HomeSportsFaces of Yadkin: Bradley Shore

A community can be defined as a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. This definition certainly describes Yadkin County and the people who call it home. One person in particular who makes Yadkin County such a great place to live is Bradley Shore.

God has really blessed me by allowing me to do something I love for so many years with many different sports and teams. I started out coaching boys basketball at Starmount in 1998-1999 as an assistant to Coach Brian Robinson, said Shore. I also coached softball at West Yadkin that year and continued to do so for 10 more years.

After the year with Coach Robinson, I coached girls basketball at West Yadkin for 10 years before coming to Forbush to assist Coach Jon Huggins with the varsity boys for two years. I then became the head coach for the varsity girls and just completed my eighth year with them.

Shore is the womens basketball head coach at Forbush High School and has been a lifelong member of the Yadkin County community. He grew up in Boonville and lives in the house in which he was raised. He attended Starmount High School, where he played soccer, basketball, baseball and tennis. After he graduated from Starmount, he attended Surry Community College where he played basketball and tennis. After two years at Surry, he transferred to Appalachain State University and obtained his Undergraduate and Masters Degrees.

The West Yadkin community was great to me as a young coach. I still see a lot of the parents and players from those days, and I love catching up with them, said Shore. Even though I was from the other side of the county, the Forbush community has been more than welcoming. The support of our program and coaching staff has been fantastic, and we have tried really hard to make the school and community proud of what we do and how we do it.

Along with his time at Starmount, Shore also helped Danny Macemore with the womens tennis team for five years. He has also coached his kids in recreational baseball, soccer and AAU basketball.

Enjoy the rewards of hard work and consistency that lead to winning, stated Shore on his piece of advice to young athletes. More importantly, though, learn how to handle defeatyou dont like it, you can be upset about it, you can even cry about it. But wake up the next morning excited and determined to go out and do something about it. How you handle defeat in sports and life determines where you will go in life.

This past season at Forbush, Shore led the team to the Western Regional final. It was the first time in school history that the womens basketball team at Forbush had made it past the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Playoffs.

My favorite things about being a coach were my favorite things as a player: 1) Being part of a team. 2) Working hard together to improve and accomplish our team and individual goals. 3) The competitive excitement of games and practices, said Shore.

Being a coach has greatly impacted Shores life, and will continue to do so for many years to come. He has been a staple coach at Forbush with his passion for the game of basketball.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my playing days, it is no comparison to how coaching has impacted my life, said Shore. Coaching has allowed me to combine my passion for sports with my passion to work with young people. Seeing players accomplish skills and goals and seeing them develop into good people and citizens is a reward beyond words. Winning games is fun, but nothing compares to the relationships developed with players, families, and other coaches.

I have met some of my best friends through coachingCoach Tim Parks and Coach Kenny Gooden have been with me all eight years at Forbush. Coach Brittany Groce joined us four years ago. They have become some of my closest friends and allies. I have some other lifelong friends that Ive met through coaching.

Coaching has also allowed (my wife) and I to bond over teams and games. She has been the coach behind the coachalways doing stats behind the bench and going over all the details at home with me, said Shore. As we have had children, coaching has also impacted them. It has allowed them to make positive relationships with players, given them good role models, allowed them to see the excitement of sports, and shown them how hard work and consistency lead to desired goals.

Shore was a guidance counselor in Yadkin County for 20 years, and he is a member of The Shore Team at Keller Williams Realty Elite in Winston-Salem. He has been married to Amanda Key Shore for 20 years, and they have three childrenParker, Elliott, and Worth.

On the court and field, there have been many fun teams and championships won, but I would have to say this past basketball season was the best team accomplishment, said Shore. We were conference champions, conference tournament champions, had a school record in wins, and made it to the 2A State Final Fouran accomplishment not achieved by girls basketball in Yadkin County before.

Off the court, the greatest accomplishment, mostly not as result of me but I like to think I had a tiny part in it, has been seeing former players go on to great things, and seeing that some of them enjoyed their time playing enough to come back and give of themselves, Shore said.

Eight former players have, or are currently, helping coach in our youth AAU program. Two current players are helping coach, and former player Madison Gentry joined our staff at Forbush this past season as an assistant coach. Seeing current and former players giving back by coaching themselves is such a blessing.

Shore grew up in Boonville and went to Starmount High School.

https://www.yadkinripple.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/web1_DSC_0643.jpgShore grew up in Boonville and went to Starmount High School. Kristian Russell | The Ripple

Bradley Shore is the womens basketball head coach at Forbush High School.

https://www.yadkinripple.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/web1_DSC_0850.jpgBradley Shore is the womens basketball head coach at Forbush High School. Kristian Russell | The Ripple

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Faces of Yadkin: Bradley Shore - Yadkin Ripple

Studies show that 85 percent of moms feel unsupported, but life coach and writer Beth Berry says that we can work towards changing the narrative.

Motherhood can be one of the most fulfilling parts of our lives, albeit a little stressful at times. As we know, though, moms now juggle more than ever before as they balance full-time careers, child-rearing, housework, and maintaining a meaningful relationship withour spouses. All of these demands leave many of us looking for support in our parenting endeavors.

Howevera recent survey conducted by Motherlyfound that85% of mothers believe that modern society does not adequately support mothers. This startling statistic, combined with rising stress due to the Coronavirus pandemic, leaves us wondering how we reached this point and what we can do to change the narrative for mothers going forward.

They say that it takes avillage to raise a child, but as mothers most of us now find ourselves relatively alone. Just like our mothers before us, we are expected todo all of the cooking, cleaning, and care taking for our homes. However, we are now also expected to build successful careers, stay fit, and single-handedly maintain our spousal relationships.

If that's not enough, don't forget all of the additional parenting duties that come with modern society: tutoring, advocating, playdate planning, chauffeuring, and coaching or club leading. The days of children roaming the neighborhood with friends are long gone, as are disciplining children through spanking or other corporal methods.

Most mothers feel like they don't receive adequate support in nearly any aspect of their lives. There's a lack of support from busy spouses who also work long hours to provide and parents who, instead of retiring and helping raise their grandparents, are often still working because they can't afford to live off of social security alone. Then, when it comes to employer support, most working moms feel that they receive unfair wages and inadequate maternity leave or time off to tend to their children's needs.

And, of course, mom shaming is a common problem in our modern society that's filled with "picture perfect parenting" all over Pinterest and Instagram.

RELATED:Gwyneth Paltrow Shares Photos Of Kids Saying They're Her Moral Support

As I mentioned, parenting doesn't at all look the same as it did for our own mothers. In fact, life coach and author Beth Berry says that "becoming a mother these days is uniquely burdensome. Id even go so far as to say that were navigating not only a whole new set of stressors as mothers but also oppressors, the likes of which our foremothersnever could have imagined." Because of these unique challenges, mothers need even more support than ever before - yet we're receiving less and less.

