Quezon City, Philippines – The third annual outreach event held by Empower2Play (E2P), a U.S. Boston based non-profit, exceeded its goals by hosting 300 children and families, serving more than 2,500 meals and attracting 100 international and local volunteers to put on a sports camp for inner-city children in Quezon City, Philippines. E2P also gave away thousands of school supplies and awarded 12 new “Achieve Success Educational Scholarships” to children who showed leadership and high potential. This year’s camp was sponsored by dozens of local and international sponsors like The Hershey Company, Buffalo Wild Wings, Unilever, United Airlines, SM Markets, Roar Energy Drinks and many more.

On August 29 & 30, volunteers gathered from all over the world at Marcos Field in Quezon City to teach 300 local inner-city children the unfamiliar sport of American football in under 48 hours. The camp was the culmination of an 8 day & night Immersion Tour where international student ambassadors and adult volunteers explored, experienced and lived in the real world of an average Filipino student.

While the camp was a great success in bringing local businesses, children, and families in the area togther to achieve a common goal, it was even more successful at changing the perspective of the international volunteers who attended the camp who also acted as coaches.

All volunteers spent a night in the homes of last year’s scholarship winners – living, sleeping and eating in less than 8 sq-foot homes, with make-shift walls, no-flush toilets and no amenities. The camp was the capstone event that helped Empower2Play identify young potential leaders in the community who exhibited traits such leadership, determination, teamwork and willingness to learn.

Regardless of their athletic ability, these students were offered educational scholarships that will allow them to excel at school by removing obstacles such as a lack of transportation, food, electricity, or school supplies.

Image: http://www.abnewswire.com/uploads/9a68b71181587314c2d51b01a6494c76.jpg

Delayed and re-routed flights, typhoons and thunderstorms that ravaged the field and surrounding areas, cuts, bruises and stitches were all part of the game. In the end, the event was the largest camp to date and certainly the most exciting. Although unexpected torrential rains rendered the field unusable after the semi-final games, instead of heading home to escape the weather, parents, kids and volunteers stayed for hours, dancing and hugging in the rain together as the camp came to a close.

“Empower2Play isn’t just about the sports camp or the scholarships – our mission is to make the world a smaller place by bringing people together, and helping them experience life in a new way, through new eyes – as one world community,” said Empower 2 Play founder Coach AK Ikwuakor. “Through the collective efforts of our sponsors, volunteers, and the local community, we did just that. We connected people from all walks of life and created a wonderful, empowering and educational weekend for the children that was far beyond anything we could have ever imagined.”

The Empower 2 Play Immersion Tour and Sports Camp experience will be featured in an upcoming documentary, “You’re Not Alone”, that showcases the everyday life of a local scholarship recipient, Realyn Manila, as she overcomes trials and tribulations to work towards achieving her dream of becoming a doctor.

ABOUT EMPOWER 2 PLAY:

Launched in 2013, the mission of Empower 2 Play is to empower under resourced commmunites through athletics, life skills development, and economic development for the purposes of improving children’s social and economic mobility. Empower2Play strives to empower communites one sport at a time.

To learn more, visit www.empower2play.org or call us at (310) 272-0860

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/embed/4e1GnByyrBI

Logo: http://www.abnewswire.com/pressreleases/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1443646767.jpeg

“International Immersion Tour & Sports Camp draws

100 volunteers to help 300 children in The Phillipines”

Media Contact
Company Name: EMPOWER2PLAY
Contact Person: AK Ikwuakor
Email: ak@empower2play.org
Phone: (310) 272-0860
Address:265 Franklin Street, Suite 1702
City: Boston
State: Massachusetts
Country: United States
Website: http://www.empower2play.org/

Source: ABNewswire

ReleaseID: 38978

30 Sep, 2015 – Grace Century’s Electronic Medical Records (EHR) project partner Quantum Innovations Inc. has achieved the much-sought after Meaningful Use Stage 2 (MU-2) accreditation for its Personal Wellness electronic Records (PWeR) product. This major achievement goes hand-in-hand with a significant upgrade of the product platform, with the new version designated as PWeR® 3.0.

