Michael Manning YouTube Channel!

My new YouTube Channel is up and running. I hope you will have a chance to stop by and take a look at some of my work. Just click HERE.

I was very honored to interview two phenomenally talented people who epitomize the adage: "Be the Difference That Makes A Difference" in the world.

Mary Hadsall is the Executive Director of Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship, where disabled children and adults learn to be stronger than the obstacles in their lives. I first learned about Camelot during an online search before relocating to Scottsdale, Arizona from the Mid-West. The ranch is my favorite place in Arizona with an incredible staff of volunteers and inspiring students. With Mary's leadership, Camelot is one of the most wisely operated non-profit organizations in the United States. Each Christmas I pick a non-profit organization to blog about and support. This year, you'll be reading about Camelot here on my Blog Page, and I encourage you to visit their website.

A True Horse Tail

Whenever I am around horses, the spirit of my late cousin, a horsewoman who lost her battle with cancer is also with me. This Christmas marks the 10th year we are without her, and as we filmed this segment, it was impossible for me not to think about my cousin. I know she would have been so thrilled to know that this segment was produced. My cousin's gift in life was her  love of animals. As a 3 year-old, she was sitting on a park bench with her mother (my Aunt) and a bird landed on her shoulder. It was immediately evident that my Cousin's gift was loving and caring for animals. Her life-long love of horses was so inspiring to me. When I was a kid, my cousin would telephone my parents to secure their permission to pick me up and drive me to her ranch for a visit with her Arabian horses. She loved British convertible sports cars (Triumphs and MG's) and I am certain that Steve McQueen would have admired my cousin's driving skills. We drove to the ranch at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, and I can still hear her yelling, "Feel the wind in your hair!" Such powerful memories!

A Shnnoogle Tale

Connie Douglas is an Arizona-based muralist and the creator of Shnnoogle--an illustrated book series that encourages children to make better choices in life through Love and Kindness instead of Fear and Doubt. Connie always wanted to make a difference in the world. When a close friend's son was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Connie admired how the boy's family rallied around him with love and encouragement. In 2005, a diagnosis of MS led Connie to refocus her life on what her legacy would be. Along with her series of illustrated children's books, Connie began work on a series of special canvas murals to brighten up the radiology department of The Phoenix Children's Hospital. The results were immediate for pediatric cancer patients who delighted in the positive encouragement of the murals. Connie also read from her books to children who  were fascinated by the Shnnoogle character and the message of "making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time". Remarkably, Connie has been in remission for several years. I fully expect that you'll be seeing Connie as a guest on local and eventually national television programs to discuss her uplifting and positive message of Hope for children and even adults!

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Michael