Yorktown, NY, Becomes First Jurisdiction to Proclaim May 4th “Make A Promise Day”

Feb. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- Yorktown resident, author, and guest speaker Matthew Cossolotto, creator of “Make A Promise Day,” today applauded the Yorktown Town Board for adopting a resolution designating May 4, 2011 and every year thereafter to be “Make A Promise Day.”  

“This is a very big step forward,” Cossolotto said.  “Yorktown is the first jurisdiction to adopt a ‘Make A Promise Day’ resolution.  But I hope and expect this is only the beginning.  I want to thank the Yorktown Board for supporting this very positive and inspiring initiative.  Now I’d like to see Westchester County adopt a similar resolution, along with New York State and other communities and states around the country.  But the power of making a promise need not be restricted to the U.S.  I hope other countries will adopt similar resolutions.  My attitude is:  Today Yorktown, tomorrow the world!  So I encourage supporters of 'Make A Promise Day' to ask their local, state, and national authorities to adopt a similar ‘Make A Promise Day’ resolution.”  

Following is the full text of the resolution, which was adopted unanimously by the Yorktown Town Board on February 15, 2011.  

MAKE A PROMISE DAY
Whereas, Make a Promise Day is the only unofficial “holiday” dedicated to personal empowerment, goal achievement and integrity enhancement;
Whereas, Make A Promise Day encourages individuals to turn important goals into heartfelt promises thereby increasing the probability of reaching those goals;
Whereas, celebrating Make A Promise Day will have the effect of enhancing accountability, personal responsibility and integrity;
Whereas, the Town Board recognizes the value of highlighting the power of making and keeping promises on the part of local students, teachers, community organizations, businesses and political leaders;
Now therefore be it resolved, that the Town Board of Yorktown hereby designates and proclaims May 4th of 2011 and each year thereafter to be “Make A Promise Day” and encourages local organizations and individual members of the community to celebrate “Make A Promise Day” in a manner they deem to be suitable and appropriate.

By way of background, Cossolotto made a promise to his mother on her deathbed that he would finish writing a book he had been discussing with her, get it published, and dedicate it to her memory. The resulting book, complete with Cossolotto’s dedication to his mother, is HabitForce!  How to Kick the Habits of FAILURE and Adopt the Habits of SUCCESS. Signed copies of HabitForce! can be ordered via Cossolotto’s website:  http://www.ThePodiumPro.com.

Cossolotto’s dedication to his mother in HabitForce! reads:  

In loving memory of my mother,
Virginia Hope (Ludascher) Butler

I did it, Mom!  Finally.  I can honestly say that this book would never have been completed had I not made that promise to you at home in Gasquet, California, a few weeks before you passed away.  This vividly demonstrates the power of making a promise, especially to your mother!
   
Cossolotto’s forthcoming book – I Promise! The Two Magic Words That Could Change Your Life and Transform The World – features a foreword by Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.  In his foreword to Cossolotto’s book Canfield writes:  

"When Matthew first told me about the heartfelt promise he made to his mother and that he was launching a special day called “Make A Promise Day” on May 4th, I was hooked.  You could say he had me at 'I promise.'…    

Contributing the foreword to this book and being associated with Matthew’s inspiring “Make-A-Promise” project is totally aligned with my life’s purpose. I applaud Matthew for collecting and celebrating these uplifting stories about promises made and promises kept."

John Assaraf, best-selling author of Having It All, wrote this about Cossolotto’s “Make A Promise” project:  “I agree completely with [Matthew] that there is something uniquely powerful about making a promise that goes beyond traditional goal-setting.”

Here are a few prominent examples of the power of making a promise:

•   Nancy Brinker, author of Promise Me and founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, promised her sister and breast cancer victim Suzy that she would help find a cure.
•   Bill Clinton made a promise to Chelsea that he would watch his diet and take care of his health.
•   Oprah made a promise to Nelson Mandela that she would build a school for girls in South Africa.
•   NBC’s Al Roker made a promise to his dying father that he would deal with his weight issues.

As a guest speaker, Cossolotto offers several Personal Empowerment Programs (PEPTalks) to a variety of audiences including schools and colleges, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits.  Here are the titles of his top three PEPTalks:  

•   The Power of Making a Promise: Make A Promise. Keep Your Word. Change Your Life. Transform The World.
•   The Joy of Speaking: Turn Stage Fright Into Stage Delight and Speak Your Way to the Peak
•   Success Is An Inside Job: Avoid FAILURE Traps, Get on the SUCCESS Track, and Reach Your Peak Personal Potential

About Matthew Cossolotto:  A former aide to House Speaker Jim Wright and Congressman (now CIA Director) Leon Panetta, Matthew Cossolotto (aka The Podium Pro) served as a CEO-level speechwriter and communications executive at MCI, Pepsi-Cola International, and GTE.  The author of several books including The Almanac of European Politics, All The World’s A Podium, and HabitForce!, Matthew offers a range of executive communication services and guest speaking programs.   Please visit http://www.ThePodiumPro.com, http://www.MakeAPromiseDay.wordpress.com, and http://www.MakeAPromiseDay.com.  Follow Matthew and Make A Promise Day on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/makeapromiseday.

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Author. Guest Speaker. Speechwriter. Speech Coach. Matthew Cossolotto is a former Congressional aide and CEO-level speechwriter and communications executive at MCI, GTE, and Pepsi-Cola International. Matthew formed Ovations International in 1996.