Author Archives: Reah Nicholson

We Thank You … For Making a Difference

Posted on by Reah Nicholson

Spring has sprung and it is absolutely gorgeous outside. The flowers are starting to bloom, pollen has made its appearance known by covering everything yellow, and the trees are looking greener and greener. Yeah, we may have a few cooler days in between as winter makes its way out, but overall, it is absolutely beautiful. The weather is perfect; perfect for getting outside and making a difference in your community.

Photo courtesy of HandsOn Network

It’s National Volunteer Week, which runs from April 15-21, 2012. It’s the perfect time to get out there and do something that you have always wanted to do. Feed that drive and passion that has been stirring in your heart for years. Go ahead and try something new. Be bold, be different, take a stand and volunteer.

Looking for a volunteer opportunity? Wanting to challenge your skills and passions? Just want to lend a hand to someone else? Become a big brother or big sister, serve as a mentor to a child in need, help a homeless family get back on their feet, serve a hot meal to a senior citizen who is sick or shut-in, or donate items that you may see as trash because I guarantee you, they will be a treasure to someone else. Continue reading →

Reah Nicholson is a Marketing Associate at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She says people read her because she's the biggest sports fanatic, who knows more about sports than most guys, an independent woman, a passionate writer and a supporter of those less fortunate than herself.




March Madness: Same Results, Different Rewards

Posted on by Reah Nicholson

March is here! And, it is my favorite time of the year. Not because the first day of spring arrives, even though that is my favorite season, but because it is officially March Madness. It’s time for good weather and great basketball. There’s no better place to be for college basketball than in the Triangle region of North Carolina. This is basketball country! And I love every minute of it!

pregame huddle...

photo credit: craig.letourneau.photography

 As I sit here looking at the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Bracket, wondering who my picks will be this year, I start thinking about all the emphasis that is put on this “Big Dance.” I think about the millions of dollars that go into putting this event on. Can you believe the number of companies that pay millions to have their commercials shown during the “big” games, the number of corporations that wait until this time of year to spend those sponsorship dollars and the amount of money that thousands of fans put on the line in hopes they win their pools?

Being the sports fanatic that I am, I enjoy the “Big Dance” just as much as the next person, and I will watch every single game in hopes that I earn an ‘A’ average on my bracket selections. However, one thing I will not do is spend my hard-earned money on a basketball tournament. Why? Because there are so many people in this world that are living without. Without what you ask? Everything! Continue reading →

Reah Nicholson is a Marketing Associate at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She says people read her because she's the biggest sports fanatic, who knows more about sports than most guys, an independent woman, a passionate writer and a supporter of those less fortunate than herself.




Every 26 Seconds … Tackling the Dropout Rate

Posted on by Reah Nicholson
 
Did you know 7,000 students drop out of school every day? If that doesn’t wake you up, then how about this alarming statistic: Every 26 seconds, a student drops out of high school. That means, every year, about 1.3 million students do not graduate from high school. Can you believe that?
 
A few weeks ago, I was watching a basketball game. Not sure if it was a collegiate or professional matchup. Who knows? My television stays on ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNU, Fox Sports South or the local ACC network. Usually I switch back and forth between games during commercial breaks, but this time I decided to check the commercials out and one really grabbed my attention.

Photo by The Associated Press

One of the most famous role models of today’s youth graced my television screen. But he wasn’t in his typical “business suit”, he was in normal, everyday attire. Being a major role model and an icon to every young boy and teenager who dreams of making it big as a professional athlete, to me, he was perfect for the spot and the right person for the powerful message that was being delivered. Continue reading →

Reah Nicholson is a Marketing Associate at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She says people read her because she's the biggest sports fanatic, who knows more about sports than most guys, an independent woman, a passionate writer and a supporter of those less fortunate than herself.




“50 Cents Just Might Make Their Whole Day”

Posted on by Reah Nicholson

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, I rode down to Sowell Street in Durham, N.C., to do a video interview with Mr. Jerome as an assignment for my job. To me, Jerome was a stranger, a man who I knew nothing about, a man who had hit hard times and was once living on the street. But when I left his little white house, I realized he was more than that, he was the man that had just changed my life. Continue reading →

Reah Nicholson is a Marketing Associate at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She says people read her because she's the biggest sports fanatic, who knows more about sports than most guys, an independent woman, a passionate writer and a supporter of those less fortunate than herself.




No NBA, So What? Life is More Than Spalding

Posted on by Reah Nicholson

Over the past 149 days, it seems that just about every wall post that I have read on Facebook has had something to do with the National Basketball Association (NBA) being in the midst of a lockout. Many of my friends have voiced complaints about not being able to watch their favorite NBA players: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, Derrick Rose, Dwayne Wade or Dirk Nowitzki.

Many of them are quite angry that they have not been able to watch professional basketball, and many of them have been sitting around, twiddling their thumbs, trying to figure out what to do with their many hours of free time since they can’t sit in front of that 52-inch TV and watch the NBA. However, my thoughts are, “So what?” There is more to life than Spalding.

Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Igor Mazic

What are they to do without the NBA on television? Is the world coming to an end because they don’t have the option of watching grown men run up and down the basketball court, while making millions of dollars that  they don’t know what to do with? Is there more to life than sports and entertainment? What about those people that don’t have a television? Continue reading →

Reah Nicholson is a Marketing Associate at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She says people read her because she's the biggest sports fanatic, who knows more about sports than most guys, an independent woman, a passionate writer and a supporter of those less fortunate than herself.