2011 INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY: HOW YOU CAN HELP!

International Men's Day will be observed in over 50 nations around the world on Saturday, 19 November 2011 under the theme "Giving Boys The Best Possible Start In Life".   International Men's Day resonates with Women and Men and shares a 48-hour partnership with Universal Children's Day which is observed worldwide on 20 November of each year and is endorsed by the United Nations.

The people who support International Men’s Day – who include the international authors Warren Farrell and Steve Biddulph – have warned that while it remains important to focus on the specific needs of women and girls around the world, that it is more important than ever before that we don’t ignore the specific needs of the world’s boys and the men they will grow up to become. Warren Farrell states;


“In the last 30 or 40 years we've really helped girls and women develop and that's a wonderful thing but I've also seen that our sons have begun to drop out of school at a much greater rate, fall behind in reading and writing, and fall behind in almost every other psychological, social and academic area. We are on the verge of a crisis with our boys that is equivalent to the financial crisis that many of us didn't see until it came upon us. International Men's Day is one of the very few alerts in the world to that crisis. It is an early warning signal. We need to choose to pay attention to it or it will hurt us for years and decades to come."

The good news is that together we can make a difference. They five key challenges that the International Men’s Day team suggest for focusing the collective minds of people who want to take action and give boys the best possible start in life are:

HEALTH AND LIFE EXPECTANCY: Why are boys around the world more likely to die before the age of five and why do boys in every continent look forward to a much shorter life than girls? What are the reasons for boy’s higher likelihood of suicide? What action can we take to give boys the best possible start in life and help them live longer, happier, healthier lives?

EDUCATIONAL FOCUS: Why are boys in richer countries underperforming girls and also less likely to be in education, and why are tens of millions of boys in poorer countries still not completing a primary education? How can we address truancy, and poor literacy rates which leave boys prone to adult unemployment, substance abuse, obesity, depression, and poverty? What action can we take to focus on boys’ education in a way that gives them the best possible start in life and closes the gaps between girls and boys and rich boys and poor boys?

TOLERANCE OF VIOLENCE: Why are we so tolerant of violence and abuse against men and boys and why do we still tolerate a world where we send boys to fight the wars among adults? What actions can we take to help boys’ grow up free from violence and challenge our collective tolerance and support of violence against men and boys?

RIGHTS TO FATHERHOOD: How can we give boys a right to family life that gives them an equal opportunity to know and experience both their father and mother and ensure that their role as a future father is equal to a girls role as future mother. What actions can we take to give every boy an equal right to fatherhood?

REAL LIFE CHOICES: How can we make sure that every boy has opportunities to make a range of positive life choices in terms of work, family and leisure and reduce the number of boys whose life choices are limited and end up poor, illiterate, unemployed, homeless, imprisoned and isolated? What action can we make to help every boy get the best possible start in life and make a positive transition form boy to man that makes the world a better place for everyone?
 

So, how can you help?  You can become a Regional or Global Coordnator for 2011 International Men's Day.
 

In the United States, we are looking for Regional Coordinators from Oregon, Washington State, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Georgia, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Connecticut to join Regional Coordinators in the states of New York, Ilinois, the Metropolitan area of the District of Columbia, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, California, Arizona, and  Alabama in facilitating 2011 International Men's Day observances.   For more information, send an e-mail to: insearchoffatherhood@gmail.com or telephone 267-581-3963.

PARENTING EXPERT SCOTT HAMMOND TALKS TO IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD(R)

Scott Hammond (www.BecomeaBetterFather.com) is a nationally recognized parenting expert, an author of a powerful and positive life-transforming book for Fathers entitled, “Every Day Dad: The Guide To Becoming A Better Man”, husband, and father of nine children. Mr. Hammond took time from his very developing schedule to sit down and chat with IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD® about, among other things, his book, the most challenging and rewarding aspects of Fatherhood, and the mixed signals that Men are receiving about masculinity and their parental roles and responsibility.

The first thing we wanted to know was whether Mr. Hammond had received any advice about Fatherhood and, if so, from whom. Mr. Hammond told us that his Father’s relationship with him spoke volumes about parenting from a male perspective:


“Not much was said to me about Fatherhood. What I learned about Fatherhood came from my interaction with my Dad Bob who really employed relationship parenting with me in my teen years through listening to me, spending time with me, and involving me in his world.”


