Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 16, 2011

7

MORE NEWS FOR YOU

 Mountain Views News Saturday, April 16, 2011 

I’M ALIVE!

Teacher rumored dead speaks out that life can go on 
after Cancer -- calls on Arcadia Elementary Schools to be 
involved with the American Cancer Society’s Mini-Relay 
for Life – coming June 3 

by Helen Simmons Conroy

 The other day, I was walking my 4th grade class to lunch when a 
student from another 4th grade class walked up to me and exclaimed, “Mrs. 
Conroy, my brother at Dana told me a rumor was going around there that 
you were dead!” After having my breath temporarily sucked out of me by 
the statement, I regrouped. “Tell your brother to set them straight at Dana 
Middle School, would you please?” I requested. “As you can see, I am far 
from dead!” 

 A middle school rumor had declared me dead and that made me 
sad, as well as angry. After calming down, I realized that rumor had been 
created and spread by ignorance, fear, and a lack of awareness that life can 
go on after getting cancer. The incident was but another reason why I knew 
I did the right thing in getting involved with hosting the American Cancer 
Society’s upcoming Mini-Relay for Life. I had to get the word out to young 
kids that just because you get cancer, it doesn’t mean your life is over. Don’t 
get me wrong. I am no Pollyanna. I saw both my mom and my sister die 
from cancer. However, in both cases, the cancer was not detected early. It 
is part of my mission as a teacher and two-year survivor of breast cancer, 
to show by example that life can go on after getting cancer. Early detection 
and treatment are key, of course, as well as a fighting attitude and healthy 
living habits. I also want to share that, believe or not, there are benefits 
gained from the horrendous experience. Those who survive take with them 
a unique appreciation for life, a second chance to make each moment count, 
not stress on the little things, and focus on soaking in the things that really 
have meaning – your kids and loved ones, and reaching out to others to make 
a difference. 

 I ask Arcadia elementary school parents and students to show your support for the importance of cancer education by being involved with the American Cancer Society’s Mini-Relay for 
Life, hosted for the first time ever by an Arcadia School District elementary school – at Camino Grove Elementary School, on June 3, from 3 – 6 p.m. For more information, check out our 
website at http://arcadiaminirelay.org. If you have a question not addressed on the website, feel free to contact ACS Mini-Relay Coordinator, Jonie Tsuji, at jonie.tsuji@verizon.net or me at 
hconroy@ausd.net, as I am not by any means dead! (For information on the Arcadia community Relay event, to be held at the Santa Anita Race Track on June 25-26, visit http://relayforlife.
org/arcadiaca.) 


Jonie Tsuji proudly let’s her students know...She’s Alive!

SBA, Inc. Magazine and AT&T Join Forces 

to Promote Exporting by U.S. Small 
Businesses 

ANTONOVICH ANNOUNCES STATION 

FIRE FOREST RESTORATION 

 

Los Angeles County Mayor and South 
Coast Air Quality Management District 
Director Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich 
joined federal officials, local supporters 
and environmental leaders at the 
Wildwood Picnic Area in Tujunga to announce 
a major effort to restore the Angeles 
National Forest after the Station Fire 
devastation. 

“It has been nearly two years since the 
tragic Station Fire that took the lives of two 
of our County’s firefighters, burned 160,000 
acres, destroyed over 100 structures and 
displaced thousands of our County’s residents,” 
said Antonovich. “The impact of 
the devastation required a large-scale effort 
to renew and revitalize our forest. To 
assist, the AQMD allocated $1.4 million to 
support one of the largest local reforestation 
efforts to date with the growing and 
planting of nearly half a million trees in a 
3,000-acre area of the forest.”

 “In addition to improving water quality, 
recreational opportunities and air quality 
for future generations, this reforestation 
project will help restore the eco-system, 
reduce the threat of mudslides, and remove 
tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” 
he added. 


WASHINGTON, D.C. – 
Small businesses seeking to 
grow their businesses and 
create jobs through exporting 
can turn to new, free 
educational videos created 
through a partnership between 
the U.S. Small Business 
Administration, Inc. 
Magazine and AT&T.

Through the public-private 
partnership, a series of video 
modules has been developed 
to inspire and encourage 
American small businesses 
to actively pursue exporting 
and to educate them on how 
to do so. 

“Winning the future means 
supporting small businesses 
that want to grow and create 
jobs through exporting,” said 
SBA Administrator Karen 
Mills. “SBA is very pleased 
to have partnered with Inc. 
Magazine and AT&T in the 
production and distribution 
of this video series, which 
will help small firms that are 
new to exporting or looking 
for new markets to sell their 
goods and services.”

The video series, Take Your 
Business Global, features 
five main topics that guide 
small businesses through the 
process of exporting: Getting 
Started in Exporting; 
Planning for Export success; 
Connecting with Foreign 
Buyers; Financing; and five 
Case Studies of successful 
small business exporters. 

The videos begin with answers 
to the frequently asked 
question, Why Export? They 
feature SBA Deputy Administrator 
Marie Johns; 
U.S. Secretary of Commerce 
Gary Locke; U.S. Trade Representative, 
Ambassador 
Ron Kirk, and a variety of 
small business exporters. 
Other modules feature exporting 
experts discussing 
“how-to” take your business 
global. The videos are posted 
at www.inc.com/exporting.

“Inc. is proud to work alongside 
the Small Business Administration 
and AT&T to 
provide entrepreneurs with 
a valuable resource in their 
efforts to expand their businesses 
overseas,” said Bob 
LaPointe, Inc. President. 

“This video series will educate 
business owners about 
what to expect when they 
launch an international 
business. “We have put together 
experienced small 
business exporters as well as 
officials from local and national 
resources to provide 
a complete picture. Inc. is 
always happy to help small 
businesses grow.”

“AT&T is excited to be part 
of this initiative and to collaborate 
with the SBA and 
Inc. magazine,” said Cathy 
Martine, AT&T Executive 
Vice President, Small Business 
Solutions. “We believe 
U.S. small businesses are 
engines of innovation, and 
strongly encourage them 
to grow by thinking globally 
and taking advantage of 
technology. With the emergence 
of online commerce 
and digital communications, 
the potential to export products 
and services around 
the world has never been 
greater.”

Funding for this project was 
jointly provided by Inc. Magazine 
and AT&T. Also, Inc. 
Magazine created the site to 
host the videos; both firms 
will distribute DVD copies 
of the videos and related materials 
approved by SBA and 
promote the series in online 
and print advertising. 

The joint program will be 
launched April 8, at the 
Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las 
Vegas, at the Inc. conference 
GROWCO, an event 
targeting growing small 
businesses. 

The co-sponsorship agreements 
will remain in effect 
through August 31, 2012.

Cosponsorship Authorization 
# 10-7080-165. SBA’s 
participation in this cosponsored 
activity is not an 
endorsement of the views, 
opinions, products or services 
of any cosponsor or 
other person or entity. All 
SBA programs and services 
are extended to the public on 
a nondiscriminatory basis.

 Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles 
County Mayor and South Coast Air Quality 
Management District Director Under Secretary 
for Natural Resources and Environment Harris 
Sherman with U.S. Forest Service workers

monroviaweekly.comA Beacon Media, Inc. Publication