UPBEAT NEWS

UPBEAT NEWS Feature Story by Barry M. Gould

When commercial businesses channel their expertise and resources to aid nonprofit organizations, a powerful synergy is created that affects both parties in very definitive and lasting ways.

That was the situation when Mr. Rudy Gaskins, CEO of Push Creative, met Dr. Thomas Romo III, founder and President of the Little Baby Face Foundation (LBFF) at a fund-raising event in Harlem. Gaskins, co-owner of a brand marketing and promotion firm in Manhattan discovered that Dr. Romo's organization needed a vehicle that would introduce and characterize the activities of the LBFF.

Beyond Borders, Beyond the Call

Some organizations go into the field, even overseas to perform their humanitarian work, as is the case with the well known "Doctors Without Walls", however, Little Baby Face is a nonprofit organization that turns the paradigm upside-down and actually pays the costs to fly their patients to see them in New York City.

Dr. Thomas Romo, III

Started in 2003 by Dr. Thomas Romo, III, Director of Facial Reconstruction at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC, Little Baby Face is dedicated to helping children from infants to age 18 to regain their self-esteem as well as their physical and emotional well-being by providing whatever reconstructive, neuromuscular, pediatric and emotional support each young patient needs, at absolutely no charge to the child or his or her family.

"When we first started, we operated in a "caravan", traveling through the US and in South America to perform our services probono. But, especially overseas, we oftentimes found ourselves in poor or at best marginal and compromised conditions, operating in environments that resemble the MASH units like on TV", explains Dr. Romo. He and 8 other renouned doctors form the Board of Directors and they, along with a bevy of highly-skilled support staff, work in a tightly-coordinated teams to maximize their progress and perform as many procedures needed by a patient as possible. For instance, while the Pediatric Dentist is preparing to restore a malfunctioning tooth, the Pediatric MD is assessing the patient's health record to assure a safe, cogent diagnostic plan is executed for each patient and the services performed for the patients is maximized to get as much done in each visit as possible.

The process has been highly refined and once a child is designated to receive LBFF attention, a coordinated team of specialists ranging from medical to social services personnel assess the prospective patient's situation, then arrange a flight from their home to New York where the child and one parent live in a hotel suite stocked with food and cooking areas, given telephone and food cards and some cash to cover residual expenses. The surgeries are perfomed at Lenox Hill Hospital by Dr. Romo and his volunteer doctors and staff, and costs are covered fully by Little Baby Face. After surgery and followup, LBFF sees that they are safely returned to their homes where their records are restored to their local specialists for followup.

In just 3 short years, LBFF has helped with more than 50 children, including a young man named Terrell Davis.

From the first few hours after Brenda Davis, a single mother of two delivered him, Terrell had to undergo several life-threatening procedures and ended up with microtia - born without one of his ears; just a small bump, through which he could hear only slightly. The other ear, though properly formed, did not function at all, leaving him virtually deaf.

For 11 years, Terrell struggled with his condition and tried to make the best of the situation. His mother Brenda, now fighting colon cancer, was heartbroken because she had little means to pay for such expensive plastic reconstructive operations for Terrell. Dr. Romo and his team learned about the family's plight and set to work quickly and formed a realistic-looking ear out of a porous polyethyline substance called Porex. Then the existing ear was fitted with a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) which uses the vibration of the mandular bone to transmit sound to a tiny electronic device surgically implanted in the ear canal.

Gaskins video of Terrell's story entitled "Causing the Miraculous" followed Terrell before, during and after his reconstructive surgery. The project captured the hearts of all who viewed his story and encouraged both supporters and volunteers to join with Dr. Romo and his dedicated group to bring their knowledge and surgical restoration care young people like Terrell. It also captured the attention of the Television and Motion Picture Academy of America, which awarded Gaskins a Telly Award for outstanding nonnprofit sector video, competing against such organizations as CNN, Paramount Studios, HBO and MSNBC.