The formal MU-2 certification received by PWeR® 3.0 was awarded by InfoGard Laboratories Inc. which is authorized by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). This means that PWeR® 3.0 now belongs to an elite group of product innovations which meet the demanding standards set by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services for the Center or Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It is estimated that the overwhelming majority of applications for MU-2 certification fail due to the stringent selection criteria, making the achievement even more notable.

Noel J. Guillama, Chairman of Quantum Innovations, stated, “Through over a decade of dedication and expertise, our team’s herculean tenacity has yielded a very positive result with this most complex and elite global health information technology certification. It has been an extraordinary effort, involving international, multi-disciplinary collaboration, in successfully gaining MU-2 certification and bringing PWeR 3.0 to market. We intend for PWeR 3.0 to be used, both in the U.S. as well as in other countries and regions, to help transform the $7 trillion (USD) spent on global healthcare consuming over 10% of global GDP.”

Grace Century CEO Scott Wolf comments “We are thrilled to have our project reach this milestone. Quantum has worked extremely hard on this and we are confident that attaining MU-2 accreditation will be the catalyst for the company to be a major transformer of thehealthcare information sector.”

The MU-2 accreditation also means that PWeR 3.0 will be one of a select group certified to assist eligible providers and hospitals to tap into the estimated $36.5 billion fund provided by The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Health Information Technology Economic and Clinical Act (HITECH Act.) to support EHR adoption and build national exchanges of medical information.

In addition, MU-2 certification EHR has become mandatory under the U.S. Health and Human Services Department to avoid annual Government-imposed penalty payments. EHR is estimated to represent 1% of all Government-imposed penalty payments in 2015 (over $1 trillion gross annually in USD) and could rise to as high as 5% by 2018.

About Grace Century, FZ LLC

Grace Century FZ LLC is an International research and private equity consultancy located inRas Al Khaimah, (north of Dubai) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Grace Century specializes in “game-changing” life science and health related private equity projects.

For portfolio or company information please email info@gracecentury.com or call +971 (0) 7 206 8851

Please direct all media enquiries to info@bigwheel.me or call +971 (0) 52 712 1777

Website – http://www.gracecentury.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GraceCentury

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/grace-century-holdings-fzc-llc

Twitter – https://twitter.com/GraceCentury

Blog – http://www.thegracecenturyblog.com

Pressroom – http://www.gracecenturypressroom.com ?

About The Quantum Group, Inc.

The Quantum Group, Inc. is an innovation-driven organization purposefully designed to bring effective change to the U.S. healthcare industry. The foundation of the Company has been in design, development and deployment of innovative solutions, technology, products and services to the healthcare industry. Our purpose is to seek and assist physicians and hospital providers, as well as government and private sector payers, in managing the treatment outcomes through a patient-centered wellness concept.

Quantum Innovations and PWeR® 3.0 Certified EHR Vendor & Product Information:

Vendor Name: Quantum Innovations, Inc.

Certified EHR Name: PWeR ® Personal Wellness electronic Record ®

Certified EHR Version: 3.0

InfoGard Certification #: IG-3086-15-0029

Certification Date: September 16, 2015

Classification: Complete EHR

Practice Setting: Ambulatory

Requirements Edition: 2014

Certification Criteria: §170.314: a1-15, b1-5, b7, c1-3, d1-8, e1-3, f1-3, g2-4

Clinical Quality Measures: CMS2, CMS50, CMS68, CMS69, CMS90, CMS122, CMS138, CMS165, CMS166

Additional SW Required: First Data Bank, Microsoft Office 2010 or later, web browse

Full News Story: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/2015/quantum-innovations-inc-announces-successful-achievement-of-meaningful-use-phase-2-certification/

Distributed by Press Release Jet

Media Contact
Company Name: Big Wheel
Contact Person: Steven Rice
Email: info@bigwheel.me
Country: United States
Website: http://www.bigwheel.me

ReleaseID: 515290

Source: GetNews

Survey of 17,000 patrons shows library eBook borrowing on the rise, especially on mobile devices

Image: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/images/2015/public-libraries-evolving-to-meet-readers-needs-9-30.jpg

CLEVELAND, OH – 30 Sep, 2015 – As the needs of communities change, public libraries have adapted to a world where more information lives in digital form, accessible anytime and anywhere. With 95 percent of U.S. libraries now offering eBooks and audiobooks, the use of digital content continues to grow: More than 120 million eBooks and audiobooks were borrowed from libraries in the first nine months of 2015, representing year-over-year growth of nearly 20 percent. In addition, September just completed another record month of digital circulation.

