Communications Pro Blog

As I was standing at the ‘Hearts for Haiti’ fundraiser at Scoogi’s Classic Italian Restaurant in Flourtown this past week, with a glass of wine in one hand and a plate of Haitian-themed food in the other, I couldn’t help but think how the population near the site of the earthquake would not be eating these kinds of foods anytime soon. There were steaming chafing trays of grilled shrimp on skewers, red beans and rice, a seasoned chick pea side dish, fajitas, and several other creative concoctions that Scoogi’s Chef and Owner Rob Rosato and his staff took the extra time to prepare.
Groups of Rotarians from the Conshohocken-Plymouth-Whitemarsh Rotary, the primary sponsor, came in to eat and catch up with up with fellow Rotarians. They were soon joined by Springfield Rotarians and members of the community. The atmosphere was somewhat celebratory on the eve of the fourth major snowstorm to hit this area this winter. My mood was a bit somber. I stood off to the side and reflected, tasting the food and watching a slide show about the ShelterBox program. I thought about how a Haitian would have been happy with some warm red beans and rice. I learned that a ShelterBox is a plastic box that contains a 10-person tent, thermal blankets, insulated ground sheets, multi-fuel stove, cooking utensils, tools, water purification equipment, waterproof ponchos, mosquito nets, and a children’s activity pack.
Eventually I sat down at a table with Flourtown resident and Long & Foster realtor Linda Geisler. Geisler explained that she had listened to a National Public Radio piece about the ShelterBox program recently, and the next day she saw a photo and caption in the local paper about the Rotary event and it’s goal of raising enough money for at least one ShelterBox. The kits run about $1000. The Rotarians raised just over $1200, with the help of donated food and space from Rosato.
“The timing was perfect. I had heard the NPR piece and then read the information in the paper and thought I’d check it out,” said Geisler, who lives on nearby Valley Green Road.
During our conversation, ShelterBox volunteer Bill Decker came around wearing his ShelterBox shirt and handing brochures. As we were chatting, I realized I knew Decker through his role as a Partner of The Hub, a company that has meeting spaces for rent in Center City and at the Cira Center by 30th Street Station. I commended him for coming out from behind the desk and volunteering for such a worthy cause. He has been doing so, he shared, for the past three years. According to the ShelterBox brochure, ‘on any given day, more than 12,000,000 (million) people worldwide lack adequate shelter.’ So this cause did not start and will not end with the people of Haiti. Now there are the victims of the more recent earthquake in Chile in need of shelter.
I then took a photo of Decker, Rosato, and C-P-W Rotary President Stephen G. Schoener, who also had is also another ‘can do’ kind of guy. It turns out that Schoener, who by day is a Finance and Insurance Executive by day with Zurich, based in Berwyn, doesn’t even live in Conshohocken, Plymouth or Whitemarsh. He had lived in the community at one time, but he and his wife moved to West Chester more than a year ago. That’s nearly an hour away.
“I had made the commitment to head the group this year and I felt I needed to stand by that decision,” said Schoener.
I then went to visit with Mary Shaub, a C-W-P Rotarian who lives in Lafayette Hill who got me involved in doing some publicity for the fundraiser. She thanked me for my efforts and pitched me on buying $10 worth of raffle tickets for a basket of cheer. I quickly handed over a $20, thinking again how Haitians would be lucky to be drinking fresh water in parts of Haiti this evening.
As I left Scoogi’s I thought about how difficult it would have been to create the fabulous foods Rosato and his staff cooked with the items from a ShelterBox. The people in Haiti would have been grateful, I suspect, for just the red beans and rice. My heart goes out to the victims of Haiti and the good folks locally who helped send one more ShelterBox to the earthquake-ravaged country. You can still make a donation by going to www.ShelterBox.org.

My good friend and mentor, Karen Horowitz calls the kind of day I had today ‘a magical day.’ Some days are like that. You connect in person with people, and horses and animals.

It is a Tuesday…and despite it being a ‘work day’ I slept in. After reading the paper and doing some e-mails, it was off to the Whitemarsh Business Association, where my business partner in speech coaching, D. Mike Smith, and I connected with 30 or so individuals on a number of levels.

We gave a networking talk that was a bit different, I suspect, from the rest. It had to do with asking individuals what they needed and also tried to get to their Sparkle Spot. I credit Neen James, an Australian women who spoke recently at the Main Line Chamber’s Society of Professional Women lunch about networking and finding out what the person you are networking with is impassioned about. It could be cooking or horse back riding or dogs or kids or none of the above. I thought James was brilliant in trying to get folks to identify someone’s ‘Sparkle Spot’ instead of going with the ‘What’s In It For Me’ attitude.

