FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2007

OCEANSIDE, California — What do Paul Newman, Gary Sinise, Betty Ford, and Dr. Laura Schlessinger have in common? Obviously, they are all celebrities, but they are also Founders of various prominent nonprofit organizations that extend their services around the globe. Their stories are featured in a new book entitled Passionaries: Turning Compassion into Action, written by Barbara Metzler. Metzler coined the word “passionaries” while interviewing the 35 people profiled in her book. “I saw them as passionate visionaries,” she said, “and though I did not intend to create a new word, "passionaries" came into my mind and I knew that it described what I saw perfectly.” Her book chronicles the impressive accomplishments of organizations such as USA Harvest, Habitat for Humanity, Newman’s Own, and The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and many more. The perseverance and ingenuity of each of these Founders is revealed in detail . Barbara Metzler believes that sharing these stories is a way to encourage people to realize that, they too, can turn compassion into action regardless of their resources or obstacles. “Perhaps the most profound thing that I learned while researching and writing this book, is the occurrence of a 'ripple effect'. One person CAN make a difference, and all of the passionaries in my book have done just that." Barbara Metzler envisions Passionaries as the first book in a series that she intends to write. "My goal is not only to profile successful social entrepreneurs, but to provide readers with possible avenues and resources that they can utilize to make a difference and take action."

About the author

Barbara R. Metzler graduated from the University of Southern California and received a masters in psychology/counseling from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. As an entrepreneur involved in the Young Presidents’ Organization, she has started five companies including a multi-million dollar corporation, The Farmer’s Wife. In the 1980s, it was the country’s leading manufacturer of fruit by-products, developing and selling fruit that her husband’s large agricultural farm was throwing away. She is active in her church and in many local and national nonprofit organizations and resides in San Diego with her husband of thirty years.

Passionaries: Turning Compassion into Action

Templeton Foundation Press

ISBN: 1-59947-105-1 ** 978-1-59947-105-1

Price: $19.95, paperback with French flaps

Publication date: October 2006

Contact:

Jomilee Shega 760-439-7580

E-mail: info@passionaries.com