A young girl sets out to help her remote Alaskan town and ends up impacting the world in ways she could never have imagined.
Join Tessa on a courageous adventure as she makes great things grow from a small idea.
Let yourself and your child be inspired by this true story that confronts these questions: How can a child make a difference? Can a cookie change the world?
Seventy (70) percent of the net proceeds from this book's sales will be donated, with 35% going to ALS Therapy Development Institute and 35% going to Tessa's fundraiser each year.
Note from author: My hope in sharing this moving story was to reach the heart of the reader to be inspired to look for the needs in the world--near or far--and to see where they can use their skills and talents to make a positive impact. My dream would be for every reader to realize that we each have a hero living inside of us, and we all have the potential to change the world in some way, big or small.
Bolling, Rhonda: - Author Rhonda Bolling has lived in Alaska for 23 years. When Rhonda is not taking care of her busy family, which includes her husband who makes her laugh every day, twin daughters in junior high who keep her young, and a grown son who recently moved from Alaska to Texas, she enjoys writing and helping others publish their books. This is her second children's book and to date, she has helped two other authors self-publish their books, including Barbara Kimball's After Midnight Meditations, and Suzan Thompson's (aka Mrs. M.T. Cobblepott) The Day the Pudding Got Away. A busy community volunteer and involved with her church and kids' ministry, Rhonda is also a member of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, which is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteer professional photographers certified to provide the healing gift of remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby. For more info: www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/ Her favorite cookie is the chocolate pixie because it reminds her of her late grandmother. She does not dunk her cookies in milk, or anything else for that matter. One of Rhonda's biggest passions in life is to encourage people to live their best lives and give their best selves to the world around them. She believes that a little love, kindness, and thoughtfulness go a long way and that everyone has the potential to make the world a better place. Tessa's story exemplifies giving the best of oneself. Rhonda is delighted to claim Tessa as her Goddaughter and couldn't be more proud of the incredible human being she is and the great job her parents are doing raising her. It makes Rhonda giggle to know that when she calls Tessa, 'Fairy Godmother' pops up on Tessa's phone. Visit the author's website to learn more and get links to a couple of Tessa's secret recipes. https: //accentuatethepositivepublishing.com/
Dwyer, Jenny Gore: - Jennifer Gore Dwyer is the owner of St. George Marine. The family-run company was established in 1986 by Jenny and her husband Pat. After her beloved husband passed away from ALS in June 2013, Jenny became sole owner and president of St. George Marine, working with her children Sean and Brenna to continue to run and grow the family business. The company owns two vessels. The F/V Jennifer A fishes crab in Alaska's Bering Sea, and in summer works with its sister ship, the F/V Brenna A, purchasing salmon on behalf of seafood processors in various parts of Alaska. Jenny and Pat built their company from the ground up, working together on Alaska's fishing grounds and becoming involved in fisheries politics. Together, they lobbied state and federal officials on issues related to the Alaska seafood industry. In 2005, when Pat was diagnosed with ALS, the partnership built to lobby government on fish issues became a partnership working to live with ALS. Through that partnership, Jenny became a committed advocate for the ALS cause. She started out with her local ALS chapter, raising over $100,000 to benefit PALS in the Pacific Northwest area. Jenny's involvement expanded to the national level. She and her family worked extensively behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. to ensure passage of the ALS Registry, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008. At the same time, recognizing the need for innovative research funding and federal funding, Jenny became a vocal supporter of ALS TDI. She established the first National YFALS Corntoss Tournament in Seattle. Jenny solicited sponsors, donors and participants from the family's significant network in the region. In 2013 the Seattle Corntoss event raised $55,000 for ALS drug development programs at ALS TDI. On a national level, Jenny has made several trips to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on behalf of ALS TDI. Jenny and ALS TDI met with ranking members of both the U.S. House and Senate to bring attention to the need for increased federal support for ALS translational drug research. Jenny reached out on the national level for all families living with ALS, including those of the military, who are diagnosed with ALS at a rate twice that of other individuals. In February of 2013, Jenny's advocacy went to the White House. She wrote directly to President Obama outlining the dismal statistics and the lack of research funding for this insidious disease. Her letter was so compelling that it made its way to President Obama's desk, and the President sent a hand-written note to her and Pat. The president said he would look for ways to support "ALS specifically." Jenny is determined to continue reaching out to Washington, D.C. and the White House on behalf of ALS TDI, to ensure there is recognition and continued translational research funding for ALS, before more families are confronted with the life decisions that face all people with ALS.