To understand patron behavior, leading eBook and audiobook platform OverDrive regularly conducts user surveys. The most recent survey, an extensive online poll of nearly 17,000 library website visitors, found that digital library users are loyal and avid readers, browsing deeper into digital collections, and are frequently using both the digital and physical branches.

Survey highlights include:

• Nearly 90 percent of those who borrow eBooks from libraries borrow one or more eBooks per month – and 65 percent borrow at least once per week.

• Library users are expanding their use of the library’s digital catalog. 50 percent of patrons have a specific Book in mind when visiting the library’s website or branch, but most (80 percent) continue to browse if that title is not available.

• Digital use is also remarkably aligned with physical library visits. 75 percent of survey respondents borrowed at least one eBook and print book in the same month, a 22 percent increase from 2012 (the last time the survey question was posed).

In a world on-the-go, more people are using mobile devices to access their next great read, and the library has adapted to serve changing preferences. Based on OverDrive network circulation data, more than 50 percent of all digital titles are borrowed from the library on a mobile device.

As such, survey respondents ranked device compatibility as their most important criteria, with 33 percent indicating tablet and 25 percent smartphone as their preferred device for eReading. As recently as three years ago, eReader devices such as Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and Barnes & Noble Nook were the most popular.

“These trends are why OverDrive is constantly focused on helping libraries onboard new users with a mobile-first strategy,” said Shannon Lichty, OverDrive’s director of library partner services. “In fact, beginning later this year, visitors to OverDrive-powered library websites will experience a completely reengineered website with a boost in speed and ease of use.”

As libraries change to meet the ongoing demands of their communities, the movement to digital content has had a positive effect. The American Library Association recently launched “Libraries Transform,” showcasing the changing nature of today’s libraries and elevating the critical role libraries play in the digital age.

To find your local library, visit www.overdrive.com

About the survey:

The OverDrive end user survey was conducted June 26-July 15, 2015 via thousands of OverDrive-powered public library websites in the United States. A total of 16,756 respondents completed all or part of the survey.

Find the full survey report here.

About OverDrive

OverDrive is the leading digital distribution platform, supplying the industry’s largest catalog of eBooks, audiobooks, streaming video and periodicals to 34,000 libraries, schools and retailers worldwide. We support all major computers and devices, including iOS®, Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle® (U.S. only). OverDrive delivers all digital media on a single platform, and offers innovations such as OverDrive Read, the breakthrough EPUB and HTML5 browser-based reading experience, and narrated eBooks.

Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, Ohio USA and is owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten.

For more information, visit www.overdrive.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and our blog.

Full News Story: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/2015/public-libraries-evolving-to-meet-readers-needs-in-the-digital-age/

Distributed by Press Release Jet

Media Contact
Company Name: OverDrive
Contact Person: David Burleigh
Email: dburleigh@overdrive.com
Country: United States
Website: http://www.overdrive.com

ReleaseID: 515280

Source: GetNews

autoPusher – An Innovative, New Automatic Toilet Flushing Device

ORENBURG, Russia – September 30, 2015 – The autoPusher, an innovative, new automatic toilet flushing device, was recently announced. This compact and affordable product is perfect for anyone who forgets to flush. It detects the presence of an object in 150-170cm zone. It actually waits until a user leaves this detection zone to flush.

If the both non-rechargeable and rechargeable batteries are low – the device pushes the button anyway. The autoPusher is easy and simple to use. No expensive installation is necessary, simply attach the mount to the flush button on the toilet. Never worry about forgetting to flush again!

