13 Going on 30Duo Gives Back on Birthday

March/April 2010

Inspiration...

Horse Play

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Inside:

What’s Your MOTAH-vation?

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Featured Article:Macy & Brooklyn

CC LeePublisher

Brandon McCormickEditor

Edward R. LeosDirector of Sales & Marketing

ContributorsLina CuartasJoshua Currie

Veronica DrakeNicole Handy

Kimberly JohnsonSusi Lopera

Samantha Najera

Contents

Wanting to give something back on their 13th Birthdays, best friends Macy and Brooklyn, asked for donations to “Pressing On” instead of gifts. Read about these two Motah’d kids on page 6 and learn how they are making a difference in our community.

page 6

11703 Huebner Road, Ste. 106-210San Antonio, Texas 78230

www.motah.uscclee@gomotah.com

Advertising Inquiries:Edward Leos

(210) 857-2003erleos@dmgagency.com

Editorial Inquiries:CC Lee

cclee@motah.us

Design by:Destination Marketing Group

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Inspiration. Education. MOTAH-vation.

Motah’d MomentsD

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ear Motah’d Friends,What’s the saying: “when one door closes, another one opens?”

As much as we have enjoyed bringing you this online publication of Motah Magazine,our direction with Motah is evolving and we are turning into an all video website. That means this is the final edition of Motah Magazine, although we will be archiving all magazines and printed stories on the website. I would like to give a big ‘thank you’ to all of Motah’s writers and contributors. You have fulfilled my wishes of bringing more light into this world with outstanding stories about Motah’d kids and adults nationwide. Thank you for your passion and commitment. I would also be remiss not to thank Motah Magazine’s editor, Brandon McCormick who really stepped up to the plate when I needed someone to fill my shoes. Brandon is a talented, young man and I know he has a great future ahead of him. Last, but not least, my sincere gratitude to Edward Leos for his creative efforts in preparing the layout of each issue of Motah Magazine. Edward’s loyalty, patience and dedication are certainly appreciated. So, what now? Well, Motah is launching its “Motah’d to the Max” challenge in schools with the help of Aric Bostick. Aric is a motah-vational speaker who’s on the Motah team. We are asking kids to create their own videos using their cell phones or cameras and submit them to the website. We are only looking for personal videos of inspiration. It could be about something inspiring you’ve done or someone else has done. Every few months, we will select which video we feel is a real standout, and go to the recipient’s school with our film crew to do a professional version of the student’s video. We are thrilled about the direction Motah is moving in and we hope you will continue spreading the word about

by: CC Lee

Motah. Our mission is and has always been to motah-vate young people to achieve their best, and give them recognition for it.

Motah’d Always,

Cynthia “CC” Lee

Inspiration. Education. MOTAH-vation.

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devices. Now that I’ve finished with school, and for all intents and purposes am considered to be a contributing “adult” member of society, I’m proud to say I no longer need my calculator to keep track of such misguided statements; I’ve lost count.

The point I’m trying to make is this: times change and so do people. Sure, one day we all reach the peak of our physical development. Believe me, I’ve been 5’11 and ¾ of an inch tall since I was 15. I’ve learned to cope with the fact that Tim Duncan and I aren’t vying for playing time against one another out on the basketball court. But just because our bodies eventually reach their desired plateau, certainly does not comprise the malleable core of the

human spirit; knowing right from wrong, good from evil, and recognizing – even at the budding age of 13 – that helping others who may not have it quite as “easy” as you do is an incredibly selfless and seasoned mentality to carry forth for years to come. On Friday, February 5th, I was invited to a birthday party for two newly-turned teenage girls who fit this very description. Brooklyn Golibart and Macy Young, best friends who attend Rawlinson Middle School in San Antonio, were gracious enough to host an enormous dance party for all of their classmates at the Dominion Country Club.

