Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

Religion News

Services and studies

Dayspring Apostolic Worship begins at 11:15 a.m. at the church, 2127 Doctors Park Drive, Columbus. On Sunday, the church will be inspired by, The Base of Depression, taken from Job 14:1 where, Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

Every visitor will receive a free gift. The Sunday education session starts at 10 a.m. and covers deliverance from Pharoahs army, as shared in Exodus 14:23-31.

Bible Study is Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and is a group empowerment study sponsored by Heart Changers International, LLC on depression, stress and grief with handout questions, which help build personal empowerment.

Prayer of Power starts at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and is preceded with requests and instructions on prayer. The Celebrate Recovery session starts at 6:30 p.m. for about an hour.

Ignite is the Youth Growth Session that happens every Third Friday.

For more information please call 812-372-9336, or dayspringchurch@att.net.

East Columbus United Methodist Sunday events begin at 9 a.m. at East Columbus United Methodist Church at 2439 Indiana Ave. in Columbus, with fellowship time in the foyer with beverages and snacks. Worship begins at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School begins at 10:40 a.m. for all ages and Bible interests.

First United Methodist On Sunday at the 9 a.m. Traditional service and the 11 a.m. Celebration service, Pastor Sarah Campbell will deliver the message, Joyfully Giving Thanks at the church, 618 Eighth St., Columbus.

The scripture will be Colossians 1:11-20. Sunday School for all ages begins at 10:10 a.m. Childcare is available during both services.

Information: 812-372-2851 or fumccolumbus.org.

First Presbyterian On Sunday, Reign of Christ Sunday, the children of the church will lead in worship. They will share the message of 2 Kings 22:1-20; 23:1-3 and explore how God calls believers to follow Him. Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. at 512 Seventh St., Columbus.

Infant and toddler care is available 9:15 a.m. to noon. The mens and womens support groups meet on Fridays at 7 a.m. and a second mens support group (working age men) meets every Monday at 6:15 a.m.

People in the community in need of a meal are invited to our Hot Meals offered Friday at 5 p.m. (please enter through the glass doors on Franklin).

The church is LGBTQ-friendly, open and affirming to all.

Information: fpccolumbus.org

Flintwood Wesleyan On Sunday, the Amplify (non-traditional) service begins at at 9 a.m. with Sunday School classes at 10 a.m. in the regular rooms. The Well (traditional) service starts at 11 a.m. Both services are in the the main sanctuary and led by the Rev. Wes Jones, senior pastor.

The Prayer Team meets at 8 a.m.

Sunday evenings Celebrate Recovery begins with a meal at 5:25 p.m. in The Friendship Center and the meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the main Sanctuary. The public is invited to attend.

Connections, a ladies study group, led by Pastor Teri Jones, is resuming. The group will meet the second and fourth Mondays at 10 a.m. in the Friendship Center.

In the Beginning, a small group Bible study, meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in The Friendship Center. New members are welcome to join.

Wednesday activities begins with a meal at 5:30 p.m. The program, iKids (Ignite Kids) On Fire For Jesus! starts at 6:15 p.m. This program is for kids in Pre-K through the sixth grade. If your child needs transportation, call the church office. The bus will run on Wednesday nights. The prayer team meets at 6:15 p.m. in the Prayer Room. Youth meets at 6:30 p.m. downstairs in the church. Bible study is at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.

Thursday: Cub Scout Pack 588 will meet when events are scheduled and Boy Scout Troop 588 will meet at 7 p.m.

Information: 812-379-4287; flintwoodoffice@gmail.com; flintwood.org.

Garden City Church of Christ In the December sermon series, The Christmas Playlist,a young lady, a priest, a host of angels, and an older man will bring listeners to the heart of Christmas.

The church is located at 3245 Jonesville Road, Columbus.

All are welcome to join worship on Sundays at 10 a.m., and for the Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6 p.m. Dec. 24.

The church is led by Lead Minister Brian Gilroy and Family Life Minister Bryan Graves.

Grace Lutheran Pastor John Armstrong will deliver the message on Sunday. Worship is at 8 and 10:30 a.m., with Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m.

Alpha, an introduction to the Bible continues 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday with the topic How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?

Searching Scripture class continues 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with the topic The Lords Supper.

Wednesday, Pastor John Armstrong will bring a special Thanksgiving message. Thanksgiving Eve Worship is at 6:30 p.m.

Old Union United Church of Christ Scriptures for the 10 a.m. Sunday service on Reign of Christ Sunday will include Jeremiah 23:1-6; Colossians 1:11-20; and Luke 23:33-43. The message will be Working for Christs Kingdom. It is the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost.

Sunday school will be at 9 a.m. with fellowship at 9:40 a.m.

The church is at 12703 N County Road 50W, Edinburgh.

Information: Visit the Facebook page or call 812-526-9430.

Petersville United Methodist The Rev. Stormy Scherer-Berry will deliver the message Change on Sunday morning at the 9 a.m. worship service at the church, 2781 N. County Road 500E, Petersville.

The liturgist Sandy Williams will share scriptures from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, and the focus for the day will be Everything changes, so look for God in the present.

Teresa Covert will give the childrens sermon, and the choir will provide special music. Coin offerings will be directed to the Bishop Childrens Christmas Fund. Fellowship will follow the service.

The Monday night Bible studies will meet at 6:30 p.m. with Bakers Dozen meeting at the home of Larry and Connie Nolting, and The Journey meeting at the home of Chris Kimerling.

Sit and Stitch will meet Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m., also at the Nolting home.

Prayer Time, led by Barb Hedrick, will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning at the church.

Information: 812-546-4438; 574-780-2379.

St. Paul Lutheran Christ The King Sunday will be celebrated Sunday with Pastor Doug Bauman delivering the message, Crown Him Lord of All based on Luke 23:27-43 at the 8 and 10:45 a.m. services at the church, 6045 E. State St., Columbus.

Christian Education classes for all ages will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Vicar Daniel Fickenscher will lead worship at the 2:30 p.m. Spanish Service with Spanish/English Sunday School following at 3:30 p.m.

A Thanksgiving Eve service with Holy Communion will be held Wednesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. with Pastor Bauman delivering the message Bigger Barns, based on Luke 12:13-21.

Information: 812-376-6504.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbus The Rev. Shari Woodbury and Nicole Wiltrout will present the message, For the Earth Forever Turning at the 10 a.m. service on Sunday.

