Water Cooler Diaries
What's it like to own the company ... work from home ... occupy Cubicle Land?
On March 27, 2007, more than 500 women — from a fashion designer to a trauma surgeon — chronicled their work day as part of "Water Cooler Diaries: Women across America Share Their Day at Work" (March 2008, Da Capo Lifelong Books, $15.95). The book was authored and edited by former Lancaster resident Joni B. Cole, in conjunction with B.K. Rakhra.
Cole, who now lives in Vermont, is the creator of the This Day series, which includes "This Day in the Life, Diaries from Women across America" (2006) and "This Day: Diaries from American Women" (2004).
The mother of two also wrote "Toxic Feedback: Helping Writers Survive and Thrive" (2006) and has worked as an ad copywriter, senior publicist in public television and editor of a regional general-interest magazine.
For the new book, Cole has partnered with Colgate to create the National Day Diary Project Web site, at
www.my247life.com.
For more information on the book, go to
www.thisdayinthelife.com.
New twist on giving
To celebrate its 20th birthday, Auntie Anne's Pretzels has launched "What a Difference a Family Makes: A New Twist on Giving Back," a grant program and nationwide search for families who make their communities better places.
Twenty families will be rewarded grants of up to $20,000 for philanthropic work.
Nominations will be accepted through April 4. Families can nominate themselves or be nominated by others.
An application form is available at
www.aTwistOnGivingBack.com. Applications must be postmarked on or before April 9.
All entries will be evaluated based on each family's philanthropic level of involvement, overall community impact and strength of initiative.
One $20,000 grant will be given to the grand prize-winning family, and 19 finalists will receive grants of $2,000 each.
Chosen families will also have the opportunity to share their stories for a "20 Ways to Give Back" e-book developed by Auntie Anne's. Other members of the public can also contribute to the book at Auntie Anne's stores around the country in March.
The e-book will be available in late May for download at
www.aTwistOnGivingBack.com.
For more information on the grant competition, visit
www.aTwistOnGivingBack.com. To learn more about Auntie Anne's, go to
www.auntieannes.com.
People, Places & Things appears Fridays in Your Life. Send noteworthy items to Your Life, Lancaster New Era, P.O. Box 1328, Lancaster, PA 17608 or e-mail: YourLife@LNPnews.com.
