It's Great to Recognize the Accomplishments of a Friend

While my normal commentary focuses on politics and economics, I learned yesterday of an honor that a friend in Los Angeles received recently and I wanted to share it here. It this day of worrying about our own butts and surviving the financial crisis, some people manage to keep focused on the larger picture and creatively address the problems of the larger society.

Janet Halbert, herself a cancer survivor, has created a program called Hurdle Jumpers to address a simple but serious need--that of providing support to those undergoing the tribulations of chemo and radiation therapy for cancer. Everyone complains of the side effects of these treatments. Janet has done something about it with the energy and determination that she has always shown.

The City of Los Angeles has recognized Janet's work and named her one of 15 recipients of the Pioneer Woman Award for 2009. She deserves the award.

Learn more about Hurdle Jumpers and help them out. You can find more information at their web site, www.hurdlejumpers.org.

Congratulations, Janet. Parabéns. Mazel Tov!