Day 38

 

Today I dropped off some food and other items for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

I called them to find out what they needed most, and after listing off a number of items, the woman I spoke to said, "Honestly, we'll take anything you bring us. As fast as it arrives, it gets taken. The need is so great."

Day 37

Today's contribution will take a sec to explain, but stick with me because it's very cool.
- A child picks an organization that they'd like to support
-- then writes / draws an original story
--- which a songwriter uses as inspiration for an original song
---- which people like you and me support by donating to the cause

It's like three for the price of one! And that doesn't even count the people who benefit from the services.

So I'm supporting Keith Alan Mitchell's original song, inspired by a story called The Fashion Show, written by Kiralee (age 11), in support of Gilda's Club - Quad Cities, which is an affiliate of the Cancer Support Community and is "dedicated to providing support, education and hope to all people affected by any type of cancer, including the family members and friends of those diagnosed."

So just to recap, an 11-year-old girl wrote a story, which was turned into a song by a musician (and a friend of mine) in California, which inspired me (in North Carolina) to donate money to an organization supporting families in Iowa and Illinois who are dealing with cancer.

If that's not the coolest chain of awesomeness, then I don't know what is.

Day 36

Today I donated to Jenny Fletcher Davis's 3rd grade classroom at Michigan Primary School in Ashtabula, Ohio. As Ms. Davis puts it:

I teach 24 eager-to-learn 3rd graders in a high poverty district. Some of my students are on IEPs to help with attention issues and learning disabilities. Many of my students find it hard to sit in chairs for long periods of time. My goal is for each student to get the most out of every school day!

Day 35

Today I let people go ahead of me. At doorways, in line, in traffic, in parking lots, or anywhere else I had an opportunity.

Day 34

Today I removed some dangerous debris from the road near my house. A metal ramp like you see on the back of landscaping trailers was in the road, and at least one car got it's tires flattened in the pre-dawn hours by driving over it. I stopped and moved it to the side of the road, then made sure the driver of the disabled vehicle was ok before heading on.

Day 33

Today I donated to Meals on Wheels Chapel Hill-Carrboro.

Day 32

I'm cheating just a little bit. Most of today's task occurred yesterday. But as I had already completed one task yesterday, and since I didn't home from this until after midnight, I'm counting it for today. Plus, I'm too tired to accomplish much else today. Four hours at a party followed by seven hours on my feet at a concession stand took it's toll on this 45-year-old body of mine.

I volunteered to work the concession stand at the Duke / Miami football game. We sold hot dogs, pizza, chicken sandwiches, popcorn, peanuts, cotton candy, soft drinks, hot cocoa, tea, cracker jacks, candy, water, and a few other things. Proceeds go to help local schools.

And in case you missed it, check out the controversial game-ending play:

...and the aftermath:

ACC Suspends Officials for Errors in Wild Ending of Duke-Miami