They were beautiful. After dozens of pathetic attempts at a great golf swing, I connected. Not once but twice. Two days in a row, two longest drives, and baby I was feeling pretty, darn good. Granted, the groove was even more, sweet, based on the fact that I'd only golfed twice this year, a total of 18 holes. The odds of my double-slam performance are being calculated at one of the nation's supercomputers. Don't knock it, don't knock it...
Giving up golf this year to coach my son's teener league baseball team was priceless.
Thursday's tournament was our annual golf tournament fundraiser for our TechQuest programs and services. Special thanks to all the corporate sponsors and participants. Despite rainy weather, Thursday was a good, fun day! As always I leave you with my annual charge! Please follow-up with me and all the connections you made at the tournament. We want you to create millions of dollars of new business. Work it. Lean on me! Let's make it happen!
Cardiac Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disease involving inflammation that produces tiny cells in various organs of the body. Half of the Sarcoidosis patients never experience symptoms, with the abnormality only appearing in chest x-rays. 65% of the Sarcoidosis victims are netween 20 to 40 years old. Once thought to be uncommon, the disease impacts tens of thousands in the US.
Fundraisers like Friday's Rob Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament at Hershey Country Club raise tens of thousands of dollars to research Sarcoidosis and other heart diseases. It's this research, led by passionate physicians and researchers at the Penn State Heart & Vascular Institute that leads to disease understanding, break-throughs and cures.
Every year it doesn't get any easier to hear, and I choke up, no holding back. Rob's brother Chris starts the program, chokes up a little as he introduces Maria. Maria gracefully stands up with the courage of the strongest soul I know. Then Maria Hamilton retells the story of the love of her life, the tragedy, having Rob stolen from her and her two beautiful children at such an early age. She remembers the little league baseball games Rob will never see as their father. She remembers the anniversaries only she will celebrate. She remembers the weddings, grandchildren... and we remember with her. It hurts deep.
I met Rob Hamilton during my first year of law school. Rob was from Hershey, PA and he was smart, fun, loyal and pure as a Hershey's kiss. Countless fun moments and a little studying led us to graduation. After graduation, Rob practiced law in Harrisburg and quickly established a good law practice and friendship/partnership with Richard Freeburn. Today the law firm of Freeburn Hamilton remains and reminds.
I was remembering... years ago at Rob and Maria's wedding I enjoyed a great cigar on the veranda at Hotel Hershey. A beautiful night! Then, last summer I revisited that veranda to enjoy a cigar with him. Funny, of all things, wound up talking with Cybill Shepherd for 90 minutes out on that veranda. I'm sure Rob was LOL. Then, Friday, as we approached the longest-drive hole, a picture of Rob was next to the cart path. I started telling the story on how Rob arranged my own bachelor party and what a crazy-great time we had. When, I approached the golf ball, was thinking, "Rob, damn. Damn. I wish you were here, it's a beautiful day, Maria and your kids are doing fine... they would make you so proud..." And, I hit that darn white ball as hard as I could.
Maria Hamilton, the Hamilton family and friends, they are soul-deep determined to cure Cardiac Sarcoidosis. Soul-deep!
Just like Rachel and John Moyer after losing their son to sudden cardiac arrest, turned tragedy into thousands of heart defibrillators in schools across Pennsylvania and later the nation, saving hundreds and hundreds of lives. Soul-deep!
Just like Maureen and Richard Kanka, created Megan's law in NJ, the US and the world, so every parent would have the right to know a dangerous sexual predator lived or moved into their neighborhood.
Just like Candice Lightner, after losing her 13 year old daughter to a drunk driver, created Mother's Against Drunk Driving, reducing the number of alcohol-related driving deaths by as many as 10,000 per year.
The inspiration driven by love is the most powerful inspiration in this world. No one can stop it. No one can doubt it. No government can control it. It is the driving force that is making our civilization better.
I hope you find your passion. I hope you get overwhelmed by inspiration to pursue your passion with the gusto ingrained by the fact that we only get one chance to make it so. You have so many extraordinary gifts. Powerful, overwhelming, inspiring gifts.
Sometimes, it takes a rotten tragedy that turns love into a motivating force. But sometimes, love inspires a motivation that creates the MoJo to undertake the great things in the moment. Conversely, the biggest shame is wasting your life-gifts on the small and trivial. To whom much is given, heavy is the burden, easy are the distractions, and much is the expectation. Find Your Passion!
Don't knock it, don't knock it...
