The Bluebird Patch

Do you have a happy story about your mom that has inspired you? If so, then we’d like to hear from you! Tell us your #MomStory and help The World Of Coca-Cola   create a culture of happiness around the world. The more w e share our stories, the more we enlighten our own lives and help others in the process.  Your story c an help inspire others to make positive changes in their lives or better yet, it can   create a powerful ripple effect that can change the world.  I remember when we moved to Atlanta six years ago. One of the first things we did was to take the kids and walk around Centennial Park. This was our first time in Atlanta so everything was a novelty for us. When my kids saw The World of Coca-Cola building they became obsessed with the idea of touring the inside. At the time, we were very tight on money, since we spent every single dime we had in our relocation. Of course, kids will be kids and "staying on budget" is a foreign concept for...

What triggers happiness in our brain when we exercise? Exercise can help you  trigger more  happy chemicals  naturally. When you exercise as your heart begins to pound your brain chemistry reacts almost immediately to get you feeling better both physically and mentally.  " University of Bristol researchers found that employees who enjoyed a workout before going to work - or exercised during lunchbreaks - were better equipped to handle whatever the day threw at them.  It also found that people's general mood improved on days of exercise but they became less calm on non-exercise days. The research, published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, is the first of it's kind to prove that exercise during work hours has mental, as well as physical benefits." Read more:  dailymail.co.uk  

An Outdoor Fitness Experience Get your 'Upward Facing Dog' on with free Yoga classes! Join all the happy people for Wellness Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30PM in Central Park! Every Wednesday starting April 17, Athleta and exhale spa host this Outdoor Fitness Experience! FREE Yoga classes are taught by exhale's teachers and include a variation of core fusion, yoga and more! Each week attendees are asked to sign up at facebook.com/atlanticstation to reserve a spot. Don't forget to BYOM -- Bring your own mat! 

As an organ donor it saddens me to know there are 100,000 people—including nearly 2,000 children— in need of a life saving organ transplant. Join Children's Healthcare of Atlanta throughout April as they celebrate National Donate Life Month . Recognize the generosity of those who have saved lives through organ, tissue, marrow and blood donation. Learn the Facts Despite continuing efforts at public education, misconceptions and inaccuracies about donation persist. Learn these facts to help you better understand organ, eye and tissue donation:  Fact : Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race, or medical history. Fact : All major religions in the United States support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of love and generosity toward others. Fact : If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ, eye and tissue donation can only be considered a...

   And from within the child came a pure light….   Gentle small hands, that cradle the dove, So full of innocence, the portrait of love We must learn from the child, as someday he from us That the gift of this life, is neither negative or plus. For we are just creatures, destined to strive Even as the birds, when they are alive A lesson for all, as a part of God’s Plan And revealed in the touch of a little child’s hand So haughty and proud, as we too often are We fail to appreciate, the reach of the star For when once there was nothingness, creation has won Now we can surely rejoice, when each day is done O mighty is the One, from whence all things pour forth So fortunate are we, when we accept what we’re worth Now humbled and taught, it is our turn to abide And give forward God’s bounty, knowing we tried. Francis Y Takahashi

  Ask yourself: Have you been kind today?  Make kindness your daily modus operandi  and change your world. Annie Lennox *Ahimsa means kindness and non-violence towards all living things including animals; it respects living beings as a unity, the belief that all living things are connected. Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed in this principle. Avoidance of verbal and physical violence is also a part of this principle, although ahimsa recognizes self-defense when necessary, as a sign of a strong spirit. It is closely connected with the notion that all kinds of violence entail negative karmic consequences.   Image credit: Broga Melbz

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, and winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, will return to Atlanta Oct. 8-10, 2013, for a series of public and campus events, including programs on responsible citizenship, ethics and education.   Tickets to two events, a public talk and a panel session, scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center, will be available to the public. Admission to both events is included with each ticket purchased. Events include:   A lecture by the Dalai Lama on "The Pillars of Responsible Citizenship in the 21 st Century Global Village," from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The talk will focus on the fundamental human values that are the building blocks of an engaged and compassionate world. The Dalai Lama will outline his comprehensive vision of secular ethics, its underlying principles, and the urgent need to embrace such a system in today’s increasingly connected and globalize...

       BERT AND STACEY WEISS SPOTTED WITH FAMILIES CELEBRATING 2013 SPRING REUNION AT THE ATLANTA HAWKS GAME  ATLANTA:  On Friday, April 12, Bert’s Big Adventure hosted their 2013 Spring Reunion at the Atlanta Hawks game where more than 55 families enjoyed dinner and the best of Atlanta hoops. “We host reunions as a part of the year-round support Bert’s Big Adventure families receive and to give everyone more fun memories together!” said Bert Weiss, co-founder of Bert’s Big Adventure. “Stacey and I enjoyed reconnecting with the families and of course watching the Hawks bring home a win!” The 2014 Bert’s Big Adventure application process is now open to the public. To qualify for Bert’s Big Adventure, children must be between the ages of 5 and 12, live in “The Bert Show” radio listening area, prove financial need and have never been to Walt Disney World®. To nominate a child in your life visit: http://www.bertsbigadventure. o...

