March 24th, 2011

I’ve spent some time in a courtroom – not because of any illegal activity on my part, but as a reporter for various newspapers. The judicial system is a very important part of our society, and it’s vital for governments to not only protect its citizens, but also to create a criminal justice system that is more than just incarceration and punishment.

However, in my experience watching the justice system work, I’ve seen places where it doesn’t actually benefit society. And in my mind, one of the biggest disservices our justice system does is its overreaction to non-violent crimes.

Before I go on, let me say two things. One, I don’t support the idea of lowering standards just so our numbers look better. For instance, if grades seem to be slipping, let’s not suddenly decide that a D grade is still passing. Two, I don’t use illegal drugs, I have never used illegal drugs, and I have no desire or intention to ever use illegal drugs.

All of that being said – the criminal punishment we dish out to people on drug-related charges is, well, criminal. I’m not talking about people who drive drunk or rob banks or assault others; I’m talking about adults who, through their own desires, have decided to use illegal drugs. Depending on where you live, you can spend years in jail having never harmed anyone but yourself.

Many of the individuals I saw back in front of the judge weren’t arrested because they hurt someone or because they stole something, but because they didn’t pass a drug test. They had found a good job they were maintaining, they were supporting their families, and they were integrating back into society. The justice system doesn’t really seem to be doing them any favors by ripping them out of that progress and throwing them back behind bars.

So in addition to the vocational training and business-skills building we do, perhaps we can stop equating drug possession with aggravated assault. Again, I’m not advocating drug use or anything of the sort; however, if judges and D.A.’s weren’t so bent on busting criminals that aren’t doing any harm, those recidivism rates may drop just a bit.

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March 23rd, 2011

Professional Marketing International believes in supporting good causes. This week we donated to Golden Spike Outreach, an organization that helps individuals succeed after spending time in prison.

Golden Spike Outreach saves Utah taxpayers millions of dollars by helping persistent drug addicts and alcoholics stay out of jail and the legal system. The program has a 67 percent success rate in preventing recidivism by helping people access the resources they need to get their lives back in order. As part of the program, clients become involved in the church of their choice. They are also assigned a mentor—often a former client—to help them stay on track. Through the program, they are able to access counseling, rehabilitation and other care as needed.

Golden Spike also provides clients with subsidized housing, giving them a stable place to live. In many cases, this is just what people need to help them avoid old habits. “We put them in a self-sufficient setting,” said Chaplain Richard Green, who oversees the program. “We try to help establish that sense of self-worth. We get them in an apartment, get them off the street and take them out of the cycle.”

Though Golden Spike does much for both its clients and the community, it is facing financial difficulty. A miscommunication over e-mail resulted in Golden Spike missing the application deadline for an important grant, causing a $35,000 deficit in the program’s finances. Through donations like PMI’s, the program should be able to stay afloat until they can apply for another grant.

“They really have to get through until June,” said Phil Smith, president of PMI. “I think it is a great program. I really hope they get the funding they need. The private sector needs to get involved.”

Anyone can donate to Golden Spike Outreach, and we at PMI encourage anyone who can to do so. You can donate through Golden Spike’s website or by sending a check to United Way at 148 N. 100 West, Provo, UT 84603. Make a note that your donation should go to REAP (Re-Entry Assistance Program), which is another name for Golden Spike Outreach.

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March 23rd, 2011
Making time to read to your children can benefit you now and in the future as your children develop the skills they need to succeed.

Image by Neeta Lind

You know that reading to children brings benefits. Studies show that children whose parents read to them do better in school and gain skills that help them succeed in life. A literate population is essential to a strong economy. But most parents don’t need to be convinced it’s important to read to their kids. They just need more time to do so.

The pace of life today is ever-increasing. Overscheduling has become the norm as children’s after-school time is divided among sports practices, music lessons and social activities. Finding time to sit down with your child to read can be a challenge. Here are a few ideas to help you find more time to do so.

  1. Read during playtime. Who says reading has to be boring? Incorporate reading into playtime. Keep books with your child’s toys or on shelves in her bedroom. If your child is young, pull out the books yourself and read during playtime. If she is older, suggest a fun book she could read to help her relax. Too often children think of reading as homework. Making it fun will help them see reading in a positive light.
  2. Make it routine. Find a time that works for you to read to your child, then read at that time every day. Bedtime is usually a good choice. It may require him to brush his teeth a few minutes earlier, but after a while you will find it has become automatic. Reading at night can also help your child listen because he will be more tired and find it easier to lay still.
  3. Use dinnertime to check understanding. An important part of learning to read is practicing comprehension. Some children have no problem decoding words but struggle to understand what they mean. Use dinnertime to talk to your child about what she is reading. Ask her which characters she likes best or what her favorite book is and why. Tell her about books you’re reading as well. Talking about what you’re reading even when it’s not “reading time” will help your child better understand what she reads.

