Jan 8, 2016 | Fresh Foods, healthy eating, holiday food program
For many people, the holidays are a time of great expectations – much anticipated visits with friends and family traveling back home for the season; surprise gifts received from family and friends. For others, however, the holidays can be a time of intense loneliness, magnified even more when compared with the backdrop of seemingly non-stop festivities and parties enjoyed by everyone else. For these people, the greatest gift they can receive is that of friendship — a comforting hand, a reassuring voice, a friendly face.
This year, Gregory’s Fresh Market, a division of Diana Gregory Outreach Services, once again recruited volunteers and sponsors to bring healthy food and friendship to seniors living in the greater Phoenix area through its fifth annual “Gift of Nutrition” program. In the program, seniors receive fresh fruits and vegetables delivered by volunteers who also spend time with them, offering companionship, entertainment and holiday greetings.
“The holidays can be a tough and lonely time, especially for seniors,”” said Diana Gregory, president and founder of Gregory’s Fresh Market. “We are so grateful to the volunteers who give their time to visit the seniors and to the sponsors who have enabled us to reach more than 7,000 seniors since we started Gift of Nutrition.”
This year, the Gift of Nutrition program ran from November 16 to December 23 and reached more than 20 senior locations in the Greater Phoenix area. In addition to healthy food and visitations, seniors also were treated to musical entertainment from Living Spirit, a singing group of ministers who perform spirit filled music, and from local singer Ivan Thompson.
Added Gregory: “I want to say a special thank you to Angela Curley and the volunteers from the Henkel Corporation for their community service and donation, to ONECare by Care1st Health Plan Arizona Inc., the presenting sponsor of the Gift of Nutrition holiday program, and to the other supporters who generously partnered with us to expand healthy eating options to more seniors in the Greater Phoenix area.”
Proceeds from the 4th Annual Senior Awards Luncheon help fund the holiday program. The luncheon sponsors are Presenting Sponsor, ONECare by Care1st Health Plan Arizona Inc., Southwest Airlines, Walgreens, Henkel, Southwest Gas Corporation, Cox, Arizona Foundation for Women, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus- Pine Council Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Majerle’s Sports Grill and the Arizona Informant.
Diana Gregory Outreach Services is committed to fulfilling its mission to improve the lives of seniors in the Greater Phoenix area through healthy eating choices.
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Dec 23, 2015 | Fresh Foods, healthy eating, Independent Living, seniors
Since founding Gregory’s Fresh Market 6 years ago, an outreach organization where we enrich lives for seniors, I have learned so much from spending time with seniors, centenarians and super centenarians. Here are a few lessons.
Ernestine Shepherd
I met Ernestine Shepherd in September 2014. She is 79 years young. I learned from her that It’s Never Too Late to do whatever you desire in life. Never say or think that you are “too old” to do anything. Ernestine was declared the World’s Oldest Performing Female Bodybuilder by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010. She did not begin working out until she was 56. She has run nine marathons. Her mantra is “Determined, Dedicated, and Disciplined – To be fit for life.”
Tao Porchon Lynch
In September 2015, I met Tao Porchon Lynch. She is 97 and is the Guinness World Records oldest yoga teacher. She began ballroom dancing in her 80’s and was featured in June 2015 with her 26 year old partner on America’s Got Talent. During our conversation, Tao shared with me that aging begins in the hands and the feet. It’s important to exercise your hands and feet daily. Her mantra is “there is nothing we cannot do if we harness the power within us.”
Diana Gregory and Vicky Moe
Ms. Vicky Moe and I met four years ago at Beatitudes Campus. She is 103 years old and encourages everyone to maintain a positive attitude. Negative thoughts decay your mind. When a negative thought comes up,replace it with a joke or something positive. Avoid spending time with people who complain about how old they feel. They will make you feel old too. Instead, surround yourself with people who feel and act young, both inside and out. Be patient, forgiving and endearing. Keep moving. Exercise daily, even if it’s only walking. She takes a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Google the benefits of extra virgin oil and you will be amazed at what you will learn.
Bernando LaPallo
I have known Mr. Bernando LaPallo, super centenarian and 114 years old for four years. How does his skin remain smooth? He rubs his skin with extra virgin oil daily. It works. Try it for a week. Mr. LaPallo encourages everyone to do whatever you want, but with a degree of moderation. Watch this video and hear more lessons that I learned from Mr. LaPallo.
I learned all that I know about juicing from my dad, the Juice King. My dad is a 20 year cancer survivor. He has maintained a daily regiment of vegetable and fruit juices over the last 30 years.
I learned about serving others and volunteering from my uncle Dick Gregory and the many seniors I have met that are doing exceptional volunteer work. Throughout Dick Gregory’s life, he has been committed to helping others.
