Suggestions

There was so much we tried to do and such a large area we attemped to cover, it was almost overwhelming.  Yet,  I really wanted to explore more possibilities, more ideas and go further into the concepts of the class.  Probably, I would have liked to have fewer things going on and concentrate on one thing in more depth.   It was like a snack table and I got a little bit of everything.  That was a good thing when you look at it one way.  But, I also wanted to stay for the entree and spend more quality time and energy on a topic.  I suppose it left me hungry for more.  That is also a good thing, so I’ll be watching for part II.   Thanks for a great class.

Big Picture

The big picture for me is that this course opened a lot of new ways of thinking, convergently and divergently.  Logic and creativity can compliment each other.  That was one of the questions I started out with in this class.  I have an entire new way to approach my teaching technique and I can continue to work on this in the future.  There is a wealth of information in the books we never even touch upon.  This course made me realize that I play a larger role on the effect of those in my class as far as learning and knowledge go.   If I can get them to learn and retain the knowledge, I have succeeded.  Creativity is a key factor in being able to accomplish that.

Creativity Fair

I thought the Creativity Fair turned out well.  It was a great experiance to have the person attend that actually wrote the book we were using in class.   I wasn’t particularly surprised about anything anyone said or asked.   The event probably would have turned out better if the weather had been more in our favor.   I know it kept people away because I was fielding apologies all day Tuesday. 

Secret Santa Revealed

I thought you might all find this interesting whether you believe in Santa or not.  This is real-life individual who creatively found a way to help those in need.  He has a remarkable story and there are those that would not respect his privacy.  Therefore, he decided to take the high road and beat them to the finish line.

Hi Guys,

This is a story I thought you might want to check out. This guy Larry Stewart is a good friend of Ray & Jeans (my friends from KC). They have been on several of these trips where he has given away this money at Christmas time and in times of disaster ie… Hurricane Katrina, San Diego Fires, The list goes on and on. I have had the opportunity to meet Larry on several occasions with Ray and Jean and he is an incredible person with an amazing story. I have known his identity for several years but have not been able to share it because of his wishes. I have shared the story of Secret Santa with several people since I met him but that was it. Jean called me while I was in California and told me that he was going to reveal his identity because he has had a tabloid trying to expose him. Larry has been battling Cancer since last spring.

Please keep him in your prayers. Since his story broke last week in Kansas City he has been bombarded by the media. He was on Good Morning America and David Letterman has asked him to come on his show. My guess is that he will only be able to be on a few things due to his poor health. He is a wonderful person who has helped so many. His main reason for wanting to share his story is in the hopes that his tradition of anonymous giving will be contagious and people everywhere will do that. That’s why I wanted to share his story with you. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

From: Larry Stewart To: ‘Larry J. McCormick’ Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 12:56 PM

Subject: Secret Santa Revealed

Hello all,

As many of you know the identity of the Secret Santa was revealed today in the Kansas City Star with my complete approval. There are a host of reasons I made this decision. Here is just one compelling reason:

Over the last few years, there have been those in the “media” who, for whatever reason have been trying to “expose” me. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to those of you who knew the “secret” and never gave me up.

There was a so called “publication” which has been dubbed by some as the “national Enquirer” of Kansas City. They have done everything from trying to follow me from my office to staking out an ELF and trying to follow him from his home hoping that they could confirm my identity. I don’t know why anyone would want to mess up a good thing.

After a lot of thought and discussion with family, it was unanimous that if anyone told my story it should be me and not some “rag” or other media outlet that sells “bad news”. We beat them to the punch. Now they have no “scoop”.

Now, as I “retire” from regular Secret Santa duties, I’ve decided to expand the Society of Secret Santas and therefore the Secret Santa Training School is officially open for business.

This year, there are 4 graduates of the school that are bringing a total of $70,000 in cash to be distributed a $100 at a time. Each bill will be stamped with the name “BUCK O’NEIL”. This $70k is in addition to the $100,000 that I’ve already committed to this year’s Sleigh Ride.

Below is the link to today’s KC Star story along with a gallery of photos capturing many moments from years past. I hope you enjoy the photos as they bring back special memories for me.

Also, Donna McGuire has written a book titled: Santa’s Secret: A Story of Hope. The book was released on Monday, November 13th which is Buck’s birthday. The book is available online now at www.secretsantabook.com

Here is the link to the KC Star story: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/16023431.htm

Also, tonight on KMBC-TV 9 in Kansas City there will be a segment on the 10:00 PM news. If you are out of town you can get the segment at www.thekansascitychannel.com

Pass these links on to as many of your friends as you feel comfortable doing. The more books that are sold, the more people in need we can help.

God bless you all,

Larry Stewart