How does it feel to be a child who survives a natural disaster? Terrifying? Lonely? Helpless?
None of us really know. But we can certainly imagine.
And, we’re ready to help.
When epic disasters strike, Amway believes in giving back. Through the Amway One by One Campaign for Children and our partnership with SOS Children’s Villages around the world, we are helping to ensure children living through a disaster, such as those in Haiti and Japan, get the care they need.
In Haiti, for example, we’re helping to build homesfor children left orphaned by the devastating earthquake there in January, 2010.
And in Japan, where the evolving nuclear reactor leak may ultimately cause even more damage than the epic tsunami/earthquake, the Children’s Village at Fukuoka is offering safe refuge to traumatized children.
How many children will live here? No one knows. But if you figure more than half a million people lost their homes in the region, we can presume more than 100,000 of them are children.
Many will stay at the Children’s Village temporarily until they can be reunited with their families. Others whose families were lost to the disaster will remain at the Village long-term.
Amway will always reach out with support – in the form of financial donations and products – wherever and whenever disasters happen. That’s who we are, as a Company, and as people.
To help with the Japan relief efforts, we’ve set up specific SKUs to make it easy to donate $10 or $25 to the American Red Cross in support of their work there. You can also send your support directly to SOS Children’s Villages.
How does it feel to be a child and survive a tsunami? We can only imagine. We can’t change what happened in Japan. But we can – and will – certainly lend our support.
If you saw the NBC broadcast of the Detroit Red Wings vs. the Boston Bruins, you caught a terrific game in Hockeytown with the Wings victorious over the Bruins by a 4-2 score.
You probably also noticed the Amway logo prominently displayed on the dasher boards of the Joe Louis Arena.
That’s just one of the many ways you’ll see Amway and Amway products being promoted on broadcast and cable TV, on the Internet, and in print ads across the U.S. and Canada during first quarter 2011.
As I mentioned in my blog post last week, we have exclusive rights to display the Amway logo on Red Wings practice jerseys. And you’ll also see our logo splashed on dasher board signage during home games.
Having won the coveted Stanley Cup an amazing eleven times, the Wings are a hot property. Many of their home games are broadcast nationally on NBC or regionally on Versus (check your local listings for details) – thus ensuring Amway will be seen and noticed by millions of viewers.
In addition, be sure to catch our just-released “Power of Positive” TV ad on on national TV, as well as your favorite cable stations, including A&E, AMC, BBC America, BET, Bravo, Discovery, Discovery Science, ESPN, the History Channel, National Geographic, the SyFy Channel, TBS, Fox News, TNT, TV Land, and USA Network.
These varied media outlets were strategically selected to help reach the widest possible range of people with the Amway “Power of Positive” message. Of course, John Tesh’s trademark voiceover is a surefire way to attract immediate attention to these ads!
The Amway message is all over print media and the Internet as well. Our “Power of Positive” print ad can be seen in Newsweek this month, as well as on banner ads (at the top or bottom of the page) of many websites.
As you can clearly see, we’re using the most watched and most read media outlets to promote Amway.
Our goal is to get the word out to as many people as possible: Amway’s all about the Power of Positive.
By now, the cards are picked over. The roses are overpriced and, frankly, a little wilted-looking. Chocolate seems so cliché. And forget about trying to score a reservation for dinner!
So instead, how about using your Valentine’s Day gift money to help a few kids in Haiti who could really use it?
I’m serious. Nothing’s more romantic than showing you care about others. And in this case, “others” means Haitian children who still suffer greatly today, months after the devastating January 2010 earthquake in that country.
My suggestion? Take the $20 or $30 or $50 or $100 you’d usually shell out for Valentine’s Day and put it to work with Amway helping to rebuild Haiti.
SOS Children’s Villages is partnering with our Independent Business Owners, Amway, our employees, and customers to build a house in Les Cayes, Haiti for orphaned and abandoned children.
Donations are needed at every giving level. Five dollars could buy enough nails to get the framework for one room done. Fifty dollars could buy a set of bunk beds so two kids could sleep comfortably. You get the picture. Browse through the SOS Children’s Villages Dream Catalog for more ideas.
As for celebrating Valentine’s Day with your special someone, old-fashioned words and deeds mean much more than the usual card and candy combo. Wash their car, inside and out. Cook their favorite meal. Rent a romantic movie, make popcorn, and snuggle.
And don’t forget to send an ecard* telling them you gave on their behalf to help the children of Haiti.
Talk about a true gift of love!