So, what are the most rewarding and challenging aspects of Fatherhood for Mr. Hammond, who is the co-parent of nine children?


“For me, the most rewarding aspects of being a Dad is watching my children grow and become contributing adults who love, serve, and bless others. The most challenging aspects of Fatherhood is dealing with stress, lack of sleep, and being tired at night due to the rigors of my work day while at the same time being attentive to the needs of my children. “


Are Men receiving mixed signals about masculinity and their parental roles and responsibilities?


“Oh, yeah!” exclaimed Mr. Hammond.


Where are these mixed signals coming from? The media? Popular music videos, films, television situation comedies, and society?


“Mixed signals are coming from the media, popular music videos, films, television situation comedies, and society. We need safe and sane men to model our livers after, not the media’s so-called heroes who have no real life or love to offer. These folks are by and large empty, but have some talent. Character is what I look for.”



What was Mr. Hammond’s motivation for writing, “Every Day Dad: The Guide To Becoming A Better Man”? What are some of the responses his book has received?


“This book is about hope, renewal, and a Life Renaissance – bout what is possible. I wrote the book as a result of loss, death, and personal depression – all of which resulted in a personal Mid-Life Renewal and Renaissance. The deaths of my father Bob Hammond, and my friend, Dan Gunderson, caused me to think about how I live my life and what kind of legacy I am leaving behind for my children, wife, and friends. The deaths of two people very close to me made me realize the fragility and temporal nature of our existence. Life really does go by quickly and must be cherished and relished. My love for God, people, and especially parents and families has resulted in this work. It presents the possibility of incremental, practical, and a workable personal healing and change. It also presents methods for getting back on track as both a parent and as a person of value. My goal is to help people avoid a midlife crisis and, instead, have a Mid-Life Renewal and Life Renaissance – a restoration of hope. The responses to my book have been mostly great. It is being called an ‘Encyclopedia Of Fathering’ and a ‘Compendium For Parenting’.”


When asked to discuss the role that women can and should play in helping their husbands positively shape the minds and souls of our sons and daughters as they make their journey from childhood to adulthood, Mr. Hammond remarked:


“That is a nice question. Joni – my wife – and I complement each other in every way, including parenting. We complete our kids.”


Many men find that creating and implementing plans that move their families forward, holding their families together, and raising children to be a daunting task in the Millennium. Why does parenting seem difficult in the Millennium?


“Men tend to be great planners, movers, shakers, project managers, people managers, but we are often horrid at building relationships with those we love. Why is that? Men can run businesses and governments, and even societies, but we are often lacking at running a family. The family, our wife and children, often get the leftovers of our minds, bodies, and emotions at the end of the day. Several of the reasons, the issues, problems, and challenges that Men face are part of what we call modern life. For empire builders, and government runners, too many of the skills in our toolbox begin with the prefix ‘poor’:

- Poor time management skills – being too busy and not managing time well enough.

- Workaholism, perfectionism, poor skill sets with fathering.

- Poor fathering examples – no father-mentors to speak of.

Buying, owning, and maintaining too many possessions and having ‘stuff’ plus a thousand other distractions – including low-priority activities such as computers, TV, gaming, hobbies, sports, and illicit activities – all vie to drain our time, attention, and energy so that, at the end of the day, we have little enough to invest where it counts: our family. When men get stuck, they never ask for directions. How can we possibly admit weakness, vulnerability, or just being generally lost? This all makes for a very sad situation. Dads are not picking and living their priorities. Dads get lost, and they never ask for help."

What is “Purpose Driven Parenting”?

“Successful parents are clear and spot on with what they’re trying to accomplish in training their children. Discipline and focus must balance grace and mercy. There must be a balance between grace and discipline in managing a family in raising great kids. Great parents are intentional parents. They know what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Parenting also comes with the mandate to be flexible. Flexibility coupled with humor, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the ability to keep it light will help parents get through many a dark time. Training our kids through leading them by example and serving them is also a key component in that our values are usually caught not taught. This modeling of our values and walking our talk is key in setting an example for our kids to follow. As we live our values as parents, our kids are taught and catch what we are instructing by the message of our lives and example. The key is for parents to be totally focused on this key role, whilst understanding none of us are perfect – thus we need grace both on others and for ourselves as parents.”
 What parenting advice do you have for Non-Custodial and Divorced Dads who only have partial custody of their children due to court-mandated custody arrangements and are unable to be physically present in their children’s lives every day?


