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Friday, October 27, 2006
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A day - and ways - to make a difference
Staff Writer Have any plans Saturday?
If not, how about joining more than 3 million Americans in thousands of communities by spending the day helping others.
Saturday is the 16th annual Make A Difference Day, an event sponsored and created by USA Weekend Magazine, in partnership with The Points of Light Foundation.
Not sure what you can do to help? A database of ideas is available on the Web site, www.makeadifferenceday.com. In addition, visitors to the site may click on the Make A Difference DAYtaBANK, enter your ZIP code and find others who have listed projects they will tackle Saturday so those interested in helping may join them.
According to the Web site, members of Journey North Community Church in Brainerd will be going around the church neighborhood with rakes, shovels, leaf bags and garbage bags to help neighbors clean up their yards. They also plan to use trailers to haul unneeded items to the landfill.
Those hosting volunteer projects Saturday are encouraged to list their projects online so volunteers can join their group if needed.
Other ideas on how you can help Saturday:
¥ Collect needed items, like food, clothes, socks, books and toys for the ill and needy. Or raise money to fix a community landmark.
¥ Take care of a neighbor, by performing odd jobs, providing a homecooked meal or delivering personal care items to an older needy friend.
¥ Consult area shelters to find out what is needed on their wish lists. Attempt to fulfill one or more of those wishes.
¥ Make a special donation to a charity or organization. For example, in Des Moines, Iowa, the four Hendrix brothers, Alex and Ben, 8, and Tom and Drew, 6, donated books, games and stuffed animals - their own favorites - to the hospice where their stepfather, Dennis, died from a brain tumor in January 1995.
¥ Celebrate Halloween with residents of a nursing home.
¥ Boost your passion. Adam Page, 13, gave $120 - a year's allowance - to feed and care for dogs and cats at the Robert Potter League for Animals in Rhode Island, where he volunteers.
¥ Help others learn to give. Enlist your children or grandchildren in helping others on Saturday.
These and many more ideas are available at the Make A Difference Web site by clicking on the "Idea Generator."
If you already volunteer, this may be that extra "push" for your ongoing volunteer activities. Or this may be the "push" you need to get started on a volunteer activity you've wanted to start with friends or family.
The best part of Make a Difference Day is this: People who volunteered in their community on Saturday may fill out an entry form at the Web site to nominate themselves to be honored to receive a $10,000 donation for their charitable project from actor Paul Newman and his Newman's Own products. Award recipients also will be featured in an April issue of USA Weekend, coinciding with National Volunteer Week. Include photographs with your entry form to help share your story.
Several Garrison Lions recently participated in their own "Make A Difference Day" by assembling "Put a Child to Bed" kits that were distributed to women's shelters in Aitkin, Brainerd and Wahkon. The kits included a polar fleece blanket, bag of popcorn, book and a Beanie Baby.
So what are you waiting for?
Get out and make a difference.
On the net: www.makeadifferenceday.com
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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