Going Out on a Limb...

To say life is always busy is perhaps one of the greatest understatements I could ever make. That said life is fantastic and amazing and I love it just the way it is. So while perhaps one might think I am crazy to take on even more given how busy I am there are so many reasons I feel compelled to do so... Wait I am getting ahead of myself... Let me explain...

Let's be real honest... I didn't grow up with much money so when I wanted to do something crazy out of the box (for a gal like me without much means) as a youngster such as go to Space Camp I had to work my tail off and vie for a scholarship to do so. I was fortunate enough that Space Camp offered scholarships and I was even more fortunate that they felt I was worthy of a scholarship on 2 separate occasions. This was the only way I could afford to take part in something that was so encouraging of my passion about space. I have always been so appreciative of those experiences... now I've decided that I want to give something back...

I am going to start my own non-profit. I love working as a consultant to ISSET and that certainly won't stop but I want to do this non-profit in addition. I want to be able to sponsor scholarships for students to be able to attend ISSET experiences such as Mission Discovery and the Astronaut Leadership Experience. I want to be able to give back. This will be a non-profit that focuses (like ISSET) on using space to get students excited about Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) subjects as well as finding their passion in general about what they want to do in life.

So... I am in the process of getting my non-profit set-up. It's complicated (shocking right?) and I'm trying to make my way through all the insanity but I am hoping to get it done much sooner than later because the sooner I get it done the sooner I can start raising money to start giving scholarships to deserving students.

One thing I am a little stuck on is the name.... Still working on that one... If you've got any ideas please let me know.

I'm very excited but also a bit nervous I must admit... it's a big undertaking... but the excitement definitely outweighs the nerves! I promise to keep you all posted on this as it comes together but in the interim... send happy problem-free "get started" thoughts my way for this please :)