From North Dakota to Siberia, Fifth Generation Farmer Creates Jobs And Shares Knowledge

In my profession, I'm constantly meeting endlessly fascinating people. I wanted to share my conversation with Stephanie Stober of FlaxUSA, and how her company is providing jobs in a small, rural community.
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Stephanie Stober praises the benefits of flax seed. She's a fifth generation grower on the family farm, and knows the average person can mix flax seeds to salads, soups, cereal, juices. or baked goods for a nutritous meal, or snack.



"Flax seeds are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, and fiber," she said.

Not short on motivation, Stober finds her work rewarding. In these uncertain economic times, her business is able to provide jobs in her small community.



"We are able to employ people who normally would have to drive 30, or more miles to find work, since the local grocery store closed. Creating jobs is a great assest, " she said.

Stober has a history of being community-minded. "I had the opportunity to travel to Siberia to help educate farmers on different ideas for income in 1992," she said.

Her time in Siberia may not only have produced more enlightened farmers, but also anecdotes.

"I have to tell you about my experience in Siberia, a Trans- Siberian railroad train took off without me, and I was running behind the train in the middle of nowhere in Siberia. I went off to get food, and the train whistle blew one time, and the wheels started moving. the hostess had pulled up the steps and shut the door, mind you, I'm in the last car of the train. No placed to board, I was literally running alongside, and my friends were trying to reach out to grab me, but suddenly all I saw was the back of the train," she said.

She recounts that someone on the train spotted her, and the train screeched to a halt. "I heard the screech of the brakes, and all I could say was the only word I knew in Russian, speciba- thank you," she said,

Based near Goodrich, North Dakota, Stober said she's been operating her company, Flax USA, Inc. since 2001.



Her role is to market flax products nationally and abroad. Stober covers a broad geographic region: USA, Canada, Taiwan, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and the Fiji Islands.



Asked to what is unique about her company, she said flax is one of the richest plant sourcse of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids and rated as one of the top 8 "super foods."

As a serial entrepreneur, Stober said she's been self-employed since 1979, first as an independent Mary Kay sales director, and later raising exotic animals for fifteen years. "Chinese Shar Pei dogs, fainting goats, pot belly pigs, minature sheep, donkeys, cattle, as well as Emu, and Icelandic horses, just to name a few," she said. Stober said she shipped the animals all over the nation "to help others make use of their farm life with an added income."

She describes Goodrich as being in "the middle of nowhere," and that she has to travel three miles to contact the nearest neighbor, six miles to reach the epicenter of the main town, but she has not let location thwart her business plans. "Location is not always the important thing. Have a dream and do all you can to make it come alive," she said.

"Goodrich, which is 6 miles away, is about a town of 100. We still have our own school,. Our daughter Jessica will be a high school senior next year, and there and eight in her class, which is the biggest class in many years. Most classes are 2-6 people. The whole school K-12 is about 40 kids! Great quality education. Great place to raise a family and affordable housing," she said.




Her enterprise may be one of the most renowned entities in Goodrich, apart from the Avon lady.



"Rosie Gries, the famous Avon lady was on Johnny Carson ,and on Jay Leno. She was a consultant for 50 years, Avon awarded her with a car, and she kept selling till almost 100 years old," she said.

Stober explained her family originally established the farm in 1901, and she and her husband, John now run the day to day operations.

Stober started down the path of making her dream to grow and market flax seed a reality, via craft and garden shows. "I started selling one on one to customers by educating them on the benefits of flax seed," she said.

She admits there have been struggles along the way, but the family has been resilient. "I love the challenge of being creative, being my own boss, and opportunity to grow a business," she said.



Asked her definition of success, she said keeping fear at bay. "Don't be afraid to try, because the biggest failure is never to have tried at all."















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O'Neal Media Group Op-Ed

O'Neal Media Group takes a stand on many current issues in the news, and encourages its clients to follow suit. The company's editorial "Is The Atheist Movement Gaining Ground?" ran on USA Today on June 24th.


