Happ-E-Newsletter for November 15, 2007

Welcome My Dear Friend!

I hope I see you at the meeting this Thursday and the Thanksgiving Basket Brigade this Saturday!

I really love Og Mandino and the wonderful books he has written in his lifetime. Here is a great quote of his: "I will make love my greatest weapon and none on who I call can defend against its force... My love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest day."

Congratulations to Tony Derbyshire and Denise Stein, MS, LPC, the facilitators who have started the

Fairfield Connecticut Seniors Happiness Club. See info in newsletter.

Thanksgiving Happiness!

Have you ever been hungry and did not have enough money to buy food? Did you ever skip a meal so another family member could eat? Unfortunately, this is happening right here in Connecticut. You could help make a positive difference. You're invited to join me in the 2007 Thanksgiving Basket Brigade! It will be held on Saturday, November 17th. We'll have Starbucks Coffee and Danish waiting for you!

We could use your help that day and we need your donations to help our growing fundraising need. I tell people that if they come, they will thank me for telling them about this wonderful gathering. Every year, my participation makes me really feel like the holidays are here. For the last 14 years a number of volunteers have been feeding children in need. As Lydia M. Child said, "An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves."

Here's a letter from a yearly volunteer: "The day of the Basket Brigade is one of the best of the year for me. While it makes me sad to think that people need that kind of help, because certainly no one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, it makes me happy, too. To reach out to people and to know that everyone who participates in the Basket Brigade reaches out, too. That is what life is all about, isn't it, helping each other? All of you folks responsible for starting and organizing it are fantastic. I'm in awe of how hard you all work to put it all together and to make sure there is food to put in those baskets. It's truly been a blessing for my family, who also helps and as my niece and nephew get older, they'll help out, too. Sending much love and appreciation that I feel for all of you and I look forward to seeing you on November 17th. Many thanks!" Rachel

I trust you will get excited about this project and join me in talking to everyone about it, coworkers, friends, family, neighbors, etc. Invite them to contribute and come help us deliver! Since 1993, we provided 100-125 families with food. We were excited the year we reached a new plateau of feeding 185 families. Last year we fed 300 families and this year we are going to feed 350 families. That's over 7 tons of food and personal items.

All donations are tax deductible and can be mailed to: CCCC (The Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis), 131 Dwight Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Please indicate "Basket Brigade" in the memo section. The CCCC is a non profit organization that has been providing client names and assists with our efforts every year. A donation of $300 feeds 10 families, $150 feeds 5 families, and $30 feeds 1 family. Any donation will help tremendously! One hundred percent of your donations, every single penny, will go to purchasing food and toys. The entire overhead is donated. You will receive a thank you letter and your name will be included in the CCCC annual report.

A young man said to me, "Last year was the first time I volunteered to help. It made me realize that I could feel good about giving. I always enjoyed receiving, but giving was also good, yet slightly different. It made me feel like I was contributing. It energized me. It made me feel good about myself. I never realized that giving was like a gift as well. Giving is receiving. It was not only a gift I gave others but also a gift I gave myself." A. Neilen, so correctly stated, "If you have not often felt the joy of doing a kind act, you have neglected much, and most of all yourself."

Thanks Dr. John Sottery, who originally organized this Basket Brigade in 1993 and is still involved in it. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Paul Featherston, the owner of Champ Direct, who has donated his facilities to this wonderful cause. His wife Kathleen and their family will also be there to help out. We also want to thank Chris Morin of Adams Supermarket at 1301 New Haven Avenue in Milford, CT. for helping us reduce our food costs. We also thank the core team for their work and all the volunteers. All these wonderful people really bring the sprit of the holidays to life.

Please meet us at 9:00 AM at the new Thanksgiving Basket Brigade location, which is Champ Direct Printing & Mailing, 75 Cascade Boulevard, Milford, CT 06460. On the weekend before Thanksgiving, volunteers have been putting together and delivering baskets with all the fixings’ to those in need in the greater New Haven area. In the last few years we added several deliveries to Bridgeport. We work with several agencies to find families in need of assistance. We work with the CCCC (Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis), Yale Child Study Center, Cornerstone, Bella Vista, and The Connecticut Department of Social Services.

Directions:

On I-95 going north, take exit # 41 Marsh Hill Rd/Orange at the light, turn right on Marsh Hill Rd - go .4 miles, turn right on Cascade Blvd go .02 miles and arrive at 75 Cascade Blvd on the left.
On I-95 going south, take # 41 Marsh Hill Rd/Orange -at the light turn left and go .03 miles on Marsh Hill Rd. then follow above directions.

BE HAPPY ZONE by Lionel Ketchian. Published in the Fairfield Citizen-News on November 7, 2007

Life is complicated, happiness is simple! LIVE RICHLY...PRACTICE HAPPINESS!
Everything we do in life is for the purpose of obtaining happiness! Happiness Empowerment to You! Reminding you to make the "Happiness Decision." Think Smart, Look Smart, Be Smart...Be Happy! Sharing Love, Peace and Happiness with you, Lionel Ketchian

Happ-E-Quote :) "Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence." - Erich Fromm (1900-1980) Psychoanalyst and philosopher

Happ-E-Quote :) "One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession." - Sophocles

Happ-E-Quote :) "I live by this credo: Have a little laugh at life and look around you for happiness instead of sadness. Laughter has always brought me out of unhappy situations. Even in your darkest moment, you usually can find something to laugh about if you try hard enough." - Red Skelton

Happ-E-Mail :) I wanted to share with you the poem I wrote just after the Happiness Club meeting last month when Sarah Shapiro spoke. I was so moved by her description of her dad, Norman Cousins and how he had joy and laughter in his life that I was inspired to write this. Love, Lynette Turner
Let Laughter
Let laugher guide you
It can lead the way
Bringing you joy and love
Each and every day

Let laughter hold you
At sunrise and at night
Make it your companion
To fill you with delight

Happ-E-Quote :) "There are obviously two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live." - James Truslow Adams

Happ-E-News :) Recent happiness articles and items of interest!