“So, let’s talk about love and family. How does our care translate practically into an inheritance and legacy we leave behind for them? Our love for family should be a tangible, practical, actionable practice. Our everyday parenting is a practical expression of intentional love, which by its definition leaves a footprint or legacy. This can be good, bad, or ugly. For most of us, it’s a mixed bag. Preparing our kids for an inheritance is a far greater challenge than preparing an inheritance for our kids. But herein lays the challenge. I’d like to leave an inheritance for my children and to keep it for them, but I also need to keep them for it. I want to leave my children a large inheritance, but also to prepare my children for that inheritance. Acquiring and keeping an inheritance for them, but also keeping them for that inheritance is key to positive motivation. I know I must love them unconditionally, making them my priority and focus, and to accept and respect and receive my children. These are starting points for a quality inheritance for generations to come. What is the bottom line of what you want to leave behind as a parent? Is it money? Portfolios? Real estate? Stuff? Values? Faith? Ethics . . . or something much more? One route calls for a gathering of stuff and goods in a portfo0lio to give away when we’re dead. The other has to do with preparing our kids and investing in their lives by an intentional downloading of our values, ethics, spirituality, and so much more. This preparing for an inheritance of life, relationships, and everything that’s important is far greater and compelling payoff for those whom we leave behind when we pass.”

What’s next for you?


“Being a faithful man . . . doing what God is showing and calling me to do – grow my family, be a good guy and churchman, and love my wife, and leave a legacy of love.”

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WASHINGTON, DC (USA) JOINS CITIES IN OVER 50 NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD IN OBSERVING 2011 INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY

Under the leadership of MATT VOSSLER and MICHAEL STILLWELL of DC Metro Dads (http://www.dcmetrodads.com), the metropolitan area of Washington, D.C. in the United States will join cities in over 50 nations around the world in the observance of 2011 International Men's Day  (http://www.international-mens-day.com) under the theme "Giving Boys The Best Possible Start In Life" on Saturday, 19 November 2011.   International Men's Day was founded in 1999 by Jerome Teelucksingh, Ph.D., a faculty member in the History Department at the University of West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.  International Men's Day celebrates the contributions and sacrifices that Men from all Walks of Life make to our families, our communities, and our world and shares a 48-hour partnership with Universal Children's Day which is celebrated on 20 November of each year and is endorsed by the United Nations.

Messrs. Vossler and Stillwell have accepted an invitation to serve as the Washington DC Metro (USA) Regional Coordinators for 2011 International Men's Day. Organizations and individuals interested in raising awareness for and participating in 2011 International Men should contact Matt Vossler via e-mail at: mattvossler@comcast.net and Michael Stillwell via e-mail at:  fleetsuper@msn.com.

MI PADRE

La nobleza del alma es su nobleza;
la gloria del deber forma su gloria;
es pobre, pero forma su pobreza
la página más grande de su historia.
Siendo el culto de mi alma su cariño,
la suerte quiso que al honrar su nombre
fuera el amor que me inspiró de niño
la más sagrada inspiración del hombre.
Quiera el cielo que el canto que me inspira
siempre sus ojos con amor lo vean
y de todos los versos de mi lira

éstos los dignos de su nombre sean. Por: Juán de Dios Peza – Poeta Mexicano.


[Courtesy of Dihargentina Blog at http://dihargentina.blogspot.com]

A LOOK AT SIR HAROLD MATTHEW EVANS' RIVETING LITERARY WORK: "MY PAPER CHASE: TRUE STORIES OF VANQUISHED TIMES"

Through My Paper Chase: True Stories Of Vanquished Times (www.hbgusa.com; www.amazon.com), Sir Harold Matthew Evans transports us to a place and space in time when newspaper and magazine editors and publishers demanded that materials submitted to them by journalists contain facts that had been "double-checked" and "triple-checked". "Sources" for articles had to be verified not once, but two, three, and sometimes even, four times. Proofreaders brandished editing pencils that rooted out grammatical, spelling, and syntax errors in materials submitted for publication. Linotype machines transformed typewritten words into newsprint. Computers, computer terminals, iPads, e-mail, the Internet, blogs, and social media platforms such as TWITTER and FACEBOOK did not exist.