So here we were, 30 or so mostly small business owners, finding each others ‘Sparkle Spots’ and asking how we could help each other – instead of selling each other on our services. Indeed, it was magical.

From there I went to take a publicity photo for the local Rotary to help publicize their Hearts for Haiti fundraiser (February 24th at 5 pm at Scoogi’s in Flourtown).

As I listened to the storm predictions, I tried to figure out what to do with the rest of the afternoon. A good brisk walk was a priority, but first, a stop at Lee’s Produce in Conshohocken. For some, preparing for a storm means going out to the Acme for eggs, milk and bread. For me, it’s good quality produce and at an affordable price.

After having another friendly exchange with Cecilia at the checkout, I realized that it was getting dark and my need for walk would have to come next.

Just around the corner from Lee’s, I noticed St. Matthew’s Cemetery was freshly plowed and pulled in on a whim. It was a good gut instinct and the magic continued.

Initially I started my power walk, but something interesting happened after that first lap. I started reading the grave markers. I saw a marker with the birth and death dates for a 6-year old boy. Sadly, his parents birth dates were engraved, however, it appeared they were still alive because there was no death date. How sad and how beautiful- a Sparkle Spot of sorts.

Then I veered off of the blacktop to the newly dug grave of Agnes Scharff. The flowers were fresh and clearly she had been buried this same day. I said a prayer for her. Then I saw balloons and a freshly shoveled path to a grave in the center of the cemetery. It was clear the balloons had been left earlier in the day. So while so many were frantically out getting their salt and gearing up for a second storm, others were doing what they had to do – to remember their loved ones. There was a hand carved plaque on one of the graves with the following saying: “If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane…I’d walk right up to Heaven and bring you home again.” Sparkle Spot.

From there, I went to see Spot who is my ‘Sparkle Spot.’ Spot is a blind horse who has taught me so many lessons in terms of trust and living in the moment. I almost didn’t stop, because I was dressed in my business attire and I didn’t have treats for him. I dug deep in my jacket and pulled out a mint (horses love sugar and mints) and decided it was worth the effort – and to hell with the clothes –that is what dry cleaners are for.

So I stopped to ‘see’ my Sparkle Spot. I gave him the singular mint and whispered sweet nothings into his ear, and he whinnied and ate up the affection. Then I took him out of his stall and took his blanket off and groomed him from head to hoof. I continued to tell him what a special boy he was (and is – he’s nearly 30 and had been a lesson horse at Northwestern Stables for years, before he lost his sight.) I also told him I was sorry I didn’t have more treats for him. That is when a young girl, grooming her horse heard me and offered that she had a spare apple in the tack room–manna from heaven. I could have and should have kissed her. Instead, I grabbed the apple and kissed Spot – all over his head and mane. He lavished in his treat. It was a magical moment.

When I got home, I opened the mail and found our annual Valentine’s Day card from our dear friends from Marblehead, Massachusetts. I thought it was too early for it to arrive, but opened it anyway. Inside, was not only their special Valentine greeting, but 10 more cards to “pass it on” or “play it on” to others. Wow. What a gift. Inspired by them, I had sat down over the weekend storm to develop some handmade Valentine’s Day cards, but realized I had fallen short. So now I had a new stash at my disposal to give to family and friends. What a novel idea.

As the day ends, I am preparing for Storm II by putting together yet another crock pot full of odds and ends to make into s sumptuous soup. My husband, Brad, will plow out the neighbors tomorrow and I will follow him with salt and soup helping out elderly neighbors. Indeed, a magical snow fell with glimmering sparkle spots to warm the soul.

Barbara Sherf is a speech coach, publicist and writer. You can reach her at Barb@CommunicationsPro.com or call 215-233-8022.

by Barbara L. Sherf

You know you’ve either been in a room where someone is doing one of these…or you’re guilty of one of these points.

1) Reading bullet points from a slide. (Hello, I have a college degree and we are avid readers.) Tell us a story that goes with the bullet point, or use an example to make the point. DO NOT READ YOUR POWERPOINT BULLET. PERIOD.

2) Use clip art and photographs in the same presentation. When in doubt, go with actual photographs instead of drippy Microsoft clip art. We are in 2010.