Jerry Falwell Article Page - USATODAY.com - Jun 24-Is The Atheist Movement Gaining Ground?
Much has been said about how atheism has over the years reached a level of unprecedented prominence . ...

http://content.usatoday.com/topics/article/Religion+and+beliefs/Leaders,+Experts/Jerry+Falwell/02cRc60fVB2W7/1.

Jackie O'Neal, head of O'Neal Media Group says: "In our profession, it's important that when you recognize a trend in your industry, it's vital to speak out about it, and let the media know. A great vehicle to be able to do is an Op-Ed piece. That way you position yourself as an expert, and when reporters, or bloggers see your editorial piece, they'll be open to possibly considering you as a source in the future. The trend you identify can also be outside of your industry, on an issue you are passionate about. As the author, Jill Lubin once wisely said: "Give the media all you've got! By so doing, your visibility grows far and wide."


If you would like O'Neal Media Group to assist you in developing editorial content, please let us know about issues you would like to cover. All our content is syndicated.

Contact: Jackie O'Neal
e-mail: jackieoneal@helloworld.com
Telephone: (609) 334-8621

Importance of Healthy and Ecologically Sustainable Food Systems

O'Neal Media Group is proud to announce our collaboration with new client, EarthTHRIVE Initiative, and today's national distribution media advisory:


Health: Importance of Healthy and Ecologically Sustainable Food Systems

Marv Lyons, founder of EarthTHRIVE Initiative, a San Diego-based non-profit with global concern for worldwide health and well-being, commends the American Medical Association's Sustainable Food policy for taking a leading position in educating the health care community and the public about the importance of healthy and ecologically sustainable food systems: "It's vitally important to help the public understand and take a strong position in speaking out for real, live, nourishing foods. While it is true that food is the best medicine, it only works when the food itself is live and healthy. Unfortunately, food in America has become a giant industry, more focused on profits than quality for a healthy population. Packaging labels notwithstanding, the bulk of easily accessible and heavily marketed products that predominate on the shelves of most markets have minimal nutritional value and contribute to the general obesity.

The measures the AMA proposes to educate the health care community and the public about the importance of healthy and ecologically sustainable food systems are important to help the public understand the relationship between healthy slow food grown nearby by growers committed to quality and personal health and well-being."

News Contact: Jackie O'Neal, jackieoneal@helloworld.com Phone: +1-609-334-8621 Web site: http://www.earththrive.org

Why Governments Need To Invest In The Education OF Girls In Developing Nations

According to a new report issued by the International Labour Office (ILO) for the World Day Against Child Labor on June 12, the global financial crisis could push an increasing number of children, particularly girls, into child labour.”
The ILO report, entitled Give Girls a Chance: Tackling child labour, a key to the future (Note 1), notes that while recent global estimates indicate the number of children involved in child labour has been falling, the financial crisis threatens to erode this progress.

The most relevant point made in the report is “the importance of investing in the education of girls as an effective way of tackling poverty. “

Based on the International Labour Office’s research “educated girls are more likely to earn more as adults, marry later in life, have fewer and healthier children and have decision-making power within the household.”
The United Nations Population Fund,State of the World Population, 1990 confirms that when a girl in the developing world recieves seven or more years of education, she marries four years later, and has 2.2 fewer children.

The report asserted the danger of girls being forced into child labor is linked to evidence that in many countries families give preference to boys when making decisions on education of children. It further elaborates that because of the increase in poverty as result of the economic crisis, poor families with several children, may be forced to decide which children can remain in school
Girls are particularly at risk in cultures that place a higher value on education of male children.

Statistics estimate that more than one quarter of the population in Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa are girls and young women ages 10-24. (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.)

Michele Jankanish, Director of the ILO International Program wrote: “ The opportunities or lack of opportunities that girls are afforded early in life may well determine their future and that of future generations. Girls have the right to grow and develop free of child labour and girls have the right to education. We must give girls a chance to make these rights a reality.”

Further evidence of why girls in developing nations are at risk was revealed in the report based on statistics that estimate 100 million girls between 5 and 17 years old are believed to be involved in child labor worldwide. Of these more than half (53 million) are estimated to be engaged in hazardous work.

