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NEWSLETTER - Fall 2004

It is not now, and has never been, our intention to send this free newsletter to anyone who does not want it.  If you received this in error, please respond with "REMOVE" on the subject line.  Forward this to anyone who you think may be interested in its contents.  If this was forwarded to you, and you want to receive it monthly, reply with "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. Visit our web site at http://www.bethestaryouare.org.  Please note, by responding to this email, you do not reach the charity.  To reach Cynthia Brian directly, email her at cynthia@bethestaryouare.org. Thank you.

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OUR MISSION:

Be the Star You Are!™ is a library of books and other media donated to youth at risk to raise their skills and self esteem to improve their daily lives. This media ranges from education and advisement to inspiration and guidance which covers every aspect of life from abuse through money management. Be the Star You Are!™ has no religious or political agendas or affiliations as it caters to the literate and illiterate by providing audio tapes and videos as well as books to give these kids a head start in their lives so they can beat the odds.

MIRACLE MOMENT®:

“Excellence is not an act but a habit.” 
     Aristotle

"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need."
     Kahlil Gibran

PERSONAL JOURNALING:
By Cynthia Brian (c) 2004

Do you write down your thoughts, actions, and experiences?  Have you encouraged your children to do so?  Here’s a great idea that will enhance your days and help your children with school work while providing plenty of reading opportunities.  Try journaling.  

You can use a spiral bound notebook, a binder, or your computer.  The key is to carve out 10 minutes every day to record your thoughts, your day, or your troubles.  You can decorate your notes with stickers, paints, stamps, or just use a word processor to capture your ideas.  What is important is that you write consistently.

At least once a month, spend some time reading your entries.  You’ll be shocked and elated at how well you have turned stumbling blocks into stepping stones.  

Over the years my journals have metamorphosed from simple childhood diaries to beautifully hand crafted books to my most recent incarnation-a simple folder on my computer.  I call my computer journal “Ideas, thoughts, and funny stories.”  I collect pieces of interest that are sent to me as well as type insights that invade my brain.  Each new idea has its own file which is alphabetically organized, printed out and kept in a 6-inch thick black binder. Whenever I am writing or working on a new speech, I consult my computer journal.  The beauty of journaling by computer is that my ideas are already typed and available to be copied and pasted into my new document.  Since I was a little girl, I have been authoring and collecting quotations.  This collection is now my trademarked “Miracle Moment®” which you read in this newsletter, hear on the radio show, and see on my television shows. This inspirational gesture started with journaling.  

It is interesting that everything you write in your journal can be fodder for a school assignment, a conversation, or a new article.   

TUNE IN TO OUR GROWING RADIO PROGRAM:

World Talk Radio is the official radio station of Be the Star You Are!™ charity. www.worldtalkradio.com.  If you are interested in sponsoring our program, contact Michelle Drutman, phone 1-858-836-0169, atmdrutman@worldtalkradio.com. Rates are reasonable , you’ll be helping kids, and you will get incredible exposure, plus get a tax deduction!  WOW!!!!!  It doesn’t get any better than that!

Every Wednesday from 6-7pm PST and 9-10pm EST, our radio program, Starstyle® Be the Star You Are! will be heard live on the World Talk Radio Network, where the world comes to talk.

NEW: Starstyle® Be the Star You Are!  can now be heard on Leisure Talk Radio www.leisuretalk.net every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at numerous times. It’s exciting to be growing and offering our positive programming to people around the globe.

Sundays at 7pm PST and 10PM EST, our radio program, Starstyle® Be the Star You Are! can be heard by tuning in to WPMD.  Just click on the “click here to listen” button, at:  www.bethestaryouare.org/radio,  www.wpmd.org or www.cerritos.edu/wpmd/ or listen  at 1700am in the Los Angeles area. We are thrilled to be part of the WPMD family , where people make a difference in bringing you quality edutainment.