3) Don’t Over Animate!
Some animation can liven up a PPT, but know when to say when. Have a colleague or speech coach critique your animation to tell you when enough is enough.

4) Practice, Practice, Practice – on somebody else, not me. Don’t give a talk you haven’t given before to your target audience. Find a group or a video camera to practice on to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Get thee to a Toastmasters, a speech coach, or even the local nursing home to find an audience to practice in front of! Just do it.

5) Do not stand in front of the beam of light coming from the projector. Trust us, it just doesn’t look good…you are squinting and have text on your face. Stand to one side or the other and face your audience.

6) Learn to troubleshoot your technology. How many times have you seen a speaker not know how to set up the projector and then give a talk while looking off of their lap top. One is too many!

7) Get advocates in the audience early on. Assign someone the task of being your timer, your lighting person, your technical troubleshooter. Do not get up and ask for volunteers once your talk begins. Go over non-verbal cues with your timer to know whether to stretch or close your presentation.
Do use a formal evaluation form. Participants will not give you corrective criticism tot your face, but will do so if they are anonymous. If you don’t have a simple to use evaluation form, click here for a sample.

9) Graphs and charts that you can’t read on screen. If you really feel the need to add a graph or chart, then use it as a handout or keep it simple on screen.

10) Use of too many different fonts per slide. Pick one easy to use font (Arial) and stick with it. Period.

11) Use of too small of a font – please people, 12 point font does not do it. 24 minimum.

12) Too many bullet points or information per slide. Four bullet points tops. Don’t write out a whole paragraph onscreen. Learn to use your notes field.

13) Less is More: Give us the basic overview. If we want more information, we will enroll in the second session…or seek out your consulting services on our own. When we ask what time it is, don’t try to show us how you made the watch.

14) Lighter backgrounds are easier on the eyes (and the printer). A dark background weighs everyone down. Lighten it up and you’ll save your and our color ink cartridges and the environment.

15) Use your company logo and footer sparingly. While we understand your need to have this on every slide, does it really need to overpower your message?

16) Decide early on whether you are going to take questions as you go, or hold them until the end. We prefer the latter. So many audiences jump around and ahead. But set the ground rules early on and stick with them.

17) Don’t co-present with someone you are not comfortable with: IT SHOWS. Big time. You must have a certain comfort factor and chemistry with an individual you are going to get up on stage with. If you don’t, go solo.

18) Involve your audience along the way. We suggest investing in the Sharon Bowman book “How To Prevent Death by Lecture.” Sharon is all about audience involvement…and so are we!

19) Please put your presentation through a spellchecker. Once we see a typo, we are not paying attention to your message, but looking for other typos the whole time. It’s annoying. Thank you.

20) We again offer an evaluation form for those who don’t have one. It’s free. Learn from your mistakes. That’s the only way you will become a better speaker (other than a bit of speech coaching, that is).

Practice, practice, practice in between talks. You can never practice too much. We offer Public Speaking Boot Camps on a regular basis. Current reading material: “Say it Like Obama – The Power of Speaking with Purpose and Vision” and Matt Cossolotto’s Podium Power. Two quick reads with lots of meat.

Recently, a Good Samaritan did just that – for me. I was at a specialty food store and had just checked out a $75 order of holiday goodies. As I swiped my card, the cashier explained that in order to keep their prices down, they accepted only cash and debit cards. My face flushed. I had $40 cash with me and had left my purse at home, hoping to ease my burden and not such a heavy load while shopping. I stood there wondering what to put back and how to do so without holding up the line. That is when the woman behind me asked how much I needed? At first a look of shock came over my face, and then the realization that she was offering money to a complete and total stranger.
I quickly did the math and said “$35, but are you sure?” Her response was: “Yes, absolutely. Are you sure you don’t need more?”
Still in awe of this act of kindness, I checked out and then waited for her to check out before giving her my business card and getting her contact information, vowing to send a check once I got home. I told this story to family and friends throughout the week, and they were also somewhat shocked that this woman placed her trust in me.
“You look trustworthy,” said the cashier, as the transaction was taking place. Was it the fact that I had my reusable bags and was dressed in business attire, having come from a meeting? Had I been wearing my paint-splattered sweat suit and baseball cap, would I have been treated differently? Somehow I suspect not. I later drove by this woman’s home, and found that it was not a mansion by any means, but a typical split level Colonial with probably a middle class couple or family living in it.
As the holiday rush is upon us, I am taking a moment to reflect on the genuinely good, trusting people out there, who would dig into their wallet and hand over $35 to a complete stranger. I’m not sure I would have done the same before this encounter, but now I know that I would do the same – unconditionally – in the future. Would you?