The message will explore various themes of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Information: 812-342-6230.

Westport Christian Church The church will host a Thanksgiving Praise Gathering at 7 p.m. Monday, and will include several participating area churches.

The church is located at 102 W. Mulberery St., Westport.

Information: 812-591-3807.

Westside Community Pastor Dennis Aud will lead the service this Sunday at 10 a.m. at the church at the corner of State Road 46 West and Tipton Lakes Boulevard. The childrens program for birth through sixth grade meets at the same time as the 10 a.m. worship service.

For more info on studies or small groups that meet during the week, call the church office at 812-342-8464.

Events

Community Church of Columbus Celebrate Recovery The Celebrate Recovery program has launched two new womens-only Celebrate Recovery groups.

One group meets at 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the new Hub headquarters for the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress at the United Way building, 1531 13th St. The second meets at midnight Fridays at Community Downtown at 522 Seventh St. in downtown Columbus.

Information: 812-348-6257 or cccolumbus.org.

First United Methodist From 9 a.m. to noon today, FUMC will host the annual Cookie Walk in Fellowship Hall. Create your own box of decorated and specialty cookies sold by the pound, and add peanut brittle, fudge, candy, divinity and more, including vegan and allergy-friendly options. All proceeds support local, state and international missions.

On Dec. 7, FUMC will host Santas Workshop, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All are welcome to a morning filled with crafts and projects that kids of all ages will enjoy.

Information: 812-372-2851 or fumccolumbus.org.

South Central Indiana Christian Mens Fellowship The fellowship will host a meeting Dec. 3 at Burnsville Christian Church, 2891 S. County Road 900E, Columbus. A meal will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will consist of ham and beans, cornbread, fried potatoes, slaw, deserts and drinks. A program with Kendall Wildey of East Columbus Christian Church will begin at 7:15 p.m.

The theme will be Seeking Him by Faith from Romans 10:17 and Deuteronomy 4:29. The theme song will be Great is Thy Faithfulness.

All are welcome.

Excerpt from:

Religion news Nov. 23 - The Republic

Some people have described Holy Wars' music as a post-industrial electro-goth synth pop, but I just call itrock 'n' roll.

With searing guitar riffs, tight instrumentation, soaring vocals from Kat Leon that can hold their own against any song on rock radioand deeply personal lyrics that are darklyempowering in their embrace of self-loathing, Holy Wars are hands down one of the best unsigned bands in Los Angeles right now.

Which is why they must leave.

We love our fans but we gotta go on tour, explains Leon as she prepares for the groups final LA show ofthe year Friday night (Nov. 22)at the Echo on LAs east side. In the last year, Holy Wars have released new tracks Welcome to My Hell, Legend and Born Dark and developed their own signature film noir that taps into the darkness behind the bands inspiration:the death of Leons parents in 2015, just months apart.

Holy Wars will soon be releasing one of their most powerful tracks I Hate Myself,an antihero empowerment track that draws out peoples self-loathing as connection between strangers. The themes can be dark, but the music is energetic and exciting and Leon mixes elements of performance art and personal strength in a way that makes for a great live show that more music fans are beginning to hear about.

Since we've been a band, we've gotten fans in the U.K. and across the world now, Leon tells Billboard. And we constantly hear come to Spain or come to Nashville, and we desperately want to see everyone.

The band hasnt settled on a booking agent andis courting a few agencies but waiting for the right person who understands Holy Wars' aesthetic. Earlier this month, Leon was interviewed live at the Billboard Live Music Summit and performed at tgeBillboard afterparty showcase, and after a few soon-to-be-announced dates in New York, theyll also play some major events like NAMM and South by Southwest, hoping to return toLA in the late spring for their first show back.

LA will always be my heart and getting to play venues where Ive seen my favorite bands play is really special to me, Leon says. But the reason why I play live is because I love it so much and because its the best way to connect with my fans. There are fans that I've made such great connections with on social media but that I've never gotten to meet in person, and we know that were the only ones that can make that.

So off they go. But catch Holy Wars once more Friday night at the Echo with Draemings, El Maana and Figs Vision. Tickets can be found here.

Go here to see the original:

Before Heading on Tour, Holy Wars Prep for Last LA Show of the Year at the Echo - Billboard

In recent years homosexuality in Uganda has become an increasingly volatile political and social issue. Last month an LGBTQI activist was murdered in his home and Ugandan police detained 16 men on suspicion of homosexuality and human trafficking.

These events followed rumours that Uganda might be reintroducing an anti-homosexuality bill. An earlier attempt at legislation, introduced in 2009, became known as the Kill the Gays bill because it proposed the death sentence for acts of aggravated homosexuality. It was passed by Ugandas parliament in 2013 but eventually overturned by the constitutional court on a technicality.

As an anthropologist, I wanted to understand what contributed to the rising tensions concerning homosexuality in Uganda and why it endures as a politically divisive issue.

In a paper I wrote in 2013, I examined the local factors that contributed to the political and social ferment over sexuality in Uganda. This adds to growing research on homosexuality in Africa, much of which focuses on understanding homophobia in the local context.

A great deal of publicity has focused on efforts by conservative American religious groups to guide political arguments on homosexuality. But, drawing on long-term fieldwork, I argued that anti-homosexual rhetoric in Uganda is more than a parroting of American homophobia.

Many Ugandans, irrespective of their religious beliefs, oppose homosexuality. They see it as a result of Western influence and against their culture.

This means the key to addressing the rise in homophobia is to change the narrative about homosexuality. The language used to talk about sexuality needs to more accurately reflect local perspectives. And more meaningful connections need to be drawn between the rights of LGBTQI people and Ugandan notions of humanity, dignity, and respect.

Over a period of 15 years, I carried out research on sexuality, AIDS prevention, and religious activism in Uganda. My work focused on churches in Kampala at the centre of the growing political mobilisation of Ugandas born-again Christians.

These Christians interest in homosexuality debates intensified in the wake of the 2009 anti-homosexuality bill, which was publicly supported by several high profile pastors. Today, about 30% of Ugandans identify as born-again and their leaders are prominent in the media and politics.

Like their evangelical counterparts in the US, they view the church as a platform for social protest. This is particularly the case when it comes to sexual conduct.

But I found that while Ugandan anti-homosexuality activism drew support from some US Christians, it was largely driven by local concerns.

