Young bear learns importance of self-acceptance in ‘Beautiful Bear’
Regina Dunfee embarks on marketing campaign to expand reach of her children’s book
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii — “Beautiful Bear” (published by Balboa Press) tells a warm-hearted story about a young bear on a quest to become beautiful. On his eventful journey, he learns to be truly beautiful, he must be himself. Author Regina Dunfee is launching a marketing campaign to promote the children’s book.
Dunfee got the initial idea for the book when her 3-year-old daughter began expressing that she felt out of place due being taller and more athletic than her friends and wondering if she needed to wear makeup to be pretty. The author began working on a book to teach children about self-acceptance and finding beauty within.
“Everyone is searching to fit in in today’s society,” says Dunfee. “‘Beautiful Bear is offering the perspective that all true beauty is found by filling oneself with that which makes them feel beautiful.”
The book ends with a letter written by the young bear addressed to the reader, which Dunfee hopes will help children to better connect with the material. She adds, “The letter contains several questions to help the reader connect with what makes them feel beautiful and what they can do to help themselves to feel more beautiful and consequently more peaceful.”
“Beautiful Bear”
By Regina Dunfee
Softcover | 8.5 x 11 in | 30 pages | ISBN 9781504343428
E-Book | 30 pages | ISBN 9781504343435
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart.com
About the Author
Regina Dunfee is a law of attraction life coach and lives on the big island of Hawaii with her husband and children. As a mother of three and den mother to many, Dunfee has a deep appreciation for each child’s precious and unique expression. Dunfee has made it her main objective to create stories, books and materials that support and encourage a connection with each child’s inner beauty, wisdom and personal guidance system. More information is available at: www.ReginaDunfee.us .
Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc. – a leading provider in publishing products that specialize in self-help and the mind, body, and spirit genres. Through an alliance with indie book publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the self-publishing model. For more information, visit balboapress.com. To start publishing your book with Balboa Press, call 877-407-4847 today. For the latest, follow @balboapress on Twitter.
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Announces
Does This Look Infected?
15th Anniversary Tour
Pre-Sale Begins
Wednesday, February 14th
General On-Sale
Friday, February 16th
10am Local Time
February 13th, 2018 - Los Angeles, CA - Sum 41 are celebrating the 15th Anniversary of their second studio album with the announce of the Does This Look Infected? Tour! Kicking off in San Francisco, CA on April 27th, the tour will travel across the United States for over 20 shows, wrapping up in Los Angeles, CA on May 26th. VIP Packages will be available beginning tomorrow, February 14th, with all other tickets going on sale Friday, February 16th at 10am Local Time. Fans can head tohttp://www.sum41.com/ for more details and tickets.
Singer Deryck Whibley shares, "This year was meant to be spent working on new music and I hadn't even realized that it was the 15 Year anniversary of 'Does This Look Infected?'. Out of nowhere we started to receive messages from fans asking us to do another DTLI anniversary tour...and when the fans call, we go. This time around is going to be even more special because we have Dave "Brown Sound" Baksh with us! So back by popular demand, we'll see you on the road this April!"
Celebrated as one of the most essential Pop Punk albums of all time, Does This Look Infected? was full of iconic hits like "Still Waiting," "The Hell Song" and "Over My Head (Better Off Dead)." The album has been certified Platinum in Canada and Japan, Gold in the United States and Silver in the UK since it's release in 2002.
Sum 41 released their latest album, 13 Voices in 2016 with a standing ovation performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Heralded by outlets like
Billboard, Rolling Stone, People, Yahoo, Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Ultimate-Guitar, myspace, Alternative Press and more, the album peaked at #9 on the Billboard Top Albums chart.
Fans can purchase the album now in stores at Target, on iTunes or streaming on Spotify.
The 10-track album was recorded, produced and engineered by singer Deryck Whibley at his home in Los Angeles and marks the band's first LP in five years, following up 2011's Screaming Bloody Murder. Previously released music videos from 13 Voices include "Fake My Own Death" "War," "God Save Us All (Death to POP)"
and "Goddamn I'm Dead Again."