On the last Sunday of each month equestrians from area stables gather at the Valley Green Inn in Fairmount Park to catch up with to interact with each other and park visitors – particularly children.

The Horses in the Park (HIP) program was started in the summer of 2008 by Cynthia Turecki, who rides Sonny out of Courtesy Stables in Roxborough. Turecki, 50, grew up in the Wissahickon section of the city and she has childhood memories of seeing horses in the park.

“I was the youngest of 6 children, and my aunt would take us to the lower end of Forbidden Drive by Ridge Avenue to collect horse manure for her garden. I remember looking up one day to see a horse go by and thought, ‘someday I’ll ride my own horse in this park”, said the current Roxborough native, who works by day as a Communications Analyst. When her parents died, she decided she needed something to fill her time and started riding with the Philadelphia Saddle Club out of Monastery Stables in Mount Airy. She then shared a horse with someone, before buying Sonny, her own chestnut Kentucky Mountain Horse in 2005.

“Horses in the Park is my way of giving back and trying to continue the tradition of horsemanship in the park. When I hear a child scream ‘horses, mommy, horses!’ it brings a smile to my face.”

Indeed there were many smiling faces on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, an unusually balmy late November day. Perhaps the biggest smile came from Aimara Scharf-Simon who recently came to live in the area from Berlin. Still sporting a German accent, the six-year-old squealed with excitement upon learning that her name had been picked to receive a complimentary riding lesson. Scharf, who now lives in West Philadelphia with her parents and brother shared her knowledge of horses.

“I sort of know how to ride. If you push more into their sides they go faster, and if you pull on their reins they slow down,” she said, beaming as a group of onlookers listened to her impromptu lecture.

Diane Garvey, who took up riding in her late 40s and became a member of the Philadelphia Saddle Club had encouraged the young girl to fill out the raffle ticket.

“I’m really glad she won. She has a great spirit and I hope she continues to ride,” said Garvey, who, with other HIP members developed the backside of the entry ticket that reads:

5 Reasons to Leash Your Dog which spells out LEASH:

Laws- PA and Philadelphia require dogs to be on a leash
Equines may be startled, endangering the rider
Anxiety – of a lost dog
Safety of all park users, including dogs
Habitat – and wildlife protection

Other young horse enthusiasts were able to pet the horses and learn a bit more about these four-legged creatures. Luca Brown, 3, of Montclair, New Jersey, “liked the horses big brown eyes.”

Bella, 5, and Aquinnah Silverman , 8, of West Mount Airy liked how soft the horse Hot Shot was. Walt Sasse, Barn Manager at Courtesy Stables is a former mounted police officer and introduced Hot Shot to the young onlookers.

“It’s neat. You get down off of your horse and actually get to interact with the people. The little one’s crack me up, like this one,” he said as Josie Bullen approached the horses with absolutely no fear. The three-year-old was wearing a pink ballet tutu over her denim jeans and created quite the fashion statement.

“She is obsessed with horses,” said her mother, Amber Bulllen. “She’s also obsessed with wearing that outfit,” she said, rolling her eyes skyward.

Turecki credits Garvey, and longtime rider Carmella Clark, who has been riding for many years out of Monastery Stables, for helping to form and sustain the monthly interactive sessions between horses, riders and park visitors.

Dr. Thomas A. Fitzpatrick, President of the Philadelphia Saddle Club supports the whole idea. “Anytime you can do some good community relations with bikers, hikers and visitors to the park, that is an hour a month well spent,” he said.

The Horses in the Park program is held on the last Sunday of each month from 1 to 2 pm. near the Valley Green Inn, weather permitting. The next HIP gathering will be December 27th.

Barbara Sherf is a freelance writer and publicist who co-authored with her father, “A Cowboy Mission: The Best Sermons are Lived…Not Preached.” The book is about riding with her father in the Wissahickon Valley and his remembrances of life on the farm and in local rodeos. You can reach her at www.CommunicationsPro.com.

