My Favorite People to People Moment

People often ask me to tell them about my favorite People to People Moment. The trouble is I don’t have just a single favorite. One of the best parts of my job is that I have the opportunity to either hear about or see directly for myself the wonderful People to People Moments that happen almost every day. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is to hear amazing stories of personal growth and discovery on a regular basis. From students learning more about themselves and their own abilities to high school students discovering what they love and who they want to be, to adults learning how to take their knowledge further and to apply that knowledge in new and different ways, I want to thank all of you for giving me inspiration each and every day. I’m so happy to be able to share some of these People to People Moments with colleagues, teachers, family members, and now with you on a regular basis.

Inspiring Moments Here at Home
With that in mind, I wanted to tell you about a few moments of inspiration that have crossed my mind lately. Inspiring moments happen everywhere, everyday. I’m inspired here locally by our community and our willingness to help each other, especially in difficult times. We have so many people that do all they can to help ensure that they convey a spirit of caring and hope, especially during the holiday season. The wonderful people at Second Harvest here in Spokane, for example, work hard to donate a million pounds of food each month. They have so many stories of inspiration—stories of people that keep working hard to help their families live better lives despite many hardships. The difficult economy has made this year harder, creating even more need. That’s why some of our amazing employees have been assisting the organization as well. In fact, our senior executive team member Scott Carrougher, head of admissions for People to People Ambassador Programs, is presenting a check for $5,000 to Second Harvest just this week to help make the winter easier for some deserving local families.

Inspiration Abroad
Inspiration also comes from the world of animals and working toward natural habitat preservation. One of my favorite programs that our organization works with is Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece. Their charter protects sea turtles and their habitats through monitoring, research, habitat restoration, awareness, and rehabilitation. Every year, our Student Ambassadors are involved in this wonderful program.

The Loggerhead sea turtle is an endangered species that is severely threatened by the development of nesting beaches, with the species returning each year to the very same beaches to nest. Against all odds, the baby turtles are hatched from their eggs on the sand, grow and persevere, and head into the sea to live their lives despite the threat of many predators. They have the fight and can-do spirit that so many people have—the ability to carry on and work through their issues, and the doggedness to survive it all. I’ve been inspired as the program tags the turtles and tracks their movement—more than 4,000 of these beautiful creatures have been tagged and released into the Mediterranean. We are proud of our work with this terrific organization and cause.

Look for Your Moments
From our family here at People to People Ambassador Programs to yours, we are wishing you health, happiness, and inspiration in 2010, both at home and abroad.

Wishing you success in fulfilling your own dreams,

Peg Thomas
President, People to People Ambassador Programs