ids today have it too easy.” The problem with this statement is that I’m only in my early twenties, and I’ve already heard this from various adults in just about every stage of my

life. In grade school, I always imagined it was because we were allowed to use things like calculators. If this were truly the case, then in high school it must have been because our cell phones were our calculators. By the time college rolled around, we used our IPods – which also happened to act as our cell phones – to employ those same beloved tabulating

Brooklyn & Macy Celebratewith Class and Maturity

By Brandon McCormick

13 Going on 30

Inspiration. Education. MOTAH-vation. 7

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Despite the lavish setting and elegant accommodations, this particular bash was unlike anything you’d expect to witness on something like MTV’s My Super Sweet 16. Okay, so I did see a few balloon decorations. And, Brooklyn’s older brother was the resident DJ for the event. There may have even been a cake or two (I’m not sure since I didn’t get to stick around for that part). But there was something I did immediately notice upon entering the facility that was missing, and I have to tell you, when I was their age I’m not sure I wouldn’t have “bit the big one” if I thought I was going to be without them.

Presents.

Rather than asking those who planned to attend their shared celebration for run-of-the-mill, material nic nacs, these girls simply requested a donation – of any amount – to Pressing On: a local non-profit (run by Brooklyn’s mother, Shelly) that was founded in October of 2007 and is designed to provide exercise-based therapy, while promoting “health, recovery and independence for those with spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders.” Donation forms were actually included within each individual invitation, along with something perhaps even more enticing. At the very bottom of each notice, contained within carefully placed brackets, was a short memo that read: “Grand Prize for most donations collected.” The grand prize in question? Floor seats to a Spurs home game. Not only were Brooklyn and Macy giving back to the greater San Antonio community, but they were also giving back on a more intimate level to their friends—the people they say are really the ones who helped make their

“special” day…well, special. As more and more guests began to arrive, and the girls went off to play host for the evening’s festivities, I had a chance to speak one-on-one with Shelly. She informed me of how many of the girls’ friends had actually inquired about obtaining extra donation slips to hand out to even

more people they knew, no doubt inspired by Brooklyn and Macy’s unbridled passion for compassion. “I like to think we concentrate on the heart of service with our kids,” Shelly told me. “We always try to incorporate service in whatever we do. This teaches them to ultimately be ‘others’ oriented.” Watching Brooklyn and Macy interact with their friends and family, each with a big smile they wore like a permanent emblem to mark the joyous occasion, it dawned on me that this gathering was really never about just the two of them. “So why did you guys decide to do this?”

I asked the girls, back when we first sat down together. The question may sound a bit leading, but I wanted to hear it straight from the source.

“Because it feels good,” Brooklyn replied. Macy nodded her head in agreement. What’s nice is I could tell they truly meant this. As an aspiring doctor (Macy) and entertainer (Brooklyn), both girls will inevitably become successful women in their respective fields of service. On their 13th birthday night, they were just getting a head start on things—and that’s probably the best gift either of them could’ve asked for. For more information on Brooklyn and Macy’s “charity” of choice, Pressing On, visit www.PressingOnTx.com.

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hen I first learned about C.H.A.P.S, I remembered my first experience with horses. I was about 12 years old, my

sister was 9, and we were offered the opportunity to keep a horse in our farm and in exchange for our care, we would be able to ride him during the weekends. I was thrilled! My sister and I slowly learned to trust Palomo, the white horse, and eventually rode it all around the country roads surrounding our property. I loved to groom and brush his shiny mane, and even my sister, who got shaken off the first two times she tried to ride, learned to make Palomo understand that they could be a team. The owners of Palomo found a buyer less than six months later, but that short time was enough for us to learn to respect and look in a horse’s eyes and feel like he is listening and knows exactly what you are feeling. Any relationship with an animal can feed your soul in so many ways, but not every child has the opportunity to establish such a powerful link. When I was invited to become part of the Advisory Council called C.H.A.P.S., I was instantly sold on the idea that I would do everything I could to help raise the funds to build the Equine Assisted Therapy Center, where children in their Juvenile Probation Department will be able to collaborate with horses in order to aid their rehabilitation. The horses and children interact in a rehabilitation approach called Equine Assisted Therapy. The child is permanently involved in the process and a relationship grows between him and the horse. There is physical