With a lack of support, most moms stretch themselves too thin. As they work from the early hours of the morning until late into the night, most mothers end up with virtually no time to themselves to rest and recharge. While this isn't the entire story, it does explain in large part why nearly 12 million women in the United States battle clinical depression and why it most commonly occurs in women aged 25 to 44.

Until we start recognizing these statistics and changing the narrative, though, nothing will improve for any of us.

In hernon-fiction book "Motherwhelmed" (available on Amazon May 1), Beth Berry hopes to challenge the societal norms around motherhood and bring the conversation into the homes of mothers everywhere. Berry hopes that motherswill band together and"challenge cultural norms, examine the personal, familial, and cultural stories that are keeping them feeling stuck and playing small, and begin to see themselves as worthy of a more empowering, joy-filled existence." She also hopes that mothers will start connecting with one another to make this change happen by following thesesteps:

Most mothers are shouldering more than their fair share of the load these days with virtually no support from the outside world. However, if we all arm ourselves with information and band together, we can start creating the change we want to see. There's no rule that says we have to do it all alone, so why are we? It's time to start changing the narrative and changing our lives for the better.

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If You're Not Okay Right Now, You're Not Alone

Megan Glosson is a freelance writer and editor based Nashville, Tennessee. She enjoys writing on a variety of topics, including parenting, mental health, and life. You can find more of her work on Unwritten, The Mighty, Focused on Kids, Food Delivery Guru, and TheThings.com.

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Majority Of Moms Feel Unsupported, But We Can Change That - Moms

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Successful entrepreneurs and business owners know the value of health and well-being. They either developed a healthy foundation early on, or they learned the hard way after experiencing a well-being problem that led to loss in productivity or profit that health equals wealth.Are you one of those leaders, or are you among the vast majority who know, conceptually, the importance of wellbeing, but struggle to level up self-care to match the demand of success as it grows and expands?

Plenty of leaders show up to our coaching calls excited about their work but overwhelmed (and secretly thriving on that overwhelm because we tend to wear overwork as a badge of honor). Some leaders seem to have boundless drive and stamina, but underneath that high performance is a decades-old fear of being left behind or never measuring up. The payoff is high enough to keep going until it costs them valuable employees, intimate relationships, or their own health. Executive burnout is a very real, very costly issue, and one of many reasons that self-care forms the foundation of my work.

This foundational conversation is especially important right now, during uncertain times fueled by global fear and well-being issues over which many of us have no control. Never has wellness been more critical to success than in the current pandemic.

Self-Care Means Business.

You cant lead others if you cant take care of yourself. Your business cant thrive if your workforce or customer base isnt thriving. Energetic Intelligence reminds us that our energy impacts the energy of those around us; therefore, if youre willing to accept radical responsibility as a leader, your self-care is also the self-care of everyone around you. Your self-care means business for you and for everyone you serve.

What self-care entails in a leaders life is going to evolve and grow as they do. Once you distinguish what it actually means for you, it becomes part of your business plan. Putting it into practice is just as critical for your business as other nuts and bolts like marketing, bookkeeping, and sales. As you continue reading, I suggest starting a self-care checklist/plan. You might start by writing down:

1. What you currently practice that truly serves you and your business,

2. What you use as a stand-in for self-care that doesnt actually serve you,

3. What you avoid in terms of self-care, and

4. What youre committed to taking on, based on what you distinguish from reading this article.

What does Self-Care actually mean for you as a leader?

Self-care, wellness, well-being whatever the trending hashtag is today is often all polish, no nail. Looks good in photos, sounds good in writing, but theres no substance or growth happening underneath. Honestly, as I searched for a stock photo to headline this article, I could not find a self-care image that didnt involve pastels, bathtubs, or tea cups. The surface-level concept of self-care that shows up as lavender-scented bubble baths, weekly mani-pedis, or a weekend round of golf might be enough to replenish you after a week of average stress. Is it really, though? For decades, women were sold on outer self-care (hair, nails, pilates the idea being that whatever keeps us looking good should keep us feeling good), while men were taught that tough guys and big shots need nothing but a good shave and another round of golf. Leaders, especially emerging leaders, have learned to practice inner self-care, as well: meditation, vision boarding for their career goals, in-house life coaches at their start-ups, daily ping-pong breaks in their open-concept office the list goes on and on. All of these can be wonderful practices and structures, but they still arent adequate. Why not? For one thing, all of them feel good.

Being Good to Yourself Doesnt Always Feel Good

Under normal circumstances, entrepreneurs and business owners can get away with the surface-level, very marketable concept of self-care referenced above. Add a personal, professional, or global crisis into the mix, though, and it quickly becomes apparent that surface-level is no longer adequate for the challenges that lie ahead.

Perhaps youre of the mindset thatPowerful leaders just power through!. Some certainly do. Ive been guilty of it myself, and Ive watched plenty of clients power their way through some hard times, muscling their way right into burnout, exhaustion, stress, overwhelm sometimes even divorce or mental breakdowns.

Weve all heard the stories and read the advice about slowing down, taking breaks, getting support. Why, then, would a powerful leader still think its in their best interest to neglect their well-being instead of doubling down on it? Because it feels good for the ego! Powerful people got into their powerful positions by trusting their power. Again, weve been trained that its powerful to push ourselves to the breaking point, to work ourselves to exhaustion, embrace the DIY, even if it kills us.Its not always easy to choose actual self-care over what the ego says will get you what you want.

We often find in the coaching process that a major breakthrough is available only by trusting something that the ego says is weak or unsafe. That something is different for each unique person, and its usually in their blindspot. Distinguishing, trusting, and embodying that something creates a paradigm shift that eventually is even more effective than what used to be the go-to power tool. In terms of self-care, this means that whatever youre resisting is likely what would do you the most good.

The Self-Care Struggle: Short-Term Avoidance or Long-Term Abundance

Short-term satisfaction wants comfort and rewards immediately. Actual self-care requires long-term thinking; it asks what is nourishing, not just comforting. Short-term brain always needs to feel good. Long-term vision asks what does the most good.

Were bombarded with marketing that trains us to believe that self-care is both: it feels good now, and itll make you happier in the long run. Itcanbe both, but often, actual self-care doesnt feel good in the moment. Self-soothing feels good in the moment and can also be self-care; theres nothing wrong with self-soothing or short-term satisfaction, but as we move from the immediate impact of crisis into the reinvention and rebuilding phase, it will serve us well to distinguish what were really up to when we make choices in the name of self-care. The ability to distinguish what truly is caring will prevent the term self-care from becoming a concept that you hide in or hide from as a leader.