Especially alarming is the fact that girls constitute a large proportion of the children engaged in some of the most dangerous forms of child labour, including forced and bonded labour and prostitution.

Another factor contributing to the vulnerability of girls in developing nations, is the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, according to the report: “The spread of HIV/AIDS has a major impact on girls as they are often forced to take on additional responsibilities inside and outside the household.”

The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS estimates that 75 percent of 15-24- year olds living with HIV/AIDS in Africa are female, up from 62 percent in 2001.

Written by Jackie O'Neal

An Ugandan Pastor Offers Hope To The Disabled And Incarcerated

In sub-saharan Africa, Uganda is scarred by political corruption, , conflict, and a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS.

Despite the many political and economic tribulations in Uganda, Pastor Paul Bulenzi, founder of Beam of Hope For The Disadvantaged (htttp://www.behod.org) continues to keep his mission of educating disabled street orphans in Jinja, a priority. For the most part, Pastor Paul single-handedly manages the day to day affairs of the non-governmental agency, but he also relies on volunteers to help him provide moral support and supplies to the disabled HIV/AIDS orphans that depend on BEHOD.

Jinja lies in the south east of Uganda, 54 miles north east of the capital, Kampala. It is located on the shores of Lake Victoria, near to the source of the White Nile river. The city is the chief town of Jinja District, and is considered the capital of the Kingdom of Busoga.

Pastor Paul Bulenzi, 38, operates an educational facility and provides training for disabled street orphans whereby they can learn computer skills, tailoring, and carpentry. These valuable job skills not only ensure a better economic future for his students,but also teach them self-reliance. Pastor Paul said many of his students have never attended school.

BEHOD has grown since its early beginnings and expanded its operations to include a school in Kajansi, 7 kilometers from Jinja. Pastor Paul remains hopeful about the impact the school will make on local disabled children.

Last year, a college in the Netherlands based in Utrecht, donated several computers, so that the students could begin training. The transfer of the computers from Utrecht to Jinja was complicated and replete with red tape. In the end, the shipment took five months to arrive safely, and made an impact on the students. “The students have really benefited from learning how to use a computer, and has helped them come out of their cocoons because now they have friends at the center,” he said.

Through Pastor Paul’s affiliation with the Netherlands based Nabuur.com, an organization that matches virtual volunteers with non-governmental agencies in the developing nations, Beam Of Hope For the Disadvantaged connected with a group of volunteers from Utecht who traveled to Jinja to assist Pastor Paul Bulenzi with urgent needs.

Not only did the Dutch volunteers work energetically painting and making repairs, but they also brought a healthy dose of motivation. “It was great for the students to share the workload with friends from a developed nation. For example, Kyra, 26, painted tirelessly while in her wheelchair,” he said.

On the phone, the sound of Pastor Paul Bulezi’s voice appears to project clarity and energy, obviously emanating from the soul of a man who is dedicated to the less fortunate in Jinja. He explains that what accounts for the large numbers of disabled street orphans in Jinja is a combination of the effects of war, the prevalence of polio, and the high incidence of HIV/AIDS. Statistics estimate that 940,000 persons in Uganda are living with HIV/AIDS.

Pastor Paul Bulenzi’s work is purely voluntary, and in an uncertain economic climate, he faces challenges in becoming self-sustaining. “ I have had to work as a taxi driver to support and feed the people that come to the educational facility in Jinja. Now that all commodities and prices have increased, I’m facing a difficult time in sustaining the project,” he said.

He explained that the teachers who train the students must be paid, and have become increasingly expensive. In addition, the relatives who bring the disabled students to the center appear to abandon them. “The relatives don’t bother coming back to see how they are doing. Some still mistreat the disabled, and don’t know how to handle them, he said.

Pastor Paul said there are episodes when young girls are sexually abused by male cohorts. “Once the girls become pregnant, the men deny all responsibility, abandon both the mother and child,and these children also end up in my hands,” he said.
Part of Pastor Paul’s social work includes doing outreach to prisoners in Ugandan jails. He describes the conditions in the prisons as deplorable. “The jails were built to accommodate a small number of inmates, but now they have become overcrowded. The prisoners are exposed to poor sanitation, and receive very poor nutrition,” he said.

