December 27, 2007

New Year Greetings,

We sincerely hope that this letter finds you and your family well. We pray for the very best for you, your family, and circle of friends during this season and throughout the new year. We wish you all: deepened faith, new hope, abundant l©ve, much joy, and abiding peace.

We know that it is important to keep up our relationships with family members and friends. So, Peter and I would like to cordially invite you to our home for a quite evening of games from 7:00 PM on New Year’s Eve to 1:00 AM on New Year’s Day. If you are coming, please tell us by December 29th at 143@Kulkkula.com. If you are planning to bring a game, snack food or beverage, please let us know. That will help with our party preparations. Thank you.

Our daughter, Jane and her husband, Troy have a wonderfully loving and supportive life together. We feel blessed that Jane and Troy are happily living close by. Here is their contact information: Jane and Troy Andrews, 150 Prichard Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420; 978-342-58; and TroyJane@verizon.net. They are very active in their small, family oriented, warm and loving, Christ centered, Bible oriented church called Nashua Valley Christian Church. Recently we’ve become involved after the members reached out warmly to us. Peter and I are on the church directory committee. I’ve become the directory photographer and organizer. In addition, I am on the Women’s Leadership Committee. Troy is on the audio committee.
Jane is active in the Women’s group and bakes for the coffee hour, church dinners, and the coffee house. Troy still works with transducers and Jane is still a substitute teacher. Also in April, baby girl Andrews will be born. Jane’s pregnancy is high risk so she and Troy are taking really good care of her. She is following all the doctor’s advice and eating very healthily. They both are beaming. We are excited for Jane and Troy who have been married since June 6th, 1998. And of course, we are looking forward to showering little baby Andrews with lots of love.

On our rare free warm weather weekends for the past few years we've been on boating adventures. Often we’ve met my brother Harold and his wife Cheryl at Sebago and Moosehead Lakes in Maine. At Moosehead Lake we camped in standard camping areas, on the northern primitive lakeshore in primitive camp sites, and in the lovely rustic lakeside Tomhegan cabins that are in a game preserve. As well as camping in camping areas, on the beach, and on our boats at Sabago Lake. Peter and I love going seal hunting with cameras and fishing in Massachusetts rivers and lakes. However, we have still continued to tour the United States, usually going back to areas that we wanted to more fully explore. Fundamentally, we have tried to see as much as we can and be with our family as much as we can while we still can. As we all know, life is fleeting.

On December 3rd, I had a five hour procedure at Worcester U of MA Medical Center. As a result, I was required to have at least a week bed rest and live a very restful life after that. The prognosis is not so good but not hopeless and my head ache from my brain injury two year ago is more pronounced again. But with faith, all things are possible. Of course, some of you already knew that. Know that I am fighting this health challenge as well as my other chronic conditions. Since the procedure, I have been out six times. One of those times was to the lovely ladies Christmas breakfast. Because I've been so tired, most of my time is spent in bed. So...please pray for me. Thanks very much. I am slowly gaining more energy. So I am positive
that I will handle this latest health crisis.

My mother, Lida LeBouf, is increasingly tired and out of breath with COPD. However, she struggles to be as normal as she can be living at home by herself and still driving in good weather. I bring her grocery shopping, to lunch, and to her out of town medical appointments. We both find this a nice time to be together.

My Aunt, Ellen Till, is really frail and right now is in a rehabilitation center, hopefully she’ll be back at her apartment soon. I also take her to her out of town doctors appointments and my mother, when she is able, takes Auntie to her local appointments.

As many of you know, Peter has suffered greatly from jaw bone degeneration. He’s had four operations and bone implants. Unfortunately, he still has deteriorating bone. This year, he lost the battle in one of the four areas and as a result, a back tooth. His trick back and knee make it hard for him to get around sometimes. December’s heavy snows found him shoveling off roofs. He fell off the trailer roof once and off the house roof once. He says, he’s OK because of his Finn (Finnish) hard head. He thinks getting older has caused his decreased energy and memory. But Peter still works hard and keeps very busy: hunting, fishing, flying, boating, motor cycling, and touring America’s countryside. He has to be the dearest husband in the world. He always is at my side when I need him. In fact, in 2002-3, Peter began producing many of our Word Wits Productions television programs. I guess he figured that that was a way to get to see me. We really do well as a creative team. Peter is now the Executive Producer. Peter is the host of the American Adventures show. He is also the founder and spokesperson for American Adventures Month in August. In addition, he has started a book entitled, American Adventures. If you have an American Adventure short story to add, you can send it to info@AmericanAdventures.info. I will edit it and Peter will include it. Here’s a chance for you to become a published author so please give it a try. Thanks.