The idea of sexual identities is well developed and accepted in the West. But it is not well established in Uganda. Some Ugandan queer activists have tried to advance locally meaningful terms such as kuchu to speak about same-sex attraction. For most Ugandans, though, sexual identity as something distinct from a sexual act or desire remains a foreign concept.

In Uganda sexuality is shaped by family and kinship relationships. This tightly binds sexuality to reproduction and gender identity. This is not to say that sex is understood to be only for procreation. But while sexual acts may vary widely, sexual identity generally does not.

Many Ugandans also associate homosexuality with sexual freedom, choice, and individualism. This chafes against a cultural perspective that emphasises the social, political, and moral importance of hierarchical family relationships.

For instance in Buganda, the largest of the traditional kingdoms in Uganda, traditional ideals are expressed by the term ekitiibwa, or respectability. This emphasises a persons place in a hierarchical social system. For women, honour is historically marked by marriages arranged through bride wealth and having children.

This is still the case today. Like most countries, relationships and households have changed over time in Uganda for instance unmarried couples live together. But formal marriage and parenthood still signal moral and social status. Homosexuality is posed as a threat to these norms.

Ugandan activists and government sponsors of the bill drew on these concerns. Street demonstrations have come out in support of the African family. Bumper sticker slogans on boda boda motorcycle taxis read: Say No 2 Sodomy, Say Yes 2 Family.

This public vilification of homosexuality is relatively recent in Uganda. Same-sex acts were not always viewed as disruptive to social norms or a threat to marriage and sexual reproduction.

One anti-homosexual activist pastor told me that it was not the existence of homosexual sex that he found disturbing. It had always been there, he admitted. What he objected to was the new public presence, and assertion, that this sexual identity was equal to all others.

The pastors claims point to how anti-homosexual activists have been successful in directing criticisms outwards, to a global realm that is seen as having an outsized role in shaping Ugandan social life. These arguments position international projects, that promote equality and personal empowerment, as threats to local moral values.

Anti-gay activists have also benefited from Ugandans ambivalent attitudes about human rights discourse. While Ugandan human rights activists have had successes, particularly in the womens movement, their language is not universally embraced.

There is a persistent perception that human rights organisations, dependent on donor aid, represent the selective concerns of Western governments rather than local interests.

This was reflected in the 2009 Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which had a clause that targeted organisations promoting homosexuality. Foreign NGOs are often framed as potential drivers of homosexuality.

These conditions pose challenges when it comes to advocating for the equality and rights of the Ugandan LGBTQI community. Communities must feel ownership of arguments for sexual equality.

Rights-based claims need to be placed into a meaningful social and moral context. For instance, they would have to draw on a sense of shared humanity with sexual minorities.

An emphasis on the human costs of discrimination, and the moral obligation to fellow community members, may have more power than a straightforward rights-based argument.

Read the original here:

What's driving homophobia in Uganda - The Conversation Africa

Last Saturday, Yucaipa resident Rosilice Ochoa Bogh held a meet and greet at Fascination Ranch in Calimesa.

Bogh is a Republican running for the California State Senate in the 23rd District.

Approximately two dozen people attended the event at the ranch, owned by Bill and Jackie Davis.

Bogh provided the audience with a little background of her family.

Her grandfather was a worker in the Bracero Program, in the 1960s.

Bogh is first generation, Mexican American, born in the United States.

Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh is a Republican who is running for the California State Senate, in the 23rd District. Her platform is empowerment and pursuit of the American Dream.

During the meet and greet, Bogh covered the lack of housing, the cost of housing, which affects education, behavioral health, public safety and the effects of taxes on businesses.

People in California are struggling, Bogh said.

The issues are interrelated.

Were broken, she said.

We need a new voice.

We need a new face.

I believe in the empowerment of people and the pursuit of economic freedom, she said. I want people to thrive.

As she spoke, her concerns seemed to have resonated with those in attendance.

I love this country, said Rey Santos, Mayor pro-tem, of Beaumont.

We are immigrants that came here in 1976. We are first generation Filipinos. I believe that you have to work hard and adapt to the American way, Rey Santos said.

Santos shared how he has traveled to Socialists country, like Spain.

When I come home, to the United States, we are literally kissing the ground. I am so glad to be home. We love America being an American.

Another guest commented, Without capitalism, this country would not be what it is today.

Another attendee, Jackie Davis, shared her thoughts about todays youth.

She was concerned that children have not been taught the necessary social and personal skills to navigate a job, and she expressed frustration with young employees that she has had.

They want to know when lunch is, Davis said.

They want to know how much personal time off they get.

They come in not wanting to work.

Several other guests expressed the same sentiment about youth.

Davis said that children do not have to go to college to get an education.

They (the education system) has taken out home economics, auto shop and wood shop, Davis said.

They have taken out so many things that used to teach kids how to get out in the world and do things.

Davis emphasized the need to for the youth to learn skills that will help them support themselves.

Bogh agreed and understood the importance of engaging the youth, particularly those in high school.

Having an opportunity to talk to our youth and arranging a meet and greet, with the just the youth, and hearing their concerns would be very empowering, she said.

And, I think, letting them know that how valuable their voice is, is imperative.

Another issue that came to the fore was the Second Amendment.

Near the end of her presentation, Ochoa Bogh thanked everyone for attending.

She also encouraged them to vote for her.

We believe in the empowerment of the individual, Bogh said.

We believe in economic freedom. We believe in personal freedom. Thats the dream. Thats why people are coming here (to America).

Bogh is concerned that people are losing hope in the American dream.

Bogh said, My hope, this evening, is that, if you are a moderate, an independent or a Democrat, I would hope that you would allow me to represent your voice in California, because I will be advocating for families. I will be advocating for seniors, who are struggling to make ends meet.

To learn more about the candidate, go to OchoaBoghforSenate.com

View original post here:

Rosilice Ochoa Bogh concerned hope is lost in the American Dream - Banning Record Gazette

Fountain Valley, CA, November 25, 2019 This week, TIME reveals its annual list of the 100 Best Inventions that are making the world better, smarter and even a bit more fun. Nathan Sports is thrilled to announce that their new SaferRun Ripcord Siren debuted in this list.

