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HatsHats HATS OFF!

A Page of Recognition

A "HERO" IS A PERSON Helping to Energize and Renew Others.

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EVERYONE LOVES TO BE RECOGNIZED

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We all have a human need to be recognized--for who we are and for what we do. Children need it when they draw a picture, learn to tie their shoes, or bring home an award from school. But adults need such recognition, too; it may be a job well done at work, a college degree attained, or cooking a good meal.

With recognition, people feel more positive toward each other, and a climate of trust becomes easier to establish.

Hats Off in a Group
So here's my HATS OFF
to people and groups
that deserve recognition.

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THANKS FOR THE JOKES

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Thanks to Jeff Winder, El Delco, Chari de los Reyes, Jon Willliams, Mert Beuerman, Donna Connell, Charmaine, Laugh-a-Lot, Randy Holleschau, Altie, and Miz Bee for for their jokes on the Jokes Page. And thanks to Don Thompson for supplying many of the jokes from his "Lesher Library News," published a few years ago.

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MERCED COLLEGE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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I would like to congratulate Della Anderson upon her graduation from Merced College, in May, 1998, with a 3.35 GPA. Della is an excellent writer, a serious student of philosophy and humanities, fascinated by math, fluent in several languages, and a lover of knitting. Married to a former GI, Della attended Stanislaus State University in Turlock, and now lives with her husband in Idaho.

Merced College SealPink RoseJo Yan was in my Speech 5 class a few years ago. She graduated, transferred to UC Berkeley, where she was an honor student, and returned to Hong Kong, her home. She received an 18 month contract from a local TV station to travel all over the world as "Miss International Goodwill" for Hong Kong. She was chosen from numerous candidates and this puts her closer to her ultimate goal: Ambassador to the United States. Good luck Jo. We are proud of you.

Prison GuardI would also like to acknowledge Mrs. Laura Volz of Madera, California, a graduate of Merced College, majoring in the Administration of Justice. After getting her A.A. from Merced College and graduating from the state academy, she was hired as an "on call" guard at the Central California Women's Facility on Avenue 24 in Chowchilla, California. She has now been hired full-time with a permanent schedule. Congratulation, Laura, you worked very hard to get where you are.

MailboxIt was a pleasant surprise to get an E-mail letter from Deb VonWagner who was in a speech class of mine (as were her two brothers) at Merced College and who graduated in 1979, having majored in Mass Communications. She then got a BA in Journalism from San Francisco State University. Most of her career has been in Sales and Marketing, but for the last three years she has commuted to Silicon Valley to program for the Internet and for Accounting Systems. She also has had a craft-hobby-business for 5 years as a Native American artist, which means she makes, paints and sells Native American Crafts.

Hats off to another former Merced College student, Erica Goss, who works part-time with the Merced Human Services Agency, and who works full-time as a wife and mother. She and her husband (who works for CalTrans) have two children, ages 18 and 14. She had a speech class of mine, and we made connections recently through friends in the Corporate Training Program at the Challenger Center in Atwater where I work part-time.

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MERCED COLLEGE SPEECH TEAM ALUMNI COLUMN

If anyone reading this page knows the wherebouts of any Merced College Speech Team Alumni who were on the team from 1969 to 1977, please sign my guest book. I would like to compile an Honor Roll of the members from those years. I will begin putting their names here.

SUSAN (ANDERSON) BOYKIN is now an English teacher (including honor students) at Golden Valley High School, Merced, California. She is married with one son.

RALPH MORRIS is now a full-time teacher in the Political Science/History Division at Merced college.

YOLANDA NARDOZZO is now a Language Arts Speech Instructor at Skyline College in San Bruno, California, a part of the San Mateo Community College District.

LINDA (CULOTTA) NICHOLAS is now a Social Worker/Supervisor with the Merced Human Services Agency in Merced, California. She has three children and one grandchild. You can contact her at wisernow@elite.net.