My Paper Chase: True Stories Of Vanquished Times breathtakingly chronicles Sir Evans' journalism career which began in 1944, at the age of 16, as a reporter for the Ashton-under-Lyne Weekly Reporter Series in Lancashire. He served as an Assistant Editor at the Manchester Evening News; Editor of The Northern Echo, a regional daily newspaper; Editor of The Sunday Times; Editor of the Times of London; and Director of Goldcrest Films and Television. In 1984, Sir Evans moved to the United States where he joined the faculty at Duke University. Subsequently he was appointed Editor-in-Chief at The Atlantic Monthly Press. In 1996, he became the Founding Editor of Conde Nast Traveler and from 1990 through 1997, Sir Evans served as President and Publisher of the Random House Trade Group. From 1997 through 2000, Sir Evans donned the mantle of Editorial Director and Vice Chairman of U.S. News and World Report, the New York Daily News, and The Atlantic Monthly.

Sir Evans discovered in his early teens that journalism made his heart sing and his soul dance -- a discovery he eloquently recounts on pages 10 through 11 of My Paper Chase: True Stories Of Vanquished Times

" . . . Newspapers were clearly more important and more fascinating than I had imagined, reporting more than a matter of stenography. But how was I to become a reporter and learn the newspaper trade? I was a working-class boy who had already been branded a failure, having failed to qualify for grammar school (the English equivalent, roughly of American high school). Was I reaching too far? Was I really fit for the work? What were the pitfalls, the ethical dilemmas, and the traps I could barely imagine? How could I equip myself to decode the complex, ever-changing, thrillingly dynamic mosaic of live news and bring it to the public with the raw integrity of truth? So began my paper chase."

Sir Evans' observation at a very young age about the "clear importance of newspapers" was definitely on point. Under his stewardship, a number of publications became agents of positive change.

My Paper Chase: True Stories Of Vanquished Times is a dazzling and soulful literary work masterfully crafted by Sir Harold Matthew Evans that points out the unique relationship that exists between journalism and history and the power of the written word while simultaneously offering riveting life lessons about integrity, compassion, and stepping out on faith.

NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO RESOLVE THE "CRISIS OF BOYS" IN AMERICA

For a variety of reasons, boys and young adolescent males in the United States – our sons and the Next Generation of Fathers – are more likely than their female counterparts, our daughters, to be (a) characterized as “behavioral problems” by educators and school administrators; (b) enrolled in Special Education classes; and (c) victims of violence and homicides. A “National Initiative to Resolve the ‘Crisis of Boys’ In America” would work to resolve five (5) key challenges that boys and young male adolescents in the United States struggle with. These five (5) key challenges are exactly the same challenges that confront boys and young adolescent males in Canada, Australia, Europe, Africa, and Asia and were originally identified by Global and Regional Coordinators for 2010 International Men’s Day (www.international-mens-day.com) in a series of discussions which occurred throughout the month of December 2010:

HEALTH AND LIFE EXPECTANCY: Why are boys around the world more likely to die before the age of five and why do boys in every continent look forward to a much shorter life than girls? What are the reasons for boy’s higher likelihood of suicide? What action can we take to give boys the best possible start in life and help them live longer, happier, healthier lives?

EDUCATIONAL FOCUS: Why are boys in richer countries underperforming girls and also less likely to be in education, and why are tens of millions of boys in poorer countries still not completing a primary education? How can we address truancy, and poor literacy rates which leave boys prone to adult unemployment, substance abuse, obesity, depression, and poverty? What action can we take to focus on boys’ education in ways that gives them the best possible start in life and closes the gaps between girls and boys and rich boys and poor boys?

TOLERANCE OF VIOLENCE: Why are we so tolerant of violence and abuse against men and boys and why do we still tolerate a world where we send boys to fight the wars among adults? What actions can we take to help boys’ grow up free from violence and challenge our collective tolerance and support of violence against men and boys?

RIGHTS TO FATHERHOOD: How can we give boys a right to family life that gives them an equal opportunity to know and experience both their father and mother and ensure that their role as a future father is equal to a girl’s role as future mother? What actions can we take to give every boy an equal right to fatherhood?

