Volunteer


B’s Give Back: Teaching the Next Generation
June 12th, 2010 | Comments
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On Saturday we bring you examples of women who find creative, meaningful ways to give to others. This week we’re featuring Michele S. and her five year old son. Given events in the Gulf, we can’t think of a more timely message of giving back, not only to her community and her family, but to the future of our planet.

Michele wrote to us about how she donates clothing to shelters, teaches art to underserved children and serves as a role model to teach her son about reusing and recycling clothing, materials and plants. We were intrigued so we asked her to share more about how she and her son reuse what is around them.   (more…)






A Tennessee Volunteer
May 7th, 2010 | 2 Comments
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B’s Give Back

We write in our book about volunteering: “If this time has taught you nothing else, it should teach you that life spins and turns on a dime; we are separated by only an accident of time and space, and the person on the receiving end of your help could just as easily be you.”

While Saturday is the day we feature a member of our community and how she gives back, we just received this story and decided to not wait until tomorrow. There is so much in our world that demands and commands our attention–a baby crying, a husband whining, oil spilling in the Gulf, Greece defaulting, bombs in Times Square, — that the devastation from flooding in Tennessee seems to have gotten lost.

“Hi!

I keep your book on my bed-side table. I love it! I’ve been thinking about budgeting, limited resources, etc. quite a bit this week. I was extremely fortunate to come out of this weekend’s flood with absolutely no damage at all, but there are those in Middle Tennessee and parts of West Tennessee who lost nearly everything. (Do a you-tube search for Nashville Flood and you’ll see what I mean). I volunteered at a disaster assistance center for the first time today, and it made my heart hurt to hear how much people had lost. It’s only going to get worse as the water recedes and we see exactly how much damage was done.

Could you give us TN people a mention on your site?

People’s true character comes out when disaster strikes, and I have to say that the people of Nashville are freaking awesome! Hands-On Nashville has been coordinating volunteer efforts and from what I can tell, the response has been overwhelming. Other volunteer efforts are underway as well. In spite of all that, Tennessee could use some help. If you see fit to mention it on your site, there are many ways people can help. Hands-On Nashville (www.hon.org) has volunteer opportunities. Nashville Red Cross is accepting donations, as is the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee . Second Harvest Food Bank is in need of more food donations as well. These are just the few I know about. I’m sure there are others.

Thank you for your time. Again, I love the book!

Jennifer”

Thank you, Jennifer.

Remember Saturday (usually) is B’s Give Back. Please tell us about urgent needs, or simple ones, in your community (or the world), and how you give back.






B’s Give Back: “Chocoholics for Charity”
April 24th, 2010 | 3 Comments
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Each week we feature a member of our community and how they give back. When we saw that this Saturday’s Queen B, Amy, participated in a ‘Chocholics for Charity’ event we knew that we had to share her story with you. It reminded us that there is no greater ‘rush’ than giving of yourself in a way that helps someone else.

Of course, what makes Amy extraordinary is that she gives back in so many different ways. As she wrote, “If they need a volunteer for something, I’m there!”

Here is Amy’s story:

“I deliver Meals on Wheels twice per month to local residents and shut-ins, and I coordinate 60+ volunteers from my office to deliver meals the other days of the month I am not available to do so.”

“I volunteer for an average of three (3) events per year for Treasured Chests, which rasies money to fight breast cancer in the Minneapolis/ St Paul area. Anytime the National Bone Marrow Registry has a recrtuitment event (such as at Twinsfest 2010), I staff booths, hand out literature and do whatever other miscellaneous tasks they need done (my brother-in-law is the National Volunteer coordinator for that organization).”

“I am signed up to work with Chocoholics for Charity this year, which is debuting for the first time in Minneapolis this year; (more…)






B’s Give Back: A Mother and Daughter Story
April 10th, 2010 | Comments
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A modern woman knows what she needs and knows how to get it. She also knows that other people need things, too–that we’ve got to look out for one another. Every weekend we bring you examples of women who find creative, meaningful ways to give to others, even when money and time are tight.

Today we’re proud to feature a member of our community who does double duty volunteering.  Daily working  in a local school and after school where she and her daughter work on a volunteer project together . We’re honored that Judith took the time to write to us and we congratulate her on being a wonderful role model and for the work she does for others. In fact, Judith is so passionate about the work she is doing, she has a dream to grow it into a non-profit foundation. Here’s her story:

“I volunteer daily tutoring struggling first grade readers at our local elementary school. I am working on my Master’s in Reading Education and am putting what I am studying to a practical use. The kids are from socio-economically disadvantaged homes and don’t have books in the homes, and some are English Language Learners.
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