Last year at this time, I was spending a week at Bethany College coaching the West Virginia All-Stars in preparation for the annual OVAC All-Star Football Game. I must admit that serving as the defensive coordinator in that game was one of the highlights of my coaching career. That career began in 1995. Since that time, I have coached in Notre Dame Stadium, coached with some incredible former Notre Dame coaches in an all-star game, served as a high school head coach, and have coached in and won seven state championship games. But the annual OVAC Charity game has a special meaning to me. It brings together the best that our Valley has to offer for one night. On that night, Wheeling Park and John Marshall fans root for the same team. Bellaire and Martins Ferry residents sit side by side as they cheer for the Buckeye state. And, players that battled each other for four years now put aside former rivalries to take on players from the other side of the river.

This year finds me unable to run in the race I have participated in for the last two years due to a family commitment. That sent me on a hunt to find some other worthy cause that would allow me to give back to the community in my own small way. I didn't want the summer to go by without participating in something, so I started researching other activities in the local area supporting worthy causes. Drum roll please! I have decided to participate in the 7 th Annual RunWalkRoll Race for Mobility on July 19 th . All proceeds go to the Free Wheelchair Mission. What a worthy cause! Many people unable to afford a wheelchair can receive one through the Mission, not only in the United States but all over the world. To restore dignity and independence to people who are unable to walk is indeed a race worth running. You can sign up by filling out the registration form here: http://www.runwalkandroll.net/docs/2014_race_application.pdf

That time of year has finally arrived. It's time to get your Jambo on. Get the week started the right way with Jamie Bordas and Chris Regan on the Bordas & Bordas Legal Review's very special Jamboree in the Hills edition. Learn about the pitfalls, dangers, and opportunities to wind up on the wrong side of the law in this highly produced, carefully polished, and surprisingly popular television program.

My youngest daughter is 5-years-old today. While Mamma is at work, she is busy making Oreo pudding cups with her brother, Charles, and sister, Aleigha. Later, we have a special evening planned: she is getting a new bike and a hula hoop. What's the big deal? Kids celebrate their birthdays all the time, but this is very different; it's extra special to me.

LeBron is coming home. And you should care. Yes, you. Those of you who have never seen an NBA game should care. Those of you who hate everything about anything associated with Cleveland should care. And especially those of you with kids, you should really care. I have never been enamored with LeBron James. I have always respected his ability as a basketball player. I have been amazed by his combination of size, power, and agility. And, I have been impressed by his championships and MVP awards. But, as someone who grew up in the heart of the Michael Jordan era, I found it difficult to root for LeBron.

In Exodus, chapter two, we learn the story of the birth of Moses. Endangered in his own homeland, his mother hides Moses for three months. As time goes on, she can no longer keep him safe -Pharaoh had declared that all Jewish children would be drowned - so she placed him in a basket of papyrus to hide him amidst the reeds of the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter discovered Moses, took pity on him, and protected him, eventually treating him as her own son. Ex. 2:1-25 . Some years later, Moses saw a burning bush, and the rest is history. When I was young, I remember being troubled when our parish priest would read from the Gospel of Matthew and preach about the famous parable of the sheep and the goats . That parable of course teaches us that whatever we do for the least of our brothers, we have done that for Jesus: "For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me . . . And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." I took the words too literally; and since I had only one brother, a big brother who beat me up regularly, I had a hard time understanding what I was supposed to do for him or what good it would do me to feed him. He was already twice my size.

Bordas & Bordas is happy to call the friendly city of Wheeling, West Virginia home. The attorneys and staff of the firm are committed to giving back to the community that has given and continues to give so much to us. Below are just a few of the many recent philanthropic sponsorships that Bordas & Bordas is honored to be a part of. The Strand Theatre opened its doors to the public on November 15, 1920 at the corner of 5 th Street and Jefferson Avenue in Moundsville, W. Va. It operated regularly for many years until its final curtain call in 1996. Today, the Strand Theatre Preservation Society, a 501c non-profit organization, strives to restore the Theatre's original majesty and grandeur through various productions, tours and musicals. Bordas & Bordas recently contributed to the Theatre's upcoming performance of "Chicago" on August 1 - 3. We are proud to be aligned with such a wonderful organization.

I was so excited when I heard the announcement that Bordas & Bordas was sponsoring Jamboree in the Hills once again. Jamboree has become such an important event for many of my family, friends and for this area in general that I can't help but wish for its continued success. With my firm's announcement, the memories of my first Jamboree in the Hills began to stir in my mind. I have to be honest and admit that rock music has always been the music of my soul. Throughout my life it has been the music that spoke to me, inspired me, moved me and made me want to dance. As a matter of fact, as I sit here writing this blog, I can hear a base guitar, joined by the lead guitar, then the drums and finally Grace Slick of the Jefferson Airplane singing "White Rabbit" in my mind. The fact that I have chosen this song and group probably gave my age away immediately.

When we were children we were always looking up to people like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and anyone else who inspired us. But who are our heroes now? Football stars, Olympians, our parents, inventors? A hero is someone who does something to help improve mankind or to execute the intention of helping others in difficult situations. We applaud these people because of the changes they may make in our lives. It's not just the people who make the headlines of the evening news or the front page of the paper that are heroes. Being a hero can be as simple as volunteering at the local homeless shelter or even helping an elderly individual cross a busy street. I've never considered myself a hero until two weeks ago at Boys State when I saved a fellow camper's life. At approximately 2:30 a.m., I woke up to my friend having a seizure. I checked for his pulse, but he did not have one. If you study your surroundings in any building you can almost always find an Automated External Defibrillator, also known as an AED. Earlier that day I remembered seeing an AED in the dining hall, so when my friend wasn't responding, I started running to retrieve it. Upon returning, I administered two shocks that brought his heartbeat back. Right after I had followed the AED's instructions that helped me bring my friend back, the emergency personnel arrived. They immediately called 911 and had him taken to the local hospital. I am happy to say that my friend returned to camp the next day and made it home safely to his family at the end of the week.

I've thought about this time in my life for a while now, and it has finally crept up on me. On July 11, I will turn 50 years old. As the day approaches, I find myself wondering, "Where has the time gone?". The most famously asked question, "If you could redo life, what would you do differently?" keeps being asked and has me thinking long and hard about my past 50 years. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't change anything in my life. Of course there are a few things I would do better than I did back then, but that's only because I've lived and learned though my mistakes. First, I have to give thanks to God for this life He has given me and how very blessed I am. A few of those blessings include having my mother, father and amazing sisters still in my life. Another one of my many blessings is my wonderful husband of almost 30 years, who will always be my rock and anchor in my life. Of course I cannot forget my two adult children who are and will always be my pride and joy. I am also thankful for my nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, very good friends, my four legged fur children and my job at Bordas & Bordas. Overall, my life has been pretty awesome and I can't thank you all enough for making my life so special and loving me unconditionally.