The autoPusher is perfect for home, colleges, restaurants, and offices. There are also, three different versions, which will satisfy everyone’s needs. There is the Comfort, the Easy, and the Remote +. The Remote + comes with a night light and an automatic air freshener. However, before everyone can enjoy this product, autoPusher needs help. That’s why they launched this campaign. The goal is to raise $70,000 by November 21, 2015. The funds raised will go towards production and distribution.

To help create this automatic flushing product, please visit the IndieGoGo campaign or click here. Backers can choose from many attractive rewards as a “thank you” for their donations.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to own this incredible device!

Know others that would love this? Spread the word about the autoPusher by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks.

Logo: http://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1443647327.png

Distributed by Crowdfundersseo

Media Contact
Company Name: The autoPusher
Contact Person: Dmitry
Email: info@autopusher.com
Country: Russian Federation
Website: www.autopusher.com

ReleaseID: 515283

Source: GetNews

Alfredo Jaime and Rodolfo Farber are the forces behind top projects in San Diego

Image: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/images/2015/celebrating-jaime-partners-during-9-30.jpg

SAN DIEGO, CA – 30 Sep, 2015 – During National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th to October 15th) we recognize the contributions and important presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States and celebrate their heritage and culture. Hispanics have had a positive influence on our country through their strong commitment to hard work and service, and enhancing our national character with centuries-old traditions.

One successful company whose founders originated in Mexico is Jaime Partners, a leading San Diego-based provider of building and construction management expertise for grand projects, including office, industrial, restaurant, retail and hospitality. The company has also branched out to include advisory and consulting work.

Originally from Ensenada, Mexico, Alfredo Jaime is a self-made man in the construction industry. He started as a project superintendent in 1996 and worked for a building construction company before forming Jaime Partners in 2011, where he is in charge of the day-to-day activities.

Rodolfo, originally from Mazatlán, Mexico, worked in the development of large public and private projects in San Diego County and Mexico regions including Cabo San Lucas and north of Baja. As a real estate developer, Rodolfo has worked on condo and income-producing properties; as an entrepreneur, he brings knowledge on business strategy and project management.

Together, Alfredo and Rodolfo have decades of combined experience in the development of hospitality and retail projects for some of the top general contractors on the West Coast. With Alfredo and Rodolfo at the helm, Jaime Partners has redefined the U.S.-Mexico border shopping experience. They managed the build-out of Duty Free City’s flagship San Diego location in San Ysidro; 14,000 square feet of high-end retail space that boasts 25 luxury stores and services along the U.S.-Mexico border. Jaime Partners is also responsible for the development and improvement of top buildings in San Diego, including the 4,800-square-foot Bracero Cocina de Raiz in the Little Italy neighborhood.

Their extensive project list also includes the development of Searsucker restaurant downtown and The Music Box, San Diego’s premier music venue featuring a restaurant, bar and views of the stage from anywhere in the 11,500-square-foot space. They are currently working on a new design-build restaurant bar project at the Otay Mesa crossing that connects the Tijuana airport with San Diego County.

“We expect nothing less than greatness in our team, our services, and our projects. Because of our desire to offer the best, we never settle for mediocrity or rest on our laurels. Our team excels above the crowd – it is simply ‘who we are.’”

For more information about Jaime Partners, visit www.jaimepartners.com

Full News Story: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/2015/celebrating-jaime-partners-during-national-hispanic-heritage-month/

Distributed by Press Release Jet

Media Contact
Company Name: Alternative Strategies
Contact Person: Samantha Halper
Email: Samantha@altstrategies.com
Phone: (619) 858-0322
Country: United States
Website: http://www.altstrategies.com

ReleaseID: 515277

Source: GetNews

Release of 5-Year Annualized Return Number & Release of BarclayHedge Award Information

Image: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/images/2015/the-vilas-fund-lp-generates-significant-9-30.jpg

30 Sep, 2015 – The Vilas Fund, LP (the “Fund”), is pleased to announce that it was the top performing fund in the BarclayHedge Equity Long Bias category for the three years ended June 30, 2015. Further, the Fund was ranked #6 out of 2,972 funds in the entire BarclayHedge database, including all fund-of-funds and traditional hedge funds, that post continuous results over the three years ended July 31, 2015.

