40-Day Series: Thank You Tricia Howe

Oh where do I start with my good friend and sister in spirit Tricia? I met her at Western Illinois when I was teaching a cheer camp and she was a coach with one of the participating squads. We immediately hit off...myself, along with the rest of the staff, agreed she was one of us and needed to be on staff. So, we called the owner, Linda Chappell who then came out to the camp on our request to meet with Tricia and agreed with our assessment and hired her on the spot. Tricia was on staff and teaching a camp the very next week.

I would be fortunate and blessed to have Tricia on my staff the following year when I was camp director. I would have never made it that summer had it not been for Tricia and her constant support and laughter. She knew when to pick me up, when to push me ahead and when to tell me to shut the hell up. She was an incredible leader and role model for the campers, the staff and for me. She experienced some pretty significant personal issues that summer and yet you would have never known it as she was always upbeat, positive and full of endless energy.

Tricia now lives in Chicago, is a business professional, has a great family and is still involved in the cheerleading world. I just spoke with her today and was reminded of the powerful impact she has made on my heart, my spirit, and my mind. She juggles what one can only call an insane schedule and continues to live life to the fullest. She continues to teach me that life is about making it happen, giving no less than 100%, and to be an active participant not simply a bystander. My energy level is replenished just by thinking about her!

Golden Nugget: Energy creates energy..giving 100% is infectious!