As you sit down to mentally or physically fill out your holiday shopping list this season, think about adding a line for faithful four-legged companions in need of some extra TLC. There are many examples of furry friends in need throughout the greater Chestnut Hill area.
At Northwestern Equestrian Facility (NWEF) in Chestnut Hill, barn staff and boarders are supporting a blind horse that has faithfully given lessons for many years. While he doesn’t have a spot on him, his name is Spot, and he is still teaching very important lessons in the form of trust and courage.
A sign on Spot’s stall notes that Spot was born in the 1980s and served as a lesson horse for 20 years, taking riders over 3-foot fences, and allowing them to fulfill their passion. The flier notes that Spot has no single owner, and so the good folks at NWEF are housing him and bearing the $500 monthly costs to keep him in food, board and veterinary care. There is a small donation box outside of Spot’s stall.
The barn manager says Spot is not depressed and as far as she can tell, has no big issues with his lack of sight. A fundraiser held near Halloween raised $100 to help defray the cost of Spot’s care, but that doesn’t even cover his grain and hay.
When a photographer and I visited the stable to bring Spot treats and take his photo, we stumbled upon a group of students from the Crefeld School, a private school on Crefeld Street in Chestnut Hill, who visit Spot and the other horses once a week as part of their community service class. One student, 17-year-old Gabe Pfeiffer stands out among the rest, for he too is blind. Pfeiffer gets close enough to groom spot and both he and Spot get help going outside to a field so Spot can graze on some fresh grass. Pfeiffer says there are many lessons sighted people can take away from being around a blind person or a blind horse.
“It’s really scary for a blind person or horse to have someone approach them from behind. You can’t hear the person until they are right on top of you, so always announce yourself,” says Pfeiffer as he brushes Spot’s neck. “But when you approach us, you don’t need to shout. We can hear, we just can’t see.”
To make a donation directly to Spot, make checks payable to Northwestern Stables, 120 W Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118-3620 and put Spot in the memo field.
There are so many worthy animal causes out there, but one near and dear to the heart of Chestnut Hill resident Kate Katchen is the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, where she serves on the Board of Directors. The Mermaid Lane resident, who has rescued a Golden Retriever for her family, is particularly concerned about the increasing number of dogs rescued from Pennsylvania’s notorious puppy mills,
“During the holidays, we encourage people to think of our many Goldens who have been rescued from puppy mills and who are spending their first holidays outside of a wire cage, and in a warm safe place. We encourage people to donate simple items like nutritious training treats or cheese to help us help these dogs on their long journey back to being a ‘real dog.’ We also encourage people with some free time to volunteer as a caregiver at DVGRR. Our Golden Gateway facility is open 365 days a year, so at the holidays (and every day) we rely on volunteers to assist our tireless staff.”
In October 2008, one such puppy mill was raided in the Lehigh Valley. A female Golden Retriever who was used as a breeder dog was among them. Katchen picked her up at the Philadelphia SPCA and transported her to Golden Gateway, near Lancaster. She was named ‘Jo Jo’ by the staff, and was adopted within weeks. Unbeknownst to Kate, her new family named her Katie. Katie has passed her Therapy Dog International and Canine Good Citizen tests and does therapy with patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Kate caught up with the family and Katie at the DVGRR reunion in October and was thrilled with the results.
“She was like a new dog. Her owners clearly showed her that there are good people out there who were willing to take a chance and give her a ‘forever home.’
To make a donation, volunteer or view their Wish List go to www.dvgrr.org.

Barbara Sherf lives and writes in Flourtown. She has recently befriended Spot and she and her husband have adopted Simba from DVGRR five years ago. You can reach her at Barb@CommunicationsPro.com. She gives a talk titled “What Our Furry Friends Teach Us About Diet, Exercise and Life.”

Wissahickon Horse Lovers Organization Forms
By Barbara L. Sherf

They call themselves the Wissahickon Horse-Lovers Organization for Adults or WHOA. Four women, in their late 30s and into their mid-40s, who have been taking riding lessons at Northwestern Equestrian Facility (NWEF) together on and off for over a year, decided to formalize their love of horses and share that passion with other adults.

The women – Sue Landers and Bee Morgan of Mount Airy, Andrea Shumsky of Chestnut Hill and Kristen Bowman-Kavanaugh of Center City – formed the group that had its first meeting at NWEF on Sunday, October 18th. The second meeting, featuring a farrier (person who shoes horses) demonstration and Q&A session, will be held on Sunday, November 15th at 10:30 a.m. Refreshments will be served and the program is free and open to the public.