The choice point requires the awareness of your personal Avoidance vs. Abundance Game, as I like to call it. It requires that you bear the pain of discomfort in service of your longterm goals and gains. The push and pull of knowing it vs. choosing it when it comes to impeccable self-care (and remember, self-care equals business care) can be challenging even under normal circumstances.

Its delightful when whats good for you also feels good, but some of the most effective self-care practices feel absolutely loathsome, embarrassing, or just downright boring. Going to the gym is an obvious example for many people: its one of the top New Years Resolutions, which makes it one of the most broken agreements that people make with themselves. Annual physical check-ups are another very basic self-care practice that I hear powerful people neglect regularly. One of my favorite examples of a loathsome, embarrassing foundational self-care issue was a client who, after months of being cranky and unpredictable, finally admitted that she was suffering from such intense hemorrhoid pain that she couldnt sit still or focus in meetings, but she was too embarrassed to see a doctor! She put off physically feeling good because of the anticipated emotional pain of seeking help. Ive seen plenty of leaders pull similar shenanigans with finding a new therapist, booking regular coaching calls in between their busy meeting schedules, hiring a nutritionist or personal trainer, or scheduling an audit with their accountant.

What about self-care practices like taking a vacation day (or five) in the middle of your companys busiest season, apologizing for something crummy you did even if you got away with it, leaving work early to go to your kids piano recital, hiring support you think you cant afford but know will level up your life? Thats irresponsible! I can practically hear some of you yelling at me already. Consider that its even more irresponsible to perpetuate a model of leadership that neglects your health, heart, or soul in the name of should, not enough, scarcity, or comparison. I trust you to discern which choices are truly in service of self-care, and which ones are self-preservation. Long story short, feelings are not always the best indicator.

Your commitment to who you want to be as a leader is what really matters when creating a self-care plan. Some of you are quite literally nailing it when it comes to the feel good part. Maybe you want to be a leader who always has beautifully manicured nails, and the spa time feels amazing. Thats fantastic! What else will you add to that routine to level up your experience of rejuvenation, stamina, pleasure, and power? Whats out of your self-care comfort zone? You might notice that once a self-care practice becomes routine, its no longer self-care; its a hiding place. I had a client for whom it was initially a breakthrough to take time off if she had a migraine. Months later, though, I noticed she was using migraines as a reason to miss meetings that were especially challenging or confronting The true self-care for her at that point was to get support for what was triggering her defenses about that meeting.

Some of you are resisting self-care, often in the name of power. Youve got some tough choices to make, and I hear you its not possible to be in two place at once, and sometimes, the most self-caring decision might hurt someone you love. Do you have to be the guy who never sees his kid play piano but always pays for the lessons? Maybe so but unless you want to also be paying for that kids therapy about it later, you might want to have an honest, compassionate conversation about why you wont be in the audience. Whats going to allow you to have that compassionate, responsible conversation? Self-care. You want to be the first female CFO at your company,andyou want to meet a spouse and have a baby within the next year? Totally doable, and its going to require a very new conversation about how self-care fits into those 14 hour days youre working right now. You might still work long hours,andthe boundaries youll need to empower to stay in good mental health at work are going to serve you well in establishing a healthy romantic relationship, too. Im sure you can guess whats going to help you determine those healthy boundaries. Say it with me: self-care.

Proper Care and Feeding of a Leader

Self-care means nourishing, feeding, and tending to your goals and your greatness. Your greatness thats such a coachy thing to say, right? Its what youll access more of when you truly tap into self-care, though. Its your highest, best self not just the insatiable, comparison monster that your ego can become when you get confronted or depleted.

One measure of impeccable self-care is that you have few to zero days of feeling depleted or triggered. You are so on top of your game that youre capable of running your business with an open, authentic heart. You have a clear mission and action plan, and you are consistently fueling yourself in a way that has you show up with authenticity and integrity.

Here are some simple, real examples of self-care that Ive seen make a difference in my clients lives:

Here are some examples of what might pass as self-care but is likely avoidance when we take an honest look:

Your Business Plan From Here

You likely see some gaps and practice areas to create for yourself from here. Rarely do I meet a leader whose self-care is 100% handled, 100% of the time. More often, I meet leaders who say it is but havent actually taken a look at what that means in a very long time.

Make two lists for yourself: an Integrity Reality Check and a Self-Care Calendar. Reality check: Whats out of whack in your life or business? Write it down anything from unpaid bills to sales goal gaps to not taking regular time off. Self-Care: what do you honestly need on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly basis to be properly nourished and fueled as the leader you want to be?

Put these lists somewhere youll be faced with them daily on the fridge, taped to your computer, on your kids forehead whatever. Share them with someone you trust to hold you accountable from both love and austerity. Whittle that Integrity List down to the point that you are running a tight ship, no leaks. Empower that Self-Care schedule like your leadership depends on it because it actually does.

It wont always feel good. Sometimes, its going to feel boring or even threatening to your status or other commitments. I challenge you to put self-care first for at least a month and let me know what you discover. Now, go take care of yourselves and each other.

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Self-Care Means Business, and Business Doesn't Always Feel Good - Thrive Global

EDWARDSVILLE - Lori Blade, who coached the girls basketball team at Edwardsville High School for 18 seasons, winning 510 games and 17 of 18 IHSA Class AA and Class 4A regional championships, announced her retirement April 16 as coach of the Tigers' girls team.

Blade made the announcement to her team via a video conference, ending a 26-year career as head coach of both Carrollton and Edwardsville High Schools. Her career record was 743-92, and her teams went to the IHSA state finals five times, winning back-to-back Class A championships with the Hawks in 2000-01 and 2001-02, two second place finishes with the Tigers in 2011-12 and 2016-17, and a fourth place finish in 2017-18. Her 743 career wins rank her in the top-ten all time in Illinois girls basketball history.

In a statement on her Twitter page, Blade said that coaching wasn't always about wins and losses, but to help develop a deeper love and respect for the game of basketball.

"So, here I am, at the end of this season of my life," Blade said at the opening of her statement. "It has been an incredible season of life. After immense thought and prayer, I have made the decision to retire from coaching basketball after 32 years. I have always pushed myself, my players and coaching staff to work hard to compete. Truth be told, it has never really been about getting the win. The victory that I've always strived toward is that everything we did created a deeper love and respect for the game and for one another. Looking back, I believe we accomplished both."

Blade also thanked her family, her players and their families, her assistant coaches, supporters, friends and fans who helped support her and her teams over the years.

"Successful programs are not built alone, rather, are built by many individual and team contributions." Blade said. "I have been blessed to have been a part of two very successful basketball programs, and to have been supported by so many people who have strengthened our program over the years. Thank you to the dedicated coaching staffs who shared so much of their time and enthusiasm for building our programs and for building young ladies. I am thankful for each and every one of our parents for your support along the way.