He explained that the wheels of the legal system move at an alarmingly slow pace with capital offences taking 2-4 years before going before a tribunal.
“But the prison authorities have done a great job by allowing outsiders to do outreach to the prisoners. It’s given us an opportunity to counsel and encourage inmates,” he said.

Asked what advice he would give to persons who might want to use their own reources to help improve the quality of life for the less fortunate, he’s clear they should follow through. “They should do it with all their hearts knowing that their support is going to the right people,”he said.

One grave concern travelers to Uganda may have is that malaria infection poses a health risk in sub-Saharan Africa, but there are precautions visitors can take when visiting Jinja. Pastor Paul lost a member of his staff as a result of malaria infection,and realizes the cost of malaria medicine in Uganda is prohibitive, thereby many Ugandans, like his staff member, Mustafa, die of the infectious disease. “First of all, visitors should protect their health by taking medicine, and also stay in hotels that have access to good sanitation, and mosquito nets. Visitors can also consider bringing mosquito nets to those who cannot affford them,” he said.
Efforts are being made to distribute mosquito nets to the needy. Pastor Paul said through a U.S. contact -- www.mosquitocurtains.com -- two 40 pound boxes with nets are available to be shipped from the US to Uganda, and to be divided amongst a number of NABUUR projects. Recent tries to get the nets shipped for free, haven't succeeded yet.

For the most part, Pastor Paul has recruited volunteers through word of mouth, but is still finding it a challenge to connect with benefactors abroad. “Different people who believe in our mission talk to others who have a heart to serve people with disabilities, and they work with us. But we still need more volunteers and sponsors,” he said.

For more information, visit: www.behod.org

Listen to O'Neal Media Group's commentary on the future of newspapers on NPR

Listen to O'Neal Media Group's commentary on the future of newspapers on NPR 51% The Women's Perspective (WAMC, Albany, N.Y.) Host and Producer: Susan Barnett:
(To Listen To The Segment, Click on the title in bold next to the arrow.)

"And finally, a consideration of the future of America's struggling newspapers. Jackie O'Neal is head of the O'Neal Media Group. "


2:05 Newspaper O'Neal

Jackie O'Neal leads the O'Neal Media Group in New Jersey.



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Dear Jackie,

I am a board member of Arts to Grow and I wanted to send you a quick note to express our gratitude for your efforts on behalf of this wonderful organization. I hope I will have the pleasure of meeting you, perhaps at the next ATG Gala.

The article really captures the ATG experience and benefits to the children. So again, thank you so much!

Best regards,

Sophie Lechner
Arts To Grow
http://www.artstogrow.org

Volunteer Award Winner Will Start Academic Career At New York University: An Interview with James Kwee

Volunteer Award Winner Will Start Academic Career At New York University: An Interview with James Kwee
By Jackie O’Neal

The United Way Volunteer Center of Greater Chattanooga affirmed James Kwee exemplifies all the enviable qualities a youth volunteer should posess: a sense of dedication to service, the willingness and energy to take on responsibility on behalf of the needy, and a positvie attitude to help motivate others.

He was recently selected as the winner of the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. His meritorious work included spearheading a local initiative to start a Cheerful Givers pilot program in Chattanooga.

Cheerful Givers, an organization based in Michigan, provides birthday gift bags for children living in homeless shelter whose special day would otherwise go unacknowledged. The program can be replicated in other communities.

To date, the organization has provided 300,000 gift bags to needy children.
In the following interview, James discusses his motivation for being a volunteer, and how volunteering has enriched his life.

For those who thrive on the intrinsic value and rewards of reaching out to those less fortunate, Jame’s insights will clarify how productive volunteer work can be.

Tell us something about a key person/founder behind the
group/organization- you volunteer for, what did they do before, what was their motivation, their other interests in recruiting you as a volunteer?