* After your gift donation, you’ll receive an email with a link to ecards.
Last week, Amway hosted a few execs from the Detroit Red Wings here at our headquarters in Ada, Michigan.
As you may have heard, Amway has exclusive rights to display our logo on Wings practice jerseys, as well as on dasher board signage during home games in Hockeytown. We hope this is just the beginning of an exciting, lasting partnership between the two organizations.
For their first visit to Ada, our goal (pun intended) was to share with them who we are and what we do here. The best way to do that, we knew, was a VIP tour with our own John Faye, the unofficial “Mayor of Amway.”
Afterward, when we sat down to brainstorm other ways to enhance the Amway/Red Wings collaboration, all they could talk about was how blown away they were by what they had seen.
Seems we scored a real hat-trick!
Lauren Campbell, Wings account service manager told me, “I had no idea that everything is manufactured right here, from the bottle to the product to the label. And seeing all the research behind it – the labs and science were amazing.”
Rob Croll, Director of corporate advertising and sponsorship for the Wings, was equally impressed. “It’s like Henry Ford’s assembly line. You go from raw goods to finished products popping out at the end,” he said. “Until today, I always thought somebody else made your products and you just slapped the Amway label on ‘em.”
Greg Bozek, who manages corporate sponsorships for the Wings, summed it up: “What I saw here is how excited and committed people are. I met many people who’ve been here 20-30 years. Amway is a part of their lives. It’s the same with the Red Wings. Once you’re a fan of a homegrown, family-owned team that stands for values, it sticks with you forever.”
Quite frankly, their reaction blew away everyone in the room.
Truth is, we tend to take this company for granted sometimes. We forget how significant the Amway campus is for first-time visitors. We forget how impressive it is, how remarkable we are.
Sometimes it takes a visit from Hockeytown to remind us: We’re really lucky to work at this extraordinary company, called Amway.
When Amway signed Kurt Warner as the first pro football player to represent Nutrilite®products, we knew he shared many of our core values, especially the idea of making a positive difference in people’s lives.
That’s why Amway is proud of his First Things First Foundation – a non-profit public charity that promotes great values, with unique opportunities for people from all walks of life to see firsthand that all things are possible when we seek to put “first things first”.
Through this foundation, Kurt and his wife, Brenda, sponsor many one-of-a-kind fundraising events, including the be-all/end-all for true football fanatics: The Ultimate Football Experience.
Here’s where well-heeled weekend warriors kick off with the pros – stars like Warren Moon, Donovan McNabb, Phil Simms, Aaron Rodgers, and Matt Ryan – for two unforgettable days, all while raising needed funds for Kurt’s foundation outreach.
Now, Amway is giving one lucky football fan the opportunity to participate in this year’s Ultimate Football Experience, March 11-12, as part of Amway’s Nutrilite Ultimate Football Experience Sweepstakes.
The grand prize includes a trip to Phoenix, accommodations, rental car, and even a $500 Visa® Gift Card, plus your fantasy football weekend.
Don’t let the clock run out on your chance to win this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enter before February 28, 2011, by signing up on our Facebook page. You can enter the Sweepstakes once a day. No purchase necessary to win.
Who knows? You could be the player who catches that touchdown pass from Kurt Warner himself!
When I heard that one of the five finalists in the Miss America pageant was just 17 years old, I was surprised!
17?! How could someone that young even be in the running? Most 17-year-old girls (myself included, back then) are just trying to get through high school!
And then Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska, totally proved us wrong, and incorporates everything a Miss America should, even if she is just 17.
She’s articulate. Poised. Beautiful. Gracious. Polite. Spirited. Opinionated, in a good way. Talented. A young woman of great faith. A real leader.
In short, she’s everything Miss America ought to be.
No wonder she wowed the world and the judges (and yes, me) on Saturday night at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas – and why, ultimately, she became Miss America 2011 on the 90th anniversary of the pageant.
As I watched that crowning moment, I felt a special pride that the Artistry® brand, exclusively from Amway, is a proud sponsor of the Miss America pageant.
After all, Artistry skin care and cosmetics are known around the world for helping women look and feel their beautiful best.
Can you think of a better example than Miss America of the positivity that’s so fundamental to the Amway business?
These are young women who know all about setting goals and reaching them – dreaming big dreams, then doing everything they can to make those dreams happen.
Talk about a wonderful role model for young girls!
Through the Miss America organization, many of these young women are awarded scholarships to help them realize those dreams – more than $45 million in scholarships awarded every year, at local, state, and national events.