"Thank you to our basketball community, parents, family and friends who cheered for our teams over the years," Blade continued. "Above all, I could not have done any of this without my biggest supporters, my mom, dad and family. Lastly, I want to thank all my players for all the games and practices; you always came ready to play and always delivered. Thank you for keeping your head high in good times and rough times, and thank you for supporting the team supporting each other, supporting all of our coaches, and more than anything, thank you for the support you've given to me. I appreciate it more than you can imagine."

In 18 seasons as the coach of Edwardsville, Blade compiled a record of 510-65, which included a streak of seven consecutive 30-win seasons, from 2006-07 to 2012-13. Her teams at Edwardsville produced many all-state players, such as Que Love, Elle Evans, Jaylen Townsend, Sydney Harris, Kate Martin, Rachel Pranger, Makenzie Silvey, Criste'on Waters, Kortney Dunbar, Aailyah Covington, Emmonie Henderson, Lauren White, Mary O'Keefe, Caty Ponce, Cierra Gaines, Megan Sharpe, Anya Covington, Kara Frandsen, Tamara McCaskill and Amber Shelton. While at Carrollton, Blade also coached Shelton, Alicia DeShasier, Karen Brannan, Kristen Boss, Liz DeShasier, Stosha DeShasier, Shelby Mueth and Wendy Davidson to all-state honors.

Blade was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2016, joining Winchester West Central coach Brian Bettis and Lanark Eastland coach Colleen Finn-Henze as fellow inductees in girls basketball.

In addition to her basketball career, Blade has also won over 700 softball games, making her the only coach in the state to have won over 700 career games in two different sports. Blade will stay on as both a physical education teacher and softball coach with the Tigers.

In the final part of her statement on Twitter, Blade expressed how proud she was of her players for all of their contributions, both on and off the court.

"Coaching young people has been a privilege that has taught me something of value about the game and about life," Blade said. "Each one of you has not only made me a better coach, but a better person. Each one of you has created a lasting impression on me. To all of my players, past and current, we have laughed along the way, and at times, we have cried, but we've always done it together. You made me happy, and you made me frustrated, but mostly, you've made me proud; proud to be your coach, proud to be a part of your development, both as an athlete and as a person. I am proud to call you my kids. If I am remembered for being your coach, it only means that I have still instilled the love of the game inside your heart. Doing that has been my number one priority. It has been, unquestionably, an incredible ride. There are many things that I will never forget. On top of the list of memories are the relationships and friendships nurtured along the way."

The final sentence in her statement spoke volumes.

"Forever in my heart --- Coach Blade."

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Blade Retires As Edwardsville Girls Basketball Coach, Compiled 743-92 Record In 26 Years With Carrollton, Tigers - RiverBender.com

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Whether you are scrambling to meet work deadlines from home or if your work has completely come to a stop, this lockdown has turned everyones life topsy turvy, and its not clear when this new way of living and social distancing will end and when it will truly be safe to live a normal life. This can be very demotivating. In fact, downright depressing. Despite all these worries and obstacles, this is actually a marvelous time for reflection, self-growth and family bonding, according to Sayeda Habib, life coach and author. Recently, You! asked her to share a bit about her personal story and in particular, detail some of the blessings this unusual situation is bringing into our lives

You! Tell us a little about yourself...

Sayeda Habib: Ive been empowering my clients through life coaching for over a decade. I have extensive training from reputed institutions in the United Kingdom and hold the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential issued by the International Coach Federation. I am a Master Practitioner of NLP, and have trained in other interventions including Time Line Therapy, and hypnotherapy, and have been featured on radio and television in the United Kingdom, Pakistan and UAE. I am also the author of Discover the Best in You! Life Coaching for Muslims (Kube publishing 2012), the first self-help coaching book written specifically for the Muslim community.

You! What made you gravitate towards this field of work?

SH: I feel like coaching chose me, rather than the other way around; what I mean is that it happened quite organically. I had my own coach at first, and from the process, I discovered that what I truly want to do is engage myself in a profession that makes a difference to others. During this time, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend some self-development conferences as well. It was at one such conference, that the turning point happened. I attended an introduction to life coaching. The teacher set up a practice, where the participants got to coach each other. It so happened that the group was an odd number, so I got to coach the teacher. We worked together for about 20 minutes, after which he told me that youre a natural. That was a turning point. I began thinking about coaching, and I already believed in it, since I had my own coach. One thing led to another, and I started my training the following year. 15 years later, I havent looked back.

You! Any tips for our readers who are suffering from depression in this lockdown period?

SH: One of the easiest things is a bit of physical activity. Start off little with online yoga videos or take a walk in your garden if you have one: just something to get moving. One key thing to remember is that the mind and body is one system, and physical movement can sometimes be a simple key that shifts everything. Talk to everyone in the house, and choose about 30 mins - or an hour to put away the phones, and just talk. Perhaps cook together, share old photos, do something to connect. Make this a time to remember, and look fondly on.

You! What state of mind does the current situation put you in?

SH: Our state of mind is something that can shift from moment to moment. The first few days were very difficult for me, along with everyone else. Change is unsettling for anyone. However, I then began to shift my mindset. I started focusing on the good things that are happening all around us. We are all getting the opportunity to spend more time with family, to reflect, and to rethink what we want to spend our time on. Our mindset has a lot to do with how productive we are. The better we feel, the more productive we are. Remember, there will always be things out of our control, and if we fixate on that, we will feel out of control. Today, theres an opportunity to re-center and to focus on the blessings we do have and build from there.

You! What are some of these blessings?

SH: These blessings include time to slow down, get pending things done, the chance to connect. Remember physical distancing doesnt mean emotional distancing. One huge blessing is all this technology we now have. Connect with friends and family who are far away. And when you connect, talk about the good things that are happening, catch up take the focus to something positive. Once things settle down, there are plenty of opportunities. The first big one is to rethink our priorities. Spend some time reflecting on where youve been spending your time, with whom. Ask yourself: would I still want to spend my time on these things a year from now or do I want a change? Now is the time to reflect on this so when things actually start up again, you have your new direction and possibly a new plan.

You! Any proactive tips for readers who are feeling low?

SH: A couple of simple tips. Make a small schedule for yourself, and focus on one or two things that you can do even at home. Think about those pending things that you want to finish up, now you have the time to complete it and each time you complete a task, cross it off the list. Believe me, this feels amazing. Next, aim to get in some physical activity which gets the feel-good chemicals going. Third, spend some time with whoever is at home, just playing a game, or doing something enjoyable. Small bits of quality time are wonderful.

You! Do you have any final words of advice for our readers?

