Let's Help One Another Happy Helping Hands

Let's help one another

ruskingirl 16 years ago

I thought it would be nice to start a group that encourages us to give. In a time when so many are suffering in many different ways, let us extend a hand to help out. We can take a meal to someone who has just left a hospital or a shut-in, maybe someone elderly. Provide a basket of homemade treats to a neighbor going through a difficult time. Give some cookies to the kids playing next door or help feed a group of volunteers. Let's post recipes that will be great for traveling or freezing. Another idea would be letting us know if you are helping or volunteering, such as, rebuilding a home for the people in New Orleans or cleaning up after a flood or even weeding a garden for someone who just can't. Let's try to make a difference in our world.

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pleclare 16 years ago said:

Great idea,thanks!!

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mystic_river1 16 years ago said:

Very nice idea.
I jus saw a movie EVAN ALMIGHTY and I loved it. I think the message it gives was so true:

You can change the world with ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS.

Funny movie too!

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rml 16 years ago said:

ruskingirl.....great idea for a group. I'm looking for a volunteer position right now. I did the Girlscout thing, PTA, Pink Lady at the hospital, helped a winery harvest their grapes, I considered volunteering at the SPCA, but I would end up adopting all of the critters. Still looking.

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linebb956 16 years ago said:

I volunteer at our local American Legion. We raise money for local edcuation.. and for Veterans. Giving thousand to the Veterans Hospitals. We also donate to the needy.. a group who feed the homeless.. Doing a fundraiser for a local company who's medical chopper went down a while back.. I think it is our duty to help others. Never did the Girlscout thing... my daughter was into sports. Help build a barn for a neighbor who lost his in a fire, would rather have done the grapes! That took months! As we only had weekends..

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ruskingirl 16 years ago said:

Wow rml and line, you both are really busy bees! I think it is great what you both have done and are doing. Building a barn for someone is incredible. I would be like you, rml, and bring home all the little critters too... : ) I help run a support group for parents of children with disabilities, make meals for people who are sick, have worked in soup kitchens and am on a board of a program for young adults with special needs. My husband has been all over the world building homes, orphanages and bringing wheel chairs to third world countries. He was also helping in New York during 9-11. I couldn't go because I needed to be here for our son. It is so rewarding to give, even if it is something so little.

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linebb956 16 years ago said:

Helped build a barn Silly! We ladies kept the guys mostly in food and drinks.. I can run a saw and a drill, as we have a constructrion business... Up till last year.. I got on roofs!

That is great what your husband does... the world needs more people who are not afraid to get their hands dirty!

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ruskingirl 16 years ago said:

LOL!! I had visions of you climbing up on the open rafters manually hammer in nails. You should have let us continue to believe that. Hahaha... You still are amazing, I don't think I have ever ran a saw but I can food process like no ones buisness. Sure the guys enjoyed the food and drinks. ; )

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pat2me 16 years ago said:

Rusking, wonderful idea for a group!

My husband and I do the random acts thing.....always surprises people.......we just remind them to please pass it on at their first opportunity.

That's just the way we were brought up, if my parents could do anything for anyone they did......even if it put them off schedule or might have cost them a little something. I truly believe in that principle.

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ruskingirl 16 years ago said:

Pat...that is the way I was brought up as well. We always had people living with us during rough times, kids all over the house because it was a save haven. My parents gave tons of money to people in need, even to thier hurt at times. Isn't it great to have that kind of legacy?!?

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pat2me 16 years ago said:

I absolutely agree! It's really nice to have been taught the right priorities..........never be rich materially.....but never too poor to help someone if we can!

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thepiggs 16 years ago said:

You don't have to be rich to donate time. I did literacy and GED tutoring for some years before I relocated. It's one of the things I said I would like to get into here. I liked doing it because it really helped the individual and would benefit them and their families for the rest of their lives. Someone who can't read is handicapped as to the jobs they can get and with reading, it can open up a new life for them, giving them more respect for themselves.
I figure most of us do do something, we just don't talk about it, just do it and go on.
Part of our garden produce will also find it's way to some sort of charitible concern this summer, as well as sharing with all our friends.
Sharing is good.

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pat2me 16 years ago said:

The literacy and GED programs are a great way to contribute!

Yes, sharing is good and I believe that the greater part of humanity is good, although sometimes it doesn't appear that way at 6 and 11.

Ya just gotta believe in your fellow man!

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linebb956 16 years ago said:

We always had a huge garden up north... so I offered produce to some who were out of work... the comment was... "can you pick it for me"... That turned me off big time..

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notyourmomma 16 years ago said:

Line, how sad. We are always taking extra fruit from the trees into work to "share" and we take the extra bounty to Ronald McDonald. Oranges are good for weeks, I know they don't go to waste. I hate to see fruit on the ground rotting in yards or eaten by the fruit rats.