Notwithstanding, Gaskins says although he is no doubt pleased with the award, "Nothing is more valuable in life than contributing to life itself. It is the essence, the stuff that life is made of - it makes you alive…
that's living and it is much more than just feeling good about yourself."

Gaskins long list of credits spans 20 years, having been in the entertainment field since 1986. He has been a film maker, a feature film editor, a television producer and an Executive Producer working with such Directors as Spike Lee, Francis Ford Coppola and world-class lawyer, the late Johnnie Cockran. His specialty is Marketing and Branding and his long list of clients include NBC, NBC Sports, The Olympics, The Food Network, WNET, Court TV, ABC's World News Tonight and numerous documentaries. These documentaries include a range of social programs that dealt with subjects from child development to prodigies, and it was here that Gaskins felt particularly drawn to the idea of injecting his many talents into putting worthwhile organizations, like LBFF, in the public eye...and ear!

The entire Foundation has nothing but admiration and deep respect for Gaskins and his group and continues to integrate them in all aspects of their caring "family". Gaskins film is presently featured on The Little Baby Face website because its special message has en-couraged many people who have viewed the piece to support the Foundation.

Terrell, who just turned 14 in June, now has two fully-functioning ears, and a sound, new take on life. He is able to concentrate on his studies and his future, instead of barely existing in a world of silence and frustration.

To find out more about Dr. Romo and the Little Baby Face Foundation or for more about Push Creative and Rudy Gaskins, or related links, click here.

Special thanks to: Diane Romo, Little Baby Face Foundation, Craig Highland of Visual Mercenaries.com and Joan Baker of Push Creative for their assistance in this article.

JAMMIN' IN JERSEY

The weather was mixed, as light rain and strong winds whipped at the printed nylon graphic panels that flanked the temporary waterfront stage. At one point the gusts ripped one of the side panels from its mooring, but as the saying goes "The show MUST go on"...and it did in fine fashion. From noon on June 25, 2006 and for the next 9 hours, a modest but solid group of faithful fans grew as the night progressed and as 7 groups took the huge stage at the edge of Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

The bands, mostly based from NJ or having one or more members from the State, performed in an open-air concert, reminicent sometimes of Woodstock, (but with alot more security and controls in place). as hearty listeners sat in lawnchairs, blankets, piles of newspaper, some even in tents and at least one freestanding hammock on a metal stand watched. The following bands performed in hour long sets, peppered with necessary stage changeovers, mike checks, and announcements by dignitaries to commemorate the 30th birthday of Liberty State Park: Exit 105, The Smithereens, Los Lobos, Patty Smith, The Fab Faux, George Clinton, and the headliner, Cheap Trick.

The event was hosted by The Friends of Liberty State Park a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that is dedicated to the preservation of open space and the continued improvement of Liberty State Park. The even also was supported by several Corporate sponsors, and introduced by air personalities from Q104.3, the radio sponsor of the Festival. For more information or to volunteer to be part of the Friends of Liberty State Park, call (201) 792-1993.

Sharpie-Sanford Corporation's Signatures for Education program is a little more than half-way in its goal to raise $1,000,000 in funds to provide supplies for schools and educational organizations around

the country! The novel, web-based "Virtual Wall" allows visitors to leave their personal mark on an electronic "brick" in their choice of combination ortextures, colors and typestyles either to add your own creative flair, or you can have the site do the work for you.

It should be noted from personal experience that not all internet providers allow you to view the entire site So you may need to log on using Explorer or another application.

The site reviews the entry and then sends the submitter a message saying that their autograph has been sucessfully added to the wall, and provides a numerical map code so you can locate your signature on the wall. Try it at http://www.sharpie.com

If you know of a worthy nonprofit or community minded organization whose story would be of interest, please email the editor at editor@myupbeatnews.com. Also, feel free to provide any comments about how we can make our publication even better.

