Life Chest Adventures in New York
By Donna Yost
President & CEO of The Life Chest Follow on Linked In
The alarm goes off, you might hit the snooze and rest for a measly nine more minutes... Or you jump out of bed and gear up for your day. You help your kids get ready. One of them drops her bowl of cereal all over your outfit, grrr... You fly out the door after handling what seemed to be ten fires all at once. An office arrival comes with its own set of challenges... Prep for your executive meeting... That conference call at 11:00 isn't going to call itself... What's on the menu for lunch...? Nothing, you just got called to a meeting you should have had yesterday... We've all been through those days. They can be both fun and challenging.
Let's take you onboard one of many days we live here at The Life Chest. NYC – New York International Bridal Fashion Week to be exact, featuring The Life Chest and Katerina Bocci, Couture Bridal Designer.
The destination? The London Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, a few short blocks from the theater district and Central Park.
Being our first experience in New York Fashion Week, the team, eyes as big as saucers, heels as high as the Empire State Building, designer fashion from head to toe with the brightest red lipstick we could find, poured ourselves into preparing for the most challenging, yet rewarding experience of our lives. In a daze of travel, hunger setting in, and the awe of the city, we maintained our focus.
Our one mission, branding The Life Chest. One of the most successful retailers in the world tagged The Life Chest as “the most soulful product on the planet”. Wow!
With dresses steaming and flowers flying, clouds of hairspray and puffs of powder, 15 of the most elegant New York City Models had donned Katerina Bocci’s 2017 Couture Collection.
Lining the runway were the best of New York’s fashion critics; cameras flashing and film crews squeezing tight to ensure every curve, jewel, and drip of romance is captured forever. Enter “The Life Chest”, equally as elegant; there to preserve every bit of New York City’s 2016 Bridal Fashion Week’s keepsakes and history for generations to come.
If we could have caught every sigh, every tear of joy, and every gasp as each of Katerina’s couture gowns entered the runway, you would now understand why we do what we do.
As if NYC Fashion Week wasn’t enough, not only does The Life Chest help us record our most amazing experiences of today, it also reminds us of our past. Jill Brzezinski-Conley, our angel, connected us to Hoda Kotb in a very divine way. Hoda, I hope you love your Glamour Life Chest as much as Jill loved hers and fill it with as many cherished moments as you can… Please visit www.jillswish.org and watch the 15 minute documentary at the end of this post. It is definitely worth your time!
NYC…It was a #LifeChestMoment to remember!
Every piece of the Life Chest Moment is soulful and rich with integrity. It feels fluid, not rigid, and like peace in our not so peaceful world.
We live in the same hectic world as we began our story above, but we control how the world is perceived by us and those around us.
There are less times where we feel anguish and more times where we feel love. This can not only be productive; it can be powerful.
NYC can have a lasting impact. We now own a mini-storage in Manhattan. Who knew that would ever happen?! The adventures we go on leave our legacy with the stories we have to tell. This is our brand. That is what The Life Chest is all about... Oh, and P.S... We already lost the key. If found, please return. :)
The White Chapel Memorial Park Inaugural 5k Walk/Run to Help Our Heroes
The Life Chest will be taking part in the White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery's inaugural 5K/1 Mile Run/Walk Help Our Heroes Patriots Race on September 11, 2016.
Following the race will be the official unveiling and dedication of the one of a kind War on Terror Memorial and The Life Chest will be donating eight Freedom Military Life Chest’s to The Michigan Wounded & Returning Warriors Project (MW&RWP).
The Patriots Race will allow participants to run or walk down the boulevards of over 400 large American flags and past the existing memorials honoring; WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf War heroes as well as the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action memorial. The funds raised by this race will help our combat veterans who return from battle to cope with the mental and physical challenges they have suffered and endured during war.
The race proceeds will benefit The Michigan Wounded & Returning Warriors Project (MW&RWP). The Michigan Wounded & Returning Warriors Project is a 501(c)3 and is a part of the Michigan American Legion family of organizations serving and supporting veterans.
MW&RWP runs several successful programs including :
Returning veteran re-integration family retreats in Northern Michigan
PTSD and Eco-Therapy Retreats in partnership with therapists from the Michigan Psychological Association Foundation
PTSD community educational presentations
Emergency temporary financial assistance
Home accessibility modification assistance
Disability claims assistance and guidance &
Adaptive services provider, clinic and network guidance
VISIT HTTPS://THEPATRIOTSRACE.COM FOR DETAILS
AND TO REGISTER FOR THE RACE.
