In Celebration of Hard Work

Posted August 26, 2008, 10:21 am in Money


This Monday, will you be among the millions of Americans celebrating Labor Day?  The federal holiday is observed on the first Monday of September and dates back to 1882.  The Central Labor Union came up with the ideas as a way to give the "working man" a day off.  It worked out so well that Congress made it official 12 years later, and since then, all 50 states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

Unlike other holidays, during which many Americans travel, Labor Day is often considered a day of rest -- perfect for barbecues, swimming and staying close to home.  It's also the unofficial end of summer and kicks off the college football season.

There are other traditional activities on Labor Day -- the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon, hosted by Jerry Lewis, dates back to 1966 and raises millions of dollars for people suffering from disease.  NASCAR runs the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway in California (which used to be the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina).  If you're hungry, you can check out Chicago's Taste of Polonia, a celebration of Polish heritage and food.  The event attracts more than 30,000 people every year.  And many cities host running events, like triathlons or marathons, for either Sunday or Monday of Labor Day Weekend.

Don't forget to put the white clothes to the back of the closet -- at least, if you adhere to traditional fashion rules.  These days, designers are actually coming out with white outfits for their fall collections.

Now that you know the history behind the holiday, how about celebrating those who are most deserving of a day off?  Check out this collection of people who are big in business, who have changed careers, who are making a difference in their industries and who are redefining career possibilities.


When all is said and done, are you going to look back on your life and ask "What if?" That's exactly what Steve Rondinaro wanted to avoid.  At the height of his career, he walked away from his high-profile job at Orlando's WESH-TV, where he was the main anchor, and moved with his family to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.


Marti Barletta, one of the world's leading experts on marketing to women, says targeting boomer women is the fastest track to business success.  She is the author of "Prime Time Women: How to Win the Hearts, Minds and Business of Boomer Big Spenders."  She says despite the enormous spending power of Americans over 50, it's taking a long time for advertisers to stop chasing the young adult market.


She was a stay-at-home mom who had an idea. A simple, easy way for millions to create beautiful works of art. Seemingly overnight, Donna Dewberry and her One Stroke painting technique became a huge hit on PBS and QVC and turned Donna into an international celebrity!


Des Cummings is the Executive Vice President of Florida Hospital and Chairman of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. Hear Des talk about building a business on a foundation of love, ethics and spirituality.


Wendy Chioji has been the face of Orlando news for 20 years. Her battle with breast cancer enlightened all women; her determination to help others was only equaled by her dedication to becoming a world-class athlete. Now, her glamorous job doesn't seem as important. It's time to start growing bolder.


Rosemary Rizzo discovered that broken plates could be used to create something special -- mosaics. As the art in her home began to transform, so did she. Rosemary Rizzo became Flamingo Fanny, one of the most popular mosaic instructors in the Southeast.


A divorce left Patti Schmidt a single mom who needed a job. She wanted to cook, but the only opening she found was for a dessert chef -- her biggest weakness. She worked like a mad scientist until she baked a reputation as the Dessert Lady.


TV host Wanda Urbanska really practices what she preaches.  She believes in simplifying life and she and her husband have done just that.  They moved out of the city and and headed for life in small town North Carolina.  Urbanska is the host of the "Simple Living" show on PBS and she's also the author of three books on the subject.  She and her husband wrote their first book of the same name in 1992 and haven't stopped downsizing since.


Robert Lutz has spent a lifetime keeping major car companies in the black. Now, he's determined to turn them green. As Vice Chairman of Product Development for General Motors the 75 year old is the driving force behind their latest initiatives. And he told Growing Bolder he has big plans.


Although challenges still remain, retirement is a whole lot better than used to be.  There are more opportunities available now than at any other time in history for you to reinvent yourself or to finally pursue your true passions.  That's exactly what Pat Paciello did when he retired at the age of 50.  He became a first-time author with his book, "Has Anyone Seen My Reading Glasses? The Humorous and Slightly Informative Chronicles of a Retired Baby Boomer."


Jean Dibner is the mistress of reinvention.  After spending 17 years at home raising her children, she went back to school and earned a computer science degree at the age of 40.  She eventually worked her way up to become the senior vice president of Avid Technology, a digital film-editing company. But something was missing.  So, she took an early retirement to pursue her passion for sculpting.


As she nears her 90s, Dr. Gladys McGarey, who is considered by many to be the Mother of Holistic Medicine, has no plans of slowing down.  During her 60 years of practicing family medicine in Arizona, she was an early proponent of holistic patient care.  She's also an advocate of bringing health care to the neediest of people. In 2005, at the age of 84, Dr. McGarey and her 88-year-old brother spent two months in Afghanistan on a medical mission.



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