activity and work involved, so this allows for behavioral issues, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, relationship problems and communication needs to be addressed. Currently, the therapy sessions are being conducted in sub-contracted facilities, but once the Equine Therapy Center is built, on a 29-acre site which is adjacent to the Cyndi Taylor Krier Juvenile Correctional Treatment Center, the visits will be more frequent and more children will be able to benefit from the therapy. The Center will also include a separate classroom facility and an arena and round pen, so it will serve many purposes and permit all kinds of interactions between the horses and the children. The focus of Equine Assisted Therapy is not horsemanship. The activities involve the horses and the children and require the group to communicate, plan, think creatively and contribute. These collective challenges contribute to enhance confidence, resourcefulness and foster a positive attitude as problems are solved and progress is slowly made. Have you ever looked into a horse’s eyes and felt that he understands it all? You can help a child to experience this thrilling connection and to believe that he too can have a better tomorrow. Become a part of this effort to help develop our youth into productive citizens. Contact C.H.A.P.S. if you want more information or if you want to find out how you can help at Chapstherapyprogram.WordPress.com!

C.H.A.P.S.Children & Horses Always Produce Success

Wby:Lina Cuartas

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Sometimes there seems to be so much despair and disillusionment around us, but there are always people who despite it all, seem to glow! Oh, and they truly are magnetic! I just met one such person in Barcelona. His name was Johan, and he was just 7 years old, born as a result of the love between a Colombian woman and a Catalán man. Catalanes are the natives of the province of

Cataluña, a very proud region in Spain which even refuses to adopt Spanish as their official language, they hold on to their Catalán language and roots fiercely. Well, Johan also holds on to his Colombian ancestry with gusto. His mom told me how he has always loved to dance and sing, since he was a little boy. Sure enough, as we visited them, he took out his sombrero vueltiao (the internationally famous typical Colombian hat made of turns of straw, or vueltas),and turned on his favorite song, Que Bonita es Esta Vida (How Beautiful Life is!), and proceeded to sing and dance for us all. The song is a hymn to life, and sings of the joys of everything, from the first taste of coffee in the morning, to the taste of sugar cane in a woman’s lips. Johan truly embodied that joy for life in his performance, too! A magnetic, contagious, love for life pulsed through him that made him glow. I am sure you someone like this at least once a day, the child who laughs delightedly in the park, the waiter who goes out of his way to hold the door for you, the guard who waves, the newspaper sales boy who wishes you a good day, the lady who smiles at you and with that simple gesture, makes your day! We can all be people that glow, and the best part of it all is that the glow is contagious, it flows, like magnetism! The decision to be light instead of darkness is a daily choice. Turn your glow on today, and remember how you felt when you were the negative pole and that surge of light filled you with hope!

People That GlowJohan Embodies the Spirit

Iby: Lina Cuartas

Supporting Children with Delays or DisabilitiesBrighton Center

Brighton Center supports children with disabilities and their families. Programs include Early Childhood Intervention, an Inclusive Child Development Center,

Parenting Classes, and Advocacy Training.

210.826.4492 or www.BrightonSA.org

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have just come in from roller-blading and as usual, I am wondering why there weren’t

more people out there. The day is gorgeous, perfect for bike-riding, walking, kite flying, or just painting animal shapes with your mind in the clouds. I always wonder why more of us are not out there dancing and rejoicing in being alive! I love to see people that glow! As I was bringing my stuff in from my car, I found a document on Magnetism that belonged to my son. It caught my eye and I thought perhaps it was meant to make me understand what I had been pondering about. Magnetism was described as the constant flow of particles from positive to negative poles. Without a negative pole, the particles simply would not flow. It made me wonder if perhaps the same principle applies to people.

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