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Oct 11, 2015 | event, events, fundraiser, Giving, seniors, Sponsors
Hundreds of community supporters filled the ballroom of the Arizona Biltmore Resort to honor and celebrate individuals who are thriving in their twilight years. The Fourth Annual Senior Awards were held on Friday, Sept. 25. 
Susan Casper, Host of Sonoran Living Live, ABC15 was the emcee. Gregory’s Fresh Market presents this annual event because the holidays can be a lonely time for some seniors. Proceeds from the luncheon provide bags of fresh fruits and vegetables to over 2,000 seniors during the holidays. This year’s sponsors were presenting sponsor ONECare by Care1st Health Plan Arizona, Inc., Southwest Airlines, Walgreens, Southwest Gas, Cox, Henkel, Arizona Foundation for Women, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Majerle’s Sports Grill and the Arizona Informant.
“All of our honorees have blazed trails and have truly transformed lives through their service to others,” said Diana Gregory, founder of Gregory’s Fresh Market and the annual Senior Awards program. “By gracing us with their presence and their stories, they delight and inspire us all over again – transcending time, space and generations.” “Thank you to everyone that contributed to making the event successful.”
This year, four centenarians were celebrated. They were Clara Bloom (100), Hilda Jones (102), Vicky Moe (103) and supercentenarian and author Bernando LaPallo (114).
The Senior Volunteer Award is given to those individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and devote time and energy to improve the quality of life for others. This year’s recipients were James Soudriette and Helen Lou Woody.
Lester Strong, Vice President of External Affairs and Experience Corps spoke about the importance of the program. Experience Corps is a program of AARP Foundation which tutors and mentors elementary school children (K-3) who struggle with reading by utilizing the skills and experiences of adults 50 and over. Experience Corps serves 32,000 students in 23 cities. Strong received the Community Collaboration Award.
Senior Coordinator Awards were presented to Amy McWilliams, Gabriela Razo and Brenda Taylor. This award recognizes the honorees’ excellent work in meeting the social service needs of seniors and assisting them with maintaining their independence as long as possible.
The following awards were nominated by leaders in the community based on alignment with Gregory’s Fresh Market mission and selected by a panel of judges.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Dr. Pearl Tang. Dr. Tang is a leader, advocate and champion for women and children’s health and welfare. She participates in many programs and carries on the legacy of her late husband, the Honorable Judge Thomas Tang of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Dick Gregory Humanitarian Award was given to the Archer-Ragsdale Arizona Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. The Tuskegee Airmen had a crucial role in demolishing the barriers to progress for all minorities in America. The chapter carries on the legacy through many local and national community programs.
The Outstanding Fitness Award was presented to Tao Porchon-Lynch. At 97, she is the oldest yoga teacher by Guinness World Records. She is also a ballroom dancer and activist. Tao is a living advertisement for how to tap into our human potential. She is unique in her ability to overcome the effects of aging by controlling her body and mind in harmony with Yoga’s principles.
Each year, Gregory’s Fresh Market enriches the lives of more than 6,000 Arizona seniors through its on-site farmers market program, nutrition education, delivery of fresh produce for health and wellness workshops, and provides the gift of health and nutrition during the holidays where seniors receive bags of fresh fruits and vegetables. Gregory’s Fresh Market is a division of Diana Gregory Outreach Services.
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Sep 1, 2015 | award, events, healthy eating, Independent Living, Uncategorized
4th Annual Senior Awards Friday, September 25, 2015 at the Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
Ninety seven year old Tao Porchon-Lynch has set the world on fire and has been covered by media around the globe from CNN, NBC and CBS to BBC, AlJazeera and India Times. Her YouTube videos have garnered almost 1 million views and counting! Since she started dancing competitively at the age of 87, she has won over 600 first-place awards. On top of that, she marched with Mahatma Gandhi – twice. Master Yoga Teacher, former model/actress/producer, award-winning dancer, lifelong activist and wine connoisseur… be inspired by her words, her presence and her footwork.
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Aug 21, 2015 | award, events, seniors
4th Annual Senior Awards Friday, September 25, 2015 at the Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
The Tuskegee Airmen
In 1939, the winds of war howled fiercely across Europe and the Far East. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was just 75 years old, Black people in America knew that the threats that faced the free world could enslave our nation. African American men and women bravely fought against bigotry and racial oppression throughout America. However, that battle had to be put on hold as the nation was in peril of a greater formidable foe: Nazi Germany and their Axis Allies.
