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The Direct Selling Association will be on hand this week to help the Today Show kick off their annual Toy Drive. The 15th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy Drive will be launched Monday November 24th at 8:30 AM. This will be the fifth year that the DSA has been a part of the annual drive.

The DSA will kick off the drive by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza. Thirty two direct selling companies have come together to donate products to the drive, the total donation coming in at over $9 million dollars in products. Seven of the DSA’s companies will be featured in spots on the TODAY show during the holiday season.

Items donated include books, clothing, toiletries and of course toys for children and families all across the United States. Over the past five years, DSA member companies have donated over $37 million dollars in cash, product and services to the Toy Drive.

This is a a brilliant move on the part of the DSA and the member companies that are a part of this. Given the economic times, network marketing companies are going to continue to thrive as more and more people seek additional forms of income.

The following direct selling companies donated products to this year’s Toy Drive:
4Life
Advocare
Amway
Arbonne
Avon Products, Inc
Blessings Unlimited
Butterfly Worldwide, LLC
Clever Container
Cookie Lee
Creative Memories
CUTCO
DeMarle at Home
DeTech
Essential Bodywear
Fifth Avenue Collection
The Happy Gardener
lia sophia
The Longaberger Company
Mary Kay Inc
National Companies
Nature’s Sunshine
Oxyfresh
The Pampered Chef
PartyLite Gifts
Purse Party, Inc
Shaklee Corporation
Signature HomeStyles
Southern Living at Home
The Southwestern Company
Stampin’ Up!
UDesign Jewelry
Vantel Pearls

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There was a very special birthday announcement made on the Today Show July 16th. Willard Scott, who famously sends out happy birthday wishes to those who have reach the 100 year + mark each morning on the show, announced the one-hundredth birthday of Bonnie Longaberger, the mother of the founder of the Longaberger basket company, Dave Longaberger.

Bonnie Longaberger not only received attention from the national morning show, but also received well wishes from the thousands of Longaberger sales associates who fondly refer to her as “Grandma Bonnie.”

Longaberger was founded by Bonnie’s son Dave in 1973 and Bonnie herself served as an inspiration for the company and many of its products, including their popular daffodil basket.

“Grandma Bonnie has been known as much for her love of the simple life as for her wit and humor,” said Tami Longaberger, her granddaughter and chief executive officer and president of The Longaberger Company, based in Newark, Ohio. “She is remarkably resilient and remains one of the strongest women I know.”

Willard quoted Bonnie as he wished her a happy birthday saying that the basket company matriarch believed that, “A person should have a good sense of humor, and if that doesn’t work, they should rely on the Lord.”

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Avon - The Hello Tomorrow Avon Beauty Tour embarked on its sixth annual journey across the country on April 27th. The annual campaign, sponsored this year by Merck and Co, travels across the country to raise awareness of the link between cervical cancer and the human papilloma virus. (HPV)

Avon’s customized 1500 square foot beauty center began its journey at the Women’s Life Expo in Indianapolis and over the next few months will travel across the country visiting over 30 cities and reaching over 500,000 women.

The traveling beauty pavilion will offer lots of freebies including lip makeovers and lots of samples of Avon products. There will also be plenty of opportunity to learn about the company, its products and of course, how to become an Avon representative. The tour will also feature a Hello Tomorrow Wishing Wall on which visitors can write down their hope and vision for the future. Each person who submits an entry will be eligible to win $1000 to help make their wish come true. The city that collects the most ‘wishes’ will receive a $20,000 grant from the Avon Foundation that donate to a local domestic violence agency.

Check out the tour dates and go get some free goodies!

In other Avon News:

-Mothers day is going be here very shortly, and if you haven’t gotten anything for mom yet, Avon can help. Avon, along with Cynthia Rowley has just introduced a new fragrance for Women. The scents, from the world renowned designer, is called Flower and Petal and is now available on the site.

- Avon made an appearance on the Today show this week. Their stick on nail color (enamel strips) was commended for helping women get from blah to glam quickly. Luis Licari along with beauty correspondent Jill Martin, showed a lucky viewer how to get glamorous at home in no time. The stick on nail color comes in 11 shades and is so simple to use. Just stick it on nail, press and tear off excess. Instant manicure.

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PartyLite - a Massachusettes based candle and home décor company, was featured on the Lifetime show, The Balancing Act, last week. Senior Regional VP Elizabeth Houser spoke about her personal career story, as part of a discussion on how woman can find successful, fulfilling careers and home while balancing their responsibilities to their family.

PartyLite was applauded for having no start up cost and for offering top quality products including candles and home décor. Houser has been with the company for over 12 years after leaving a corporate job to spend time with her son.

The company has received a good amount of attention in the last year, showing up on the TODAY Show on NBC and being featured in Latina Magazine as part of a special section on Latina Women in the Direct Sales Industry.

PartyLite will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. If you missed the show, which originally aired April 4th, you can catch it again on April 15th and 24th, or you can watch the clip here……ENJOY!

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