SH: So many people have lost their wages, their livelihoods overnight. If you have a roof over your head, have your basic needs met, and all your loved ones are safe, you are in a great position. Lets take time to shift our focus towards all that we have, even today. Focusing on our blessings encourages us to give back and do all the good that we can. Giving back not only is contribution, it feels amazing as well. This is the way we can nurture ourselves, others, and our environment towards something more beautiful.

T. U. Dawood is CEO of 786

Investments Ltd., President of Dawood Global Foundation, and sits on the boards of Pakistan State Oil and Pakistan Refinery Ltd.

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Blessings from the lockdown - The News International

When thinking about setting goals the starting point is always the end, the destination you want to reach.

Lets imagine for the moment, its 90 days into the future and you were looking back over those 90 days, and you had achieved 5 specific goals you wanted to achieve.

Coming from this viewpoint gets you crystal clear about the end goal or outcome you want.

It also gives you a clear deadline for achieving the goals.

This way of looking at goal setting makes it more powerful because the goals are specific and have a deadline.

Now, goal setting is a powerful capability to develop but many people struggle with goal setting because they dont have the most important component.

Measurable goals.

Setting goals without a measurement or a deadline attached to it is just make believe.

There is no track to follow.

No clear destination to be reached.

And no deadline to reach it in.

As a business coach I help time poor female small business owners free up more of their time and achieve their goals by helping them set both long-term measurable goals and short-term measurable goals.

This helps them free up 100 hours every quarter and be way more productive.

They set long-term goals are usually three years into the future.

These long-term goals are supported by specific short-term 90-day goals.

What Ive realised through coaching these clients, and through twenty years of business experience is that measurable goals matter.

In fact, they are essential and I would say the only way to set goals.

Working towards, and achieving, measurable goals over a specific period of time builds confidence and amplifies motivation.

The goals we set must be measurable for us to intellectually and emotionally engage with achieving the goal.

Measurable goals means that you clearly identify exactly what it is you want to achieve so you emotionally and intellectually engage with the outcome of your goal.

It means breaking the goal down into specific, measurable elements that can be tracked.

Every goal must be based on achieving a specific number or event by a specific date in the future.

Goals such as wanting to lose weight, get healthy, make more money or grow your business are too generic.

There is nothing to really focus your attention on.

You wont get excited about achieving the goal and it wont feel big enough to take action on moving forward.

Having non-specific goals means you have no way of knowing when youve achieved the goal.

Or how far away from achieving it you are.

Part of the power of having measurable goals is that you know when youve reached your destination.

You can celebrate your achievement which builds confidence and motivation.

To maximise your chance of achieving your goals in business and life, set measurable goals.

That measurement must be a number or an event.

To bring measurable goals to life, here are a few examples of measurable goals that my coaching clients have used in the past.

Below are a few examples of number based measurable goals:

I will free up 30 hours of time in the next 30 days.

Increase my revenue by 20% in the next 6 months.

Grow my email list by 500 by June 30.

Increase my YouTube subscribers to 5,000 by July 1.

Lose one stone by May 30.

Here are a few examples of event based measurable goals:

I will speak to five groups of people in the next 30 days

Run 5k in under 30 minutes

Visit Bali in 2020

Start my new business by end September

Open my second yoga studio by October 1

You create your next measurable goal by simply getting started.

If you are new to setting measurable goals start with something specific but achievable to build your goal setting muscles.

Choose something exciting but realistically achievable and choose a short time period such as 21 days or 30 days.

Write down your goal and tell people that are important to you what your goal is so they can cheer you on, or hold you accountable.

Once youve achieved that goal, celebrate and start setting bigger goals.

You can use the SMART goals setting process to help you.

If you are a regular goal setter the key with measurable goals is to choose something that is really exciting but also scares you.

Pick five measurable goals you want to achieve in the next 90 days and then write down the first step to take for each of them.

Tracking your progress towards your goal achievement is essential to build confident, momentum and motivation.

Some people find it valuable to track their progress, monthly, weekly and even daily.

But there is a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it.

Many people struggle with goals because they measure forwards, which is the wrong way to do it.

When you measure forwards, goals can feel far away and out of reach.

If youre not making the progress you want you may give up, question your capabilities and start getting down on yourself.

The right way to start tracking goals is to measure backwards, from where you started.

Begin with the end in mind Stephen Covey

Let me give you an example to represent what I mean.

One of my clients had a goal to get to 5k YouTube subscribers in 6 months.

She started off very slow as this was a new capability and platform to master.

The first month only saw 300 subscribers.

In the second month her subscribers only grew by a further 200, so 500 subscribers in 2 months.

She had two options.

Get really disappointed and frustrated with her progress because she was so far away from her target of 5k subscribers.

Or, celebrate her progress because she has 500 more subscribers than she did when she started.

She chose to follow the second route and celebrate what she achieved.

This gave her the confidence, commitment and belief that she could hit her goal of 5k in that six-month period, which she did.

Always measure your progress, and always measure backwards.

If you are just starting with goal setting or want to improve your goal setting, then measurable goals are the answer.

This article originally appeared on the Lucemi Consulting blog.

Mark Pettit is a business coach and the Founder of business coaching company Lucemi Consulting. He helps time poor female small business owners free up 100 hours of their time and increase their revenue by doing more of what they love to do and are best at.

Enjoyed this article? Read more tips and strategies on goal setting, time management and productivity on my time multiplier blog.

If you want to free up more time for what matters, sign up to my twice weekly newsletter.

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The Power of Setting Measurable Goals - Thrive Global

5 RINGS: key contributor with dynasty programs Merritt Island in 1970s and Cocoa in 2000s During his 50 years coaching high school football in Brevard County Coach Gerald Hodgin earned more state championship rings than any other Space Coast football coach in history.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA During his 50 years coaching high school football in Brevard County Coach Gerald Hodgin earned more state championship rings than any other Space Coast football coach in history.

He was a key contributor on five state championship teams with dynasty programs Merritt Island during the 1970s and Cocoa in the 2000s.

Hodgin was born in Meridian, Mississippi in 1942, and graduated from Butler High School in Huntsville, Alabama where he played linebacker and guard on the football team and was on the track and field team.

Hodgin then attended Middle Tennesee State on a football scholarship. During his freshman year, he suffered a serious knee injury that ended his playing career.

He then attended Florence State, now the University of North Alabama, where he graduated in 1963.

Hodgin began teaching and coaching football, basketball, track and golf at Cullman High School in Alabama in 1964.

After a year at Cullman, Hodgin and his wife, Elke, moved on to Boaz High School for three years and then to New Hope High School for another three years.

The worlds attention was riveted on Brevard County when the Hodgin family first arrived in 1969 to check out a job opening for a football coaching and teaching job at Merritt Island High School.

When we got to Merritt Island for the first time to meet coach (Eddie) Feeley, we didnt have enough money to stay in a hotel and parked by the Indian River for the night, said Elke.

