Spreading Sweet Smiles in Pie Town

First time flyer, Jerry Hart could only repeat the word "fantastic."  Pie Town residents experienced hot air ballooning up close and personal September 11 and 12, 1999.  The ninth annual Pie Town Pie Festival balloon rally brought in people from miles around to see the three gentle giants drift across the Sawtooth Mountain range.  Pie Town is located about two hours west of Socorro and has a population of around 60 residents.  Participating pilots were George and Eleanor Verbeck from Glendora, CA with their balloon "Rainbow Stew Too", Harold Connell from Las Cruces with "Chimera" and Roy Walz from Tucson, AZ with "Blue Moon".

AAAA member, George Verbeck says they come to this rally because of the hospitality and friendliness of the townspeople.  The Verbeck's were on a ballooning road trip expecting to be flying in the White Sands rally the following weekend.

In previous years, the Pie Town and White Sands rallies have been hosted on the same weekend.  Mike and Chris Hill are the coordinators of the Pie Town balloon rally.  Mike says that he asked White Sands to change their weekend so that Pie Town wouldn't keep "stealing" all the pilots for their rally!  Contact the Hill's in Pie Town if you are interested in this "by invitation only" event.

Harold Connell, also a AAAA member tells about the unusual at this rally.  The launch altitude is 8000 feet.  Weather has to be determined by the pilots only by launching the helium balloons.  When calling for the weather forecast, they are always asked, "Where the heck is Pie Town?  Then the closest weather forecast they can get is Grants.  Harold says he's never had a problem finding a good place to land.  Many may think with all the National Forest areas that everything is wooded.  But he says there are many open meadows in which to land and that ranchers in the area are very receptive and friendly to balloons landing on their property.  And the most unusual thing about this rally is that the pilot and crew breakfast is pie from the pie contest!

As the three balloons were stretched out on a grassy filed in the middle of a campground, unsuspecting campers just spending the night in the middle of nowhere on their way to somewhere, crept out to watch in awe.  It was a silent, cool morning with a backdrop of an almost cloudless sky.  The sense of anticipation grew as the fans and then the burners enlarged the envelopes.  Slowly the gondolas lifted off the ground and took their turns ascending into the brilliant blue sky.  As non-crew residents awoke, they found beautiful colored balloons drifting through their sky bringing sweet smiles to Pie Town.

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Cloudbouncer 1999
 
 
 

Put Your Right Foot In

This is the slogan for the 1995 Juvenile Diabetes Foundation's "Walk For The Cure".  Along with individual participants, companies sponsor teams and compete with each other to see who can get the largest walk team and raise the most money for JDF.

Last year's winner of the Corporate Competition was Northern Telecom with Coca Cola doing quite well also.  Xerox could do as well or better this year.  The benefits of corporate participation are team camaraderie and morale, community relations, the little cost of the corporation and often the generation of more revenue than outright corporate donations, promotion of healthy activity among employees and the feeling of helping a good cause.

To be active in this great activity, contact Rhonda Kelley to volunteer to be a team leader or a walk participant.  Sign up other team members, family members, friends and neighbors to walk on your team.  Then gather financial supporters (don't forget local businesses) to either donate a certain amount each kilometer you walk or a flat donation to JDF.  All checks are to be made out to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.  Cash should be collected beforehand and turned into JDF at the walk, if possible.

Important details:  Saturday, October 14, 1995   8 A.M. check-in with a 9:30 A.M. start at Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake in Dallas.  There will also be one in Fort Worth at Camp Amon Carter.  Both will be a 10K walk.  For more information contact the local JDF chapter at 214-373-9808.  Sally Benson is the Executive Director in Dallas.  In Fort Worth, call 817-332-2601.

Over $27 million has been raised by this event over the past eight years.  It is the largest national fund raising activity.  The reason it gets so much publicity is because diabetes affects so many Americans.  In fact, one out of twenty people is touched by this disease.  There are two types of diabetes:  Type I and Type II.  Type I is Diabetes Mellitus and is commonly referred to as Juvenile Diabetes where the person is dependent on the injection of insulin on a daily basis in order to remain alive.  Type II is called Adult Onset Diabetes and can be controlled by proper diet and exercise or sometimes with oral medications.  Without proper care, an Adult Onset diabetic can be forced into daily injections too.

Insulin is not a cure for diabetes.  It prolongs life, but diabetes has several serious side effects.  The most common problems are heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, gangrene and nerve damage leading to amputations and blindness.  The cost of diabetes care is staggering at over $132 million each year.

Let's help foot the bill to conquer diabetes.  Put your best foot forward and take a walk for diabetes so you too can put your foot down against diabetes.  And remember, we're gaining on a cure for diabetes two feet at a time with everyone's help!

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Dispatcher 1995
 

Juvenile Diabetes Update

Saturday, October 14 was the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Walk for the Cure.  About 3000 walkers showed up to participate.  Each walker's minimum amount of money to collect was $100.00.  Apparently everyone did that because Mary, at the Dallas Chapter of JDF says the total amount raised on Saturday was $325,000.00

Thanks to everyone that helped out either walking or sponsoring a walker.  You are greatly appreciated.

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Dispatcher 1995
 

Health Fair A Success

The Xerox Fitness Center sponsored a Health Fair on September 21st.  Attendance was estimated at over 500 people.  Representatives from PruCare, St. Paul Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, PCA Healthplans of Texas, and Sanus were available to answer questions.  Information and freebies were available, as well as fitness assessments, blood pressure checks, cholesterol checks, and chair massages.  David Hill of the Xerox Fitness Center would like this health fair to be an annual event.