CLUB HAPPINESS, E-CLUB :) Everybody should join this club, try it, you'll love it!!!

VIRTUAL HAPPINESS CLUB :) We are fortunate to have Robert A. Nozik, M.D.
Bob was not at all happy as a child and downright unhappy as a young adult, Bob reckoned that attaining worldly success would bring him the happiness he lacked. But when achieving this failed to deliver the happiness he envisioned, he sought it elsewhere. Finally, after 20 years of search, and leaving no stone unturned, he did find the deep, inner happiness he was seeking. Bob wrote the book, HAPPY 4 LIFE: Here's How to Do It. In this book Bob reveals all the secrets he's unearthed for getting the happiness we all dream of having, and he saves us 20 years in the process.

Dr. Robert Nozik is not your ordinary self-help author. Bob, currently Professor Emeritus at the University of California Medical Center, recently retired from a distinguished medical career as a consultant, clinician, and teacher of ophthalmology. His curriculum vitae* includes three medical textbooks, nearly 100 scientific journal publications, and over 100 medical lectures. Throughout his career he has been recognized as a leading authority in the medical subspecialty of uveitis. Bob's been listed in Best Doctors in America every year until his retirement. Throughout his medical career, Bob's been recognized as an innovative teacher adept at thinking outside the box. Now he brings this expertise and creativity to helping all of us learn how to become happy.

Date: Monday, December 10. 2007

Time: 7:00 - 8:00 PM, EST in the USA.
Your Phone number is: (712) 775-7000
Your Access Code is: 122856#.
The Virtual Happiness Club is free, just your normal long distance charges apply. The first 90 callers may participate. The Virtual Happiness Club meets one Monday each month.

FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Date :) Thursday, November 15, 2007
Time :) 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) At the Fairfield Public Library, Rotary room, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824

NEW! FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)

Come and join our first meeting of the Fairfield Seniors Happiness Club will have a presentation called: Be Happy! The facilitators are

Date :) Wednesday, December 12, 2007

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT SMILING SINGLE SENIORS HAPPINESS CLUB :)
We will have a presentation called: Choose To Be Happy! by Lionel Ketchian. Lionel will speak about Joel's new book entitled, Become a Better You. and his first book, Your Best Life Now. A brief video of Joel Osteen called, Choose To Be Happy, will be shown.

Date :) Thursday, November 29, 2007
Time :) 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.
Place :) The Westport Senior Center, 21 Imperial Ave. Westport CT 06880.

Admission is free and the meetings are for people single and over 50 years old. Meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives. Stay happy and healthy - get well connected. Stacy Enyeart is the group facilitator. Meeting at the Fairfield Library will be: The Holiday Gathering on Thursday, December 6, 2007, at 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. at the Fairfield Public Library, Rotary room, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824.

GREENWICH CONNECTICUT HAPPINESS CLUB :)
Date :) To be announced

Date :) Wednesday, November 28, 2007

STAMFORD CONNECTICUT TEEN HAPPY CLUB :)

Open to all high school students. Meetings are held twice a month on Saturdays from 11:00 - 12:30 P.M. At the Daniel and Grace Tully & Family Health Center, 32 Strawberry Hill Court, Stamford, Connecticut 06902.

Event Description: Positive Habits! How we can benefit from the them! Hosted in association with the Creativity and Personal Mastery program at Columbia Business School, as taught by Professor Rao. No dues, no registration and open to everyone!

Date :) Wednesday in December to be announced.

Time :) 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Place :) At Columbia Business School - Warren Hall Room 416 (4th floor) corner of Amsterdam and 115th street, Columbia University campus New York, NY 10027

MENTORS HAPPINESS CLUB :) Meeting: Friday, December 14th, open to all Happiness Club facilitators.

Virtual Happiness Club - For more information:

Mentors Happiness Club - Meetings are for vacillators.

Happ-E-Quote :) "Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Happiness is an inner state of well being. A state that enables you to profit from your highest thoughts, intelligence, wisdom, awareness, common sense, emotions, health, and spiritual values.
Happiness is one of the most important things in your life. Don't give away your power by being unhappy! Practice "Premeditated Happiness," because happiness is an issue of power. We give our power to others for many reasons. We mistakenly think that doing this will make us happy. The truth is that we have given others power over ourselves. We can now consciously reclaim our power and experience happiness. Happiness does wonders for your soul. Now is the time to learn to use happiness for dealing with challenges and difficult people so you can empower your life. Reading this newsletter will not just make your life better; it will make the world a better place...because you have decided to be happy!

REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS: No longer wish to receive the Happ-E-Newsletter, reply with "Remove" in the subject line.

"May the good lord be with you, Down every road you roam, And may sunshine and happiness, Surround you when you're far from home." - Words from the song Forever Young by Rod Stewart

"Unhappiness is a form of suffering." Eckhart Tolle. "Do or do not. There is no try." Yoda

If you're not happy by now, it's time to have a talk with yourself.

Make the Happiness Decision Now! THAT'S ALL FOLKS...NOW BE HAPPY!

© Copyright 2007, Lionel R. Ketchian, all rights reserved.