During the night, Gerald decided to fish off the bank and caught a huge bass and said, Honey I think were home!

Story continued below>>>

STONG BOND

During Hodgins first year at Merritt Island in 1969 he was the JV football coach, and in 1970, became the offensive line coach for Feeleys powerhouse varsity squad.

The rest, as they say, is history as the Mustangs racked-up state championships in 1972, 1978 and 1979 with Hodgin leading the defense as the coordinator.

Hodgin said among the highlights for him was spending Sundays with fellow coaches Eddie Feeley, Gerald Odom, Lee Mace, Dwight Thomas, Travis Akin, Joe Pribil and Jim Casper going over game plans along with all the special life long bonds he has made with his adoring players.

I first met coach Hodgin during my sophomore year at Merritt Island, said Jimmy Black, quarterback of the 1972 state champion Mustangs and Florida State standout.

He was the head coach of the JV team and one of the first things you learned about coach was when he told you to do something you had better do it now! Discipline was very important to him and he passed this along to his players. The bond the players had with all our coaches still is strong to this day, almost 50 years later. I would like to thank coach Hodgin for the valuable life lessons he taught me in high school and am proud to call him my friend.

When Gerald Odom became the head coach at Cocoa High School in 2000 Hodgin joined his staff as the defensive coordinator and stayed on when John Wilkinson took over in 2004 and picked up two more state title rings in the process.

During his career, Hodgin also coached the Mustang baseball team for 12 seasons, recording 263 victories, five conference titles, four district championships, three regional titles, one sectional crown and a state appearance.

Hodge put his life and soul into whatever he coached, said former Merritt Island High School principal Hank Smith.

THE 2020 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will take place at the Cocoa Beach Country Club on a date to be announced soon.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT the 2020 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-323-4460 or 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

CLICK HERE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee announced an impressive array of outstanding individuals to be inducted into the 2020 Class of the Hall of Fame.

The 2020 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Sports Awards will be held Friday, May 8 at the Cocoa Beach Country Club.

The festivities include a meet and greet with the areas sports royalty beginning at 6 p.m., and the dinner and induction proceeding will start at 6:45 p.m. and includes compelling video tributes of each of the inductees.

The 2020 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction event, and the 2020 High School Breakfast of Champions recognition awards, are sponsored by Health First, Erdman Automotive, All Points, Clear Choice Health Care, Savings Safari, Friday Night Locker Room and Rock Paper Simple.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame includes an impressive array of outstanding individuals to be inducted into the 2020 Class of the Hall of Fame.

Dozens of nominees were considered in four categories including professional sports, college sports, high school sports and amateur sports.

Special honorary recognition will also be bestowed upon individuals and teams that have made significant contributions to sports on the Space Coast.

Space Coast Daily created the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and has so far inducted more than 160 of Brevard Countys most outstanding athletes, coaches and sports personalities.

Serving on the committee are Space Coast Daily President & Publisher Tom Palermo, Vice President Giles Malone, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jim Palermo, Managing Editor Zach Clark, the Friday Night Locker Rooms Steve Wilson and Orville Susong, former Health First COO Larry Garrison and Amateur Athletic Union Vice President Rusty Buchanan.

The list of inductees for 2020 induction include athletes and coaches everybody knows and some that may have been forgotten with the passing of time, said Tom Palermo.

FOR INFORMATION about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, or to make a reservation, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-615-8111.

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Tim Wakefield talks about his induction into the first class of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2020

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Jamel Dean, Football; Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Wrestling; Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Football; Mark Lake, Skateboarding; Juwaan Taylor, Football

COLLEGE CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Derek Hamm, Football; Paulette King, Basketball; Dylan Lewis, Soccer; Melanie Murphy, Softball

PREP CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Lexy Denaburg, Volleyball; Apryl Bigham Nickson, Swimming; Andi Sellers, Soccer

AMATEUR/RECREATION CATEGORY INDUCTEE: Peter Blount, Track & Field; Karina Villegas, Sled Hockey; Caylor Williams, Wrestling

COACHING CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Sean Ballard, Wrestling; Doug Butler, Cross County and Track; Aubin Goporo, Basketball; Gerald Hodgin, Football; Bill Sinclair, Softball; Don Smith, Basketball

SPORTS DEVELOPMENT INDUCTEE: Loren McClanahan

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT INDUCTEE: Clint Hurdle

SPORTS OFFICIAL INDUCTEES: Ted Ruta

SPORTS JOURNALISM INDUCTEES: Steve Vaughn

SPORTS AMBASSADOR AWARD INDUCTEE: Congressman Bill Posey

CHALLENGER AWARDS INDUCTEES: Brevard Special Olympics

TEAM OF THE YEAR: 2019 Satellite High Cross Country

LEGACY CHAMPIONS: TBA

SPECIAL TRIBUTE: TBA

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS

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Gerald Hodgin Won More State Title Rings Than Any Other Space Coast Football Coach in History | - SpaceCoastDaily.com

SEOUL -- South Korean companies advertise products all over the world, and have countless K-pop stars, actors and models to choose from. In Vietnam, however, the face of a host of Korean products -- from TVs to milk -- is a bald 61-year-old man.

Park Hang-seo's smiling image is ubiquitous -- on posters tempting Vietnamese consumers to buy Samsung televisions or kimchi, South Korea's national dish, and on packets of food such as "Seoul Hot Dogs." Dairy companies have also featured his face, as has Shinhan Bank, a leading South Korean financial institution. "If the family is the anchor to our life, then finance is a launcher," said Park when the Shinhan partnership was unveiled.

Park is accustomed to saying the right things for his sponsors, but his success is based on his appointment as head coach of the Vietnamese national soccer team in 2017. His soccer career at home had been solid but unremarkable, and the appointment attracted little attention at the time in either country. In all walks of life, however, timing is everything.

Park's lucky break was that he found himself working in Vietnam just as relations with South Korea were becoming closer than ever before. The relationship had been frosty for decades, mainly because of Vietnamese resentment of South Korea's role as a U.S. ally in the Vietnam War. These days, however, it is striking how two countries that are 2,000 km apart get on so well.

On the evening of Jan. 29, for example -- a random midweek evening before the spread of novel coronavirus plunged the world into chaos and suspended most travel -- no fewer than 11 flights left the Vietnamese city of Danang for South Korea. For anyone who has spent time in the city, on Vietnam's east coast, this is not a surprise. Danang's famous shoreline was called "China beach" by the thousands of American soldiers that landed there during the Vietnam War, but these days it is a favorite haunt for South Korean tourists, 3.48 million of whom visited the Southeast Asian nation in 2018.

Before the tourists came the businessmen. The two countries signed a trade agreement in 2015, and by 2017 bilateral trade between them had reached $63.9 billion. Almost a quarter of that was generated by Samsung, which is Vietnam's largest single foreign investor, with eight factories and a research and development center in the country.

