Reality Check

Unsafe Driving... - Funny bloopers R us

Social Innovations

Here is a story that I wrote this week. I especially enjoy interviewing people for these stories. I like learning about what they are doing and how it changes lives for those they assist and themselves.


Creating opportunities for students to make social change has become the focus for the newly named Melvin J. Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance.

As part of the BYU Marriott School of Management, the Ballard Center has established partnerships with nonprofit organizations that have unique abilities to create social change. Graduate students have traveled to various areas throughout the world, applying and implementing strategic business plans for these organizations.

“We are interested in social innovation to help others,” said Brad Hales, assistant to the director of the Ballard Center. “We systematically and strategically work on sustainable projects.”

Recently, BYU graduate students have returned from projects being conducted in Ghana, Paraguay, Nicaragua and Honduras.

After students are accepted into the program, they learn about the organization, the country and its culture. Their goals are to apply business principles to real-life situations. Before most graduate students begin their summer internships, there is a three-week window of opportunity in which they interact directly with these organizations.

“They get their best plan in place before they go there,” Hales said. “Oft times they have to change their plans and work on something completely different than what they expected, depending on what the organization needs at the time.”

This was the case with Andrea Cordani and Jeff Baxter, who interned in Paraguay for Fundacion Paraguaya. They expected to arrive at an agribusiness school that was supposedly self-sustaining. The school, located in the middle of the jungle, was not as self-reliant as expected.

“There were definitely several areas of improvement,” Cordani said in his project report. “Their production was meager and not sufficient to generate high returns. Before ramping their production up with products they couldn’t sell, we had to do something with their sales system.”

The result was constructing three carts to hold dairy products in order to sell the products door to door in neighboring towns. Additionally, Cordani and Baxter concluded the profit margins were greater for yogurt and cheese products. By changing the layout of their farmer’s market booth, the students were able to sell more products with greater profitability, creating more self-reliance and self-sustainability.

Another project BYU has partnered with is The Burro Project in Ghana. Some residents in Ghana and other third-world countries use batteries as their main source of energy. Families may spend up to one dollar per day for this resource. The Burro Project’s involvement for social change is addressing the cost and hazards of battery disposal by offering a rechargeable battery alternative.

Graduate students Tara Hair, majoring in human resources, and Jennia Parkin, majoring in marketing, had put together research models for the project. They were told English was the official language in Ghana, but when they arrived, they found only half of the people spoke English, and those who did often attached different meanings to certain words and phrases. As a result of the language and culture barriers, Hair and Parkin ended up using pictures drawn on pieces of paper as a way to communicate.

“People thought it was a game, and it was fun,” Hair said. “Because it was a game, more people wanted to participate and we were able to reach more people.”

The students discovered that being able to adapt quickly is vital when traveling internationally. Hair added that understanding the mindset and values of citizens in a particular country is critical for effective communication.

The primary assignment for MBA and MPA students was to help these organizations become more efficient and effective. However, graduate students come back with experiences that confirm their roles in the world by creating social change and long-term sustainability.

“I realize that there [will] always be the need of feeding people,” Cordani said. “I just know that if not carefully done, it may actually hinder people’s progress.”

Valiant and Beholden

Over at PW’s place, she is having a photography contest. I hope this picture wins. It was taken by Mzz Melissa. For me it says AMERICA.

The battle for freedom is old and well-fought by valiant men and women who believe in freedom. I am grateful for their sacrifices and feel greatly blessed by their service. And as one young officer said, they appreciate hearing that we believe in them.

Those of us who live in the United States are blessed.

Today in our church meeting, Walter, a fellow church member, shared a story – everyone has a story.

But today, it touched my heart. He and his family emigrated to the U.S. from Peru when he was 11 years old. He is now a 35+ year old man with five children. He just recently returned from a two-week visit to Peru with his two oldest daughters. He spoke of the great reunion he had with his family, and visit to his 98-year old grandmother. Then he spoke of his daughters responses to Peru's children street vendors - selling all sorts of things. This site is not uncommon for those who have visited poor foreign countries – but for his daughters, this was a first. Many would come up to them asking for money, so he kept a pocketful of quarters so he and his daughters would have something to give to the many needy children that approached them. Later, his daughters thought he was a hero to be so generous.

This is where Walter broke down. He did not feel like a hero, he felt inadequate that he could not give more. Then he shared his love for our country as he listed the blessings of being a citizen of the United States.

Then he simply said, “There are no poor among us.”

The room was quiet as that statement sank into our hearts.

I am sure there were many thoughts about the definition of “poor.”

Then I thought of our valiant soldiers, and I wept.

My 2nd printed story in the newspaper!

For many years, glass temples of miniature proportions have topped wedding cakes of LDS couples.

One former business that sold glass LDS temples and other miniature figurines closed its doors three years ago.

Long-time residents may remember the business Krystal Kreations, which was located in an Orem mall. People would gather round the counter, as glass sculptors would create tiny figurines on site.