Upcoming Sum 41 Tour Dates
April 27 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield
April 28 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
April 29 - Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
May 1 - Albuquerque, NM - El Ray
May 3 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec
May 4 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
May 5 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
May 7 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
May 8 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
May 10 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theater
May 11 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
May 12 - New York City, NY - Terminal 5
May 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
May 15 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
May 17 - Pontiac, MI - Crofoot
May 18 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
May 19 - Minneapolis, MN - The Varsity Theater
May 21 - Denver, CO - Ogden
May 23 - Salt Lake City, UT - Complex
May 24 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
May 26 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
Tour Admat: http://bit.ly/2Bpyvu5
Sum 41 consists of five members including Deryck Whibley, lead guitarist/backing vocalist Dave Brownsound, co-lead guitarist/backing vocalist Tom Thacker, bassist/backing vocalist Cone McCaslin and drummer Frank Zummo.
For More Information
Follow Sum 41
https://www.facebook.com/Sum41
https://www.instagram.com/Sum41/
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Special Olympics Utah to Make Case for Inclusion and Impact
on Capitol Hill
Special Olympics Athletes from all 50 States to Champion the
Rights and Needs of People with Intellectual Disabilities
Who:
Delegations of Special Olympics athletes and Program leaders, coaches, and family members from all 50 states will participate in Special Olympics’ 16th annual “Capitol Hill Day.” Spokespeople available for media interviews include all delegates and the following:
Amber Gertsch, Athlete, Board Member, Global Messenger and Health Messenger, Special Olympics Utah
Kaylana Gertsch, Parent, Coach and Board Member, Special Olympics Utah
D’Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, President and CEO, Special Olympics Utah
Special Olympics athletes, leaders, and families from 50 states
Timothy P. Shriver, Special Olympics, Chairman
Mary Davis, Special Olympics, CEO
Darrell Green, Pro Football Hall of Fame and former cornerback/Washington Redskins
Dale Moss, Special Olympics celebrity supporter and NFL wide receiver
What:
Special Olympics participants and supporters will converge on Capitol Hill to meet with Congressional leaders to urge their continued commitment to ensuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Special Olympics are top of mind when critical decisions are made for the country. Throughout the day, athletes and Special Olympics ambassadors will meet face-to-face with their Congressional representatives.
When:
Tuesday, February 13 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Meetings on-going all day on the Hill (Media should contact Special Olympics Utah for information on photo and interview opportunities)
Why:
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are a population that is far too often ignored and subject to stigma and stereotypes that have real and significant social consequences – consequences that are particularly profound in the areas of healthcare and education.
Did you know that for every $1 of federal support of Special Olympics health programming, $7.42 in health services are provided to Special Olympics athletes? For every $1 of federal support of the Special Olympics Strategy for Unified Schools, $4.00 in inclusive education services are provided to Special Olympics athletes and children without intellectual disabilities in schools across the country.
Special Olympics strongly supports the preservation and enforcement of laws that guarantee the rights and full participation and integration of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) into our society.
Special Olympics, in partnership with the U.S. Government, is helping to address these issues through highly impactful, cost-effective programs that address access to sport, health, and education services.
As Congress determines its budget and spending priorities for FY 2019 and beyond, we remain vigilant against any erosion of provisions in laws that have made a substantial difference in the lives of people with ID.
Media Contact: D’Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, (M) 801-792-2452 in D.C.
Wendy Kelly, (M) 910-7281 in Utah
About Special Olympics Utah
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. We empower people with intellectual disabilities to become included and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 5.7 million athletes and Unified partners in 172 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 108,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by individuals, foundations and partners. Click here for a full list of partners. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and our blog on Medium.
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A study released by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) reveals an estimated 1 million Americans have been victimized in romance fraud scams with losses nearing $1 billion over the last three years. BBB warns those who use dating websites to be wary of scammers who prey on unsuspecting victims.