13 years later...
13 Years. That is the amount of time the average American citizen goes to school. Kindergarten, plus grades 1 through 12. Surprisingly, only about 30% of American's go to college and get a 4-year degree. This number will only continue to rise as college degrees are becoming mandatory for high paying jobs.
Regardless of how long you went to school, there are definitely memories from that time period at some point. Whether it was Prom senior year, or eating lunch with your best friends, everybody has something to remember.
The perfect place to keep all of the artifacts from all these long-lasting memories is inside of a Life Chest! Items that could be placed inside are diplomas, caps, tassels, varsity letters, and anything else you can think of!
Shop our collection of Life Chests, ON SALE NOW!
Source:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/apr/08/rick-santorum/70-americans-dont-have-college-degree-rick-santoru/
http://www.bradshawchristian.com/uploaded/academics/pictures/HighSchool/HS_students_at_lunch.JPG
Wedding Traditions, Lasting a Lifetime
From throwing the bouquet to making a toast, there are so many examples of wedding traditions that go back through history. Here we have details and explanations to some of the most popular ones.
In Jewish tradition, after the bride and groom are married, the groom will stomp on a glass and say "Mazel Tov," which means good luck. The glass shattering implies that the marriage will never break.
Another Jewish tradition is the chuppa, a canopy in which a Jewish couple stand under during their wedding ceremony. The chuppa signifies "The groom's home and the bride's new domain."
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." This is a rhyme that associates with what the bride should wear on her wedding day. While it may be superstitious, many brides aren't willing to take the chance. It is said that by wearing each one of these items, the bride can avoid "The Evil Eye." Something old could be a piece of jewelry worn by someone else in the bride's family history. Such as, a necklace worn by her grandmother. Something new could easily be your wedding dress! Something borrowed could be an accessory borrowed from a friend. For example, a bracelet. Something blue could be light blue shoes!
In Greek Orthodox Weddings, it is customary for the bride and the groom to be wearing a crown. The crowns are usually placed on their heads just after the rings are exchanged.The crowns are a visible reminder of the crowns that await us in heaven.
"Jumping the Broom," is a tradition demonstrated when couples literally jump over a broomstick after being pronounced husband and wife. This custom is significant in African-American weddings. It dates back to the 18th century in Ghana. "Brooms were waved over the heads of marrying couples to ward off spirits." Usually, the couple would jump over the broom at the end of the ceremony in order to show commitment.
We couldn't forget about the maid of honor and best man! The best man is the 3rd most important person at a wedding, behind the bride and groom. This right hand man is someone really close to the groom. The best man is in charge of keeping track of the rings, preparing a speech for the reception, and assisting the groom on the wedding day. On the other hand, the maid of honor is the bride's go to girl. The maid of honor is there to assist the bride with anything she needs on the day of the wedding. They are also legal witnesses to the wedding itself.
The tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding dates back to the time that arranged marriages were customary. The brides parents, who wanted their daughter to marry a man from a rich family, were afraid the groom would see their daughter before the wedding and call it off because of appearance. They would wait until the ceremony to present her to the groom. A wedding was more of a business deal than anything else during this time. Now, the bride and groom traditionally don't see each other before the wedding because it is good luck and a fun way to keep up those butterflies.
Hand-fasting is a wedding tradition that goes back to the 1960's. So, it is a fairly new tradition. The bride and the groom put their hands on top of each other's and recite their vows. Usually the bride and the groom maintain keen eye contact while describing their deep emotional thoughts about each other.
Have an upcoming wedding to go to? Looking for a gift? Look no further! The Life Chest Wedding Sale is going on NOW through Sunday! SHOP NOW
Sources:
www.weddingphotography.com.ph
www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/jumping-broom-short-history
www.theweddingyentas.com
www.weddingideasmag.com/something-old-something-new-traditions/
www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/476806/jewish/The-Bridal-Canopy-Chuppah.htm
www.themodernjewishwedding.com
www.orthodoxweddingcrowns.com/crownhistory.php
www.apracticalwedding.com/2013/08/sample-handfasting-ceremony/
I Now Pronounce You
Planning for a wedding can be stressful. So much revolves around making that special day so perfect. After all, it is claimed to be the most memorable day of your life. However, sometimes people get caught up in the situation, causing them to forget an abundance of details. The Life Chest offers a perfect solution to that dilemma! SAVE HUNDREDS on select chests now!