In fact, it was the chance to win the Artistry by Amway Scholarship as Miss America that motivated young Teresa, who hasn’t yet attended even one day of college. She plans to attend law school and go into politics. So, as she said during the post-pageant press conference, “The Artistry scholarship will come in handy for the seven years of college I have ahead of me.”
President Teresa Scanlan? Supreme Court Justice Scanlan? Who knows?
Clearly, this 17-year-old is going places – that is why Amway, and the Artistry brand are proud to come along for the ride!
Finding your purpose in life is sometimes a struggle, I know we've all spent time pondering where we can really make a difference. Charles Macias found his purpose in the opportunity to positively impact the veteran’s community. A Vietnam Veteran himself, Charles knows first hand the struggle fitting back into civilian life after serving. He saw the devastating impact this readjustment can have on veterans, and has made it his life’s work to help make returning home an easier, more positive experience.
Labor Day is an annual national tribute to the valuable contributions workers have made to our great country. In honor of this holiday, we are proud to present Charles Garcia as a guest blogger on Ada-Tudes. Charles is a spokesperson for the Amway business opportunity in the U.S. and a well-respected entrepreneur and author. If you haven’t yet, check out his “Ask Charlie” blog on Opportunity Zone. It covers topics such as goal-setting, entrepreneurship, leadership, and success, so having him post on Labor Day only seems fitting. From all of us at Amway, have a happy and safe holiday!
What is Labor Day?
A couple of days ago, our 7-year old daughter, Paloma, overheard my wife Cristina and I making plans for the upcoming holiday weekend, and she asked us to explain what Labor Day is all about. Ah… a teaching moment! I challenged Paloma to race me to my home office, where we settled into my big desk chair to do a little internet research on the topic of Labor Day.
The best source Paloma and I found for the question “What is Labor Day?” was the website for the U.S. Department of Labor, which defines the holiday as:
“…[a day] dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
It’s no wonder that Labor Day has always been one of my favorite holidays! It’s a celebration of the American Dream itself, and an acknowledgement of all the hard work it takes to make that dream come true. I believe wholeheartedly in the American Dream, and since you’re associated with Amway, I know you do, too.
But let’s face it – the past couple of years have been difficult ones for all of us who are striving toward the American Dream. Our economy has taken hit after hit. Many folks have lost jobs and homes, and many are still struggling to make ends meet.
Nonetheless, as this long hot summer comes to a close and we gather together with family and friends for Labor Day celebrations from coast to coast, let’s pause for a moment to re-affirm our dedication to our dreams, whatever they may be.
Imagine for a moment that your dream is to have the financial and personal freedom to be in total control of your life. Imagine having the balance that you want in your life to passionately focus on your family, your spiritual life, and the things that make you come alive as a human being.
Whatever your dreams are, take time out this Labor Day weekend to gratefully acknowledge any strides you’ve already made toward realizing that dream, and give yourself a hearty pat on the back for a job well done.
Now, share your dreams for the future with your family and friends, and ask for their support and understanding as you work toward making them a reality. Vow to keep your eyes on the prize and work even harder on your goals this coming year. Then, once you’ve done all that, kick back and relax. You’ve earned this day off!
Warm regards,
Charlie
¿Qué es el Día del Trabajo?
Hace un par de días, nuestra hija de 7 años, Paloma, por casualidad escuchó que mi esposa y yo estábamos haciendo planes para el próximo fin de semana festivo y nos pidió que le explicáramos de qué se trataba el Día del Trabajo. Ah…¡el momento para dar una lección! Invité a Paloma a correr una carrera hasta la oficina de mi casa, donde nos acomodamos en mi gran sillón de escritorio para investigar un poquito en la internet sobre el tema del Día del Trabajo.
La mejor fuente que Paloma y yo encontramos para la pregunta “¿Qué es el Día del Trabajo?” fue el sitio web del Ministerio de Trabajo de los Estados Unidos, el cual define a la festividad como:
“…[un día] dedicado a los logros sociales y económicos de los trabajadores estadounidenses. Representa un tributo nacional anual a las contribuciones de los trabajadores que han aportado a la fortaleza, prosperidad y bienestar de nuestro país”.
¡Sin lugar a dudas el Día del Trabajo siempre ha sido una de mis festividades favoritas! Es una celebración del sueño americano en sí mismo y un reconocimiento de todo el arduo trabajo que hace que el sueño sea realidad. Creo con todo mi corazón en el sueño americano y dado que estás asociado con Amway, sé que tú también.
