“AIDS doesn’t ask if you’re gay or straight, black or white, male or female, young or old. AIDS only asks if you’re human,” says Steve Savage, founder of Oasis HIV/AIDS Life . Oasis reaches out to victims of HIV/AIDS here in South Florida, across the country and around the world. The Life will co-host a 5K Outreach run/walk on Dec. 5 at 8 a.m. at Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale with Calvary Christian Academy. The goal is to raise money and awareness and to impact the souls living at the All Saints AIDS Camp located in Nassau, Bahamas. Like a modern-day […]

Have your kids caught the virus? It’s the most contagious and one of the most dangerous viruses a person can catch, and it is “heir-born.” Most of our culture has it. Are your kids negative and ungrateful? Sometimes, kids can be that way because they’re still children. But, many times they act ungrateful because they are very impressionable. It doesn’t take much to cave into the impressions that this culture perpetuates that more is better. They can catch it from the culture but they can also learn it from their parents. The virus of ingratitude is caught in homes where […]

Gene Joyner is an example of a man who bloomed where he was planted. The nationally-known horticulturist lovingly cultivated the land where he grew up and also single-handedly created Florida’s only rainforest. The lush tropical landscape Joyner created, called Unbelievable Acres Botanical Gardens, started out in 1970 as two and a half acres of empty cow pasture holding only two pine trees. Joyner’s family owned the land, and he was raised in a home close to the field. When asked why he started a rainforest in South Florida, Joyner answered, “I just love the rainforest. I looked forward to my […]

Septuagenarian Ed McKenzie is a man on a mission to help seniors in need on low, fixed incomes and grandparents raising their grandchildren throughout Broward County. Each month when he does his shopping, McKenzie practices “buy one, give one free” every time he buys a special offer, he gives the “free” food he collects to The Pantry of Broward, a unique charity focusing on helping seniors and grandparents raising their grandchildren. “In the past six months, McKenzie has collected an amazing one ton of food for The Pantry’s clients,” explains Penny Loughan, CEO of The Pantry of Broward. “What an […]

HopeMongers recently announced the launch of a micro-giving community that empowers anyone with $10 to make a lasting difference in the lives of the world’s poor. The HopeMongers micro-giving community connects online donors with specific community projects around the world. Donors can give as little as $10 to individual projects such as drilling water wells, building schools or establishing orphan community care points. HopeMongers’ efficiency and breadth of projects is due to its broad-based volunteer network that has grown steadily over the last year. The organization passes the administrative savings directly to donors by charging nothing for its micro-giving services. […]

Some social analysts observe the United States in the past half-century has shifted from a Bedford Falls-like culture of small businesses and community-friendly financial institutions to a Pottersville-style nightmare of predatory lenders and seedy businesses that target the poor. And for American society in general, the result is anything but “a wonderful life.”  Some social analysts are calling for a renewal of a “thrift culture” in America. “We have created a debt culture,” David Blankenhorn, executive director of the Institute for American Values told the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission’s statewide conference earlier this year. Blankenhorn and some of his […]

For Ariann and Eddy Denison, starting a dance studio was not a simple business venture; it was a way to give the community a place to get a taste of enduring Christian values. Their dance studio, The Studio in Davie, was birthed from Ariann’s childhood dream of opening a dance studio. She says she always wanted to be a role model to influence children in a positive way. So, she and her husband opened up The Studio on Sept. 13, 2007. The Studio offers ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, hip hop, musical theater and advanced technique classes. Ariann brings a […]

The salmon were in full summer swing in Sitka, Alaska, and author Margaret Feinberg was busy caring for her aunt’s bed and breakfast giving her relative a much-needed break. While serving up scones along with the usual morning chit-chat with the guests, Feinberg asked a visitor from Oregon what line of work she was in. “I’m a shepherdess,” Lynne, the guest responded. “Uh…what?” Feinberg asked. “I have more than a dozen Shetland sheep that I breed and care for,” said the former executive. And so ensued the conversation that would lead Feinberg to pen “Scouting the Divine: My search for […]

Just Between Friends franchise seeks to glorify God and save South Florida families money Nov. 20–21 When friends Shannon Wilburn and Daven Tackett decided to host a glorified garage sale in their living room to sell gently used baby gear, they included friends that wanted to sell baby, maternity and children’s items, too. Each mom went away with a few extra bucks in their pockets and hopes to have another event real soon. The women saw a franchise opportunity in the making that night in 1997. Twelve years later, the Just Between Friends (JBF) franchise is a more than $4 […]