You may remember us telling you that we built a strong bureau entitled Word Wits Writers and Speakers Bureau and its subsidiaries Word Wits Publishing, Word Wits Productions and Heartfelt Greetings. The bureau offered personalized writer and speaker support services to its members, while offering specialized programs to suit the individual needs of its clientele. Basically, it connected writers (poets, entertainment writers, business writers, publicity writers, and ghost writers) and
speakers (public speakers, seminar presenters, educational instructors and visiting lecturers) with clients who need their services. It offered publishing and publicity services as well as literary and public speakers agency. It was dedicated to enlightenment through effective professional communication.

Last summer, the Word Wits organization voted to rename itself. The name that was decided upon was Rising Star Speakers because we felt that the Rising Star name was closer to the group’s self image. Also we have basically become more of an organization of speakers with some speaker/writers. Rising Star Speakers is shorter and does not get cut off in lists. So as of
January 1st, 2008, Rising Star Speakers with its subsidiaries Rising Star Publishing, Rising Star Productions and Heartfelt Greetings will formally exist. If you want to know more about these entities, you can go to WordWits.org and soon to RisingStarSpeakers.com.

Rising Star Speakers will continue to work much the same way as Word Wits. However, Rising Star Speakers will be run as a non-filing, non-profit organization. The new lower membership cost will cover just the organizational expenses. Couches, event planners, editors, producers, publishers, publicists, artists, musicians, speakers and writers will be privately paid by Rising Star Speakers clients.

Rising Star Productions produces a weekly show generally on the third and fourth Monday evenings of the month. Each evening two shows are produced with the help of Rising Stars Television Advanced Toastmasters. Rising Star Productions include these programs: American Adventures with Peter Kulkkula, Rising Stars with George Monat, Russ Kruger, Jane Andrews, Jill Pottle, or Frank Jackson, Surviving with Barbara with Barbara Wellman, Try, Try Again with Sarbjit Thiara, and Finding Our Way with Deb Kulkkula. Special Editions of Finding Our Way include Incognito Diner, Cooking Made Simple, Remembering When..., Cultural Enlightenment, Speakers Soapbox, Writers Soapbox, Stills, Renaissance of the Heart, Contemplating the Scriptures, and Compassionately Yours. Peter is the Executive Producer. Russ Kruger is the Producer/Technical Director and I am the Producer/Creative Director. Our associate producers include Jane Andrews, Filomena Didiano, Frank Jackson, Bob Roosa, Henry Sawyer, Sarbjit Thiara, and Barbara Wellman. We are extremely grateful for all the volunteers who help make Rising Star Productions successful.

Rising Star Publications include a Book Division (Novels, Instructional Manuals, Biographies), Flyer Division (Booklets, Pamphlets, Flyers, Brochures - Need help getting your flyer designed?), Greeting Card Division called Heartfelt Greetings (Need a special card?), and Public Relations Division (Advertising Material). Special Group Produced Books include: Memories from the Heart, a book of short "Short shorts" stories about lost loved ones which will contain emotionally moving happy, serious, and/or sad stories with or without a moral; Rising Stars, a book of autobiographic short success stories; Signs from Above, a book of autobiographic short "short shorts" stories; about signs from another dimension; Survivors a book of autobiographical short "short shorts" stories about losing someone or something and how one continues to function giving hope to new survivors; and American Adventures, a book adventures/vacations in South, Central and North Americas. Submit your 500-2,000 word story to Deb or Peter at info.AmericanAdventures.info and in late January, Stars@RisingStarSpeakers.com.

Along with Peter’s official American Adventures Month that promotes American Adventures in August, we are working on getting three other holiday months. December is Rising Star Month which is dedicated to charting personal life courses. February is Renaissance of the Heart Month which is dedicated to heart centered thinking. While July is Bereaved Parents Awareness Month which is dedicated to teaching people how to help the bereaved.

Our Rising Star Speakers publicist wrote these speaker descriptions for us and they've been very helpful in defining what we speak about and as a result have kept us busy.

"Inspirational speaker and writer Deb Kulkkula, inspires her audience with her wisdom, grace, humor and hope. She powerfully shares how she triumphs over her trials and tribulations with simple, energetic messages that transcend occupations, culture, gender and age. With conviction, compassion, humor, and clarity, she motivates her corporate audiences to work passionately toward individual and organizational success. Memorable lessons are incorporated into her presentations
with poignant, often hilarious, but always heartfelt stories. Remember that she represents the renaissance of
the heart; and that is what she offers her audience - HEART." - Rising Star Publicist Anne Stear

You may remember us telling you that we built a strong bureau entitled Word Wits Writers and Speakers Bureau and its subsidiaries Word Wits Publishing, Word Wits Productions and Heartfelt Greetings. The bureau offered personalized writer and speaker support services to its members, while offering specialized programs to suit the individual needs of its clientele. Basically, it connected writers (poets, entertainment writers, business writers, publicity writers, and ghost writers) and speakers (public speakers, seminar presenters, educational instructors and visiting lecturers) with clients who need their services. It offered publishing and publicity services as well as literary and public speakers agency. It was dedicated to
enlightenment through effective professional communication.