Pero hagámosle frente, los pasados dos años han sido difíciles para todos los que como nosotros se esfuerzan por alcanzar el sueño americano. Nuestra economía ha sufrido golpe tras golpe. Muchas personas han perdido sus trabajos y sus hogares y muchos todavía luchan para llegar a fin de mes.
Sin embargo, mientras este largo y caluroso verano se acerca a su fin y nos reunimos junto a familiares y amigos para celebrar el Día del Trabajo de costa a costa, hagamos una pausa por un momento para reafirmar nuestra dedicación a nuestros sueños, cualquiera que ellos sean.
Imagina por un momento que tu sueño es tener libertad personal y financiera para tener control total de tu vida. Imagina que tienes el balance que deseas en tu vida para enfocarte fervientemente en tu familia, tu vida espiritual y en las cosas que te hacen estar vivo como ser humano.
Cualquiera sean tus sueños, tómate tiempo este fin de semana del Día del Trabajo para reconocer con gratitud todos los pasos que has dado para realizar tu sueño y date a ti mismo una cariñosa palmada en la espalda por un trabajo bien hecho.
Ahora, comparte tus sueños para el futuro con tu familia y amigos y pídeles su apoyo y comprensión mientras trabajas para convertirlos en realidad. Prometamos que mantendrás tus ojos en la recompensa y que trabajarás todavía más duro en tus objetivos para el año próximo. Luego, una vez que lo hayas hecho, relájate y descansa. ¡Te has ganado este día libre!
I know that “spring cleaning” rings true for a lot of people, but in my household, the deep-down, move-the-furniture, top-to-bottom cleaning gets done in September.
That’s when my son Michael goes back to school, and Justin starts pre-school. So, I have the time and motivation to get at the corners and the cobwebs that seem to multiply during the summer.
In my family, my husband’s the clean freak. And he’s such a fan of Legacy of Clean products from Amway, he’d wear ‘em on a tool belt if he could.
Hubby’s gonna love the new Legacy of Clean™ Planet Positive cleaning kit, available now through December 31 – to give a fresh start to the whole house, from walls and countertops to laundry and dishes.
And forget about harsh chemicals. Legacy of Clean products simply don’t have ‘em. Never have. Never will. But you still get the clean you want. And these products are concentrated, so you use less and there’s less trash.
Two boys in the house really leave their mark – everywhere. My walls are like fingerprint magnets! Thankfully, the Planet Positive kit includes All-Purpose Cleaner Ready-to-Use Spray with the Concentrated Refill, enough for the fall cleaning spree, and beyond!
With L.O.C.® Concentrated Multi-Purpose Cleaner, we can clean everything and harm nothing. It’s as safe as water. And I stash the L.O.C. Towelettes in the car, for quick clean-ups after a (healthy!) fast-food stop.
And no worries when an entire soccer field’s worth of grass stains goes from field to T-shirt. (And trust me, this will happen.) SA8®+BIOQUEST Concentrated Laundry Detergent lets me hit “delete” on the worst dirt even with the hard water in our home.
Am I lucky, or what? Most nights, my husband does the dishes (with help sometimes from older son Michael). Both Big Guy and Little Guy give the thumbs up to the kit’s Dish Drops® Concentrated Dish Liquid and SCRUB BUDS® Pads – to zip through dishwashing in time for another round of Wii golf before bedtime.
Here’s another eco-friendly deal: Order the Legacy of Clean Planet Positive Cleaning Kit now through December 31, and they’ll include a very cool Legacy of Clean reusable tote bag for only 99¢ more.
You might say we’ve got your fall cleanup chores “in the bag!” (And who knows? Maybe someday they’ll make that Legacy of Clean tool belt!)
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could browse the entire Amway Global product line and order the products you need – all while you’re on the go, from the convenience of your smart phone?
Amway Global is part of a hot new mobile marketing trend, enabling you to order our products via most smart phones wherever you are in the U.S. and Canada. It’s like online shopping, minus your computer.
Our easy-to-use Mobile Web puts the entire Amway Global catalog of products at your fingertips – from NUTRILITE® DOUBLE X® to ARTISTRY® Time Defiance to Legacy of Clean® products, and everything in between. All of our Home Care, Durables, and Personal Care products are right there, too.
Just browse our top-quality brands, and order everything you need. Your next Amway Global order is as close as your smart phone.
Registered Amway Global customers can also use the free Amway Global iPhone® app on your iPhone or iPod® Touch®.
There’s never been a faster, more convenient way to buy your favorite Amway Global products. Go mobile with us today!