The Imagine Project: Stories of Courage, Hope and Love

By Dianne Maroney

The Imagine Project shares the inspiring stories of ordinary people who have persevered through extraordinary experiences. The soulful photographs incite curiosity about each person, and through their captivating narratives, you ll experience the essence of each remarkable life. You'll find yourself reflecting on their incredible paths of personal fulfillment and transformation, and perhaps turn inward to reflect upon your own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dianne Maroney
• Release date: Sep 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310957338

Dianne Maroney

I was born and raised in Denver, CO. I am a clinical nurse specialist in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing. As I traveled around the country meeting the fascinating people featured in this book, I gathered insight into the beauty of what makes us human. Our ability to get up after we fall, our potential for inner growth, and our ability to share love, hope and kindness in the world is remarkable. I love sharing a message of hope with the world.Inspiring the world to Imagine the possibilities in their lives is my mission. I love to speak about what it takes to overcome, commit and create a future of hope. My work as a nurse, my personal experience and the work I’ve done with The Imagine Project has given me the insight to speak to others with wisdom and grace.If you are looking for a speaker like myself, please contact me at [e-mail]. Visit my website at www.diannemaroney.com

Book preview

The Imagine Project

Stories of Courage, Hope and Love

Dianne Maroney

Photography by Mario Masitti

Copyright 2014 by Imagine Project, LLC.

Yampa Valley Publishing

PO Box 4696

Parker, Colorado 80134

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, graphic, electronic, recording, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Dianne Maroney and Yampa Valley Publishing except where permitted by law.

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publishers assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

For more information about book purchases, custom editions, special sales, premium and corporate purchases, please contact Special Sales at [e-mail]

Smashwords Edition

Licensing Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal use and enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please visit Smashwords.com and purchase a copy for yourself. Thank you for respecting this author’s work.

Book Cover and Interior Design by Jef Burnard

Editing by Helga Schier, PhD

Publishing consulting by Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd

First Edition 2013

E-Book by e-book-design.com.

A Multi-Award Winning Book!

The Imagine Project has won:

A collection of photographs and inspirational stories of individuals who have overcome obstacles or worked toward humanitarian causes.

In this debut coffee-table book, Maroney brings together dozens of personal stories, each accompanied by photographs of the narrators and identified with thematic titles—gift, heritage, winning, resolve, etc. Each narrative is a series of sentences beginning with Imagine... followed by an element of the narrator’s story: for instance, Imagine... appreciating what you’ve left behind only after seeing this new and different land, says a woman who moved back and forth between Japan and the United States. Or Imagine... standing at a stranger’s door, a can of paint and paintbrush in your hands, hoping they will let you paint their house—for free, from a man who found new purpose in good deeds after his wife died. Some stories reflect the narrator’s triumph over a difficult past—a teenager who grew up in the foster care system and went on to win a national financial literacy competition, a musician who performs despite being born with cerebral palsy, etc.—while others are more about the individuals’ choices, such as using yoga as the basis for a microfinance operation. A few of the featured individuals have been associated with headline-making events, such as the ER staff who treated the mass-shooting victims in Aurora, Colorado, and a Columbine High School graduate who learned forgiveness. But most share victories on a smaller scale, acclimating to an adopted homeland or touching lives through low-budget philanthropy. While all the contributors’ stories are uplifting, they avoid the clichés of motivational speeches, and the spare prose keeps even the most tragic stories from becoming maudlin. The book is well-designed, too—a simple blue, black and white palette allows the words and pictures to draw the reader’s full attention.

An attractive, compelling collection of stories and photographs related to conquering adversity and imagining vibrant possibilities.

–Kirkus Review

Contents

Alive - Jason Landers

Equality - Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson

Hope - Laura Sierra

Peace - Stacy Bare

Blessings - Molly Long

Pride - Jay Stahlman

Grace - Randle Loeb

Growth - Chip Richards

Forgiveness - Sharletta C. Evans

Justice - Kayoko Mitsumatsu

Strength - Mackenzie Maroney

Beauty - Daniel Wildcat

Meaning - Robert G. Dembik

Thrive - Rachel Goble

Reverence - Rev. Leon Kelly

Gift - Andrea Losh

Passion - Judith Briles

Resolve - Doug Campbell

Love - Frank & Elsie Pomponio

Courage - Karina Sanchez

Perseverance - Brian Lockridge

Family - Bucky Jones

Community - Dr. B. Block & Dr. C. Sasson

Heritage - Nobuko Graham

Possibilities - Tyler Kellogg

Survival - Jeff Carter

Forgiveness - Lauren Bohn

Believe - Aurea Mcgarry

Winning - Ron Lyle

Happiness - Brendon Mccabe

Acceptance - Bill Sandberg

Tomorrow - Babs Antholz

Determination - Marray Napue

Resilience - Foster Bailey

Dyslexia - Paul Thorn

Self-Respect - Paige Butkus

Purpose - Jim Cotter

Freedom - Troy Feldpouch

Gratitude - Dianne Maroney

With Gratitude

Creating this book has been the journey of a lifetime. My learning curve was steep, yet the road I traveled was filled with joy, beauty, personal growth, and love.

My deepest gratitude belongs to the beautiful people featured in this book. Your stories, and your willingness to share them with the world will forever inspire me.

Thank you to Mario Masitti. Your generous gift of capturing the soulful essence of the human experience has transformed this book into a tribute to the beauty of the human spirit. Your continuous love of life always makes me smile.

I am indebted to my extended family, friends and even strangers who became friends. Your compassionate ear, your encouragement, and your expertise have been invaluable to me. Know that I will be eternally grateful.

Special thanks go to the keen editorial eyes of Frederic Perrin, Deborah Davis, and particularly Dr. Helga Schier. You are amazing; I couldn’t have done this without you.

Thank you to Mario Masitti, Rick Overby, Mandy Lillard Mead, and most of all, Jef Burnard for your beautiful vision in graphic design. Jef, your patience, generosity and creative insight made this book what it is today.

Thank you to Judith Briles, Ken Atchity, Erin Zimmer and Frederic Perrin for guiding me through the process of publishing this book.

My most sincere appreciation goes to my incredible husband, Jimmy, and my three beautiful children, Frank, Michael, and Mackenzie. Your endless patience, tolerance, and support encouraged me to follow my passion. I hope you, too, will always embrace your passion and follow your dreams.

This book has been made possible by the generous financial support of all contributors to our Kickstarter campaign, particularly the following individuals:

The Jonas Family

Paulette Stobaugh Jones

Lloyd Lewis, CEO, arc Thrift Stores

Linda McFall and Patricia Eichelmann

Janet Pasque

Jin Robertson

The Van Tine Family

Stacia Schmalzer

The Zahorik Family

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Introduction

Imagine is a beautiful word; perhaps the

Reviews for The Imagine Project

[ddonovan-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Imagine Project shares the inspiring stories of ordinary people who have achieved success by overcoming obstacles ranging from mental illness and abuse to addiction and war, and is an inspirational celebration of extraordinary success stories. Photos accompany narratives of each life and offer vignettes that feature some of the wellsprings of courage. It should be mentioned that there are no famous names here: readers won't be familiar with these being profiled. What will be recognized are their inspirational achievements, with photographer Mario Masitti's striking portraits enhancing the invitation to imagine the circumstances life has dealt these people and how they rose to the occasion to not just overcome and persevere, but to excel.