since we’re boys and do not really understand what Mom would want Alex just got a little something for a friend and we decided that Mom would want us to have another ice cream cone.

Alex talked about the dogs all the way home and through the rest of the weekend.  He wanted to watch Disney’s “The Kid” so we could see Chester - the greatest dog in the World!  He fell asleep dreaming about a best friend that would share all of his adventures.  Just like the one he had in Bonners Ferry, Idaho at the 6th Annual Canine Caper to benefit 2nd Chance Animal Adoption.   There is a Canine Caper photo album at my Facebook site and also on my MySpace site where you click on the word “pics” and it will take you to my photo albums where you will also find an album from last year’s FUN RUN and SWISH.  There is a video on my Facebook site and it is also on You Tube where you can watch it or download. 

Dr. Marty Becker said it:  “There’s only one greatest pet in the world, and every family has it.”   Thanks to everyone for being so welcoming to us.  We will see ya for the Fun Run and the Swish.   We would love to see YOU at the Cancer Relay for Life in Sandpoint on June 12, 2009.  I will MC the event for 18 hours.  If you would like to participate it’s not too late to have a Canine Caper and 2nd Chance AA Team.  Marty has already raised enough money that the if you were to form a couple teams, the registration fee would already be credited (I am on the Committee).   The funds already raised would be credited to your Bonners Ferry team(s) and you could have a lot of fun while helping to CELEBRATE - REMEMBER - FIGHT BACK.   If you are going to be out of town, cannot make it to the Relay for Life but would like to participate you should definitely check out my Virtual Team which is actually called “Virtual Reality“.  

Enjoy the pictures and video - it’s free. 

 JOIN THE TEAM!   “VIRTUAL REALITY” and let’s make some history while we raise funds for the American Cancer Society that will go to work right here in Sandpoint, Idaho.   I am reaching out to those of you that have left Sandpoint but can  remember when we were there together at the Sandpoint Bulldog Football games, football bbqs, Meet the Bulldogs, SHS tailgate parties, endless hours with Coach making the bulldog highlight reels, Cheer Squad fund raisers at the Community Hall, Band dances, Elementary School dances, street dances, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and so much more that we shared here in Sandpoint.    Now I need some help from you to a great cause on June 12th.   We can do something really special and we can do it if we all work TOGETHER!

Some of you cheerleaders remember that I setup the entire sound system in the street, on top of the black van, because the field was wet.  We did it to play 90 seconds of music at halftime because it might be the senior cheer squad members LAST time to cheer on the home field.   Isao and some of you remember we took the entire sound system and lights to the Milk Bowl in Idaho Falls.   A lot of you remember the free elementary, middle, and high school dances we did so your school, club, or organization could raise money.   A lot of us had fun at Junior Miss programs, making talent tapes and cds, Lost in the 50’s street dances, Fairground dances, Long Bridge Swims, and so much more.  I even deejayed a few of your weddings.   Many of you helped organize, setup, and participated.   Now with your help we can connect from anywhere in the world with a HOMETOWN fundraiser by doing something really special.  I am going to name names in this blog - the people I am reaching out to that I want to be part of the core of this team.  (more…)