We are honored to be recognized by TIME, among leaders in their fields who are thinking differently, says Nicole OKeefe, Director of Brand Strategy. At Nathan, we value the strength of our community and, in listening to our fellow female runners, we wanted to create something that would help runners feel confident, safe and in control. We are proud to provide a proactive, harmless solution, coming from a place of empowerment instead of fear.

Nathans invention is here to change the run safety story. If you sometimes feel nervous while running by yourself outdoors, youre not alone. The SaferRun Ripcord Siren Personal Alarm, coming to market in February 2020, was built to help you exercise with a greater sense of security. When you pull a tab, the thumb-size alarm emits a 120 dB soundas loud as an ambulance siren. Created by a female-led design team, the device is lightweight, easily fits in a small pocket and costs $19.99.

To assemble the 2019 TIME Best Inventions list, TIME solicited nominations across a variety of categories from editors and correspondents around the world, as well as through an online application process. Each contender was then evaluated on key factors, including originality, effectiveness, ambition and influence. The result: 100 groundbreaking inventions that are changing the way we live, work, play and think about whats possible.

For more information on the SaferRun Ricord Siren Personal Alarm, contact National Sales Director Chris Miller at cmiller@unitedspb.comor here nathansports.com/pages/ripcord-siren-personal-alarm

See the full TIME 100 list here time.com/bestinventions2019

See the international cover of TIME featuring the 100 Best Inventions of 2019 here bit.ly/331y8jr

The December 2 / December 9 double issue of TIME featuring the SaferRun Ripcord Siren Personal Alarm went on sale Friday, November 22, 2019.

About Nathan Sports: NATHAN designs purpose-driven running essentials that help athletes at all levels run stronger and run longer. At NATHAN, we believe that if you run, then you are a runner. No matter where or why, how far or fast, NATHAN creates the market-leading hydration, visibility, and performance essentials that empower runners to go out and have their best run. NATHAN is part of the United Sports Brands portfolio of sports performance and protective product brands including Shock Doctor, McDavid, Cutters, and, XO Athletic, which are owned by Bregal Partners, a private equity investment firm. For more information, visit NATHAN at NathanSports.com or United Sports Brands atunitedspb.com.

Read the rest here:

Nathan Sports SafeRun Ripcord Siren Named To Time's List Of The 100 Best Inventions Of 2019 - SGB Media

At Just the Beginning, there is a sisterhood of the counted out, the cast aside and the hopeful.

The nonprofit for justice-involved women is a tight-knit family, and sometimes its the closest thing to a family its clients have. President and CEO Jenice Jones said though funding limits how many people the organization can help, it takes that kind of atmosphere to affect a change in someones life.

Our goal in our heart from the beginning is for women to come onboard who want a lifestyle of rehabilitation, Jones said. Not just a one-time moment or event to get through a process, but a lifetime.

In that, weve seen family restored, children restored to their moms, marriages restored ... We have had almost 100 women who have been served directly and over 1,000 served indirectly.

Just the Beginning is only one of many local nonprofits that needs help serving people in need. As the holiday season approaches, the Tulsa World is bringing readers a list that offers guidance for people looking for specific charitable opportunities in the coming weeks.

Although a Christ-centered organization, Just the Beginning accepts anyone who wants to change their lives for the better. The organization is in the Tulsa County jail every week and also goes to Oklahoma Department of Corrections facilities.

At weekly empowerment classes like one held this past Thursday night, participants gather to the sound of gospel music and for the chance to talk about whats happened the previous week and whats to come. Thursdays question of the week dealt with the most dominant pitfall thought from the week before.

Jones focused on the holidays for the meeting, a time with plenty of opportunities for progress on recovery to slip. The class even planned a conference call on Thanksgiving morning for participants to touch base in place of the regular empowerment meeting.

Built around its four pillars of healing, employment, advocacy and learning to give back, Just the Beginning is in many ways not about correction, but rather enlightenment. Theres also an element of discipleship, with graduates frequently returning to the program to help the next participants.

Just the Beginning spends time life mapping, going back through a womans life to identify the roots of where problems began. Jones doesnt evaluate clients by their charge, in part because she said in order for the system to work, the women at Just the Beginning have to recognize what happened before the court system.

Were trying to identify where did it all take place to where she became overwhelmed and decided to handle whatevers going on in her life with a substance, a man, an act, Jones said. Was it passed down? Is it generational? We dont know those things until we ask the questions.

So in reality, we dont look at the court case. We look at the individual when we interview.

Maria Morris issues with substance abuse began after the loss of her father to Alzheimers disease, and would later return with a vengeance after her 22-month-old daughter, Carabelle, died in a house fire.

There were months of homelessness, living on the streets and finally 10 months in the Tulsa County jail before being adjudicated to Just the Beginning on Aug. 16. Another program passed on Morris, and until she began at Just the Beginning, it appeared she would be written off.

I just told myself this is a sign, Morris said. This is Gods way of saying this is your second chance. ... Its just been so encouraging, so empowering and so thorough.

It helps all those deep-seated problems you dont even know you have. Its very personal, like a family.

Good breaks came one after another for Morris, most recently accepting a promotion to become a barista at Legacy Plazas new coffee shop. Morris learned more about herself, about having a healthy life and living one without limits.

Its just shown me that I can still do anything, Morris said. Im just really grateful; its definitely made me more of that. I know it didnt have to be this way, I didnt have to be here today.

I just cant put it in words. When you get that second chance when everybody else says no and one person says yes, it just breaks chains.

At the end of the day, Just the Beginnings mission is turning women considered liabilities into valued assets of the community. It takes time, and some need more help than others, but Jones said theres nothing better than seeing it happen.

Its seeing her get it, Jones said. Its not about the case. Its about your future transformation.

When she gets it, the whole world is in for a wonderful experience.