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March 18th, 2011

Helping children in elementary schools.It’s always easy to think that someone else is watching out for our schools. Surely, with state and federal funding, they must get the attention they need. It’s been my experience, however, that this is rarely the case. Your local elementary school undoubtedly has major needs, including books, classroom aids and sports equipment. 

One of the most precious resources we can give to our local schools is our time. That’s all it takes to change a child’s life. On my most recent visit to an elementary school, I was impressed with how many parents and other folks from the community were there to volunteer. The children were clearly thrilled by the wide variety of adults who were there to help them learn. 

Because of their resources, corporations have a unique opportunity to help schools. While one person can make an enormous impact by volunteering a couple hours, imagine what a corporate group can do! It’s the kind of symbiotic interaction corporations should crave—an opportunity to make a difference in the community and establish a noble name for themselves.

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March 10th, 2011

Richard Scarry is one of the most beloved writers of our time. His books feature charming illustrations of animals such as cats, hippos, bears, mice and crocodiles. Though born in the United States, Scarry relocated to Gstaad, Switzerland in 1972. The influence of the Alps is clearly seen in his work, as many of his characters wear lederhosen and live in Swiss-style houses. Scarry lived and worked in Gstaad until his death in 1994, at the age of 74. 

While I’ve read many of Scarry’s 300+ books, none of them are as dear to my heart as Peasant Pig and the Terrible Dragon: With Lowly Worm the Jolly Jester! This amazing book was given to me by my aunt Natalie in 1982. She had just returned from a year in London and brought it back as a gift for her favorite three year-old nephew. 

Like many of Scarry’s books, Peasant Pig takes place in Busyland, which is an aptly-named land of busy, busy animals. Peasant Pig longs to be a knight and to impress Princess Lily, but he is relegated to manual labor around the castle. When a ferocious dragon kidnaps Princess Lily and holds her for ransom, the knights of the kingdom rush to her aid. But the clever dragon ambushes them and ties them up. 

The desperate king and queen turn to Peasant Pig and his friend, Lowly Worm, to save the princess. Through a serious of unexpected events, Peasant Pig and Lowly solve the mystery of the dragon and restore order to the kingdom. If you are looking for a clever, funny and engaging book, look no further than Richard Scarry’s Peasant Pig and the Terrible Dragon: With Lowly Worm the Jolly Jester!

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March 9th, 2011
Literacy plays a key role in the U.S. economy because people with more education are more likely to gain employment.

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Beloved children’s book author Dr. Seuss wrote in I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

We at PMI believe that reading is important and agree with Dr. Seuss. In that simple statement, he expresses a profound truth not only for young people but for the economy as a whole. There are personal benefits to reading – children who learn to love reading do better in school and gain the skills they need to succeed in life. But those benefits extend beyond individuals.

In past generations, people have obtained gainful employment with little formal education. But in the 21st century, the job market is more competitive. Strong reading skills and college degrees are more than beneficial; in many cases they’re absolutely necessary.

A recent study by ProLiteracy shows that the effects of low literacy cost the U.S. economy more than $225 billion each year. President Barack Obama spoke on the role of literacy in the U.S. economy at a gathering of the American Library Association. In his speech, he mentioned jobs that require “innovative thinking, detailed comprehension, and superior communication.”

He said, “But before our children can even walk into an interview for one of these jobs; before they can ever fill out an application or earn the required college degree; they have to be able to pick up a book, read it, and understand it. Nothing is more basic; no ability more fundamental.”

And studies back up what he said. A major effect of a struggling economy is unemployment, which especially affects those with little education. Obama mentioned in his speech that the average literacy required for future jobs is projected to rise, making literacy an even more important component of economic recovery.

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March 4th, 2011
Executives and employees of Professional Marketing International helped children celebrate reading March 2 at Lehi Elementary School.

Phil Smith, President of PMI, reads a Dr. Seuss story to children at Lehi Elementary School. Photo by Julie Sisk.

March 2 is Dr. Seuss’ birthday, and the National Education Association celebrates every year with Read Across America. In this program schools across the nation celebrate reading with readathons, activities, treats and contests to help children learn to love reading.

This year, Professional Marketing International helped students at Lehi Elementary School celebrate by reading to them, providing them with cookies and playing Dr. Seuss-related games with kindergartners.

PMI executives and employees arrived at Lehi Elementary School the morning of March 2 and spent the day celebrating. Executives read to children throughout the school, as did employees. Other executives and employees played “Pin the Hat on the Cat” and “The Cat Says” with kindergartners and helped the children make their own Cat in the Hat hats. Kindergartners also had relay races like the one in The Cat in the Hat, complete with red cups they balanced on their heads.

PMI purchased several new books for Lehi Elementary School’s library, including a collection of Dr. Seuss books, Walter the Farting Dog and others. In this way, PMI hopes to encourage children to have fun reading all year long.

Programs like Read Across America benefit children because reading is shown to help them do better in school and succeed in life. Reading encourages language and speech development because it exposes children to proper grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure that is difficult to teach in other ways. Children whose parents and teachers read to them frequently also tend to have longer attention spans and are usually better listeners, which helps them succeed in school and throughout life.