John C. Thompson, CFA, Founder and CIO of Vilas Capital Management, LLC (www.vilascapital.com), commented that “we are extremely gratified that our focus on value equities has led to results that have exceeded our peers over these time periods. However, we are most concerned with producing attractive future returns for our Partners.”

On August 31, 2015, the Fund had its five year anniversary and has posted annualized returns, net of fees, of 23.47% vs 15.87% for the S&P 500 Index, including dividends. Mr. Thompson commented that “we believe that performance records over longer time periods begin to remove luck from the equation and are, again, pleased that our Fund has been able to generate market beating results.”

He continued that “given the market downdraft and the Fund’s under-performance of the equity indices and peers from June 30^th through late-September, the valuation of our long positions has fallen to roughly 0.70 times book value and 8.0 times 2016 earnings estimates. These valuation metrics are extremely attractive and resemble the levels our Fund reached at the end of prior draw downs. Also, the speculative sectors of the market continue to drastically outperform, creating negative results from our short positions, though this showed signs of reversing late in the quarter. These positions currently trade at 27.9 times stated book value and 103 times 2016 non-GAAP earnings estimates. The market uses non-GAAP to value these companies because they are either earning little or are losing money using GAAP accounting. These valuations are reminiscent of the late 1990’s,” Mr. Thompson commented.

Mr. Thompson concluded that “having managed an equity mutual fund during the late 1990’s tech boom, we believe that the market is acting in a similar, though not as pervasive, manner to that time period, after which one of the great reversals between growth and value strategies occurred. We are firm believers in the value strategy, despite its worsening market under-performance over the last 1, 3, 5 and 10 years, and believe that cheap stocks will once again outperform expensive.”

To view:

1. September 28, 2015 Full Press Release (click here)

2. BarclayHedge Equity Long Bias Report – 2Q 2015 – Only (click here)

3. BarclayHedge 3-Year Ranking Report – July 31, 2015 – Only (click here)

Note: The press release and reports may also be found here: http://www.vilascapital.com/2015-press.php

Disclosures:

Performance data referenced represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Performance includes the reinvestment of dividends and other earnings. Net performance is net of all fees and is based upon the current investors’ fee structure. Future performance will vary depending upon each investor’s capital account and fee structure. The current performance may be higher or lower than the performance data provided herein. Current fund information including performance data, can be obtained by visiting www.vilascapital.com.

BarclayHedge is an alternative investment database of hedge funds, fund of funds and managed futures (CTAs). The database contains information on monthly returns, holdings, performance, assets, and fees for reporting funds. BarclayHedge named The Vilas Fund, LP, as the top performing fund in the Equity Long Bias Category of their 2015, Barclay Managed Funds Report, 2^nd Quarter Issue. The Equity Long Bias category contains hedge funds that may employ short positions and leverage and have an average net long exposure of their portfolios greater than 30%. The ranking was based on trailing 3 year compound annual performance returns (net of fees) through June 30, 2015. The Vilas Fund, LP, ranked first in the category which consisted of 256 funds in total. BarclayHedge independently produced this report and informed Vilas Capital Management, LLC, of the fund’s ranking. A copy of the report can be obtained by calling (312) 702-1976.

Vilas Capital Management, LLC, further requested that BarclayHedge compare the Vilas Fund, LP’s, performance to all funds in the BarclayHedge database for the three year time period ending July 31, 2015. The Vilas Fund, LP, ranked 6 out of 2,972 funds in total across all categories including fund of funds.

The Vilas Fund, LP’s, 5 year annualized return as of 8/31/2015 was 23.47% compared to the S&P 500 Index of 15.87% for the same time period. The S&P 500 Index represents 500 of the United States’ largest stocks from a broad variety of industries and includes reinvested dividends. The index is widely used as a comparison to the broader market. The Vilas Fund, LP’s, performance may not be directly comparable to the performance of indices or other private or registered funds. The Vilas Fund, LP’s, results were obtained by using a highly concentrated value strategy which includes short positions. The Fund may also use leverage.

