MEMBERconnection
man of three reasons A
SEVENTY-YEAR-OLD Costco member Bob Lee
wants to make a difference.
In September 2012, Lee, a colon cancer
survivor, will embark on Ride for 3 Reasons: Part III
(
3Reasons.org), a solo cycling trip traveling approximately 2,500 miles from Vancouver, Canada, to Tijuana,
Mexico, with the goal of raising $1 million in honor
of and benefiting those living each day with ALS or
cancer and those receiving end-of-life care in hospice.
As the title suggests, this isn’t the first time the
Barrington, Illinois, resident has taken on a ride like
this. In 2001, he rode 3,200 miles across the southern
border of the United States, and in 2007 he completed
6,500 miles along the East Coast and across the
northern border of the country, raising nearly
$500,000 between the two rides.
With this third ride, Lee, who was recently
named Barrington’s Citizen of the Year, will
have cycled the perimeter of the country to
raise awareness and funding. All of his donations are divided equally among the charities.
“Through my involvement with the rides
and the charities involved in the effort, I have
met countless people who inspire me to pay it
forward every day,” Lee says. “During my ride,
I will meet with ALS and cancer patients and
caregivers, as well as visit hospice facilities along
the route. Although I do need to train and prepare for the physical challenge, nothing fuels and
motivates me along the journey as much as the
people and the stories I hear.”—T. Foster Jones
DEAN T WEHUES
It’s in thecards
Happiness
happens
IN AUGUST 1998, Texas
Costco member Pamela
Johnson signed up the
first official member of
her Secret Society of Happy
People (
www.sohp.com). The
Society was Johnson’s response
to feeling that it was only OK to talk
about one’s misery, rather than happiness.
Since then she proclaimed August as
“Happiness Happens Month” with August
8th set aside as “Happiness Happens Day.”
She encourages people to celebrate by
sharing reasons for their happiness and
thinking about the 31 types of happiness
(such as relief, amusement and gratitude).
To date the society has more than 21,000
members in more than 30 countries.
“Happiness happens and when it
does, embrace it,” says Johnson. “When
unhappiness happens, try not to rain on
anyone’s parade.”—Stephanie E. Ponder
MARTY EDWARDS knew just
when to hold his cards, and when
to fold ’em.
The Costco member from
Peachland, British Columbia,
And so Edwards, now 62, with a
full head of signature silver hair and
rugged, country-singer good looks,
is ;nally onstage, performing
across the country and inter-
nationally as “Kinda Kenny”
in The Ultimate Tribute
to Kenny Rogers (www.
kindakenny.com).
The tribute has been
entertaining crowds since
1998. With a voice that’s
close enough to the original,
Edwards delivers all the big
Kenny Rogers hits, including
“The Gambler,” “Lucille” and
“Buy Me a Rose.”
Edwards has recently taken
h
his act to a higher level, pairing up with a
Dolly Parton look-alike artist in the Kenny
and Dolly: Together Again tribute show,
which has toured across North America
and in Ireland and Australia. And he has
teamed up with Ed Sullivan impersonator
Larry Merchison to re-create Sullivan’s
1960s American television variety show.
What will Edwards do as an encore?
This summer, he is performing in the
United States and traveling to
Australia for a six-week tour, and
he is ;nalizing shows in British
Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
It all goes to show that if you
play your cards right, dreams
can come true. “What a great
opportunity Kenny Rogers has
given me,” Edwards says.
—Tim Talevich
98 ;e Costco Connection AUGUST 2012
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