Prior to 1939, biased propaganda and harsh segregation kept the doors of aviation closed to African Americans. This was due, in large part, to an inaccurate and disparaging 1925 report of the U. S. War Department. African Americans were falsely depicted as ineffective and poor performers during WW I. The report further concluded that: (1) Blacks were inferior to their white counterparts in every discipline; (2) they lacked the intestinal fortitude for battle and were unreliable under fire; and (3) they were incapable of possessing the necessary skills to operate and master the complex military equipment employed in combat. Clearly this egregious report chose to ignore that black men and women had performed admirably and courageously in every conflict and skirmish involving America since the Revolutionary War. It took a concentrated effort by Black leaders, the Black media, and a few friends in U. S. Congress to overcome a myriad of hurdles before two Congressional laws were passed to allow Blacks to train in aviation. These laws allowed programs at certain colleges and universities to be established to train African American students in aviation and related disciplines.
Since Tuskegee Institute developed largest aviation program, it was given prime status in 1940. The first aviation cadet class began in July 1941 and completed training nine months later in March 1942. Thirteen men started in the first class; five successfully completed the training. One of these was Captain Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a West Point Academy graduate. The other four were commissioned second lieutenants, and all five received Army Air Corps silver pilot wings.
From 1942 through 1946, approximately 996 pilots graduated and received their commission and pilot wings. Black navigators, bombardiers and gunnery crews were trained at selected military bases elsewhere in the United States. In all, more than 15,000 men and women participated in the “Tuskegee Airmen Experience”. Four hundred and fifty of the pilots served overseas in either the 99th Pursuit Squadron (later the 99th Fighter Squadron) and the 332nd Fighter Group. These aviators flew over 15,000 sorties, destroyed or damaged over 400 enemy aircraft, destroyed over 1,000 military targets, and sank an enemy destroyer. Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen lost their lives and thirty-two others spent time as prisoners of war. Their awards included a Legion of Merit, Silver Star, 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 744 Air Medals, 14 Bronze Stars, and 8 Purple Hearts. This record is unequalled by any other unit in the history of American combat.
The success of the Tuskegee Airmen proved to the American Public and the world, that when given an opportunity, African Americans could indeed become effective military leaders, pilots, and significant contributors to the nation’s defense. Their story also reflects the struggle of African Americans in achieving equal rights that helped set the stage for nonviolent direct action in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Thus the Tuskegee “Airmen Experience” provided a significant benchmark in the annals of American History.
In August 1972, a group of Tuskegee Airmen gathered in Detroit, Michigan and voted to establish a National Tuskegee Airmen Organization. In 1978, the organization was incorporated and became Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated (TAI). TAI is a nation-wide organization that honors the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen and strives to perpetuates the history of African Americans who participated in the “Tuskegee Experience” during WW II. Today, approximately 55 active TAI Chapters throughout the United States are firmly committed to the following:
- Introducing young people to aviation and science through local and national programs such as Young Eagles and TAI youth programs and activities.
- Providing educational assistance to students and awards to deserving individuals, groups and corporations whose deeds lend support to TAI’s goals.
- Supporting the Tuskegee Airmen Awards presented to deserving cadets in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program.
In addition, the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation (TASF) was established in 1979 to serve as a vehicle to provide annual scholarships to deserving young Americans for their academic pursuit of excellence. The Tuskegee Airmen also support a mobile exhibit that travels throughout the United States to bring life to the Tuskegee Airmen story and to enlighten all Americans about these historic contributions to our nation.
The Archer-Ragsdale Arizona Chapter (ARAC) was officially incorporated in the state of Arizona January 18, 2006. The chapter was named in honor of two original Tuskegee Airmen (OTAs), Chief Master Sergeant Fred Archer and First Lieutenant Lincoln Ragsdale. Archer was the first African American Chief Master Sergeant (CMSGT) in the USAF. After a 33-year Air Force career, CMSGT Archer retired and lived in Tucson. He had a significant impact in civic and retiree programs until his death. Lincoln Ragsdale was stationed at Luke AFB in 1945 and decided to remain in the Phoenix area after completing his military obligation. He was a civil rights leader and prominent businessman in Phoenix and the State of Arizona. In additional to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Lincoln was a cornerstone in the political and civil rights arena through his tireless efforts to help diversify the city government and schools. Later, additional members of TAI and the Organization of Black Airlines Pilots (OBAP) settled in the Phoenix area and became involved in youth activities in the communities and churches. ARAC immediately developed an ambitious outreach program for youth throughout Phoenix and the state of Arizona. The chapter particularly targeted minority youth to include African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans.
On March 29, 2007, President George W. Bush presented the Congressional Gold Medal to approximately 300 Tuskegee Airmen or their widows at the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C.
On January 20, 2009, approximately 180 Tuskegee Airmen responded to the personal invitation of President Barack Obama to attend his inauguration. Thus, President Obama, of African descent, acknowledged the crucial role the Tuskegee Airmen had in demolishing the barriers to progress for all minorities in America. The Tuskegee Airmen have continued to serve their families, communities, and the nation with the same dedication, determination, and passion for over 72 years.
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