For me, at 10:00 am, Tuesday September 22nd we pursue one of my passions through the Technology Take-Rate Committee, chaired by equally inspired David Bonsick of EMBARQ. This group is leading efforts to increase the number of Pennsylvania households with computers, and broadband, so that they can partake in the digital revolution. We're talking about computers for farmers so they can use technology to increase crop yields, manage their flocks and save money, so they can maintain the cherished family farm. Computers for the disabled and visually-impaired so they can proudly work from home with dignity and dispatch. Computers for the poor so they can learn, gain valuable skills and get the hand-up they seek to change their world. Join us. It's free to help technology help others!
Then at 8:00 am, Friday September 25th, we pursue the passions of many at the EMR/HIE Adoption and Use Committee, chaired by totally-inspired Edith Dees, CIO of Holy Spirit Hospital. This group is undertaking strong strategies to help physicians and healthcare providers use electronic medical records (EMR) and health information exchanges (HIE) to increase patient safety, improve healthcare quality and reduce healthcare costs. Sub-groups are focused on front-end EMR adoption, driving use and Community-HIE, governance and the marketing/promotion of the same. The Committee is developing a Shared IT Services HUB so all kinds of related technology and other services are easily-accessed by physicians and healthcare providers to speed EMR/HIE adoption and use. This dynamic group has adopted aggressive 90 day plans to get things done. If you are motivated, passionate and want to make positive change, we need MORE. This Committee is part of the Harrisburg Health Information Exchange, chaired by Michael Fiaschetti of Highmark Blue Shield.
At 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 6th the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Group meets to develop and lead strategies to transform our aging infrastructures into the best infrastructures possible. If you believe strong infrastructures are the building block for strong economies, you are passionately encouraged to attend, participate and get motivated to help.
Then on 11:30 am on Tuesday October 13th, the dynamic TechQuest Workforce Governance Board, chaired by Larry Wasser, VP of Manufacturing at Phoenix Contact meets to develop and lead strategies to improve workforce training for the technology industry as well as TechQuest Internship, the nationally-recognized student internship system. If you are passionate about learning, transforming how people learn and the importance of learning, you are encouraged to get connected and help. Learn how we are helping workers with disabilities and visual-impairments get the technology and training they need to work with dignity!
www.techquestpa.com to register and get more information.
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In this life, it's hard to lose a friend, even harder to lose a child, spouse, or parent. The pain is real. Sometimes, inspiration can overcome the pain. Love provides the greatest, unstoppable inspiration. We are all blessed with the rare gifts and opportunities to make our world better.
Find Your Passion.
Kelly Lewis
TechQuest TV - Dates and Times
hosted by Kelly Lewis, featuring Technology Leaders from across Pennsylvania.
Don't miss TechQuest TV on cable, TV, YouTube and video stations around the Commonwealth. TechQuest TV is a monthly program showcasing technology leaders from across the Commonwealth. The talk-show format, hosted by Kelly Lewis, TechQuest Pennsylvania President & CEO, focused on the important issues impacting technology and innovation in the State.
September guests include, Jane S. Kochanov, Director of Undergraduate Studies, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg, Alicia Haag, VP of Design & Strategy, Mudbrick Creative, Edith Dees, CIO, Holy Spirit Health System, Anna Hodges, former Regional Manager, WorkXpress, Debra A Pierson, President, Pierson Computing Connection, and Stephanie Glass, Linux Administrator, PHEAA.
In the Harrisburg region, TechQuest TV appears this week on Harrisburg Comcast Channel 20. The TQ-TV program is scheduled for 9:19 am and 1:35 pm, as well as additional program times at www.whbg.tv Check your local listings for the dates and times TechQuest TV appears in your region. Or visit us on You Tube! www.youtube.com/TechCouncilCentralPA "TechQuest TV showcases technology leaders and the exciting developments and opportunities in the technology and innovation industry," said TechQuest Pennsylvania President Kelly Lewis, a former state representative from Monroe County. "The tech industry remains very dynamic and I'm confident viewers will find the programs interesting, compelling and timely." Check www.WHBG.TV for future air times on the Comcast Harrisburg cable system.
TechQuest Pennsylvania is the catalyst for sustained growth in technology business development in Pennsylvania. We lead strategies that build strong industry partnerships, robust technology infrastructures, and strengthen our technology workforce in order to discover, demonstrate and deploy advanced technology and innovations across regions and the state. TechQuest Pennsylvania programs include the Harrisburg Health Information Exchange, TechQuest Internship, TechQuest Insurance, TechQuest TV, TechQuest-Workforce Training, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Group, TechQuest Broadband, and the Military Information eXchange-MiX 2009. For more information visit: www.techquestpa.com, www.youtube.com/TechCouncilCentralPA, or call Leigh Twiford at 717.635.2172, ltwiford@tccp.org.