By storing all of your most cherished memories inside an elegant chest, keepsakes will last forever! These elaborate, delicately crafted chests will make your jaw drop. From The Aristocrat to The Glamour, our chests offer a heirloom quality residence for your most valuable treasures.
Thank You to All of the Contest Entries!
We would like to thank all of the participants in our contest for the Detroit Tigers tickets! Hopefully your Father's Day was a great one! Congratulations to Courtney Cook whose story was randomly selected to win the contest!
Below are our favorite contest entries:
#1. Courtney Cook
My dad has been there for me through everything. My senior year was hard on me because one of my best friends passed away and he was my rock behind it all. I found out at a Friday night football game and he was the one who hugged me while I had tears in my eyes in front of everyone.
#2. Ben Berry
For the past 30 years, my dad and I have golfed every summer. Not all the time, not even every month, but it happens whenever we get together. It's a time when nothing else is discussed, any feuds set aside, and the only thing that matters is he and I and the golf. It's a renewal of our relationship.
#3. Barbara Kracht
My father died in March 1988. He was a very hard working man who would do anything for his children. My love for the Tigers comes from him. We would listen together. I remember a picnic and he had brought a radio so we could listen to the game. I must have been about 10 or 11. The Tigers scored 3 home runs back to back. His enthusiasm was contagious. My dad taught me so much, but his love of the Tigers and Lions live on in me. By the way that game would have been the late 50s or early sixties.
#4. Tiffiny Shipp
My father, Rogers Shipp Jr was a wonderful Dad. He served in the US Army and taught me about honor and integrity. He always showed strength and self control. I always honor him by holding these values close to my heart. RIP Dad I love and miss you so much.
#5. Branden Taylor
Growing up in the Detroit area in the 70's, my dad took me to my first Tiger game at Tiger Stadium. Prior to this, I had no interest in baseball, I knew nothing about the game. My Dad talked me through everything that was going on. I took an instant liking to Alan Trammell, and he remains my favorite player of all time. We left our seats and went behind home plate where my dad proceeded to tell me what each pitch was. I was hooked for life! That was almost 40 years ago and my love for baseball has only grown! I am forever grateful to my dad for introducing me to such a beautiful game that has become such a large part of my life!
#6. Jamie Rock
My Daddy played ball in the Army, he had a .410 batting average. He tried out for the Milwaukee Braves..but with 2 children and a wife, he took another job offer with AC Champion spark plug..ball players back then earned very little.
In Memory -- A Detroit Hockey Legend
Gordie Howe's legacy will live on forever. Not only in Detroit, but all across the world. Gordie Howe is known as one of, if not the most legendary hockey player of all time. He was known for his infamous "Hat Trick." Although, this hat trick did not consist of 3 goals. It was equivalent to getting into a fight, getting an assist, AND scoring a goal.
Gordie Howe passed away today at the age of 88. Even though this is a sad day for people all around the world, it is also a day to remember how great of a man he really was. A day to celebrate 88 years of astonishing accomplishments.
In his NHL career, Howe finished with 801 goals and 1049 assists. Not to mention the 500 goals that were scored in leagues below the NHL.
Not many people can say they had the opportunity to play a professional sport with their son. However, Gordie Howe did. Howe played hockey with his two sons, Mark and Marty, in 1973. Gordie is a unanimous hall of fame player. He is without question one of the most talented individuals to ever play the game.
Gordie has left an embedded footprint on the game of hockey, the city of Detroit, and sports fans across the world. Rest in peace, Mr. Hockey.
Sources:
Pumptitude Book Review is in! They love it!
Pumptitude Book Review is in! They love it!
Reviewed by Barry Silverstein
March 24, 2016
Here is the inside scoop on living with a senior business executive—and forging your own way in business, too.
Amusing and engaging, Donna Yost’s Pumptitudechronicles the author’s experiences as a CEO’s wife—and a CEO herself.
Donna Yost’s life is far from ordinary. She has gone from being a career woman to marrying and being the life partner of a CEO to running her own small business. Along the way, Yost has learned a lot about balancing her personal and work lives, managing a household, and operating a business.
In a book steeped in humor and humility, Yost shares her many stories, demonstrating that a positive attitude enables her to face almost any challenge. Whether fixing an overflowing backyard pond before her husband returns home or making a sudden trip to China to confront a manufacturer who is illegally producing a trademarked, patented product, Yost seems to take things in stride.