Here is how you can help Just the Beginning and some other area nonprofits this holiday season:

5330 E. 31st St., Lower Level

Who they are: Christ-centered organization empowering justice-involved women towards self-sufficiency, esteem and wholeness

What they need: winter hats, scarves and gloves; shampoos and conditioners; toothbrushes and toothpaste; body wash, deodorant and lotion; toilet paper; sanitary napkins; socks, and face towels

Who they are: Nonprofit open-access hot shop and kiln studio offering unique experiences for anyone interested in glass art

What they need: Wall Street Journal newspapers; equipment for free program serving veterans, such as blowpipes, punties, wood paddles, Kevlar mitts, shaping blocks and color frit; painters blue tape, paper towels, AA and AAA batteries; Swiffer dusters

Counseling & Recovery Services of Oklahoma

Who they are: Organization restoring dignity and helping build better lives through behavioral health and substance abuse services to all ages regardless of their ability to pay

What they need: Adopt a child/family through a Holiday Giving Program and provide items from their wish lists; frozen turkeys; toys, books and games for children of all ages; family household essentials such as towels, sheets & toiletries; monetary gifts; grocery cards

Family & Childrens Services

Who they are: Agency helping families in crisis and serves people struggling with mental illness, addiction and homelessness

What they need: toys, books and games for children of all ages; clothing such as coats, pajamas, hats, underwear, gloves and socks; small household appliances; toiletries; monetary gifts; grocery cards

Who they are: Nonprofit serving 64 boys, ages 11-18, with serious emotional, behavioral and/or drug problems requiring long-term placement out of the home in a structured, therapeutic environment

What they need: white T-shirts (mens sizes S-XL); pillows, sheets and comforters (twin size); black belts (mens sizes 30-42); black ankle socks; hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste)

Owasso Community Resources

Who they are: Helping organization providing basic-needs emergency assistance to more than 7,000 financially disadvantaged individuals in Owasso, Collinsville and Sperry

What they need: monetary donations; hot and cold cereal, soups, chili, mac and cheese, peanut butter; hygiene items (toothbrushes, tooth paste, deodorant, feminine hygiene products) and diapers. Major wish: Cargo van to transport food for distribution

The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges

Who they are: Nonprofit providing organized social, cultural and recreational opportunities for people with physical disabilities.

What they need: athletic equipment; basketballs; monetary donations; kitchen utensils; arts and crafts supplies; individually wrapped food items; hygiene items; winter gloves, hats, scarves,socks; retail gift cards

Who they are: Agency assisting people with disabilities in attaining and maintaining their personal independence through advocacy, education and service

What they need: vacuum, computer, large lift chair (400-pound capacity), small dining table and two chairs

Who they are: Soup kitchen and food pantry

What they need: paper grocery bags; canned chicken and tuna, peanut butter, pasta and rice for the pantry; granola bars, fruit cups, 100% juice boxes, fruit snacks for the kids packs; and financial contributions for the daily community meal

Who they are: Agency providing help, resources and legal assistance for victims of domestic violence

What they need: toothpaste and toothbrushes, hair combs and brushes, tissues, shampoo, soap, feminine products, deodorant, lotion, shaving cream, razors, adult diapers, sanitizer, baby wipes and diapers, plastic/disposable gloves, dry and canned food items, cloth or heavy-duty tote bags for emergency supplies/clothing

315 W. College St., Broken Arrow

Who they are: Interfaith organization providing basic-needs emergency assistance to more than 13,000 financially disadvantaged people in the Broken Arrow area.

What they need: box meals, Manwich, canned stew, hot and cold cereal, soups, instant potatoes, chili, mac and cheese, juice (plastic containers), pasta and sauce, toothbrushes (adult and children), toothpaste, deodorant

6600 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1307

Who they are: Pregnancy resource center for low-income families. It has operated in Tulsa for more than 45 years.

What they need: diapers, especially the larger sizes 4, 5, 6; diaper wipes; baby clothing up to toddler two size, maternity clothing; blankets for babies; small baby or mother accessories and practical items (not furniture or car seats); sturdy baby books and classic baby toys; lotions, creams and shampoo for baby; diaper bags; gift cards

Who they are: Christian-based organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with special needs, their families and their communities.

What they need: computers (contact for specifics), therapy equipment (contact for specifics), Walmart gift cards for hosting guests, Amazon gift cards for office supplies, paper towels

Who they are: Charity providing a loving home and 24/7 care for dying people in need

What they need: individual puddings, individual chips and cracker snacks, Ritz crackers, saltine crackers, laundry soap, soft soap hand soap, Pine-Sol, 13-gallon trash bags, 39-gallon lawn trash bags, adult size hygiene wipes, flavored tea bags and flavored coffee creamers

Emergency Infant Services

Who they are: Organization providing assistance for families with children under the age of five

What they need: new or used car seats, strollers, books, coats, volunteers, toys for children five and under, baby blankets, monetary donations

Mend Pregnancy Resource Center

6216 S. Lewis Ave., Suite 100

Who they are: Organization providing pregnancy testing, limited ultrasound, pregnancy options information, education and support programs for moms of children 3 and younger

What they need: childrens clothes both girls and boys from newborn to 3T and shoes, nursing shawls, baby carriers (sling style), diaper bags, new nursing supplies, new washcloths and towels, toiletries for babies (baby wash, lotions, and shampoos), digital thermometers, sippy cups, pacifiers, crib sheets, Boppy covers for pillows, lanolin, cribs, new crib mattresses, high chairs, car seats, car seat tents

Who they are: Organization giving help, hope and comfort to families of seriously ill or injured children.

What they need: individual juice, fruit drinks, individual chips, snacks, canned fruit and vegetables, fresh fruit and vegetables, breakfast cereal, frozen entrees, heavy-duty paper plates, paper bowls, trash bags (33- and 39-gallon sizes), storage containers, all-purpose cleaner, detergent, dryer sheets, sponges, cleanup wipes, mattress pads (queen and twin), white sheet sets, pillows, towels, toiletries, hygiene items, gift cards, toys, stuffed animals

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Charity wish lists: Give to these Tulsa-area nonprofits to make a difference this holiday season - Tulsa World

BATON ROUGE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Home Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) today awarded an $8,000 grant to 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge, whose programs help empower young men to reach their full potential.

The Partnership Grant Program (PGP) funds will help pay for the organizations community-based programs in the areas of mentoring, education, economic empowerment, and health and wellness.

We are thankful to Home Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas for investing in our programs, and in the community that we serve, said Brace B. Trey Godfrey III, executive director of 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge. This investment will reap benefits as we move toward our goal of impacting young lives to effect positive change in the community through programs like our Project Excel Mentoring Program. We appreciate the commitment that Home Bank and FHLB Dallas show to community-based organizations, and we look forward to a long-lasting partnership.

Home Bank Vice President and Community Reinvestment Act Officer Brandon Kelly said the PGP helps support the organizations critical mission.

