Hi all. In an attempt to "re-vive" this forum a little, I asked for some assistance from my wonderful PTO Admin, and they came up with a great idea. A contest!
Well, I thought that sounded like alot of fun, and I think all of you will too. :)
We all know that this forum can get a bit dry because there isn't always wonderful things going on behind prison walls. So, here is where the contest comes in.
I challenge each one of you to find either a newspaper article, or some other form of "media outlet" (thanks Pammie!) that talks of POSITIVE things that are occuring in regards to prison life. Here's an example of what I mean:
http://www.cohobristolcounty.********/index.html
So what do ya all think?
I figured I would leave this thread open for a while to give us busy people time to actually find some really good info. Then, when we have a bunch of responses, or when too much time has passed, we will all vote on the best one.
And, THE WINNER will receive.............are you sitting down?
THE FABULOUS PTO COOKBOOK!!!
How cool eh?
So, lets do this and really get some positive energy flowing through here!
Good luck and lets have some fun!

Here ya go :)
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/02/26/girl.scouts/

Another great story was in People magazine this past week regarding a program called Family Foundations.
The incarcerated mothers are allowed to have up to two of their children( 6 yrs and under) live with them during their time. It is mainly for drug offenders, I believe, and was a really great article to see in a mainstream magazine like People.

ARTICLE # 1

Excellent story! I had no idea that something like that was happening and in a few different states too! It's definitely got to be hard for the daughters to leave their mothers, but how nice that they actually get to spend some REAL time with them. And, I definitely think it will teach these girls what will happen to them if they break the law like their moms did.
Great job!

i don't get the newspaper and no access to magazines but mike is involved with this and it's excellent .animal planet filmed at branchville for a week and it will be airing after the first of the year - "the jones puppies reunion "and "cell dogs "the web sit is www.icaan.net ,this program has changed not only the trainers attitudes but that of the whole dorm.


ARTICLE #2

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/news/stories/20031106/localnews/590035.html
Here's a little something I came across today.


ARTICLE #3

dkr55 and KimzSis- both of these stories were great! They brought tears to my eyes!!!

Inmates run project to help needy children

I took this out of this article:http://www.natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives/122002/122002f.htm

The bylaws also require that 100 percent of the money raised “shall go directly to benefit underprivileged children who are provided assistance from the Children’s Fund Project.” That stipulation requires that men who fashion arts and crafts projects, for example, must pay for their own materials and that no project money may be spent to haul cans to the nearby recycling center. But the inmates get a helping hand from prison guards, who make their own contribution to the project by using personal time to make the needed trips to the recycling center


ARTICLE #4

Here's information about Michigan Prisoners helping build Habitat for Humanity Homes for low income people!

mrs. d

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=309872#post309872


ARTICLE #5

Just look at this, amazing.....
Thought of all sheriffs being nazi's but this is showing they can be ok too :

http://www.opcso.org/prison_art.htm


ARTICLE #6

Ok guys! We have gotten some good responses here. Lets see how many more we can get within the next week, and then we will pick a winner. One week from today, oh wait, that's Thanksgiving. So, Friday, November 28 will be the contest deadline. So, if you've got some good articles, lets hear em!
I know you all want the wonderful PTO cookbook!!!

It's time to vote on your favorite article!!!
Please vote only once-
Good luck to all who have submitted their articles!!!
To whomever wins- enjoy your new PTO cookbook!!!!!
I have marked each post with a number....Article #1, article #2, etc.
Please find the article you want to win in the poll, and vote for it!
We didn't have a ton of responses, but the ones we did get were awesome and should ALL win!
So, good luck!!!

Ok guys- we have only gotten TWO votes! TWO!
I am going to keep this poll open until Tuesday- maybe because of the holiday weekend some of you weren't able to vote? That's what I prefer to think anyways. :)
So c'mon guys! I really want to see someone win a PTO Cook book! Don't you?
So, vote!!!! :)

So far a tie. What time is the deadline?

Well, the poll was going to close today at some point, but I extended it until tomorrow.

Should we post a shout so the tie can be broke? lol

Oh phooey... it's closed. There is an excellent article in this month's "Oprah" magazine about a drama group at a women's maximum security prison that has done some outstanding work. They've written a performance piece that was performed by celebs like Glenn Close, Marissa Tomei. The workshop was conducted by and the documentary written by Eve Ensler, who also wrote The Vagina Monologues. She worked with a group of women at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for five years. PBS will be airing the documentary sometime this month, I believe. And she's submitting it to the Sundance Film Festival as well. It's a wonderful article about a woman who changed the lives of many women inside that prison. I highly recommend it. The December Oprah.