		PUSH CREATIVE VIDEO PUTS A LASTING SMILE ON UPBEAT NEWS Feature Story by Barry M. Gould When commercial businesses channel their expertise and resources to aid nonprofit organizations, a powerful synergy is created that affects both parties in very definitive and lasting ways. That was the situation when Mr. Rudy Gaskins, CEO of Push Creative, met Dr. Thomas Romo III, founder and President of the Little Baby Face Foundation (LBFF) at a fund-raising event in Harlem. Gaskins, co-owner of a brand marketing and promotion firm in Manhattan discovered that Dr. Romo's organization needed a vehicle that would introduce and characterize the activities of the LBFF. Beyond Borders, Beyond the Call Some organizations go into the field, even overseas to perform their humanitarian work, as is the case with the well known "Doctors Without Walls", however, Little Baby Face is a nonprofit organization that turns the paradigm upside-down and actually pays the costs to fly their patients to see them in New York City. Dr. Thomas Romo, III Started in 2003 by Dr. Thomas Romo, III, Director of Facial Reconstruction at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC, Little Baby Face is dedicated to helping children from infants to age 18 to regain their self-esteem as well as their physical and emotional well-being by providing whatever reconstructive, neuromuscular, pediatric and emotional support each young patient needs, at absolutely no charge to the child or his or her family. "When we first started, we operated in a "caravan", traveling through the US and in South America to perform our services probono. But, especially overseas, we oftentimes found ourselves in poor or at best marginal and compromised conditions, operating in environments that resemble the MASH units like on TV", explains Dr. Romo. He and 8 other renouned doctors form the Board of Directors and they, along with a bevy of highly-skilled support staff, work in a tightly-coordinated teams to maximize their progress and perform as many procedures needed by a patient as possible. For instance, while the Pediatric Dentist is preparing to restore a malfunctioning tooth, the Pediatric MD is assessing the patient's health record to assure a safe, cogent diagnostic plan is executed for each patient and the services performed for the patients is maximized to get as much done in each visit as possible. The process has been highly refined and once a child is designated to receive LBFF attention, a coordinated team of specialists ranging from medical to social services personnel assess the prospective patient's situation, then arrange a flight from their home to New York where the child and one parent live in a hotel suite stocked with food and cooking areas, given telephone and food cards and some cash to cover residual expenses. The surgeries are perfomed at Lenox Hill Hospital by Dr. Romo and his volunteer doctors and staff, and costs are covered fully by Little Baby Face. After surgery and followup, LBFF sees that they are safely returned to their homes where their records are restored to their local specialists for followup. In just 3 short years, LBFF has helped with more than 50 children, including a young man named Terrell Davis. From the first few hours after Brenda Davis, a single mother of two delivered him, Terrell had to undergo several life-threatening procedures and ended up with microtia - born without one of his ears; just a small bump, through which he could hear only slightly. The other ear, though properly formed, did not function at all, leaving him virtually deaf. For 11 years, Terrell struggled with his condition and tried to make the best of the situation. His mother Brenda, now fighting colon cancer, was heartbroken because she had little means to pay for such expensive plastic reconstructive operations for Terrell. Dr. Romo and his team learned about the family's plight and set to work quickly and formed a realistic-looking ear out of a porous polyethyline substance called Porex. Then the existing ear was fitted with a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) which uses the vibration of the mandular bone to transmit sound to a tiny electronic device surgically implanted in the ear canal. Gaskins video of Terrell's story entitled "Causing the Miraculous" followed Terrell before, during and after his reconstructive surgery. The project captured the hearts of all who viewed his story and encouraged both supporters and volunteers to join with Dr. Romo and his dedicated group to bring their knowledge and surgical restoration care young people like Terrell. It also captured the attention of the Television and Motion Picture Academy of America, which awarded Gaskins a Telly Award for outstanding nonnprofit sector video, competing against such organizations as CNN, Paramount Studios, HBO and MSNBC. Notwithstanding, Gaskins says although he is no doubt pleased with the award, "Nothing is more valuable in life than contributing to life itself. It is the essence, the stuff that life is made of - it makes you alive… that's living and it is much