I am an avid collector of inspirational stories. I suppose this is a prerequisite to being a counselor—we are, after all, often in the business of helping our clients and/or students to find the inspiration and insight needed to make changes in their lives. And although what I’d like to share with you is not necessarily a green story, in the big picture I think being an advocate for the good of the community, whether environmental or not is very similar. Lady Dawn Russell’s story practically jumped off the pages of Vanity Fair into my blog.

Her triumph over personal obstacles (she was diagnosed with stage III skin cancer at age 25) led her to be an inspirational speaker, traveling all over the country to speak at schools. Her message and mission is to help young girls develop self esteem and self respect. The Dawn Russell foundation is devoted to helping adolescent girls become the self confident and happy faces of the future. Dawn’s story deserves a read because it is refreshing, inspiring and timely all at once; I would love to see her speak!