While the author presents as very much her own woman, she also displays a realistic perspective on what it takes to have a successful marriage with a CEO. “CEOs are hard to be with,” writes Yost, “so the people they love need to show them they are there through it all.” The book invests quite a bit of time in honestly and openly discussing the pressures of being a CEO’s wife, including decisions to keep the peace and even act as a subordinate when necessary. Independent-minded women may chafe at this notion, but Yost also shows herself being cunning rather than conciliatory. Her insights into how to deal with the CEO psyche compensate for any power she may seem to surrender.
The second half of the book switches gears and discusses how Yost took an idea her husband had and turned it into a viable business. Here the reader gets a real sense of the author’s personal growth as she hires and manages employees and begins to understand, from an owner’s perspective, what is required to run a business. Yost also shows an ability to apply the lessons she learned from watching her husband in action to her own leadership in business. At the end of the book, the author includes several stories of other successful women—a nice addition that extends the book beyond the constraints of a business autobiography.
Pumptitude is positive, uplifting, funny, and well written. Yost is a natural storyteller who conveys relevant messages in each anecdote. The physical appearance of the book is impressive as well; the striking pink and black dust jacket and hardcover, along with glossy interior pages and a liberal use of color photographs, raise this book above the ordinary in terms of its look and feel.
Pumptitude is likely to be most appealing to a somewhat narrow audience: women whose husbands are CEOs. Still, this is a book that should be enjoyable to read for anyone who wants the inside scoop on living with a senior business executive—and for those women and men who want to maintain a healthy relationship while working in their own business.
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have his/her book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Review make no guarantee that the author will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
The Hometown Heroes Life Chest™ in Crains Detroit Business
Reclaimed wood from Detroit's blighted houses is ending up doing its patriotic duty in the form of hope chests for veterans.
The creation of the Hometown Heroes Life Chest involves three companies: Detroit-basedRickman Enterprise Group LLC, which removes reusable wood before demolishing a house; Livonia-based End Grain Woodworking Co., which makes the chests using the reclaimed wood; and Troy-based Life Chest, which markets and sells the suitcase-sized wood boxes.
"Our goal is to eventually hire vets to build these," said Donna Yost, owner of Life Chest.
Rod Rickman, chairman and CEO of Rickman Enterprise, is a veteran, and 20 to 25 of his 98 employees are vets. "We try to hire vets to harvest the wood," he said.
Hardwood floors, studs, beams and joists are removed to be used for the hope chests and other items.
End Grain, co-owned by Chris Behm, makes the chests. The company also makes tap handles forAtwater Brewery, tables, chess boards, coasters and candleholders from reclaimed wood.
"The more people use the wood, the more wood that is kept out of landfills," Behm said.
Behm always labels his company's items with the address of the house where the wood came from.
Construction of the Hometown Heroes chests for public purchase has not officially started, but Behm said his goal, depending on demand, is to make 100 a month.
Yost and Behm had the idea to make the chests for veterans. Rickman's part in the collaborative project was to remove the old-growth wood from the houses they were demolishing and reuse it.
The reclaimed wood chests will sell for roughly $349. They feature a removable tray with grooves for coins and poker chips. In front of the tray are four holes to store shot glasses, and there's room for a bottle of spirits. The chests' side handles are weathered-looking bottle openers. The chests also can be used to store memorabilia from a soldier's time in combat, Yost said.
She said she is talking to southwest Detroit nonprofit Southwest Solutions about training veterans to become woodworkers so they can build the chests.
Life Chest makes 34 types of hope chests that have motifs ranging from Asian to babies to traditional. They range from $349 to $1,499, which is the price of the Freedom Life Chest, a large hope chest geared to veterans.
"We have given these to military families with a loved one who is injured or deceased," said Yost, who is married to Art Van Furniture CEO Kim Yost.
Except for the Hometown Heroes chests, the Life Chests are made in China. The company's 2014 and 2015 combined sales were $500,000. This year, it hopes to hit $1 million if it lands a contract with SCI Dignity Memorial Funeral Homes. Yost has learned that the chests can be incorporated into funeral proceedings as a place for mourners to drop off mementos for the deceased's family.
The chests are for sale in furniture stores and on Overstock.com and Wayfair.com.
"We are trying to raise funds to pay for Freedom Life Chests to give them to all the athletes participating in the Invictus Games (in Orlando, Fla., in May)," she added. The games are a worldwide athletic competition for injured servicemen and women.