Feeling a Bit Down? Here Are Local Folks to Help Inspire You

Is daily life really so tough? 

Well, yes, it can be. 

Here, though, is to keeping things in perspective. For more than a month now, Patch and Grape-Nuts have teamed up to present stories about your neighbors - neighbors who have faced challenges that would seem insurmountable to many of us.  

But not to the people we've featured in this series, Journeys. 

And, so, here they are again. Great stories shared to inspire. Take a look at what these people have faced. Then click on the story to see their responses. And, feel better about things.    

• Breast Cancer Survivor Helps Others
Women in New York will now have a better shot of catching a breast cancer diagnosis early due to the work of a Dix Hills mom, who turned her disease into a platform for change in the medical field.  

• Business Leader Works To Overcome Recession
Rich Kruse is the founder and president of the nonprofit organization ExecuLeaders, a business association dedicated to further educating the business community and fostering networking. His strategies have helped the organization thrive despite the recession.
   
• Girl Scout Leader Helping Next Generation Grow
The nation may want to look to the Girl Scouts for its next generation of leaders. In Nassau County, Girl Scout Executive Director Donna Ceravolo is working hard to encourage girls to set goals and learn positive ways to deal socially and in the business world.
 
• Sandy Proves To Be His Biggest Challenge
Ed Mangano was sworn into office as Nassau County Executive on Jan. 1, 2010. Over the past three years, he's faced multiple challenges in office including a fiscal crisis. However, no challenge has been larger than historical Superstorm Sandy, which left a trail of devastation in its wake.