We are proud to support 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge in the critical work of mentoring young men in our community and preparing them to reach their potential as adults, said Mr. Kelly. 100 Black Men is leading the way in this important work. Home Bank is proud to join with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas to support their efforts.

Through the PGP program, FHLB Dallas member institutions contribute from $500 to $4,000 to a community-based organization, and FHLB Dallas matches at a 3:1 ratio. Grants are awarded annually through FHLB Dallas member institutions via a lottery system. In 2019, FHLB Dallas awarded $300,000 in PGP funds that were combined with $142,500 contributed by 25 FHLB Dallas member Institutions for a total of $442,500 in grants.

We commend 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge for the work it is doing to help build the leaders of tomorrow, said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment for FHLB Dallas. We are pleased to provide a 3:1 match to the original Home Bank funding that brings the grant total to $8,000.

For more information about the 2019 PGP grants and other FHLB Dallas community investment products and programs, please visit fhlb.com/pgp.

About Home Bank

With 40 locations across South Louisiana and Western Mississippi, Home Bank is committed to serving the needs of its communities. Personal banking has always been Home Banks trademark, and that tradition continues as the company grows, invests and serves its clients and community. For more information about Home Bank, visit home24bank.com.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $73.8 billion as of September 30, 2019, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community investment by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 815 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com.

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Home Bank and FHLB Dallas Award $8K to Baton Rouge Nonprofit - Business Wire

What did you close today? was the question Lesters mum asked at the dinner table when Lester just started out in the real estate industry.

And for the first 3 months of his career as a property agent, his answer was always, Nothing.

When Lester Tan left his job as a programmer and joined the industry as a full time property agent 13 years ago, he spent the first few months struggling to close his first deal from showflat duties.

And after 3 months of hard work and grit, Lester brought home his very first paycheck that amounted to his full years salary as a programmer.

It was a struggle switching from being a programmer to a property agent as programmers think in absolute but being an agent requires a different set of skillset.

Lester was determined to make a difference and use the skill set he had as a programmer to improve the life of the agents in his division better, so that they wont have to fumble like how he did.

When he was a new entrant into the property industry, Lester found it hard to answer many questions that property seekers had due to the ever-changing market conditions and the different selling points of each property. He had to rely on his leader who could answer any questions immediately, which impressed him.

Now a Senior Associate Executive Director leading the largest division at Orange Tee & Tie Pte Ltd, ApexAchieversGroup (AAG), the story behind Lesters success is a very unique one.

After realising that data is everywhere, Lester was prompted to create an application that houses different types of relevant data to make information more accessible for agents.

Then came the Shake to Search feature. It all started when Lesters friend showed him that he can undo texts on the iPhone just by shaking his phone. And from there, that was his source of inspiration.

It would be so cool if I could also shake my phone for relevant nearby data to appear, proclaimed Lester enthusiastically.

When he shared the idea with his wife, she immediately shot the idea down, citing that no agent would search for data in that manner.

But the app became an industry breakthrough, and within just a year after launch, the app saw many agents hopping on the platform and copies of the feature began to emerge.

Just by lightly shaking the phone, the application will reflect information on the nearby properties, with the nearest showing first. When agents select a property, in depth and targeted information such as the units for sale/rent, previous transactions and more will appear.

This feature will also allow agents to be prepared for potential questions that lead to the final decision making process, added Lester. Because nowadays, agents cannot engage property seekers with uncertainty.

Before PropertyGuru came into the picture and revolutionised Proptech, processes were very old-fashioned and I felt that I can fill the gap, said Lester.

Lesters initial aim to fill the gap was to become more efficient personally as an agent by solving the issues he commonly faced. Little did he realize that he was not alone.

As the application evolved over the past 10 years, so did the number of agents under Lester, growing from 5 agents to 1,400 strong and counting.

Showing PropertyGuru on how he recruits agents, Lester formulated a code according to 5 variables:

Code dissected:

Despite being a strong advocate of technological adoption, Lester still believes that agents need to build and maintain a soft touch with property seekers.

As technology continues to advance, property seekers would be more likely to do ample research before viewing a property. But this doesnt mean that agents cease to value-add to these property seekers.

As agents, we are the eyes on the ground. This means that we have the most updated information on the market, even before official public announcements, and will then be able to provide them with the most updated figures.

With the current generation being more data-driven, agents can go a step further when making a sales transaction and engage them in a different manner. The latest transactions and figures matter, but not as much anymore. Property seekers are more interested in the big picture, and how they can plan ahead when buying a home.

Now, agents are slowly taking on a more consultative role, mapping out the goals property seekers have, and thereafter, advising them on the necessary steps to reach the goals. Data helps educate property seekers while agents act as the bridge to create the need for further education.

So, by leveraging on technology and being aligned to the future, we are riding in the same direction, Lester added. After all, there is no way to resist the onslaught of technology. Instead we ought to adopt and ride on top of it.

Even though the application is created free for all AAG agents, at the expense of Lesters personal time, he feels that he does not lose out on anything.

As a leader, it is my job to empower agents under me. Other leaders form of empowerment is through training, but I take on a different approach for us to grow.

To Lester, if he keeps all the benefits of this application to himself, he will be just like every other agent.

For his new agents, they will benefit from the application because they need not struggle like how he did, and it also gives them an edge above others as it helps them look more professional and experienced, enabling them to earn the trust of property seekers and quickly close their first deal.

Although the application is free for agents own personal usage, collectively, they are eyes on the ground and will still be able to help each other out, allowing them to achieve the best of both worlds.

The success of this application is a testament to the number of awards bagged by Lesters division during the 2018 Orange Tee & Tie Award Ceremony. The team finished strong and emerged champion in all six Top Division Awards.

Looking into the future, Lester is unsure of what it holds, especially with the unpredictable market conditions. But he hopes to go into the area of predictive analysis.

But in the meantime, he is continuing to improve himself, in the hope of creating better features on the application, specially for his agents.

Thank you, Lester, for being a part of PropertyGuru!

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Using technology to align to the future | Agents News - PropertyGuru Singapore

Theres no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to moving the needle on diversity.

In Chicago tech for example, companies are working with local organizations such as WomenHack and Everwonder to develop the tech skills of women and minorities,creating internal programs for minority entrepreneurship in the cannabis industryand partnering with third-party organizations that specialize incompany diversity assessments.

