2008: The Year of Growing Bolder

Posted December 23, 2008, 12:05 pm in News



It's been quite a year, and as we look ahead to 2009, we think it's important to look back at the previous 360 days. So we're celebrating 2008: The Year of Growing Bolder (hey, why not?), and offering you some of our favorite stories.

But this isn't a one-way street! We know that we are nothing without our Insiders, and our GB members, so we'd love to hear what your favorite stories, interviews, articles and more are. Post a blog with your list, or leave comments on your top picks.

Okay, onto the list! Today, we're focusing on videos, and next Friday, we'll highlight our favorite radio interviews.

Unforgettable Characters

Time flies and so does this mother-son skydiving team. Growing Bolder found a unique tandem whose definition of spending quality time together involves taking the plunge at 13,500 feet.

Meet the most famous squirrel in the world, and see how he saved one woman's life.

Meet the man who took Hollywood underwater and shot everything from Tarzan to Sea Hunt. Bruce Mozert invented underwater cinematography and along the way helped make Jayne Mansfield a star.

When residents of The Villages boldly announced their intention to break the record for the largest kazoo band, GB responded with an Internet broadcasting first -- wall-to-wall kazoo coverage. You know it's a big deal when we don the blue blazers.

After raising two children, Rose Ann DeVito discovered she had a big, empty home and a lot of love still left to give.  Growing Bolder introduces you to the 65-year-old "new" mom of four.

Celebrities and Big Names

Ever want to see what a rock star is like when he's kicking back at home? Growing Bolder exclusively takes you inside the home of the legendary Roger McGuinn, founder of the Byrds.

Guitarist Bob Rafkin's rich, musical life has taken him from the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s to working with Joni Mitchell and Arlo Guthrie in LA. Now, in his 60s, he's overcome prostate surgery to emerge more prolific than ever.

In 1946, Hollywood photographer Joe Jasgur was asked to take some photos of Norma Jeane Dougherty. They turned out to be the photos that launched Marilyn Monroe's career. But they also launched an urban legend -- did she have six toes?

Bruce Rossmeyer is an unlikely corporate icon. He's parlayed street smarts and a willingness to gamble into a major business empire. Now, Rossmeyer is putting the finishing touches on the crown jewel of his empire.

Sports and Fitness Stars

Dr. Ellington Darden helped revolutionize the way we work out, and now he's helping everyone from kids to people over 50 stay fit for life.

What happens when a high school swim team takes on the "old-timers" from the Villages? The kids learn that athletes over 40 are called "Masters" for a reason.

Ready, set, run!  Growing Bolder takes you to the only place in the world where you'll find so many colorful characters, both in and out of costume, to find out why these days, many marathons are dominated by people in their 40s, 50s and beyond.

John Wilson's story is straight out of Hollywood. It's a story of personal redemption and hope for us all; a story of struggle and triumph played out in jails, hospitals and finally -- on a baseball field.

They had the skills to play in the big leagues but were denied the chance because of their skin color. In a symbolic gesture of goodwill, Major League Baseball "drafted" 30 former Negro League players -- the last living links to Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige -- and celebrated those it once excluded.

Reality Bytes (our made-for-the-Web reality TV show)

When we quietly launched our beta site from The Worldwide Headquarters, we delivered the first version of a whole new kind of Web site. We've come a long way from a quiet discussion between friends. See how we got here.

When we met retired rodeo stars Lyle and Curt Brown, we also met their bulls, and a very angry, very protective goose. So Growing Bolder's Chief Videographer Jason Morrow put together some of the highlights -- and the lowlights.

What is Growing Bolder? It's a question we get asked hundreds of times a day, from people who are genuinely interested in the unique community you're helping us build. The truth is, we can show the concept better than we can explain it.

The Senior Vision Media Award is presented annually by the Florida Council on Aging to the organization that does the most to present a positive image of aging. Growing Bolder's name is on the trophy but we know where the credit belongs. All we do is tell your stories.

Lights ... cameras ... what comes next? Action, of course, but on the set of The Growing Bolder TV Show, you can throw in attitude, adventure, and lots of fun. So what came first? Brainstorming and bloopers, and we're sharing both.

Wow, that list was hard to put together, because GrowingBolder.com has so many great stories about interesting, inspirational and informative people who are making a difference in our lives. That's the bottom line. We're doing our best to seek out people that motivate us, and share them with the world.

Do you know people who deserve recognition on Growing Bolder? Ask them to become members and start sharing their stories on GrowingBolder.com!

Thanks again for all of your support in 2008. Here's to an outstanding New Year!

Sincerely,

Growing Bolder


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