LAURIE TAYLOR wrote in August, 2004, "I am teaching at Burbank Elementary School in Modesto which is very close to Modesto High School. I love it there. I am teaching 5th grade and have a class that teachers dream of. I also built a new home last year and have finally moved in. It keeps me very busy. On top of that I am also running for city council in Riverbank. I am keeping quite busy as you can see. I also do drama, chorus, and student council at my school. I really enjoy working with the kids. It is a lot of fun. I have been teaching for 17 years now." Laurie received her BA from Sacramento State University and her teaching credential from Chapman College. Her email address is lortay@sbcglobal.net.

PAULA (VALKOS) WHEALEN was on the Merced College Speech team during 1976-77. She had been on the Atwater speech team with Mr. Reese for 3 yrs prior. She graduated from Merced College in 1978, and later from Sacramento State. Since 1980 she has worked in the civil engineering field in Sacramento. Three years ago she formed a corporation with two partners, and they specialize in water resources engineering throughout California. She says that quite a bit of litigation is going on these days in the water industry, and that keeps them busy. She is married and has no children. She said that whenever she prepared for testimony, responded to cross examination, or gave a speech to agricultural groups, she thought of the speaking and active listening skills that she learned in the forensics class and as a member of the speech team. She called them Invaluable life skills! You can contact her at pjwhealen@home.com

SUE (WILLIAMSON) CAMPBELL is now an eighth grade science teacher at Livingston Middle School in Livingston, California. She graduated from Stanislaus State University and received her teaching credential from Chapman college. She is married and lives in Atwater, California.

JOHN BOYKIN is a writer and in 2003 received the Excellence in Diplomacy Award from the American Academy of Diplomacy in Washington, D.C. for his book Cursed is the Peacemaker, a nine-year research project about the efforts of Philip Habib to bring peace during the crisis in Lebanon. John shared the stage with Jim Lehrer and Colin Powell, who also received awards.

LOWELL WARNER is now working for Smart Refrigerated Transport, which is a subsidary of Save Mart. He is currently a project manager for a reorganization project. Lowell got his BA in business administration from California State University at Stanislaus, and currently resides in Merced with his wife Laura, who is the church secretary for the Merced United Methodist Church. Lowell was one of earliest members of our speech team and was a major factor in the growth and integrity of the team. His email is lolnlra@sbcglobal.net.

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People Cheering
HERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE.

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FOR THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED ME WITH THE GRAPHICS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

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HERE ARE SOME GROUPS THAT HAVE HELPED PUBLICIZE THESE PAGES:

Add Me!      

Questfinder Search Engine
QuestFinder Search Engine

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Here is a very Helpful Site for HTML, Javescripts, etc.

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If you want to add music to your site, this is a very attractive Midi site. Thanks Mickey for all the midis I use on my web pages.

Easy Listening Logo

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MOST OF THE GRAPHICS ON THIS "HATS OFF" PAGE
ARE COPYRIGHT BY ARTTODAY.

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HERE ARE SOME OTHER WEB LINKS
FOR FREE GREETING CARDS AND OTHER THINGS
THAT WILL HELP YOU ACKNOWLEDGE PEOPLE

Greeting Cards

REDBALL Free Greeting Cards from Blue Mountain, Some Animated.
REDBALL Springville Aviary Greeting cards (Excellent).
REDBALL Free Greeting Cards with Pictures of Flowers.
REDBALL A Fantastic Variety of Scenes Available from LadyDi's Homepage.
REDBALL A Nice Selection of Cards Available from Angel CyberCards.
REDBALL A Varied Selection of Cards from Care2.

Hugs for Friends

REDBALL A Hug is Worth a Thousand Words. REDBALL A Virtual Hug.
REDBALL Send a Hug Site.     REDBALL Everyone Needs a Hug.     REDBALL A Great Hug Page.
REDBALL LadyLynn's Hugs--This is the best.

Friendship

REDBALL You've Got a Friend.      REDBALL A Beautiful Friendship Postcard.
REDBALL The Friendship Page.     REDBALL A Picture of a Rose for a Friend.

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This Page © 1998 -- 2009 by the 4 Star Listening Post

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VIEW MY GUEST BOOK

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