Well, ultimately, there is the founder, Robin Maynard Steele to thank. She was the person who first thought of the idea and took action, upon touring a food shelf without any birthday gifts for children.

What are you trying to achieve via volunteering? Why is this important to you?
I think volunteering is all about being able to get involved in the community and be able to help out and give back. I just want to be able to make a difference in people or their lives, no matter how small or seemingly trivial the difference may be. Sometimes it’s just about being someone’s friend and offering them support and just being a positive influence on them—letting them know there are people out there that care. That’s really important to me and what I ultimately want to achieve. Being able to be a positive role model to children and making them smile and laugh is also an amazing feeling.

For me, personally, Karen Kitchel, the president of Cheerful Givers, has been a big factor and driving force of why I volunteer with Cheerful Givers. I have yet to meet her, but she’s always been an email away from me. Whenever I had questions or comments, she would always respond back extremely quickly. I feel that he is truly there for the volunteers and takes the time to personally connect with them.
Also, a big deciding factor in my volunteering with Cheerful Givers was their birthday gift mission; knowing that I would have an excuse to shop in toy stores was a big plus.

If you could have anyone in to help, who would it be (famous, or
someone you know)?

The first person that comes to my mind is Angelina Jolie. I think she’s a beautiful, amazing actress and her humanitarian efforts and charity work are very admirable. She’s a great example to the rest of Hollywood.
I would love to have her help out in the Cheerful Givers’ cause because it would be sure to gather a lot of publicity and media attention for us, which would be a huge help in spreading the word and getting our message across the nation.
Is there anything unique to how you are doing things? What’s your approach?
I’m not really sure that I’m exceptionally unique in the way I do things. I try to get the word out and gain publicity for Cheerful Givers as much as possible.
With birthday bags, we will sometimes do themes with them. I know recently we had a pirate themed bag. The gift bag was shaped like a treasure chest and inside, a pirate toy and many other pirate themed goodies. Another cool one that comes to mind is Thomas the Train. We had a Thomas bag, and inside a big Thomas stuffed toy (Almost said animal, but then remembered he’s a train), Thomas book, Thomas birthday card (for the parents to sign and give to their child), and other things. I think it’s really fun to do themes with bags and we try to whenever it’s possible. We also make sure the gifts look nice—like something we would give a friend or acquaintance.
Tell us a key frustration working in your field?
Well, I’m a student so I don’t really work in a career field, so I’ll assume you’re talking about my volunteering. There really aren’t many (if any) frustrations working/volunteering with Cheerful Givers, except for maybe finding boxes to transport the birthday bags.

In my other volunteering activities there are a few frustrations, but I won’t go into them as to keep this mainly about my volunteer work with Cheerful Givers.
Tell us something about you outside of volunteer work.
I love hockey. Here in the South, that easily makes me a minority. I’ve been playing inline (or roller) hockey since I was about 7.

I’m also a big fan of politics. I love debates, although the bad thing with political debates (often escalating into an argument) is that neither side ever admits defeat.

Where are you located? Geographically, what area(s) do you cover/help?
I am located in Chattanooga, TN. (Technically, I live in Rocky Face, Georgia, but I practically live in Chattanooga and consider myself a Chattanoogan.) Our Cheerful Gives pilot program here covers the Chattanooga and Cleveland, TN areas, as well as Northwest Georgia.

Explain two things you really need (other than cash).
For Cheerful Givers, I would love more national publicity. I would be very excited to see it spread nationally and become well-known across the country.
I would also love for my pilot program here in Chattanooga, to increase its participating charity list. I would love to have a good 15-20 charities participating in it. Right now, I think we are trying to find 10 by the end of the year.

Expert Offers Practical Tips On Love, Health, And Family

Dr. Beth is the host of "Relationships 101" on www.webtalkradio.net
and a psychotherapist for 30 years. She is a great expert who can offer your audience practical tips on love, health, and family.


Dr. Beth Erickson lives in Minnesota 1 mile from an NBC affiliate CNN uses
and also close to ABC and NBC in the Twin Cities. Her patients are
used to her media placements so she can re-arrange her schedule at a
moment's notice. I'd be delighted to coordinate an interview.