Last summer, the Word Wits organization voted to rename itself. The name that was decided upon was Rising Star Speakers because we felt that the Rising Star name was closer to the group’s self image. Also we have basically become more of an organization of speakers with some speaker/writers. Rising Star Speakers is shorter and does not get cut off in lists. So as of January 1st, 2008, Rising Star Speakers with its subsidiaries Rising Star Publishing, Rising Star Productions and Heartfelt Greetings will formally exist. If you want to know more about these entities, you can go to WordWits.org and soon to
RisingStarSpeakers.com.

Rising Star Productions produces a weekly show generally on the third and fourth Monday evenings of the month. Each evening two shows are produced with the help of Rising Stars Television Advanced Toastmasters. Rising Star Productions include these programs: American Adventures with Peter Kulkkula, Rising Stars with George Monat, Russ Kruger, Jane Andrews, Jill Pottle, or Frank Jackson, Surviving with Barbara with Barbara Wellman, Try, Try Again with Sarbjit Thiara, and Finding Our Way with Deb Kulkkula. Special Editions of Finding Our Way include Incognito Diner, Cooking Made Simple, Remembering When..., Cultural Enlightenment, Speakers Soapbox, Writers Soapbox, Stills, Renaissance of
the Heart, Contemplating the Scriptures, and Compassionately Yours. Peter is the Executive Producer. Russ Kruger is the Producer/Technical Director and I am the Producer/Creative Director. Our associate producers include Jane Andrews, Filomena Didiano, Frank Jackson, Bob Roosa, Henry Sawyer, Sarbjit Thiara, and Barbara Wellman. We are extremely grateful for all the volunteers who help make Rising Star Productions successful.

Rising Star Publications include a Book Division (Novels, Instructional Manuals, Biographies), Flyer Division (Booklets, Pamphlets, Flyers, Brochures - Need help getting your flyer designed?), Greeting Card Division called Heartfelt Greetings (Need a special card?), and Public Relations Division (Advertising Material). Special Group Produced Books include: Memories from the Heart, a book of short "Short shorts" stories about lost loved ones which will contain emotionally moving happy, serious, and/or sad stories with or without a moral; Rising Stars, a book of autobiographic short success stories; Signs from Above, a book of autobiographic short "short shorts" stories; about signs from another dimension; Survivors a book of
autobiographical short "short shorts" stories about losing someone or something and how one continues to function giving hope to new survivors; and American Adventures, a book adventures/vacations in South, Central and North Americas. Submit your 500-2,000 word story to Deb or Peter at info.AmericanAdventures.info and info@RisingStarPublishing.info.

Along with Peter’s official American Adventures Month that promotes American Adventures in August, we are working on getting three other holiday months. December is Rising Star Month which is dedicated to charting personal life courses. February is Renaissance of the Heart or Heartfelt Thinking Month which is dedicated to heart centered thinking. While July is Bereaved Parents Awareness Month which is dedicated to teaching people how to help the bereaved.

Our Rising Star Speakers publicist wrote these speaker descriptions for us and they've been very helpful in defining what we speak about and as a result have kept us busy.

"Inspirational speaker and writer Deb Kulkkula, inspires her audience with her wisdom, grace, humor and hope. She powerfully shares how she triumphs over her trials and tribulations with simple, energetic messages that transcend occupations, culture, gender and age. With conviction, compassion, humor, and clarity, she motivates her corporate audiences to work passionately toward individual and organizational success. Memorable lessons are incorporated into her presentations with poignant, often hilarious, but always heartfelt stories. Remember that she represents the renaissance of the heart; and that is what she offers her audience - HEART." - Rising Star Publicist Anne Stear

“American Adventures Month's founder and spokesperson is Peter Kulkkula. He is an enthusiastic traveler and a great American adventurer, exploring much of the Americas. Mr. Kulkkula is an experienced back packer, camper, hunter, hiker, mountain climber, motor cycler, and tracker. In the winter, he can be found hiking or on snow shoes, a snow mobile or on safe ice - ice fishing. While, in the summer, he can be found back packing, swimming, fishing, boating, and canoeing. Peter is an experienced private plane pilot, certified coast guard boat captain, a Red Cross first responder, and an expert adventure tour guide. But he is most known for the genuine stories he tells about his great American adventures. He even has a local
television show entitled American Adventures. He is available as a guide and/or public speaker. Currently, he is writing a book that will be called American Adventures.” - Rising Star Publicist Anne Stear

Wow, we’re excited about how she makes us sound and we seem to be busier since those descriptions went
out in our promotional material.

