Hobbs, who overcame a near-paralyzing battle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and then dealt with diagnoses of cancer in both parents and his wife's Multiple Sclerosis, left a lucrative, highly successful professional career with Naumann Hobbs Material Handling to create a vehicle to deliver his motivational experience.

His first presentation of the Hope l Vision l Passion Motivational Experience took place last fall in front of a packed house at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts that included many of the Valley's leading business people.

"We heard from many of those who were in the audience that the program would really be impactful for young people who may be dealing with issues that most of us can not relate to," Hobbs said. "I wanted to remove obstacles preventing people from attending. Finances is an obvious obstacle for many people. So we asked them to help us make arrangements for as many as we could and they responded generously."

Among the organizations being supported by the donations are Barrow Neurological, Boys & Girls Clubs, CASS, City of Hope, Golden Gate Community Center, HomeBase Youth Services, Junior Achievement, Mentor Kids USA, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix Day Child & Family Learning Center, Red Mountain Academy, UMOM New Day Centers and United Way.

Sponsors include Debi and Jerry Bisgrove, Stardust Companies; Nancy and Lyle Campbell, Legacy Bank; Shelly and Ron Coleman, The Coleman Family Foundation; Stevie and Karl Eller, The Eller Companies; Nita and Phil Francis, PETsMART; Natalie and Ed Gaylord, Gaylord Sports Management; Nancy and Lee Hanley, Vestar; Karen and Bob Hobbs Sr., Naumann Hobbs Material Handling; Chris and Dennis Jones, M&I Bank; Randy and Ken Kendrick, Arizona Diamondbacks; Dennis Kuester, M&I Bank; Wendy and Sage Lentz, Loma Vista Development; Priscilla and Michael Nicholas, Nicholas Homes; Ellen and Bob Uhl, BAR-S Foods; and Michelle and Mark Walker, EnerSys.

Hobbs' key message is that "we can't choose what comes our way during our lives, but we do have a choice in how to handle it. We must choose to be happy. Challenges can be opportunities," he said.

He'll be joined on stage by three individuals whose own life stories can only be described as remarkably inspirational:

• Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan, who was born with a lower limb disability and had both legs amputated after an accident at the age of 20. Tynan went on to set 14 world records in international track and field events at disabled games and is today a doctor of sports medicine. He started taking voice lessons at 30 and is now well-known around the world as a member of the Irish Tenors.

• Jim MacLaren, Actor, motivational speaker and former professional athlete. At age 22, this 6-foot-5, 300 pound former defensive lineman and Yale graduate was hit by a New York City bus and pronounced dead on arrival at Bellevue Hospital. Less than two weeks after waking from a coma, he began rehabilitation that included learning to walk without his left leg that had been amputated below the knee. Today, he holds the record as the world's fastest amputee marathon runner and triathlete. In June 1993, while biking in a California triathlon, he was hit by a van and thrown headfirst into a lamppost, breaking his C5 vertebra and diagnosed as a quadriplegic. He has since regained partial control of his limbs, as well as his independence, and is an inspiration to thousands through his own foundation.

• Adventurer Alan Hobson, who at 29, began to realize his most-ambitious childhood dream: conquering Mount Everest. It took ten years to reach the highest point on earth. Three years later, he was diagnosed with blood cancer and given less than a year to live. That was six years ago. Today, he is one of fewer than 12 people to achieve an elite level of fitness after a blood transfusion for acute leukemia and has been cancer free for more than four years. An international best-selling author, former nine-time All-American gymnast, marathon runner and hang-glider pilot, his sixth book is Climb Back from Cancer -- A Survivor and Caregiver's Inspirational Journey, written with his wife.

Tickets for Bob Hobbs' Jr.'s multi-sensory Hope | Vision | Passion Inspirational Experience range from $25 to $190 and are available at the Dodge Theatre, 400 W. Washington or through Ticketmaster, (480) 784-4444 or (520) 321-1000 or www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Outlets.