Other South Korean investors include LG Electronics, Kumho Asiana Group, Hyosung, Lotte Group and the retail giant CJ Group. As billions of dollars of South Korean investment splashes around, it is unsurprising that companies have focused on finding a face that can connect corporate investors with Vietnamese consumers.

For this, Park is perfect. He is well-known back in his homeland, but is a much bigger name in Southeast Asia. In less than three years in charge of the Vietnamese national team he has taken it to the final of the 2018 Asia under-23 championship, won a Southeast Asian regional title in the same year (only the second victory for Vietnam) and reached the last eight of the 2019 Asian Cup. The team is currently well-placed in the early stages of the qualification process for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with hopes high that it can reach the final stages for the first time.

These exploits have been greeted with rapture by fans, who have taken to the streets in their hundreds of thousands to watch Vietnam's international games on big public screens -- eerily reminiscent of the scenes during the 2002 World Cup, when South Koreans fans did the same thing. Park was part of the South Korean coaching staff for that tournament, held in South Korea and Japan.

But it is not just Park's success on the soccer field that has fueled his success as a marketing icon. His love for Vietnam appears genuine, and is much appreciated by the Vietnamese. "They have a spirit which only they have," Park once said. His management style, dubbed "Papa Leadership," is hugely popular. It includes giving up his business-class seating on international flights to injured players, and sometimes massaging their feet.

In South Korea, home to countless Vietnamese noodle restaurants, there is huge interest in Park's Southeast Asian exploits. In December 2018, an estimated 2.8 million South Koreans watched on television as Vietnam played Malaysia in the first round of the final of the Southeast Asian championship, drawing 2:2. (Vietnam won the second round 1-0 a few days later, taking the trophy 3-2 on aggregate.) The next month, thousands of people from Park's hometown of Sancheong took to the streets to cheer Vietnam in an Asian Cup quarterfinal against Japan, though it ended in defeat.

As South Korean investment in Vietnam grows, there will be a continuing need for a well-known marketing face, which means more commercial work for Park, at least so long as good results continue to flow. In January, the Vietnam team had its first setback under Park, failing to get past the group stage at the 2020 Asia under-23 championship.

It remains to be seen how the manager will react to that reverse, but the real test will be the World Cup qualification process. Vietnam has never appeared at the tournament, but was leading its group in the second stage of qualification when the process was suspended because of the coronavirus.

Park has been busy in Hanoi, analyzing previous games and conducting online strategy sessions. On March 26, he donated $5,000 to Vietnam's efforts to contain the virus.

"The amount is small," said Park in Hanoi, "but I hope it can directly help people who are affected to overcome their difficulties. I am ready to help Vietnam in any way I can."

There is still a long way to go. But if Park can somehow manage a place at the next World Cup, sports fans and businesspeople will be celebrating together, in South Korea as well as Vietnam.

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In Vietnam, the face of South Korea is a sprightly sports coach - Nikkei Asian Review

The East-West approaches

According to a Zen Master story, a martial arts student approached and declared to the teacher his desire to learn the code. How long would it take? The teacher replied: Ten years.

The student, a bit impatient remarked: But I want to master it faster than that, I will work very hard, practise ten or more hours a day if necessary. How long would it then take? The teacher replied: Twenty years.

Real learning is transformative and it changes subjects as people, deep inside their hearts and minds. The reason why the Pali word Cittawhich translates as heart or mindis so important in considering a Buddhist approach to learning.

Such an approach combines the modern cognitivethe knowledge and intellectual perspective with the affectivethe emotional and attitudinal engagement. No such contradiction exists in Buddhist thinking which is holistic and complete.

Logic, mind, and reason have predominance over emotions in western thinking since the European Enlightenment. The Western method of coaching mostly follows models based on proven theories in psychology, psychotherapy, behavioural sciences, and more. The western model is typically a question-answer model where the questions are asked by the coach and the protege tries to find the answers. Its what you learn after you know it all that counts, as famously expounded by Harry S Truman.

The Buddha was perhaps the original post-modernist whose teachings placed optimum emphasis on both the heart and the mind, thereby laying the foundation for an integrated and holistic perspective.

The Indian executive mindset is comfortable with the idea of duality and looks at the world as shades of grey unlike a western binary view derived from a formal contractual relationship based on logical questioning. The coaching that works therefore in India is one that understands and incorporates a nurturing and empathy-driven style. Active listening and yet dispassionate non-judgmental observation as a witness (Sakshi Bhav). A mentee-centered approach characterises the Indian coaching style as classically different from the western model.

Learning is a stance. Its a way of professional being. Leaders must be learners to make a difference.

Successful coaches realise that they need to continuously keep changing lenses to perspectivise: the subjects lens, an objective by-stander lens and that of a trusted resource. Mindfulness, listening, and objective analysis all help.

Leadership coaching is most definitely an art that requires skill, contextual understanding, empathy, practice and delivery for effective transformation and transition.

Views are personal.

Piyush Sharma, executive-in-residence at ISB and at UCLA, is a global CEO coach and a c-suite + start-up advisor. Marshall Goldsmith, business educator and coach, is a world-renowned leadership thinker.

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Leadership coaching: The East-West perspective - Fortune India

On the first Earth Day in 1970 Bill Litvin was a senior at Pottstown High School.

He doesn't remember a lot, but he never forgot choosing to walk across town to school. It was a small act in what would become a lifetime of thinking globally and acting locally.

"It was uphill to and from," he recalled. "There was no snow, that was April. It was good long walk, probably a mile and a half. I lived in the east end and the high school was on the north end."

Litvin is now a retired Giorgio Mushrooms sales executive. He's lived in Reading since 1987 and has led Berks County's Earth Day celebration since 1989 when it became an annual event. He said it grew out of the Berks Recycling Coalition.

"We saw Earth Day as a chance to educate people about environmental issues," Litvin said.

He's guided the event over years when it struggled to find a home and supporters for the jubilant celebration now held in City Park that focuses on education with family friendly activities.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic the event, which will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, has been rescheduled for Sept. 27.

Our annual celebration of the Earth has its roots in what author Adam Rome called an extraordinary teach-in on April 22, 1970.

"The teach-ins collectively involved more people than the biggest civil rights and antiwar demonstrations of the 1960s," Rome wrote in the 2013 book, "The Genius of Earth Day: How a Teach-in Unexpectedly Made the First Green Generation."

The first Earth Day received extensive news coverage as kindergartners to college students tackled cleanup projects and dramatic awareness campaigns.

"In the library of Tyson-Shoener Elementary School, a sign was suspended over a single red tulip: 'Look, you may never see one again. This is a flower,' wrote Ray Koehler on page one of the Reading Times on April 23, 1970.

