Michael Jackson-June 26, 2009

Just happened to be in Los Angeles on business when the news of Michael Jackson's sudden death came across my blackberry. Within the hour thousands of people flocked to his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard.

 

"Mississippi" in Hollywood

They call her "Mississippi." We met when she asked for change while I was walking along Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. She's been homeless in California for almost one year now, when she moved from her home state of Mississippi in search of her own California Dream. The money she collects goes to food for herself and her dog and weed. "California has the best weed in the country. Especially up around San Francisco." She says that it's not unusual that her dog gets more food daily than herself. She was soon joined by her friend, who called himself, Shoeshine. In spite of living on the street, she has a very upbeat spirit and positive outlook, as evidenced by her natural easy smile.

Rent-A-Center Makes Donation to Capital Area Food Bank

June 11, 2009 Rent-A-Center donates $10,000 to the Capital Area Food Bank. Executives Dwight Dumler and Xavier Dominicis of the Plano, Texas based company presented the check to Lynn Brantley, President & CEO of CAFB. During their visit, Dumler and Dominicis were greeted warmly by Ms. Brantley, Ms. Elizabeth Hodge, Senior Grants Manager and were given a tour of the facility, where they met CAFB staff, agency partners, clients and volunteers. For more information about the Capital Area Foodbank, visit their website, http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/ 

Michelle Obama Visits Public Charter School

May 4, 2009 First Lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to the Latin American Montessori Bilingual School in Washington, DC and participated in the school's Cinco de Mayo festivities. Mrs. Obama was enthusiatically greeted by Executive Board members, teachers, staff and students. She was presented with a special gift, entertained by dances and songs performed by the students and other area community organizations. Mrs. Obama spoke to these elementary school students about the importance of education and pursuing their dreams. At the conclusion of her remarks, the First Lady was mobbed with hugs by several children who could not contain their glee at this once in a lifetime opportunity. The smiles on their faces speak for themselves.

The Latin American Montessori Bilingual School(LAMB) is a charter school, free and open to all District of Columbia residents.

Students at LAMB work together in multi-age classrooms using a hands-on Montessori dual language immersion approach (English and Spanish). Half of LAMB's students come from Spanish language dominant families and half are from non-Spanish language dominant families. LAMB is the only dual-language Montessori public charter school in Washington, D.C., and one of just a handful in the United States.

LAMB students use Montessori materials that are developmentally appropriate, self-correcting, and ordered from simple to complex. Students will learn, master, and be able to apply academic content in language arts, mathematics, and science in two languages.

For more information on LAMB, visit their website, http://www.lambpcs.org/

  

Donald Trump Purchases New Golf Course

On April 30, 2009, Donald Trump purchased DC area Lowe's Island Golf Course, immediately renaming it Trump National Golf Club of Washington, DC. Accompanied by his son, Eric, Mr. Trump fielded questions at a press conference for nearly one hour. After interviews with local and national media, Choice Photography was chosen as the exclusive photographer to follow Mr. Trump and his team on a private hole-by-hole tour of the grounds during which plans were made to renovate, reshape, redesign and transform the club into the first rate private course and club for which the Trump Organization has become world famous for. 

   

First Lady Michelle Obama at Miriam's Kitchen

On March 5, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama made an appearance at Miriam's Kitchen in Washington, DC to serve lunch and meet with staff and board members. Miriam's Kitchen was founded in 1983 by a ollaboration of The George Washington University Hillel Student Association, Western Presbyterian Church and United Church in response to an urgent need for services for the homeless in downtown Washington, DC. Miriam's Kitchen provides healthy, homemade meals and comprehensive case management services to homeless men and women in Washington, DC. For more information about Miriam's Kitchen, including how to make a donation or volunteer, visit www.miriamskitchen.org

 

A.J. Stocks--A Life of Service

 

North Carolina State Highway Patrol Officer A.J. Stocks’ life of service was honored at Arlington National Cemetery on December 1, 2008. His life was tragically cut short on September 9, 2008 while on a service call. Trooper Stocks was a United States Marine Corps veteran, 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army National Guard and served tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He had just returned home from the war in Iraq exactly one year before the day he died. A caravan of buses and cars full of family, friends and colleagues made the trip from North Carolina to honor this fallen hero. Trooper Stocks leaves behind a wife and a young daughter. He was just 43 years old.

 

 

  

 

 

Congrats to Barack Obama

Congratulations to Senator Barack Obama of Illinois on being elected as the 44th President of the United States of America. Since January of 2007, when Senator Obama first announced his candidacy and accepted his first major endorsement from Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia, through Election Day, Choice Photography was there, often with exclusive, behind the scenes access.

The President-Elect emerged triumphant on November 4, 2008, surviving what many have described as the longest and most arduous campaign in American political history. Running with a consistent message of hope and change, Mr. Obama organized thousands of volunteers, spoke to hundreds of thousands at rallies across the country, in big cities and small, and raised unprecedented sums of money to share his vision for America.

There are many challenges ahead for the new President when he officially takes office on January 20, 2009, most notably how to get a crippled economy back on track. In the face of the catastrophic collapse of the housing mortgage markets, failures of financial institutions, a U.S. auto industry in crisis, uncertainty on Wall Street and international markets, Mr. Obama and his administration will have to begin working immediately to restore business, consumer and international confidence in our nation’s economy that will stabilize both Wall Street and Main Street by stimulating investment and creating new jobs; a daunting task indeed.

For now though, let’s take the time to salute the next President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. We wish him well.