September 7, 1892 & September 7, 2009

From Mass Moments - On this day in 1892, the poet John Greenleaf Whittier died at the age of 85. He had come a long way from his Quaker boyhood on a struggling farm in Haverhill. He began writing poetry as a teenager but sacrificed his literary career to the greater cause of abolition. For nearly 30 years, controversy over his passionate opposition to slavery made it difficult for him to publish his poems or earn a living. Only after the Civil War did he become a popular poet. During the last decades of his life, he was such a beloved figure that Massachusetts made his birthday a school holiday. The man who had been reviled for his abolitionist politics was now considered a national treasure.

His poem, "Barbara Fretchie" is one of my favorites. It was my post on this day in 2007. I had to memorize it and recite it before an assembly in 5th grade.

I am not sure if I was more nervous that day....or today. I'm on Blog Talk Radio tonight representing "Team Navy" for Project Valour-IT's annual fundraiser. We officially kick off on October 26th, but it's never too soon to start getting ready.

Do you have a blog that would like to join the winning team? Be part of Team Navy's efforts to pull in the most donations for this great cause.

Valour-IT has no overhead. None. Not "low" overhead...."zero" overhead. It's a 501(c)(3) charity meaning it has IRS approval. Every penny you give goes directly into voice-controlled laptops, Wii Video Game Systems, and Personal GPS. Now before you dismiss the game system, go to the website and read their about their therapuedic application.

So tune in tonight, details here.