Again,  click on the “click here to listen” button, at www.bethestaryouare.org/radio turn up your speakers, and join us!!  You can also link to all the stations from that site. You will hear interviews with authors and experts on exciting new topics. Our signature segment is called T42-A Mother-Daughter Brew which will focus on relationships between teens and their parents hosted by Heather Brittany and her mom, Cynthia Brian.  If you miss the live broadcast, don’t worry, all shows are archived at www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=118.

As our official radio sponsor, World Talk Radio Network is partnering with Be the Star You Are!™ charity to bring positive messages to the globe.

For sponsorship information, please email us at radio@bethestaryouare.org or call our offices 925-376-7126. We’ll put you in touch with the right people.  Advertising is affordable and tax deductible! Get your message out to the world, support youth at risk AND get a tax deduction.  Everybody wins. 

JOIN OUR TEEN STAR BOOK REVIEW TEAM:

One of the most fun and rewarding volunteer positions is as a Teen STAR Book Reviewer.  Neeku Mahdavian is our teen chair person and she wants to invite volunteers age 10 and above who like to read to join her Teen STAR Book Review team.  Adults are also welcome to become a reviewer.  It is important that you live in the Lamorinda area of California.  Here’s how it works:  Be the Star You Are!™ charity office receives books from authors and publishers that are geared for babies through teenagers.  Our Teen STAR Book Reviewers read these books, then write an honest one-page book review on how they liked the book.  These reviews offer parents and other people an idea of what books would be good for what age level, thoughts about book content, and an opinion on whether the book is fun, entertaining, educational, or boring.   The reviews are then sent to The Reading Tub (http://www.thereadingtub.com/be_the_star_you_are.html) , a non-profit organization dedicated to “turning a page and opening the world” to children through literacy where they publish our Teen STAR Book Reviewers' reactions and recommendations.  We publish them on our web site as well.  For more information or to join the team, email: info@bethestaryouare.org or call our offices 925-376-7126.

OUR ON-LINE AUCTION:

Be the Star You Are!™ has partnered with cMarket.com to offer on-going auction items.  Visit our web site http://btsya.cmarket.com to make a bid on vacations, cruises, hot air balloon rides, art, books, services and more.  Many items go for minimum bid which is at least 40% off retail.  How good is this?  You get a tax deduction, help literacy, and have some fun.

SPECIAL BOOK OFFER: 

BE THE STAR YOU ARE!™ POSTER STORE:

Be the Star You Are!™ has joined the AllPosters.com affiliates program.  Now when you buy posters by linking through our website to AllPosters.com, up to 30% of your purchase will go to Be the Star You Are!™ !!!  We have links to 100 inspirational and motivational posters on our site, but you can browse many thousands of other posters and we still receive a donation.  AllPosters.com offers entertainment, sports, and humor posters, as well as fine art prints and a framing service.  Whether you're decorating or need a thoughtful gift, go to the Be the Star You Are!™ web site and help our charity at the same time!  Click here to link directly to our poster store.  Check it out even if you're not ready to purchase -- they have so much to offer, you just may get inspired!

DO YOU HAVE A VEHICLE YOU NO LONGER WANT?  DONATE IT TO BE THE STAR YOU ARE!™:

Pat Hallberg, our coordinator of vehicle donations, wants to remind you that Be the Star You Are!™ is happy to accept all vehicles, boats, trailers, etc., running or not, that you would like to donate for a full blue book tax deduction.  It's a great way to get rid of a vehicle, help our charity and save money on your taxes. Pat will deal with all the paperwork and arrange for pick up at your convenience.  Call our office at 925-376-7126  or 925-935-0669 or email: info@bethestaryouare.org.  Thank you, Pat, for keeping our car program running.  

A MESSAGE FROM OUR FOUNDER:

Did you know that low literacy and communication skills have been identified as the major cause of conduct disorders, criminal behavior and adolescent suicide? Last year, half of all fourth-graders nationwide failed to achieve even partial mastery of the reading skills needed for school success. In our highest-poverty schools, 70% of children fail to read at a basic level. For America's poorest children, the biggest obstacle to literacy is the lack of books and appropriate reading materials. 