As you know, Peter and I have been on a very long and extremely difficult journey since our son, Peter John's death on September 23th, 1993. Then our Vietnamese son, Quy Dan Ha Vo, died on April 5th, 2003. We lost my father, Harold Francis LeBouf on September 22nd, 2004 and Peter’s Mother, Elma Greta Junka Kulkkula, on April 28th, 2006. These are only four of the many beloved friends and family members like Aunt Irene Mercier, Aunt Eini Heywood, Aunt Elli, Aunt Grace Junka, my sister Jane’s husband, Robert Dodge, my niece Heather’s husband, Denis Bergeron, my cousin Gail’s husband, Danny Cheries, and Peter's nieces, Nancy and Shirley that we have lost. Our hearts go out to their immediate families. We have suffered through healthy healing grief: shock, denial, anger, resentment, anxiety, panic, reality, confusion, depression, guilt, loneliness, hope and even sometimes peace. We succeeded in surmounting this task by seeking help. Our help came from many of you. Thank you very much for the caring support that you gave us. Thank you just does not seem to cover it. Your compassion came when we needed it most and we appreciate it so much that there are no words to express it. It also came from The Compassionate Friends. Then, as we began to heal we began to help others and now we are considered by some to be the experts or at least the people to go to, to get help. Please pray for all those who departed this earth and all those that have to live on without them. We gave back to the local chapter of this organization of bereaved parents supporting each other by being its leader and publishing its newsletter for about seven years. It was our way of honoring Peter John's memory and later Peter and Quy’s memory. I even gave a message of "Hope" at The Compassionate Friends Candlelight Service in December twice when on two separate occasions, the clergy become unavailable. This uplifting hour had a candle lighting, music, a time for sharing, and my message. In 2006, just before Elma died, I had a book published about grief with three other authors. This book seems to be very helpful to all those who read it. You can find the book at book stores and at Amazon.com - keyword Kulkkula will pop up the book. Grief is one of my public speaking subjects. Please pray for all those who departed this earth and all those that have to live on without them. Thank you very much.

Among other organizations, we are in Toastmasters. I am the Division B Governor and the VP of Ed and Treasurer of our club (Rising Stars Television Advanced Toastmasters). While Peter is the VP of PR and S@A of our club. Peter is working toward his second DTM and I’m working toward my seventh DTM. Our daughter, ACB/CL Jane Andrews is our club’s president. She also is the current District 31 Secretary. She and her husband Troy are expecting their first child in April. ACB/CL Frank Jackson is our VP of Membership and Secretary. ACB/CL Russ Kruger is a valuable member of the television production team and a masterful evaluator. Every other member of the club has something special that helps our club succeed. After all, they are all rising stars. Members of the club act as crew and talent for our television shows.

Thank you for all your gifts, cards and letters. They made us feel special. We really enjoyed them. Next year, I hope to be writing a more positive letter.

May this season bring you closer to Him! We pray for your Christmas season and new year to be filled with the joy of faith and the miracle of peace. Romans 15:13 KJV - God of Hope fill you with all the joy and peace in believing.

With Peter’s and my best wishes for your lives to be filled with lots of love, joy, faith, hope and peace, Deb

Current Contact Info:
Peter and Deborah Kulkkula
381 Billings Road
Fitchburg, MA 01420-1407
Family Email: Kulkkula@comcast.net or 143@Kulkkula.com
Family Sites: Kulkkula.com, LeBouf.info, TheAndrewsFamily.info
Family Telephone: 978-343-4009 (Please leave messages on our home phone. Thanks.)

Deb’s Cell: 978-808-8084, Deb@DebKulkkula.com
Peter’s Cell: 978-808-6608, Peter@PeterKulkkula.com
Business Telephone: 978-343-3333
Rising Stars: Stars@RisingStarSpeakers.com, info@RisingStarPublishing.info, info@RisingStarProductions.info

Holiday Months:
Rising Star Month (December) promotes personal life planning by encouraging people to celebrate their past success and
reach for the stars by designing a plan for their future. info@RisingStarMonth.info;
Bereaved Parents Awareness Month (July) promotes support for bereaved parents. TCF@BereavedParentsTCF.com;
American Adventures Month (August) exists to promote vacationing in the Americas. Whether, traveling in luxury or primitive conditions, tourists are encouraged to explore South, Central and North America. info.AmericanAdventures.info; and
Renaissance of the Heart Month (February) is dedicated to thinking with both your heart and your head. During this month, you are asked to take a heartfelt look at the way you think. RenaissanceLady@RenaissanceoftheHeart.info.

Toastmasters and Bereaved Parents Telephone: 978-343-4009 (Please leave messages on our home phone. Thanks.)
Bereaved Parents: info@BereavedParentsTCF.info
Toastmasters: Stars@RisingStarsTVTM7434.com