The following sevencompanies are making significant strides to uplift marginalized groups within tech. And they won't slow down till they see real change.

Monica Boada Mueller is the executive director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation as well as the senior director of inclusion, diversity and outreach, so she knows a thing or two about celebrating differences.

The internal foundation she leads at the communications company puts girls on professional paths in STEM. She said initiatives like that and the companys leadership academy for women help diversify the pool of techies in the industry.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

We recognize the importance of diversity and consistently making strides toward diversifying our employee base, particularly in regards to hiring female employees. It starts with making sure we have a pipeline of girls entering STEM fields that allow companies like ours to attract the talent we need. One way we do that is through our Motorola Solutions Foundation, which supports STEM programming particularly technology and engineering reaching women. We believe it is critically important to support the next generation of innovators.

...weve enhanced our parental and family leave policy and provided unconscious bias training.

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

First, our leaders are bringing a sense of intentionality to inclusion and diversity. As a Hispanic woman, when presented with the opportunity to lead our inclusion and diversity initiatives, I accepted the role because I firmly believed our top leaders had intentionality.

Among some of our efforts, weve enhanced our parental and family leave policy and provided unconscious bias training. We also offer an internship program which was recognized by WayUp as a Top 100 U.S. internship that provides at pipeline of diverse candidates.

Our Women Who Lead speaker series is another way we demonstrate our commitment to inclusion and diversity. Led by our CEO, this series exposes our employees to influential women leaders from all backgrounds who share their diverse leadership experiences. We also offer a leadership academy experience for our women employees. This includes in-person training and self-paced learning and practice activities, all geared toward building their leadership skills.

As a nationwide cannabis cultivator and retailer, Green Thumb Industries has gained a lot of experience navigating the complex cannabis industry.

SVP of Government and Regulatory Affairs Dina Rollman said that through a recently launched program, the company is sharing its understanding of the industry with minority populations most affected by the U.S. laws that govern cannabis.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

In the cannabis industry as a whole, there is a lack of business ownership for minorities as well as a path to entry for those most directly impacted by the war on drugs. The Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act signed into law this past June reduces barriers to entry for those wanting to enter the cannabis industry. It does this by creating additional license categories, discounting license application fees for those who qualify as social equity applicants and creating a low-interest loan and grant program for social equity license winners. The Act also mandates automatic expungement of minor cannabis offenses.

There is a lack of business ownership for minorities...

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

In September, GTI launched its Illinois Social Equity License Application Assistance Program, dubbed LEAP, to help educate social equity applicants about the adult-use cannabis business application process and to help them prepare for the categories of licenses. GTI has a history of winning licenses and believes it is part of our corporate responsibility to use our in-house expertise and resources to help reduce barriers to cannabis business ownership for minorities and others impacted by the war on drugs.

Our application experts meet weekly with applicants to offer guidance on the required application content. We wanted to share our expertise with the next generation of cannabis entrepreneurs and are looking forward to seeing many social equity applicants win licenses and build their own businesses.

Rightpoint is an end-to-end digital consultancy. In the same way companies partner with them to upgrade their customer experiences, the agency looks to outside sources to improve its internal diversity.

Senior Vice President of Strategy and Design Anamika Lasser said Rightpoint wanted to get consulted on where they needed to enhance their diversity efforts, so they partnered with another firm to get feedback.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

There are some common issues the technology industry faces that we seem to be facing as well. The lack of diversity in leadership roles is compounded by the lack of diverse candidates applying for these roles. Without increased diversity in the higher levels, junior talent has a more difficult time finding mentors they can relate to. Its crucial to have diverse voices in meetings where decisions are being made.

Weve engaged an outside firm to conduct a diversity, equity and inclusion audit so that we can better understand our internal landscape.

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

We are doing a number of things to increase diversity, beginning with framing the issue as a business priority and a people priority. Weve engaged an outside firm to conduct a diversity, equity and inclusion audit so that we can better understand our internal landscape and also create a baseline to measure our progress.

Concurrently, we have identified three areas of focus: leadership training on inclusivity and mentorship; recruiting for diverse senior and junior talent; and creating diversity at the team level. A council of senior leadership that includes our people potential team will continue to ensure progress and equity. Quarterly, they will evaluate the company against specific measurements, like the number of diverse candidates received and hires made.

Deb Coomer, senior director of enterprise data, integration and analytics at retailer Ulta Beauty, said the company stays active in the women in tech community through events.

From speaking at functions on International Womens Day to hosting a WomenHacks event, Coomer said the company makes its presence felt on the ground so it can empower women in the industry.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

Diversity, especially among women within IT across many industries, is certainly an important topic at Ulta Beauty. While our CEO, CIO, chief legal officer and chief store officer are all women, there is still work to be done within IT. And the women and men in our IT and HR groups are tackling that challenge head-on.

While our CEO, CIO, chief legal officer and chief store officer are all women, there is still work to be done within IT.

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

One of Ulta Beautys six core values is champion diversity, so we ensure its at the heart of everything we do. We, along with our partners, speak at conferences and events, such as International Womens Day, to bring attention to women in technology. We have also participated in WomenHacks, an event focused on connecting top female engineers, designers and product managers with opportunities at diversity-first companies; we will be hosting a WomenHack next year. Ulta Beauty continues to provide role models to women in technology and mentor women at various stages of their technology career to show them what the possibilities can be.

OppLoans offers more affordable personal loans to help customers build credit and create a more inclusive economy. Theyre also ushering in a more inclusive workplace.

IT Support Engineer Tisa Johnson and Senior Technical Recruiter Alex Riewer said partnerships with diversity hiring platforms and using data to improve their candidate sourcing has allowed the company to diversify their workforce.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

Johnson: When I initially interviewed with OppLoans three months ago, I did not see many people like me an African American female in the tech department. But since joining, our people team has worked to diversify the talent in that department and across the company.

The tech population is becoming more diverse each year, and OppLoans is taking full advantage of that. Were ensuring we are on candidates radar, and that starts with the recruiting and hiring process.

A diverse candidate pool is an important first step to building a diverse workforce.

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

Riewer: As we continue to grow our tech team, we as recruiters are dedicated to providing the hiring teams with a diverse candidate pool. Our recent hires have demonstrated that a diverse candidate pool is an important first step to building a diverse workforce at all levels of the business. We use data to continuously improve the quality and diversity of our candidate slates during the onsite interview process.