As the founder of Be the Star You Are!™ a 501(c)(3) charity,  I am dedicated to empowering families and youth-at-risk by providing literacy and positive media.  Be the Star You Are!™ distributes books at no cost to these youngsters and also hosts a national radio show featuring authors and books to improve lives. To live and prosper in this society, we must be lifelong learners, with access to knowledge to sustain our lives at work, at home, and in our communities. To be a leader, you must be a reader.  Education funds have been cut across the country which means our children are getting less assistance.  Be the Star You Are!™ makes an ongoing difference. We need and appreciate your financial assistance  to support our ongoing programs.

The cost of illiteracy to businesses and to YOU the taxpayer, is $20 billion per year. You can help increase literacy by sending a tax deductible contribution to Be the Star You Are!™ charity.  We make it easy for you to make a donation.  Go to our web site and pay on PAYPAL using a credit card.  Or buy our signature book, Be the Star You Are!™ where the proceeds benefit literacy programs.  Or bid on any of our auction items at our web site http://btsya.cmarket.com. Make a contribution today - it’s cheaper to help kids read now than paying more taxes and building more prisons. Visit www.bethestaryouare.org or send your donation to PO Box 376, Moraga, CA 94556.

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.

Please donate today.

Thank you from all the kids.

Cynthia Brian
Founder/CEO

Thank you from the volunteers at Be the Star You Are!™

Be the Star You Are!™
PO Box 376
Moraga, California 94556.  
877-944-STAR or 925-376-7126
http://www.bethestaryouare.org

Cynthia Brian is the Founder and President of Be the Star You Are!™ Please visit www.bethestaryouare.org for biographical information. Be the Star You Are!™  a 501(c)(3) non profit  

Order directly through Be the Star You Are!™ www.bethestaryouare.org .  Autographed copies are available.

PRICE LIST

Be the Star You Are!™ Book $15.95 plus $1.35 tax=$17.30 (NEW-SPECIAL DEEP DISCOUNT ON CASE ORDERS-24 books per case-call for information on the case discount)
Miracle Moments™ Book $9.99 plus $.86 tax = $10.85
The Business of Show Business (NEW) $19.95 plus $1.75 tax = $21.70
Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul book $12.95 plus $1.10 tax =$14.05
Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul CD $11.95 plus $1.05 tax=$13.00
Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul tape $ 9.95 plus $ .85 tax= $10.80

FREE packet of seeds with purchase of any book.

CASH, CHECKS, VISA OR MASTERCARD ACCEPTED. SHIPPING ADD $4.00 FOR FIRST BOOK, $1.75 FOR EACH EXTRA BOOK.

Be the Star You Are!™ 501 (c)(3) non profit corporation providing positive educational and inspirational resources and tools to kids in need of hope.

Be the Star You Are!™
PO Box 376
Moraga, Ca. 94556
877-944-STAR
http://www.bethestaryouare.org
Cynthia Brian is the Founder and President of Be the Star You Are!™.  Please visit www.bethestaryouare.org for biographical information.

Be the Star You Are!™  a 501(c)(3) non profit organization

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YOUR FEEDBACK
If you have comments, questions or suggestions for this newsletter, please write to Kim Carlson, your Be the Star You Are!™ newsletter coordinator at: accountech@comcast.net

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
It is not now, and has never been, our intention to send this free newsletter to anyone who does not want it. If you received this in error, please respond with "REMOVE" on the subject line. 

If this was forwarded to you, and you want to receive it monthly, reply with "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. 

To subscribe to the text-only version of this newsletter, reply with "TEXT-ONLY" in the subject line.

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
To request previous issues of our newsletter, contact our newsletter coordinator at accountech@comcast.net, or click here.

FORWARD TO A FRIEND
Forward this to anyone who you think may be interested in its contents.  Keep the special people in your life informed as to what is happening in the world of positive programming!

Visit our web site at http://www.bethestaryouare.org.  Please note, by responding to this email, you do not reach the charity.  To reach Cynthia Brian directly, email her at cynthia@bethestaryouare.org. Thank you.

Be The Star You Are!™
PO Box 376, Moraga, CA 94556
Tel: 877.944.STAR or 925.376.7126
Fax: 925.376.7142

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