The study – “Online Romance Scams: A Better Business Bureau Study on How Scammers Use Impersonation, Blackmail and Trickery to Steal from Unsuspecting Daters” – says the scheme can take a number of months to play out as the scammer gains the victim’s trust. The scammer eventually will ask for small amounts of money to feel out the victim. Victims often turn into unknowing accomplices of money laundering.
The study recommends that law enforcement agencies share more information about successful romance fraud prosecutions, do more training and prosecute more cases. BBB recommends online dating sites and social media do more to screen, identify and remove profiles used for scams. There also needs to be more support services offered for romance fraud victims.
“Victims are often too embarrassed to report what has happened to them,” said Jane Driggs, President and CEO. “and can be wiped out financially. Emotionally, it is also devastating. Some victims have considered suicide. If you are going to search for a date online, it’s vital that you know the person on the other end of the conversation is who they say they are.”
A woman from Colorado told BBB she became involved with a man who claimed to be living in St. Louis. “Hope” said she was contacted by a man named “Paul Dreyer,” who claimed
to be an engineer working overseas on a contract. “Paul” claimed his wife and parents were dead, but his daughter was living with his family in St. Louis. “Hope” and “Paul” primarily communicated via text or email, but they did talk on the phone once or twice. “Paul” had an accent, but he claimed he was Italian and was originally from the east coast.
The two communicated for several months and “Paul” eventually asked for money to help with his daughter’s school. “Hope” wired him $350 and bought $250 in gift cards. Once “Hope” told her family what she had done, family members convinced her something was not right. She was able to stop the wire transfer and recouped all but $76 in gift cards. She cut off communication with “Paul,” who continued to harass her. “Hope” urges people to be very careful when meeting people online, especially if they say they are overseas and cannot meet in person.
Among the report’s key findings:
• There is no “typical” victim of romance fraud. They can be male or female, young or old, straight or gay. The common denominator is that they are seeking a loving relationship, and they believe they have found it.
• Scammers often portray themselves as U.S. military members. Military officials say they receive thousands of complaints yearly from scam victims around the world. Officials note military members will never need money for leave or health care.
• The majority of romance fraud has its home in West Africa, particularly Nigeria. There also are groups that operate in Russia and the Ukraine that employ online dating sites to defraud victims.
• At any one time, there may be 25,000 scammers online working with victims. A company that screens profiles for dating companies told BBB that 500,000 of the 3.5 million profiles it scans monthly are fake.
The report was prepared by C. Steven Baker, BBB International Investigations Specialist. Baker is the retired director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Region.
This is his third study released through BBB. A September 2017 study on puppy scams and a December 2017 study on tech support scams he authored each were met with worldwide media coverage.
BBB offers the following tips for daters to avoid being caught in a romance scam:
• Protect your identity and your wallet. Scammers prefer prepaid cards and money transfers. Never send money or any personal information to someone you’ve never met in person. Visiting with someone via a video call doesn’t mean they’re not a scammer. Also, be cautious to not reveal any personal information or do anything you might regret later when using video applications. Some scammers use software to record video calls and then use it to extort money from victims. Don’t succumb to pleas of financial crisis.
• Think before going from public to private. Be hesitant if the conversation moves from a monitored site like social media or a dating site to a more private form of communication like email or instant messaging. This strategy might be a way for the scammer to draw you in without other people interfering.
• Do your research. Pour over the profile image and description. If it sounds too good to be true, verify it. You can perform a reverse image search to see if the profile photo has been used on other websites. You can also copy a portion of their biography and search to see if it’s been used on other sites. Scammers often use the same profile details and photos on multiple sites.
• Ask for details and get specific. Request other forms of identification, like a photo of them holding a piece of paper with their username on it. Ask specific questions about details in their profile. If they claim to be a military member, ask for their official military address as those all end in @mail.mil. Scammers likely will make excuses for why they can’t provide you more information.
• Pay attention to communication. Be wary of bad grammar and misspelled words. No one is perfect, but if mistakes often are repeated, it may suggest they aren’t from where they claim. Be on guard for use of pet names or discussions of marriage early in correspondence.
• Report it. If you feel like you’ve been victimized, report it to BBB’s Scam Tracker, the Federal Trade Commission and FBI