The Vilas Fund, LP, is a private fund and the securities are offered in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and are not subject to the protections of the Investment Company Act. The Securities and Exchange Commission has not reviewed the securities or the offering materials. The Vilas Fund, LP’s, securities are subject to legal restrictions on transfer and resale and investors should not assume they would be able to resell them. All information contained herein is subject to revision and completion. Should there be a discrepancy between the offering materials and this document, the offering materials will control. This document is not intended to be a complete description of the business engaged in by Vilas Capital Management, LLC, nor is it an offering or solicitation to invest. Any such offer or solicitation may be made only by means of a confidential private offering memorandum. No subscriptions will be received or accepted until subscription documents are completed and Vilas Capital Management, LLC, has approved the subscription agreement and an investor’s eligibility to invest. Prospective investors must be accredited investors and meet certain minimum annual income or net worth thresholds in order to be eligible to invest.

Investment in the fund involves a high degree of risk. An investor could lose all or a substantial portion of his or her investment.

Full News Story: https://pressreleasejet.com/newsreleases/2015/the-vilas-fund-lp-generates-significant-marketbeating-results/

Distributed by Press Release Jet

Media Contact
Company Name: Vilas Capital Management, LLC
Contact Person: Joe Cortese
Email: jcortese@vilascapital.com
Phone: (312) 702-1976, Ext 704
Country: United States
Website: http://www.vilascapital.com

ReleaseID: 515276

Source: GetNews

According to the United Nations, almost two billion people consume insects, in both cooked and raw forms. There are almost 1,900 species of bugs which can be eaten, and many are viable sources of protein that could supplement the diets of undernourished peoples. A young college student of Congolese heritage named Michael Kazadi has developed a program to raise the Brachytrupes membranaceus species of crickets as a food source. This pilot project would provide Congolese residents with a nourishing food product that could also provide much needed revenue to impoverished communities. Once successful, this agribusiness will be sold to local residents so that may reap the benefits of this sustainable enterprise.

The Brachytrupes membranaceus is found naturally in Congo and other African countries, where they are consumed as a delicacy. These crickets are currently priced at between $25 and $50 per kilogram, and are eaten by 70 percent of the nation’s 70 million inhabitants. Through this project, the crickets would no longer be gathered, but would instead be cultivated. This type of farming is much more efficient than other types of husbandry. Only 2 kilograms of feed and 8 liters of water could produce one kilogram of crickets, compared to 10 kg of feed and 8,000 liters of water for a similar amount of cattle protein.

In accordance with the recently passed UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this project will allow Congolese communities to support themselves through sustainable farming practices. As mandated, this program is an agricultural research project that will help maintain the local ecosystem while also increasing food production capacity.

As a new type of agribusiness, this has enormous potential for local residents. Not only would it help preserve this important insect species, but also other plants which are destroyed in the traditional gathering process. It would also help create new types of farming of plants used to sustain cricket crops.

Michael is currently working with the University of Georgia’s Department of Entomology and the Institut Superieur Agroveterinaire de Kimwenza in design and implementation of this two year long program. He has also secured the assistance of a prominent international law firm in Atlanta to manage the project. He intends to invite American and African students to maintain the project.

The entire cost of the project is estimated to be $38,000 which will be used for equipment, researchers, travel costs, and administrative fees. To raise these funds, Michael and his team has sponsored a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo. In return for supporting this historic project, backers can receive valuable perks like Thank You letters, T-shirts, Hopper Crunch Granola, bronze Cricket, or Framed Royal Tapestry.

To learn more about this project or to make a financial contribution, please visit http://bit.ly/1VgyCHS

Logo: http://www.getnews.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1443642702.jpeg

Distributed by GetMeCrowdfunded

Media Contact
Company Name: Farming the Congolese Cricket
Contact Person: Michael Kazadi
Email: mikekazadi@gmail.com
Country: United States
Website: http://bit.ly/1VgyCHS

ReleaseID: 515274

Source: GetNews