However, the glass sculptor of the LDS temples worked behind the scenes. Her name is Marge Rosebrook. She has been creating these works of art locally for more than 30 years. She introduced her temple creations to the former owner of Krystal Kreations. They quickly became one of the most popular items on the shelves.

Rosebrook has produced more than 72,000 glass temples during her career, creating replicas of the 133 operating temples throughout the world. These miniature creations have created sentimental feelings for their owners.

“I recently had a husband contact me to have their temple repaired,” said business partner Sarah Asay. “When he picked it up, he took it out to his wife in the car and gingerly passed it to her through the window. She got out and gave him a huge hug.”

There are few glass temple sculptors. Rosebrook knows of only one other company selling this type of work.

Since the closure of the mall outlet, people have become frantic, looking for someone to either repair their temples or purchase additional pieces, Asay said.

“They have been on the Internet for hours, searching,” Asay said. “I have to explain to them ... the artist sold to that company, and if they had a temple made in the last 35 years, it was probably ours.”

When pieces are brought in for repair, Rosebrook is able to identify whether it is her work, because of her unique “stitch” work.

“A stitch is like crocheting with a solid rod of glass and torch,” Rosebrook said. “I later found out that the technical term for this is lampworking.”

During a local swap meet in 1964, Rosebrook became fascinated with a vendor making animal glass figurines and asked if he would teach her. After working for 12 years in the art department for NASA, her love of sculpting glass led to her working with this art medium full time once she moved to Utah.

Rosebrook began creating temple sculptures shortly after she joined the Church in 1979. With so few temples during the ’80s, she was able to perfect her techniques on the existing temples. But soon her expertise increased with President Gordon B. Hinckley’s announcement that many more temples would be built.

“People would call as soon as temples were announced,” Rosebrook said.

Rosebrook learned quickly she could not start designing the new temples until a foundation was poured and walls were up. The learning curve came about when the Mount Timpanogos Temple was announced. Using the renderings for the proposed temple, she designed a rectangular temple. The temple design was changed three times, finally settling on a square design — and she has three models to prove it.

In the design process, Rosebrook requires “birds-eye view renderings” or photographs of the roofline to make it as accurate as possible. She will create two to three glass structures before deciding the temple is correct and structurally sound.

While working with this art medium, Rosebrook has created some unique tools with different applications. To create eyes on animal figurines she has even modified spoons.

“I was visiting a Chinese restaurant one day and noticed these long tongs,” Rosebrook said. “They were perfect.”

The more popular form of glass sculpting, or lampwork, is in the work of lampwork beads. This art form has been in existence since 550 B.C. in China, later moving to Egypt in the 1400s and then throughout Europe. Most notably are Venetian lampwork beads, commonly known as Murano glass. Lampwork beads are considered unique, with artists guarding the secrecy surrounding their glass formulations and techniques.

Glass temples have become unique to the LDS population.

“I’ll train anyone,” Rosebrook said. “An Idaho woman was interested in learning, but she had six children. It would be hard to work with interruptions. Once you start, you can’t stop when creating a piece.”

Information can be found about Rosebrook’s work at TemplesAroundTheWorld.com. A gallery of frequently ordered temples are available on this website.

“I had a customer come in the dark of the night, wanting a temple to be fixed in the next 30 minutes,” Asay said. “The woman was frantic and told me, ‘I just broke my daughter’s temple. She is coming home in two hours, and she can’t know about it!’ ”

School Update

Spring term is under my belt, and Summer term has begun by racing out of the gate!

What I mean by racing - is that I am an official "news reporter." and have to "race" to finish my stories for the Daily Universe. The first two stories are complete, only to have two, three and more, looming on my mind waiting to be framed.

The professor whom I thought was going to be our instructor turned out not to be, but now is, due to the official instructor traveling to China. But you know what, I like this 'not to be' instructor!!! However, I may change my mind once he gets a hold of my articles - wondering if he will tear it apart!!!

In the meantime, I will be plugging along with Bio 100, a class that is filled with seniors, because it is the last G.E. that is needed (I am one of them!). Hoping my now improved, GPA, will not be tarnished because of failure to understand DNA, and other biological issues.

Good news today! Got a very kind note from my spring term instructor in Media Law. He wrote to tell me that I did well competing with a class full of 20-year old, and received one of the top grades of the class. Ended up with grades far better than I expected - and I am so grateful.

Families - are Everywhere!

Last night, the majority of my husband's family congregated at the LDS Conference Center for a practice session of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. My husband's sister, Rachel, is a member of the choir (and we are very proud of her!).

Apparently the MoTab allows special guests to practice with them occasionally. Rachel and a cousin, who also is a choir member, made arrangements for their dads (who are brothers) to sing with the choir last night. According to dad - this was a chance of a lifetime!

Though just an observer, we are so glad we got to enjoy the experience too. The count of more than 80 family members were there to support a long awaited dream.

Dad - we love you!

So True!!!

On Facebook, my cousin, who lives in Yuma, AZ - where I was born and raised, posted this quote:

You know you live in Yuma when the four seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and are you freakin' kidding me?! ~Author Unknown

Couldn't help but get a deep gutteral chuckle out of this!!!