REAL LIFE CHOICES: How can we make sure that every boy has opportunities to make a range of positive life choices in terms of work, family, and leisure and reduce the number of boys whose life choices are limited and end up poor, illiterate, unemployed, homeless, imprisoned, and isolated? What action can we make to help every boy get the best possible start in life and make a positive transition form boy to man that makes the world a better place for everyone?Components of the “National Initiative to Resolve the ‘Crisis of Boys’ in America” would take the form of:

Town Hall Meetings
National, regional, and local Town Hall Meetings would serve as a venue for boys and adolescent young males to engage in “straight, no-chaser” dialogues to discuss with stakeholders how, in their view, the five (5) key challenges – Health and Life Expectancy; Educational Focus; Tolerance of Violence; Rights to Fatherhood; and Real Life Choices – which they struggle with on a day-to-day basis, can be resolved. The stakeholders with whom boys and adolescent young males would engage in discussions include educators, school administrators, law enforcement professionals, legal professionals, health care professionals and providers, social services professionals and providers, parents, legislators, religious leaders, social entrepreneurs, business leaders, and Fatherhood and Men’s Issues advocates and practitioners.

Stakeholders and boys and young adolescent males would collaboratively identify existing national, regional, and local institutions and programs which have a successful track record in resolving the five (5) key challenges (Health and Life Expectancy; Educational Focus; Tolerance of Violence; Rights to Fatherhood; and Real Life Choices) that hinder our sons – the Next Generation of Fathers – from achieving academic excellence and maturing into purpose-driven, productive, and successful adults. A collaborative task of designing national, regional, and local institutions and programs that resolve the five (5) key challenges identified above which do not exist in cities, rural districts, reservations, subdivisions, suburbs, townships, and municipalities would be assigned to stakeholders and boys and young adolescents participating in the Town Hall Meetings. The design of these institutions and programs and the manner in which these programs are implemented would be modeled after institutions and programs which have a demonstrated successful track record of resolving the five (5) key challenges confronting boys and adolescent males in the United States.

National Action Plan

Information, solutions, and suggestions offered at national, regional, and local Town Hall Meetings would be compiled into a National Action Plan which addresses each of the five (5) key challenges -- Health and Life Expectancy; Educational Focus; Tolerance of Violence; Rights to Fatherhood; and Real Life Choices -- that make it very difficult for boys and adolescent young males to have “the best possible start in life.”

How would a National Action Plan address the key challenges of Health and Life Expectancy, Educational Focus, Real Life Choices, and Tolerance of Violence? Here a few suggestions:
Health and Life Expectancy: Designing and implementing national, regional, and local Health Education and Awareness Programs for boys and young adolescent young males which would provide, among other things, nutrition and preventive health information and equal and greater access to health resources and support services under the umbrella of the proposed Office of Men’s Health in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. These programs can be conducted in schools, religious institutions, community centers, recreation centers, and barber shops.


Educational Focus: Developing and sustaining “male-friendly” academic institutions and programs which are designed to resolve the problem of academic underperformance for boys and young adolescent males. One academic institution which can serve as a model for designing and sustaining “male--friendly” academic institutions in our cities, reservations, rural districts, subdivisions, suburbs, municipalities, and townships is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the fifth largest metropolitan area in the United States, 360 young adolescent males attend the Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School (www.boyslatin.org), where they receive “the best possible start in life.” Founded in the Summer of 2007, the Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School immerses its young male students in an intense curriculum that offers, among other things, four years of Latin Language and Culture, English divided into Composition and Literature, Scholastic Aptitude Test (“SAT”) preparation, a Summer Reading Program, and a Public Speaking requirement. Soccer, football, cross-country, basketball, and baseball are some of the components of its Athletics program. Each new student at the school is required to participate in two weeks of intensive classes which comprises basic skills, an overview of the school bibliography, organization, and note taking. Students are also engaged in experiential learning initiatives during this two week period. In Grades 9 through 10, the young men find that the school places emphasis on their mastery of basic skills in English, Mathematics, History, Science, Latin, and writing. In Grade 11, for these young men, the emphasis moves from individual learning to team-project based learning. Senior classmen entering Grade 12 are required to attend a two-week planning session during the summer which is geared to prepare them for their final year of high school and for their application to college. The curriculum for Grade 12 offers greater independent study, project-based instruction, opportunities for off-campus classes, and a senior project and presentation. Students at the Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School must abide by a strictly enforced Code of Conduct. And 20 hours of community service is mandatory for freshman, while sophomores are expected to perform 25 hours of community service! Did I mention that after-school activities are also mandatory? The after-school activities include drama, technology, debate, music, chess, science, virtual media, economics, robotics, bicycle repair, government, rock climbing, fencing, model trains, and mock trial.