According to Landers, WHOA’s goal is to provide a forum where adults can learn about horses, connect with other equine-lovers, and have fun. WHOA’s focus is not on any particular equestrian discipline, but on any and all aspects of horse-related interest. The group plans to have monthly meetings, clinics and field trips. They have already visited an equine rescue and several events at the Devon Horse show, and plan to visit an area therapeutic riding program.

Adults are the group’s focus since they often return to horses after not having ridden since being children; this can be challenging since so many horse activities are geared to a younger audience. Adults who have never ridden are also welcome to the group, which sees itself as a vehicle for learning and potentially an entry into lesson programs or riding clubs at local barns.

“Did you watch the steeple chasing event on TV yesterday?” one of the eight women present asked another, prior to the meeting in mid-October. They chatted while gathering to hear the speaker, Tarah Hannes, Assistant Barn Manger of NWEF, talk about horse care, barn management and her experience with miniature horses. NWEF is a city-owned stable run by the Fairmount Park Commission, whose lease has been renewed for 10 years.

Hannes – who remembers drawing horses at the age of 5, and who got to live her dream of owning a horse at age twelve – is very supportive of the group’s efforts. “I think it’s great for the adults in the area that didn’t ride as much as kids and they can learn and support each other. “

Shumsky, who lives on Evergreen Avenue, works as a librarian in Ogontz. “I have been taking lessons on and off for about 8 years and I’ve found this to be very therapeutic and rewarding. I would come riding and be jazzed and go home and nobody there shared that same love of horses. This is a way for us to get together and share information and support each other in our riding.”

Kavanaugh, a civil engineer, always wanted to ride when she was younger, but never got the opportunity. She learned to ride while at college and has returned to riding over the past few years. “We thought it would be nice to do something outside of lessons. We jokingly talk about franchising WHOA and going worldwide, but really it’s just a place where other people like me who wanted to get involved in horses can. I feel lucky that I have a place to go to ride and can afford to ride. “ Kavanaugh said she hoped to get other barns in the Wissahickon involved.

Morgan is a financial services professional whose childhood home was near a small horse farm in Surrey, England. She moved back to Mount Airy in started looking for “something to keep my mind off of work.” She started taking lessons at NWEF in the fall of 2005 and hasn’t looked back.

Danielle Mucciolo, at 23, is one of the younger members of the group. “I guess I’m the first official member and in charge of programming and barbecues,” she joked prior to the meeting, while riding Coosa, an American Quarter Horse, whom she owns and boards at NWEF.

During the meeting Hannes talked about managing the 30 or so horses at NWEF and fielded questions from the group. When the topic turned to first aid and the issue of bloating in horses, several wondered aloud about what the causes were. “Let’s look it up, we have an equine library,” said Kavanugh, pointing to WHOA’s nearly 4 dozen horse-related books housed in the meeting room.

Landers said she hoped that WHOA would give individuals the confidence to move from reading to actual riding. “We see this group as a way for people to expand their knowledge of horses which could lead them to start riding, renting or even owning a horse. It could also prepare them to join local riding groups,” said Landers, who by day works as a medical billing supervisor at an area hospital.

Dr. Thomas Fitzpatrick, President of the Philadelphia Saddle Club, run out of Monastery Stables in Mount Airy, said he did not see WHOA as competition. “Any group that forms to get people more interested in riding in the Wissahickon can only help all of us,” he said, adding that he hoped the WHOA members would bring ‘new blood’ to help organize the annual Wissahickon Day Parade.

“We would love to support the parade and the local equestrian community in general. But mainly, we want to help people move toward their interest in horses,” said Landers.

The group’s tagline sums it up neatly: “WHOA – where your passion for horses doesn’t have to stop”.

For more information about the group, e-mail gowhoa@gmail.com or contact Landers at 215-248-6450. To find out about programs and events at NWEF, visit www.northwesternstables.com.

Barbara Sherf is a communications consultant who has written “The Cowboy Mission: The Best Sermons are Lived…Not Preached” about horseback riding with her father. She can be reached through her web site at http://www.CommunicationsPro.com.

That is the informal name of a group of women meeting up once a month at one Goddess’ home to network, nosh, and enjoy some good wine.

I take partial credit for the first gathering.  A client, Maria Hasenecz, President of Livable Landscapes, was looking for ways to grow her business.  I suggested she show off her lovely garden and invite women in home-related industries.  So we invited an arborist, an interior designer, an architect, a home remodeler, a photographer…and me – a communications consultant. The garden party was a huge success and the gatherings have continued and scope of the group has expanded.