more than just feeling good about yourself." Gaskins long list of credits spans 20 years, having been in the entertainment field since 1986. He has been a film maker, a feature film editor, a television producer and an Executive Producer working with such Directors as Spike Lee, Francis Ford Coppola and world-class lawyer, the late Johnnie Cockran. His specialty is Marketing and Branding and his long list of clients include NBC, NBC Sports, The Olympics, The Food Network, WNET, Court TV, ABC's World News Tonight and numerous documentaries. These documentaries include a range of social programs that dealt with subjects from child development to prodigies, and it was here that Gaskins felt particularly drawn to the idea of injecting his many talents into putting worthwhile organizations, like LBFF, in the public eye...and ear! The entire Foundation has nothing but admiration and deep respect for Gaskins and his group and continues to integrate them in all aspects of their caring "family". Gaskins film is presently featured on The Little Baby Face website because its special message has en-couraged many people who have viewed the piece to support the Foundation. Terrell, who just turned 14 in June, now has two fully-functioning ears, and a sound, new take on life. He is able to concentrate on his studies and his future, instead of barely existing in a world of silence and frustration. To find out more about Dr. Romo and the Little Baby Face Foundation or for more about Push Creative and Rudy Gaskins, or related links, click here. Special thanks to: Diane Romo, Little Baby Face Foundation, Craig Highland of Visual Mercenaries.com and Joan Baker of Push Creative for their assistance in this article. JAMMIN' IN JERSEY The weather was mixed, as light rain and strong winds whipped at the printed nylon graphic panels that flanked the temporary waterfront stage. At one point the gusts ripped one of the side panels from its mooring, but as the saying goes "The show MUST go on"...and it did in fine fashion. From noon on June 25, 2006 and for the next 9 hours, a modest but solid group of faithful fans grew as the night progressed and as 7 groups took the huge stage at the edge of Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The bands, mostly based from NJ or having one or more members from the State, performed in an open-air concert, reminicent sometimes of Woodstock, (but with alot more security and controls in place). as hearty listeners sat in lawnchairs, blankets, piles of newspaper, some even in tents and at least one freestanding hammock on a metal stand watched. The following bands performed in hour long sets, peppered with necessary stage changeovers, mike checks, and announcements by dignitaries to commemorate the 30th birthday of Liberty State Park: Exit 105, The Smithereens, Los Lobos, Patty Smith, The Fab Faux, George Clinton, and the headliner, Cheap Trick. The event was hosted by The Friends of Liberty State Park a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that is dedicated to the preservation of open space and the continued improvement of Liberty State Park. The even also was supported by several Corporate sponsors, and introduced by air personalities from Q104.3, the radio sponsor of the Festival. For more information or to volunteer to be part of the Friends of Liberty State Park, call (201) 792-1993. Sharpie's "Write" Idea... to help fund education in the US Sharpie-Sanford Corporation's Signatures for Education program is a little more than half-way in its goal to raise $1,000,000 in funds to provide supplies for schools and educational organizations around the country! The novel, web-based "Virtual Wall" allows visitors to leave their personal mark on an electronic "brick" in their choice of combination ortextures, colors and typestyles either to add your own creative flair, or you can have the site do the work for you. It should be noted from personal experience that not all internet providers allow you to view the entire site So you may need to log on using Explorer or another application. The site reviews the entry and then sends the submitter a message saying that their autograph has been sucessfully added to the wall, and provides a numerical map code so you can locate your signature on the wall. Try it at http://www.sharpie.com THANK YOU TO ALL OUR READERS WHO RESPONDED TO OUR JUNE FEATURE STORY ABOUT JOAN BAKER AND HER BOOK "SECRETS OF VOICE-OVER SUCCESS" TO BENEFIT THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION. IF YOU MISSED THIS UNIQUE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE. If you know of a worthy nonprofit or community minded organization whose story would be of interest, please email the editor at editor@myupbeatnews.com. Also, feel free to provide any comments about how we can make our publication even better.	AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE Lunch - Dinner Bella Grotto Cafe 6115 Hadley Road, Middlesex Mall South Plainfield, NJ 07080 908-755-3555 Click Here for SPECIAL COUPON!
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