Real Life Choices: Facilitating national, regional, and local academic enrichment, mentoring, leadership, and internship programs for boys and young adolescent males that offer tutoring in English, Mathematics, Science, Foreign Languages, and Writing; field trips to businesses and colleges and universities; and internships at engineering firms, academic and medical institutions, law firms, broadcasting and communications organizations, and information technology companies which will lead to full-time employment.


Tolerance of Violence: Facilitating national, regional, and local programs that offer mentoring, conflict resolution, and anger management training to help boys and young adolescent males deal with anger, rejection, and self-esteem and body image issues and provide them with options and tools to peacefully resolve volatile situations. An internationally acclaimed organization, the House Of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.org) serves as an excellent model for conflict resolution, mentoring, and helping to “give boys the best possible start in life”. Created in 1968, the House of Umoja, Inc. has provided a life line to and positively shaped the minds and souls of over approximately 3,000 young urban males between the ages of 15 through 18 in Philadelphia. The House of Umoja, Inc.’s successful track record of working with and positively transforming youths has moved universities and institutions that include, but are not limited to, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Prevention and the Center for Disease Control to seek the House of Umoja, Inc.’s expertise in the areas of gang reduction, youth programming, and community organizing. Former United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and the late Ronald Reagan have recognized the House Of Umoja, Inc. for its pioneering work which has been documented in published articles such as A Summons To Life, by Robert Woodson of the American Enterprise Institute in 1981 and The Violent Juvenile Offender by Paul DeMuro and Richard Allison of the National Council On Crime And Delinquency in 1984.

Boys and young male adolescents -- our sons -- are the Next Generation of Fathers. We must move with all deliberate speed to resolve the issues that prevent our sons from reaching their full potential and maturing into purpose-driven, fulfilled, compassionate, successful and productive adults. We must do it for them and for generations yet unborn. We hold the future in our hands.

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FOX 29 AND WMGK 102.9 JOIN FORCES TO HONOR PHILADELPHIA'S TROOPS!

Contact:
Cindy Goldstein
Telephone: 212-301-3817
E-Mail: cindy.goldstein@fox.com



PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – FOX 29 and WMGK 102.9 partner to pay tribute to the military, through a series of events designed to raise funds, collect materials and boost morale in support of U.S. troops abroad and in Philadelphia.

In making the announcement, FOX 29 Vice President and General Manager Patrick Paolini stated, “FOX 29’s partnership with WMGK strengthens our ongoing commitment to salute the brave men and women who serve or have served in the military.”

Festivities kick off Friday, June 17th with “WMGK’s 5th Annual Veterans’ Radiothon,’ which will be simulcast during FOX 29’s “Good Day.” Each year, this Radiothon raises funds for the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, which addresses the needs of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to supporting Vietnam and Persian Gulf War veterans. Those interested in making donations can call 1800-678-WMGK or visit wmgk.com / www.myfoxphilly.com. To date, over $250,000 has been raised for this cause.

The second in the series of summer events is annual rock concert, “Let Freedom Rock Fest,” which usually attracts more than 60,000 people. This concert will take place Monday, July 4th at Susquehanna Bank Center, with feature performances by The Styx and British progressive rock band, Yes. FOX 29 will be on site collecting CD’s and DVD’s throughout the event, which will be sent to USO camps overseas. Last in the series of events will be a block party entitled “Good Day Salutes the Military,” which will take place Friday, September 9th. Festivities will be broadcast during “Good Day” from 7-9 a.m. This open to the public event will recognize the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Market Street between 3rd and 4th Streets will be closed from 7-9 a.m.

“George Washington said the willingness with which our young people are likely to serve, shall be directly proportional to how they feel the Veterans of earlier wars were treated. More needs to be done to assist the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much on behalf of our country," said John DeBella, co-host of WMGK’s “The John De Bella Morning Show.”

FOX 29 Philadelphia is part of The Fox Television Stations group, one of the nation's largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprising 27 stations in 18 markets and covering 37.21% of television homes in the U.S. This includes six duopolies in the top 10 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and Houston; as well as duopolies in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.

102.9 WMGK-FM is owned by Greater Philadelphia Radio, Inc., a subsidiary of Greater Media, Inc., the parent company of 23 AM and FM radio stations in the Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia markets. Greater Media also owns a group of weekly newspapers in central New Jersey and several telecommunications towers located throughout the United States.

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