We have branched out to include a realtor or two, a wine importer, a financial advisor, a sculptor, a tile maker, a storyteller and a florist.

The idea of women getting together to bond, discuss common small business issues, and just relax and learn a bit about each other is not a new one.  But in these times of social networking and connecting to others via LinkedIn, Facebook and My Space, the ability to connect in person is most refreshing.

I am interested in hearing how you meet up in person to network and bond with others.  Please send me a comment for posting.

I’m riding on the quiet car on Amtrak, to get to Boston to spend some time with friends, celebrate her Birthday, and tour Salem on Halloween.  At first I thought I was on the quiet car, or the first car, but evidently I was not as someone hops on the train and starts yacking away two seats ahead of me – loudly.  I place a phone call and whisper to Krena that we are going to be a full two hours delayed, and that I wish I knew why, but nobody has said anything over the public address system.  However, I know that the PA system works because the conductor hollers every stop as if it were his last call.

I decide to head back to the quiet car.  A loud New Yorker tries to engage me in conversation about the train delay, but I put my index finger up to my lips to indicate that this is the quiet car.  She persists and finds a taker sitting in the aisle across from her.  They banter back and forth about the delay, and why his computer beeps every time the power goes off.  Finally, the man in the aisle across from me shuffles back to tell them that they are in the quiet car.  I am grateful that he took on the role of quiet car cop and give him a thumbs up.  Then I reach for my water bottle and it crinkles in my hand.  He stares my way but says nothing.  Then my cell phone, which is on vibrate goes off, and makes a bit of a vibrating noise.  Ugh…this is too stressful.  I decide to plug my headsets in and listen to Itunes and try to sleep, and just as I am fading out, I hear his newspaper crinkling, and the guy in front of me trying to open a bag of chips, quietly.  He is not successful, although he truly appears to be trying.

So my question to you is: How quiet must one be on the quiet car?  The sign says “Please refrain from loud talking or using cell phones in this car.” I let that be my guide. You?

On Seeing Spot

It’s funny how stories sometimes just stare you in the face.  I was covering the first meeting of the Wissahickon Horse-Lovers Organization for Adults (WHOA) for the Chestnut Hill Local, and lo and behold, I find another story staring me in the face.  His name is Spot.  Actually, Spot wasn’t staring me in the face, because as I soon learned by reading the information posted on his stall, Spot is blind.

I jot down that Spot was born in the 1980s and served as a lesson horse for 20 years, taking riders over 3-foot fences, and allowing them to fulfill their passion.  Spot, the posting noted, has no single owner, and so the good folks at Northwestern Equestrian Facility are housing him and bearing much of the $500 monthly costs to keep him in food and board.  There is a small donation box outside of Spot’s stall.

I took a break from the meeting and fed Spot the carrots and apples I had brought.  I whispered to him that he was such a ‘good boy’ and thanked him for his service to the many riders he has carried carefully to their destination.

The next day I return to the stable with more carrots and apples.  There, I cornered the barn manager, who gives me a quote or two to use in the story about Spot.  I ask her if I can come visit Spot a couple of times a week, and maybe groom him and let him graze on the lush green grass that is just steps from his stall.  She sizes me up and agrees to this arrangement.

I don’t have the right shoes on, so I give Spot the goodies and vow to return the following morning with the appropriate footwear, and more apples and carrots for my newfound friend.

The barn manager tells me Spot is not depressed and as far as she can tell, has no issues with his lack of sight.  I’m glad.

I have been out of the saddle for more than a year now, having had a freak accident on a Philadelphia Saddle Club horse while riding with my Dad.  The accident gave me time to heal and write a book with my father, that I was able to self publish and present to him and family members for this 80^th Birthday last November.

If you would like to purchase a copy of the book, “A Cowboy Mission: The Best Sermons are Lived…Not Preached” I will donate half of the $10 to Spot.  It’s funny, because I just read a fabulous book called Homer’s Odyssey, about a woman who adopted a kitten who was blind at birth.  She shared the lessons that that kitten taught her in terms of building relationships and taking risks.  I suspect that Spot will have a lesson or two still left in him to share with me…and there is clearly a spot in my heart for Spot.

To make a donation directly to Spot, make checks payable to Northwestern Stables, 120 W Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118-3620 and put Spot in the memo field.  To reach the author, go to http://www.CommunicationsPro.com for contact information.