October is the month to decide your insurance benefits for 1996.  Open enrollment runs from October 1 - October 31.  Representatives in Human Resources suggest calling in your choice at the beginning of October because the phone lines will remain busier toward the end of the month.

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Dispatcher 1995
 
 

HELPFUL HINTS  When The Maintenance Man Never Shows Up

The evening was hot.  The heat index was over 100 degrees.  But my trusty friends and I were moving me to my new apartment.  Up to the third floor we trudged with boxes, boxes and more boxes.  Fortunately, there were elevators in this old building.  We thought that was a fortunate thing until the elevator door stuck shut and the elevator lost power.  Inside the elevator were several of my boxes.

We were tired, hot, drenched in sweat and just wanted to go home.  Maintenance was called...twice.  When they called me back, they laughed and said they'd get to it.  Several hours later, we were still waiting.

Loosing our patience, we took matters into our own hands and got those elevator doors open.  If this should ever happen to you, here is what to do:  A long screwdriver would be the first and best tool.  At the top of the left side elevator door is usually a half inch diameter hole.  There is a trigger in there that can be pushed with the screwdriver.  Once triggered, the doors should open.

If no screwdriver is available, try a tire iron.  With your hands, pry the doors open enough to get the tire iron all the way through.  Once in, pull to the side with it.  You will have to adjust and move the tire iron around until it is in front of the sensors.  It does take strength to pull it even though you're trying to trigger the sensors.  Luck is also involved in this maneuver.

Once inside the elevator, we quickly moved the boxes out and to the apartment.  Maybe maintenance will get to that problem next week....

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Dispatcher 1995
 
 

Six Year Veteran Finds Texas Has Calming Effect

Marcus Brown is Team 1's profiled Employee of the Month.  After college at Southwestern Louisiana, Marcus moved to Los Angeles to seek a job.  Before Xerox, he worked at Ross Clothing Store as a cashier.  Marcus has been a CSSR at Xerox for six years and just transferred to Dallas in October of 1994.  As of August 1, Marcus is a new member of the Welcome Center in Dallas.

In Los Angeles, he was always doing something or going somewhere after work.  He finds that Texas has calmed him in ways as his biggest joy in life is to find idle time to just relax and "Veg Out".  Being a people person is Marcus' favorite thing about himself and thus, his favorite thing to do between phone calls at work is to talk to those around him to find out what's going on in their lives.  He also enjoys spending money on having cookouts and barbecues for his friends.  Being outdoors is important to Marcus and he can often be found playing basketball or engaged in other outdoor activities.  Chess, soft music and old Richard Pryor acts are also of interest to him.

Marcus' ideal vacation would be to travel to as many countries and experience as many cultures as possible.  One place he'd visit would be Africa.  His ideal lifestyle would be in a big house with three to four kids and lots of family and friends around him.

Bill Cosby is the person Marcus would most like to meet.  Houston's Restaurant in Addison is his favorite place to eat.  Of all things to fear, Marcus fears failure the most.  Marcus is open to constructive criticism and wants his team to come to him if they ever have a problem with him.  Welcome to Texas, Marcus and we're glad you're part of our team!

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Dispatcher 1995
 

RHA To Sponsor Lecture Series

A traveling lecture series will be presented for students in residence hall lobbies during March and April.

The Academics Committee of the Residence Hall Association is sponsoring the series Monday through April 15.  Lectures include guidance and counseling personnel, psychologists, placement personnel and a mechanics teacher from Nacogdoches High School.

"How To Study" will be at 4 p.m. Monday, Hall 10; Wisely Hall, Tuesday; Units, Thursday; South Hall, March 29; Gibbs, March 30; North Hall, April 1; Kerr Hall, April 2; Hall 16, April 5; Wilson Hall, April 6; Todd Hall, April 8; Hall 14, April 22; Steen, April 13; Mays Hall, April 15.  The lecture will be at 3 p.m. April 5 in Griffith Hall.

"De-stressing Stress" will be hosted by Melvin Wester, director of guidance and will cover how to manage stress.  Other topics include:  "Resume Writing and Job Interviewing" by Van Samford, the director of Placement; "Effective Time Management" with Counselor, Edwinna Palmer; "In This Room I Thee Wedge:  Living With A Roommate" will be presented by Counselor Bailey Nations; "Assertiveness Training" will be presented by Melvin Wester on how to stand up for your rights without offending people; "DWI: Drinking With Intelligence" will be discussed by Counselor Linda Kluckhohn; "Self Defense" will be coordinated by Tony Hill, assistant chief of police.

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Pine Log 1982
 
 

Dorm Lectures Continue

"You have a right to say NO," said Melvin Wester, director of guidance and counseling, in an assertiveness training lecture at 3 p.m. Wednesday in South Hall lobby.  He emphasized that people should stand up for their rights.

Wester said, "Sometimes people use the word aggressive instead of assertive."  The difference according to Wester is determined in how you approach your interpersonal relationships.  Aggressive is when you consider only yourself and forget about others.  Non-assertive is always putting others before yourself.  Assertive is when you come first, but you also consider others' views and feelings.

Important things to remember in being assertive are eye contact, body posture, gestures, facial expression and voice tone.
Do not overemphasize these qualities.  Use them to show that you care about what is being said.  Wester said, "If you resent something, it is better to say something then.  Don't wait."  Lastly, Wester said, "You can't please everyone."

(c) Rhonda Kelley and The Pine Log 1982