He wrote that a Wyomissing Junior High School teacher said: "The kids are really steamed up about this. They've read in 30 years it could be all over and they are upset they'll only be in their 40s."

In downtown Reading, Koehler wrote, Students for Clean Air from Penn State Berks place flyers under the windshield wipers of cars: "Did you know the greatest air pollutant is carbon monoxide from YOUR car? You are hereby fined 10 years of life gasping for breath for involuntary manslaughter. Do your share to clean the air."

Sixth-graders at Thomas H. Ford Elementary School wore rubber masks to class.

Students fished television sets out of Furnace Creek and picked up litter around Antietam Lake.

"Practically every Reading and Berks elementary and high school had ground crews in action, but the Muhlenberg Junior High School Student Council went a step further," Koehler wrote. "It sent a letter to the superintendent of buildings and grounds requesting that workers refrain from using hard or long-lasting pesticides when spraying school shrubbery and lawns."

Students at then-Alvernia College planted a silver birch tree at noon.

Some Holy Name High School students, Koehler wrote, stood at Fifth and Penn streets seeking signatures for a petitions for anti-pollution legislation.

Koehler wrote that some students felt legislators were apathetic to their concerns.

"There was also the feeling that Earth Day 1970 would be a 'one shot and done' venture and that adults would not listen to the voices of teenagers," Koehler wrote.

But in his story, principals at Gov. Mifflin and Muhlenberg high schools expressed their desires to continue environmental education.

In Conrad Weiser, Koehler wrote, the school board had approved a one-year program to integrate environmental conservation into fifth and sixth grades.

Harry Serio, a Fleetwood resident and longtime United Church of Christ pastor in Berks County, was 29 on the first Earth Day.

Serio, a pastor in Martins Creek in Lehigh County, was involved in the civil rights and anti-war movement. As a member of Friends of the Earth, he helped organize college students at Muhlenberg College, Lehigh University, Lafayette College and Moravian College.

"There was a lot of enthusiasm back in that first Earth Day and the years following," Serio said. "Students would mobilize on campus and protest. We staged a lot of what we called teach-ins where we had groups come together to try to explain how critical the environmental crisis was."

Serio said the environmental movement had many different organizations in the 1970s, all based around different issues: nuclear proliferation, pollution, pesticides in food, supersonic transport and population explosion.

Shortly after Earth Day in 1970, Serio found himself in Womelsdorf.

"In Womelsdorf we started a movement made up of Conrad Weiser faculty called the Town and Country Coalition for Environmental Protection," Serio said. "We were concerned that so much farmland was being used up for development and highways."

Unlike the antiwar movement, which polarized people, Serio said, environmental issues didn't have many enemies except maybe those who were doing the polluting.

Serio said on some of those early issues advocates turned out to be alarmists regarding population explosion, supersonic transport and microwaves.

Oley-based John Hoskyn-Abrahall was a young filmmaker on the first Earth Day.

Hoskyn-Abrahall and his wife, Winnie Scherrer, own Bullfrog Films, which grew into a documentary maker and distributor.

"Earth Dayon Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park was actually part of Philadelphias Earth Week," Scherrer said. "There were events all over the city, and a wide range of celebrities came in including politicians (U.S. Sen. Ed Muskie of Maine and Mayor John Lindsay of New York), scholars and public intellectuals (Paul Ehrlich, Alan Watts, George Wald), well-known radicals (Jerry Rubin, Wavy Gravy), poets and writers (Allen Ginsberg, Ed Sanders, Terry Southern), musical acts (the Broadway cast of 'Hair', Redbone)."

She said everyone was fired up and there were heated political discussions at the events.

"John and filmmaking partners filmed all of them along with various local acts, community groups, gangs and others," Scherrer said. "We knew Earth Day was a huge marker in the evolution of the counterculture from obscurity to center stage. "

That film became "Circuit Earth," still available through the company or in separate clips on YouTube.

Hoskyn-Abrahalland his partners filmed in 16 mm, a revolutionary format that put filmmaking equipment into the hands and budgets of young people.

Bullfrog's means of delivering educational documentaries has changed from 16mm film to video (3/4 to Betamax and VHS) to DVDs.

"Now we are streaming digital files through our educational streaming partner Docuseek, through our community screening website bullfrogcommunities.com, and through our consumer streaming site called OVID.tv," she said.

Larry Lloyd, senior ecologist at Berks Nature, said he participated in Berks' first Earth Day at City Park to follow the mantra that still resonates through the movement, Think globally, act locally.

"First, for the many people who work on environmental matters, environmental education, and land and water protection and management, Earth Day is every day of every year," Lloyd said. "The commitment to a healthy environment that sustains all life on earth requires daily thoughtful actions and is a responsibility across generations.

"Environmental awareness is a lifestyle that reflects stewardship of the planet's natural resources."

Lloyd said Earth Day emerged from the industrial legacy of World War II and the Korean War.

"The use of war technology to control the environment led to widespread pollution in the U.S. environment in the 1960s best captured in the book, 'Silent Spring,' " Lloyd said. "Many dump sites would later be called Superfund sites."

From the Vietnam War, a young-adult movement emerged.

Lloyd said young people called for a green revolution and a cultural revolution to "displace the emptiness of the American dream and its 'happy days are here again,' which was contrary to the reality of pollution, environmental degradation, rapid suburban development and urban decay. Environmental awareness, the emergence of ecology, and hope for a healthier future were the cornerstones which led to Earth Day."

The momentum led to political activity that resulted in legislation across the nation in the 1970s to protect clean streams and endangered species.

Scherrer said the first Earth Day directly impacted legislation.

"The first Earth Day was a combination of fired-up passion, laid-back affect and a confidence we could fix the problems," Scherrer said. "That year the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and the EPA all came into being. Then the Endangered Species Act in 1973. It looked like the U.S. was going to be a leader, with law on our side."

Serio thinks Earth Day did make a difference.

"Because what happened was year after year people continued to be concerned about the environment," Serio said. "Now the issues have changed. What was important 50 years ago is not as important today. We have new issues. Global warming is certainly a big one. Our use of plastics the oceans are suffering and the sea animals are dying because of that. Farmland preservation is still important as well."

Serio credits the media for some of the impact.

"Just like today with the coronavirus," Serio said. "It was the same with the environmental movement. There wasn't a day that went by that you didn't see a story about environmental degradation."

Lloyd said the mantra of thinking globally and acting locally persists.

"There are many positive actions being done in Berks County," he said. "And there are many environmentally educated citizens, and there are abundant natural resources that can be restored.

"But greater participation is needed and the recognition that it will take everyone making the commitment to steward our environment if Berks County and the planet are to be regenerated and sustainable for future generations."

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Earth Day: Remembering the first celebration - Reading Eagle