Sunday, January 6

Sunday, December 23

FEEL THE BURN 2008!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Ramadan, Happy Happy everybody!

Hope '07 treated everyone well, couldn't have been too bad if your reading this.

We're getting Feel the Burn 2008 started up, there will be a blog to accompany it as well, I'll post a link from here once it's up and running (January).

This year we are doing a motorcycle relay from coast to coast. Like last year which was such an AWESOME success--survivors, burn centers and FD's will all be involved. We are working on the route right now so if you want to participate, know a survivor who would like a motorcycle ride, know of a burn center, want to support in any way please let me know at mikethebuddha@yahoo.com.

Cities/burn centers we are thinking of approaching right now are: (not in geographical order)

Germantown, OH (of course!)
Branford, CT
Minneapolis, MN
Baltimore, MD
Allentown, PA
NYC
Columbus, OH
Dayton, OH
Indianapolis, IN (Riley Burn Center)
Chicago, IL
Denver, CO (great accommodations, no parking tix this time around)
Trinidad, CO (Witch's Brew at the microbrewery is just calling my name)
La Veta, CO (just beautiful)
Durango, CO (fahgettaboutit)
San Jose, CA (VMC)
Kansas City, MO

Please have a happy and safe Holiday Season. Check your CO/smoke detectors.

Peace, love, and happiness,

Mike Manning
Germantown FD
mikethebuddha@yahoo.com

Tuesday, June 26

More from the Executive Director, Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors

The Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors would also like to say thank you to the Firefighter Burn Institute in Sacramento for their generous donation of $300.00 to "Feel the Burn Ride 07" and also to the San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation who gave generously as well in the amount of $1,000.

The Phoenix-Society appreciates all of the support it receives and any organization still looking to be part of the "Feel the Burn 07" fund raising campaign can contact the Phoenix-Society at www.phoenix-society.org for more information.

Thank you.
Amy Acton Executive Director, Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors

Monday, June 25

From the Executive Director, Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors

On behalf of all of those affected by a burn injury and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors we want to take this opportunity to thank Firefighter Mike Manning for his incredible effort related to "Feel the Burn in 2007".

Literally, Mike challenged his body and mind to cross the country by himself and at some points did in deed "feel the burn". He did have challenges, but he fulfilled his goal to raise awareness and funds to support the Phoenix Society's ongoing work for burn survivors.

His efforts were heartfelt and it was contagious. So many were involved along the way and for that, we as an organization are grateful.

It was clear reading the blog that dozens and dozens of people were there to help Mike just as they are when someone suffers a devastating burn injury: The Firefighters, Burn Care Professionals, Burn Support Organizations and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.

Together we are stronger - thank you to Mike and family for your time and commitment, and to everyone who made it possible.

From the beginning Mike was never alone! Ultimately that is what we are all working to accomplish - a community - so no one travels the road of burn recovery alone!

Amy Acton Executive Director, Phoenix-Society for Burn Survivors

What a finale!

What a party.

Sacramento and San Jose/VMC were absolutely awesome. Thank you to the Sacramento Shriner's Hospital for bringing ALL of the kids outside for the very nice ceremony. Shriner's Hospitals are the next thing to Disneyland for a lot of these kids- toys, games, cool rehab rooms. Great job. Thank you to Sacramento FD Station 2 for the MetRx Bars, T-shirt and great directions. Big Terry joined me on his yard sale Trek 5200 bicycle for the ride from Shriners to Station 2, nice riding w/ you Terry.

San Jose FD and VMC pulled out all of the stops for the finale. Thank you to everyone for your amazing efforts for the BIG fiesta at the VMC (Especially the clean footed nurses in the burn unit). Big Bad Bruce Weisberg made it out to the party, good seeing you brother. California is passionate about their burn care and that is awesome - let's keep that going!!!

Thank you to everyone who's donated, supported, housed me, helped me, helped a burn survivor, supported a burn unit. Think globally and act locally, let's all come together to expand the scope and power behind burn care. An hour of your time, even if it's once a month or every 2 months can really make a difference in a burn survivor's life - burn camps, burn units, FD's, the Phoenix Society all need your help in making burn care work for everyone. Thanks for watching the blog - let's do something BIG next year everyone, we are thinking about a cross country relay from burn center to burn center next year w/ FF's riding motorcycles to promote awareness. My email is mikethebuddha@yahoo.com if anyone is interested in doing something like that.

So peace out y'all, keep smiling , and express some gratitude everybody -- and like my blood brother Adam says, don't forget to "Check Your Head."

Beastie Boys, Gratitude

Good Times Gone
And You Missed Them
What's Gone Wrong
In Your System
Things They Bounce
Just Like A Spalding
What'd You Think
Did You Miss Your Calling
It's So Free
This Kind Of Feeling
It's Like Life
It's So Appealing
When You've Got So Much To Say
It's Called Gratitude, And That's Right

Good Times Gone
But You Feed It
Hate's Grown Strong
You Feel You Need It
Just One Thing
Do You Know You
What You Think
That The World Owes You
What's Gonna Set You Free
Look Inside And You'll See
When You've Got So Much To Say
It's Called Gratitude, And That's Right

Sunday, June 24

More Photo's


Thank you to Patty Neifer for these photos of Mike in Sacramento.
.
Mike at Shriners Hospital signing t-shirts for the kids.




Mike with firefighters from Sacramento Fire Department Station
2 taking off on the last leg of his ride.