We have formed partnerships with diversity hiring platforms, and we recently started a tech community meetup series with events every few weeks called Oppt for Tech Diversity. This series brings together diverse technologists in an inclusive space for learning, development and networking.

Internally, we have several employee-led communities. They enable staff with different backgrounds and identities to create programs for personal and professional development and have a positive, direct impact on the business.

Senior Engineering Manager Gregg Walrod said Nerdery is embedding diversity into the foundation of the company, starting with the training of its leadership.

In addition to the IT and digital solutions consultancys top-down approach, Walrod said the companys community-based partnerships aim at giving minorities and women greater opportunities in tech.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

One of Nerderys primary challenges is being able to attract and compete for highly sought-after people from underrepresented groups. We need to be able to connect with talented individuals that we want to add to our teams and demonstrate that they will not only be welcomed, but will also thrive as a part of our team.

We have partnered with Everwonder, who works with women and people of color to provide job shadowing experiences in tech.

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

Fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce is a key priority of our CEO and company. We are investing in resources to build a comprehensive and scalable approach to meaningfully embed diversity, equity and inclusion principles into the core of our operations, which includes training for our leadership team as a starting point. We also have a group that meets monthly to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion at Nerdery and in the broader community.

Locally, we have partnered with Everwonder, who works with women and people of color to provide job shadowing experiences in tech. Our Chicago team has also partnered with General Assembly in support of their Women in Tech scholarship, with engineers on our team providing review and feedback on their final projects.

CityBase provides end-to-end payment solutions and other digital services for government clients.

Marketing Coordinator Samuel Hutchins said one of the services he assists with is ensuring those in government keep diversity top of mind when connecting with constituents.

Whats the biggest diversity issue your company is currently facing?

At CityBase, its part of our culture to continually be sharing and learning from perspectives outside of our purview whether that be our weekly cross-functional demo days, to this years LGBTQ+ pride party, to having gender representation at every level of the organization.

Additionally, my work involves showcasing how our products and solutions serve culturally and economically diverse populations in cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and Indianapolis. Its imperative that our government tech solutions are accessible and user-friendly for 100 percent of the population because thats who the government must serve. An important part of creating products for local government and the people they serve is making sure those developing the products reflect that same level of diversity.

Its imperative that our government tech solutions are accessible and user-friendly for 100 percent of the population.

What concrete, actionable steps are you taking to tackle this issue?

Collaboration with senior HR leadership is instrumental in how companies develop an inclusive and equitable approach. The tech industry is focused on the next step of diversity and inclusion, moving toward an equity and empowerment approach.

Digital technology can help bridge gaps between local government and their constituents. Governments can partner with tech companies to achieve their goals surrounding constituent engagement. However, if tech companies are going to help improve government accessibility, its important that theyre bringing diverse perspectives to the table. Im focused on helping to build company alliances alongside local organizations committed to ensuring that technology is a sector that fields contributions from everyone.

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The Number One Diversity Issue These Companies Face And How They're Tackling It - Built In Chicago

Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), Yogyakarta, Indonesia had invited Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norlaili Mat Safri as Keynote Speaker and Dr. Nurul Ashikin as Invited Speaker to share their research which are related to Industry 4.0 in the field of biomedical instrumentation and electronics with their participants. The UII hosted the joint conference of the International Biomedical Instrumentation and Technology Conference (IBITeC), International Conference on Engineering Technology for Sustainable Development (ICET4SD), and International Conference on Accounting, Business and Economics (ICABE) which was held at the Royal Ambarrukmo Hotel, Yogyakarta on October 23 and October 24, 2019. The theme for this Joint Conference was Empowerment of Industry 4.0 for Healthcare and Welfare.

The industry 4.0 employs technologies for automation and data exchange through cloud computing, big data, internet of things (IoT), augmented reality, and etc. The IoT brings together physical objects with embedded electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity which means, they are able to collect and exchange data with each other. This leads to advancement in wearable health technology such as using smart watches to collect data of users personal health and exercise, wristbands equipped with sensors to keep track of the user physical activity and heart rate, and sync to various smart phone apps for health and fitness recommendations, wearable ECG monitors and wearable blood pressure monitors that looks like typical smart watch. Among various emerging technologies, smartphone-based analysis appears to be a promising platform for non-invasive patient health monitoring due to its accessibility.

The keynote presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norlaili explored the method of developing a portable smart phone-based cardiac self-stress test device which was spearheaded by Dr. Mohd Afzan Othman of bioMedical Instrumentation and Electronic (bMIE) research group. The device will be useful to sort out patients case priority as well as providing pre-diagnosis result before conducting a real cardiac stress test in hospital as well as to help users to monitor their own health anytime and anywhere. Cardiac stress test is a procedure to exert pressure on the heart by doing physical activities to determine heart functionality and abnormal heart activity. It is done to gather information on heart condition supported by evidence in the form of ECG signal (the electrical heart signals). There are several procedures to determine the type of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiac stress test is one of them. New technology emerges from Industry 4.0 such as smartphone with sensors which makes cardiac stress test in hospital available for self-test through development of smart health device.

Smartphones play an important role in the healthcare industry. Thus, the increase in smartphone usage is in parallel with the rising demand for wireless and smartphone-compatible medical devices. This in turn promotes awareness and focus on health and fitness, and demand-led growth for home usage. In addition, a flexible wireless ECG monitoring device paired with a smartphone could overcome the bulkiness of Holter monitor for ambulatory ECG monitoring; the extensive wire connections of this device limit the user mobility. As technologies in the healthcare field improve with time, this may result in the increase of development cost and subsequently the price of wearable devices, making them less affordable for people in developing countries. To overcome this issue, as what was highlighted by Dr. Nurul Ashikin during the conference, cutting plotter method is able to fabricate flexible wireless ECG monitoring device on polymer material using cutting plotter method, with no need of screen printing, inkjet printing or even direct printing which require higher maintenance cost for the device.

Further discussion on collaboration of the thence event between the Biomedical Engineering Unit, Department of Electrical Engineering from Fakultas Teknologi Industri of UII and bMIE research group which was represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norlaili and Dr. Nurul Ashikin of School of Electrical Engineering is needed for future events.

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Networking between BMIE Research Group and Biomedical Engineering Research Unit, Fakultas Teknologi Industri, Universitas Islam Indonesia - UTM...