Children develop curiosity, creativity and imagination as they read. There are also peripheral benefits not related to academics; for example, children can understand life changes they haven’t experienced by reading about them. If parents want to help their children understand moving to a new place or going to the hospital, books that portray these events can teach children in powerful ways.

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March 1st, 2011
Growing up, I very much enjoyed the stories of Encyclopedia Brown.

Image by Nick Douglas

As a child who loved puzzles, riddles, and mysteries, I was drawn to the Encyclopedia Brown book series. The stories revolve around a young boy – Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown – whose father is the police chief in their small town. Encyclopedia not only helps his father solve the occasional crime or mystery, but he has also set up his own detective agency which is utilized by local children who are in need of his services.

Each book would contain three or four chapters, with each chapter being its own mystery to solve (although occasionally, the chapters were interconnected). The solutions to each mystery weren’t played out within each chapter, but were instead included at the back of the book, with a brief prologue for each mystery.

Looking back, I’m not entirely sure why the books appealed to me so much. They didn’t contain the fantasy or science fiction of the video games I played, nor did they have the action and adventure of the movies and TV shows I liked. And perhaps that was it; I often read them at or checked them out from my elementary school’s library, so perhaps with academia on the mind I was more likely to entertain myself with something a bit more cerebral.

But regardless of what my or your favorite book is or was, reading is a fantastic pursuit. It can educate and expand; it can be used as an escape or a comfort; it can evoke emotions both positive and poignant.

And as an adult, I see nothing wrong with occasionally going back and reading the various children’s books of our youth. So even if you’re a bit embarrassed and have to hide your copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon behind the latest issue of The New Yorker, it will be worth it.

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February 23rd, 2011
Diabetes is a growing problem, and it has a significant impact on health costs in the United States.

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We at Professional Marketing International believe it’s important to support causes that make the world a better place. We recently contributed to the Diabetes Research Institute, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes. Theirs is an ambitious goal with potential to bless the lives of millions of people, and we at PMI hope our contribution can help in their cause.

A cure for diabetes would not only improve the lives of those who are living with the disease but would also have significant fiscal benefits. Diabetes affects about 25 million Americans – that’s about 12.5 percent of the United States population. But according to a report released in August 2010, diabetes treatment accounted for a disproportionate 23 percent of total hospital spending nationwide.

And the economic effects reach even further than hospital fees. Frequent doctor appointments, medications, testing supplies, loss of productivity and expenses associated with complications of diabetes, like heart disease, cost Americans about $174 billion annually. Many people with diabetes receive help from Medicare or Medicaid, which means taxpayers cover a large portion of those costs.

As serious as the financial expenses are, the emotional toll diabetes takes on patients is also to be considered. People with diabetes must alter their lifestyles to be sure they can always take proper care of themselves, often giving themselves daily shots of insulin or taking several medications a day. Making these adjustments requires diabetes patients and their families to alter their daily routines and often causes stress.

Diabetes is a serious problem in the United States, and donating to organizations like the Diabetes Research Institute is one way PMI is trying to help. We can all do our part by keeping ourselves healthy with regular exercise and healthy diets. Doing so can reduce the risk of future cases of diabetes and the complications associated with the disease. With the efforts of people across America, we can decrease the toll diabetes is taking on our nation.

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February 16th, 2011
PMI and a local Girl Scouts troop are teaming up with others in a project to provide Girl Scout Cookies to House of Hope.

Image by Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar

It’s that time of year again – the time when Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs (and their friends) show up in front of grocery stores and steal the show. Girl Scouts across America are selling enough of their famous cookies to get through the year, and people are more than willing to help. The first Girl Scouts to sell cookies did so in 1917, and in the 94 years since, the delectable treats have become a dessert as American as apple pie.

But as delicious as the cookies are, there’s more to them than happy snacking. For many groups, it’s the only fundraiser they do all year. The money is usually used to pay for camps that teach Girl Scouts new skills and to cover other expenses, and in some cases Girl Scouts also use the fundraiser as a chance to give back to the community.

Such is the case with one local Girl Scout troop, whose members are sponsoring a service project in conjunction with Girl Scout Cookie sales. Donations from Professional Marketing International and other contributors will go toward the purchase of cookies, which will then be donated to House of Hope, a treatment center for people overcoming alcoholism and chemical dependency. After sales are complete, the girls will deliver the purchased cookies to House of Hope. PMI is helping the cause by purchasing a large quantity of cookies.

House of Hope was founded in 1946 and was then called Utah Alcoholism Foundation. It is a private non-profit organization that provides dependency treatment services for those struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol. According to the House of Hope website, the goal of the organization is to “provide quality, scientifically based treatment services that help individuals with alcohol and drug addictions and their families achieve self-sufficient, drug-free lifestyles.” The House of Hope has locations in Salt Lake City, Provo and Ogden.

PMI is honored to participate in such a project and hopes the contributions we make to the community will help improve the lives of others.

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