TV Clip: http://www.drbetherickson.com/Press_Room.html

Helpful links: Online press kit, and Book information:

Link to Press Kit: http://onealmediagroup.presskit247.com/Dr._Beth_Erickson

Book page: http://www.drbetherickson.com/Products.html

Here are Five Story ideas laden with insights that will keep your audiences riveted:

Health:

How To Live On Purpose, Not Just the Absence of Disease

Eight thousand baby boomers turn sixty every day. They must choose
whether to spend the rest of their lives living or dying, even if they
are not consciously aware of this dilemma. It is up to each individual
to choose to have a health span commensurate with this extended life
span. Dr. Beth provides tools to help audiences choose to connect with
their inner fountain of youth, claim their wisdom, transmit their
legacy, and age without fear.


Ten Tools For Tapping Your Inner Fountain of Youth

One hundred years ago, life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years,
compared to 77.6 years in 2005. Skills not usually developed in
earlier decades are needed now to thrive and age vitally in these
bonus decades. What is more, the depth of questions is different now,
centering around surveying accomplishments, reshaping one’s purpose,
leaving a legacy, and facing death. Dr. Beth will teach the ten most
important tools to maximize and thrive in these unprecedented years.


Love:

Why Marriage Isn’t For Sissies: 7 Simple Keys To Unlocking The Best Part Of Your Life:

Dr. Beth helps couples navigate through potentially stormy relationships, identify their most destructive enemies, and overcome the battle- renewed and re-nvigorated via simple therapeutic approaches. Dr. Erickson can teach your audience how to have qualitatively different conversations with their spouses and themselves so they can enjoy the best part of their married lives.


“Attracting the Love You Want”

When single women concentrate on making themselves attractive to potential mates,
they place themselves in a passive position where they must wish for lovers to find them. Instead, Dr. Beth urges women to learn to actively attract a partner. Her guest, Kim Mylles, shares the charming story of the strategies she deliberately employed to find “Mr. Mylles,” while Dr. Beth shares her own story of how she met
her husband. If you’re single and interested in being in a relationship, you won’t want to miss the wise counsel of two women who have been highly successful in their careers and are now in their love lives.



“Secrets to a Long and Vital Marriage

Mat and his best friend since third grade, Jason Miller, were two bachelors in their twenties when they decided to study what makes long and successful marriages. Mat particularly was curious because his parents had divorced. So they traveled the country in a rented RV, interviewing couples who had been happily married for 40 or more years. What they found from their conversations, as couples’ stories unfolded, were the main ingredients of longevity in marriages. Some of the couples’ stories may surprise you. And some may warm your heart. And all will provide the anatomy of everlasting love.


“How Lesbian Love Is Like Heterosexual Love”

It is human nature to think of people who are different from oneself as being weird and even wrong. And while, of course, there are some significant differences between ethnic groups, generations, and heterosexual and homosexual relationships, there are also some significant similarities as well. And yet many people continue to focus on the differences. In this conversation, Dr. Beth, Dr. Joni, and Esther will discuss the similarities in homosexual and heterosexual relationships.



Family:

How To Bounce Back From Father Loss
Far from being disposable and optional as some believe, knowledge of
and contact with their birth father is essential for children’s
healthy development. Yet, far too many children experience a dad who
is not there even when he is home. Worse yet, others’ information
about who their father is distorted in the midst of divorce wars. Dr.
Beth will discuss the ways that relationships with both father and
mother are essential to the development of a child’s self-image and
what happens when that knowledge is missing.

When Dick and Jane Grow Up: Fathers, Sons, and Daughters
Boys get anointed man enough by their fathers, and girls get a safe
place to practice being a woman. What happens in adulthood when
children are deprived of a healthy relationship with their birth
father? That loss often sits like a lost Atlantis sunken in their
entrails. The relationships they create usually are highly
conflictual. Their parenting often goes from one extreme of smothering
to the other of emotional neglect. Dr. Beth will discuss emotional
sequellae of father loss and suggest strategies for its prevention.