Will The Real Goodwill Ambassador  Please Stand Up? When Misty Barry was recruited as a foster parent she had no idea of the multiple challenges she will face in serving and supporting her foster kids. As a foster parent, she knew she was expected to arrange and transport children to medical appointments, mental health counseling sessions, and court hearings, advocate on behalf of their foster kids at school, and arrange visits with birth parents and caseworkers. However, one thing she was not expecting, was that she will had to pay for haircuts, buy clothes, school supplies, diapers, baby formulas and pay for extracurricular activities with her own money. Foster parents are expected to use the money assigned by the state to buy food, clothing, school supplies, and other incidentals; however, the money always falls short to cover the complex needs of a child. Many people are not aware that when children come into foster care they often come with only the clothes on ...

We've all taken pictures of food and posted them on Instagram. But now, if you want to share your food with those who really need it, @ManosUnidasONGD has created a filter for your pics: the money you pay for downloading the app will go to programs against hunger. #FoodShareFilter is the first supportive filter for Instagram created by the spanish NGO Manos Unidas that allows you to share your food, but share it for real. Because the money collected goes to the fight against hunger.  "We wanted to get closer to younger people. With this in mind, we started to think about food porn and the way people upload their pics on Instagram," says Nerea Cierco, digital creative director at DDB Spain , the agency that created the filter. Available through Google Play and the Apple Store in both Spanish and English, the FoodShareFilter, applies a message about their mission against world hunger and publishes it to Instagram.   How does it work?   1. Downloa...

    Is the best week ever for Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl brought to England after being shot in the head by the Taliban for exercising her fundamental right to an education. Not only was she named one of the most influential people in 2013 by TIME magazine, but is opening a fund aimed to educate and empower girls in Pakistan and around the world.    Speaking via video tape at the "Women in the World Summit" in New York, Yousufzai said she was thrilled to make the announcement. "Today I'm going to announce the happiest moment of my life. And that is the first grant of the Malala Fund. In Swat Valley, in my motherland, we are going to educate 40 girls. And I invite all of you to support Malala Fund and let us turn the education of 40 girls into 40 million girls." Actress Angelina Jolie introduced the teen and pledged to donate $200,000 U.S. dollars to the fund. "Thank you so much Angelina. And I would like to thank Tina Brown ...

The Georgia SPCA's shelter is like the Emerald city for lost and homeless animals. They offer them a second chance and they are waiting for you to spend the rest of their lives with.  Last year over 100,000 adoptable animals were needlessly euthanized in the metro Atlanta area. Georgia SPCA mission is to drastically reduce this number by implementing successful adoption programs, offering low cost spay /neuter services to the public, and by promoting responsible pet ownership through the education of the local communities.  Event Details:      When: September 7th from 7pm - 10pm Where: Gwinnett Center Ballroom, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097 *Food will be Catered by Proof of the Pudding *Dance floor will be open all night with the music from DJ Christopher with 'Audio Cake' *There will also be Fantastic Silent Auction items this year * Great food, Great Music, Open Bar, Proceeds benefit GA SPCA shelter.    ...

In-state rivals clash to support Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta We are heading to the Kauffman Tire Spring Classic for Kids at Turner Field on Tuesday, April 23 as Georgia and Georgia Tech meet in this annual neutral-site showdown. With more than 20,000 tickets sold each year, the Kauffman Tire Spring Classic is one of the highest-attended regular season NCAA baseball games every season.   Proceeds from the event benefit the pediatric research of the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Neurosciences Program.  The Children's Neurosciences Program collaborates with other institutions to discover preventative and curative strategies for children with serious medical illnesses or challenges.   “We support the Spring Classic for Kids because it’s such a positive event for the community,” said Mark Kauffman, President of Kauffman Tire. “Our company is proud to be affiliated with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, an organization co...

Xena, a   puppy that was thrown away and left for dead on the side street,   came into Dekalb Animal Services on September 15th in a state of horrible neglect. Xena  (also known as Xena The Warrior Puppy)  is now adopted and is a special companion to Jonny, who has autism.  Xena's miraculous recovery had made her  an international Facebook sensation , and she has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the care of other abused animals. Check out the amazing story of this unique pair in this video by our friends at 11 Alive News.

  Katy Perry is the latest celebrity UNICEF supporter , and just returned from her  life changing trip with the organization this month. “In less than one week here in Madagascar, I went from crowded city slums to the most remote villages and my eyes were widely opened by the incredible need for a healthy life -- nutrition, sanitation, and protection against rape and abuse -- which UNICEF are stepping in to help provide,” Perry said. Ms. Perry spent hours at the UNICEF-supported Ilaiko Child Protection centre speaking with a group of women and their children, most of whom had experienced abuse, abandonment or neglect, and were struggling to make ends meet.     The centre provides legal and social support, as well as training in basic skills, so that a young woman like Mariana can find work to support herself and her baby. “What strikes me is how universal so many of these core problems are,” said Ms. Perry. “Whether in Madag...