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ruskingirl 16 years ago said:

I am so sorry there are jerks like that out there. While visiting Chigaco one year with my daughter, we came across a homeless woman begging on the street for money. She looked so down and out but I didn't want to give her cash to use for drink or drugs...anyway, we went to a great little deli around the corner and got her something really nice to eat. We took it back to her and she threw it across the sidewalk. It does kind off turn you off for a while. But we have to remember that one or two bad apples don't spoil everything.

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linebb956 16 years ago said:

I had a client .. who's wife and friend thought it was their duty.. to go to I think it was the Houston dome after Katrina... to help... Well, one huge deli company came in with a truck... semi.. with deli food... the people bitched.. said they did not want that crap... and did not want water.. wanted soda.. Well it scared those ladies so bad.. they were back to the Valley in 4 days... they actually were afraid for their lives.. That is why we help the schools and the veterans hospitals...

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thepiggs 16 years ago said:

Yes, I had a similar experience while I was visiting here, before I moved. I pulled in to a McDonald's to get a snack and a woman was begging for some money for food. I told her I would buy her something but not give her money. She kept telling me some story about how THEY didn't want here there and she had to leave. She didn't get the food and she didn't get the money either.
I just figured she was wanting money for a fix or something similar, as she certainly couldn't have been too hungry if she turned down the offer of food! It's sad.

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pat2me 16 years ago said:

The ungratefulness of some can be a real turnoff, but you have to use your head when helping.

I'm sure we all want to help, but not get taken advantage of in the interim!

"Can you pick it for me?"..........Good Lord!

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thepiggs 16 years ago said:

Pat, the "can you pick it for me?" thought is something that many people hear. If the people really need it, they will be grateful and come pick it themselves. If not, I would consider the person to be a lazy cad/jerk who just didn't have the gumption to do ANYTHING. If they are disabled, they would say they couldn't.
Beggers can't be choosers when it comes to what they get when they are at the mercy of others.
The story about the Katrina victims is really sad. Guess they thought they were due better.
During the 9-11 airtraffic shutdown, the hotels around the airport were packed. Many of the people didn't have money to eat on, as they planned on being at their homes, not stuck for days in an unknown city. We frequented a pizza shop that also had canteen trucks and the owner told his guys to drop off all the uneeded food at the hotels for the people who needed it. I think he also had extra stashed in the trucks so there would be more than enough left over.
I think there were also people who went to the airports, found people who were stuck sleeping in the waiting areas, and took them home. There were many stories about the good deeds that were done during that time, in the KC area, and I'm sure KC wasn't the only city that showed compassion.
Sometimes it just takes people seeing what's going on to bring out the goodness is them.

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linebb956 16 years ago said:

I think that is why I like doing the "Chicken Fried Steak" night we do with the Son of the American Legion... This money goes for students of poor family's.. who are just B and C students... Ones who would not get money for school any were else. Those families have come to help with the dinners the following year .. to say thanks... These kids do this every Saturday ... they work from around 2 till we are done... we serve till 7, then clean up... These are teens.. Our Commander is a Junior in high school this year.. and our youngest working member is 11. How many kids give up Saturday nights to do this? They gave 4 $700 scholarships last year.. plus to the Audie Murphy hospital, the Fire dept, and to a Boys and Girls state... We do this all winter, from October to April... Great kids..With some great parents, who are teaching them the value of helping others. Somewhere I have a picture of the main group.. I will try to find an post under my avatar when I get back from San Antonio...

Oh yeah.. they are smart too.. .they bring their girl friends and have them work!

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ruskingirl 16 years ago said:

Line, what a great story/example of young people making a difference. My son is disabled and we have been going to family camp in the summer for several years and it is great to see abled bodied families actually pay to spend time with people with disabilities. They will spend a week, one on one, helping to give the "families" a break. We then, are rested and able to go and "pay it forward" by helping others in our communities.

I am looking forward to seeing the picture of the group!

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linebb956 16 years ago said:

That is great.. is that all over the United States? That would be a good one for them to help.

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trigger 16 years ago said:

Line, I love that chicken fried steak night . I often think about those kids who get left out of their chance to go to college.

We have a fresh air camp near ware I live it is a non profit and it gives the opportunity for inner city youth who have no money to go to camp, to go to summer camp. Most of the camp counselors were once campers themselves. I donate money at an annual dinner and silent auction.

I love helping out those children.A long time ago I was the recipient of such a gift and I have fantastic memories of those days.

There must be a way to raise more money for these children so they are given more opportunities to explore new and exciting job opportunities that they dream of doing rather than getting stuck in a low wage job.

Michael

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mbalmr 15 years ago said:

I often think I should volunteer my time to the local animal shelter, because that's my favorite charity and the one cause about which I feel the most passionate. Unfortunately, I have a little social anxiety thing going on right now, so getting out of the house is not my top priority. In fact, some days it's downright impossible for me.

I did want to share this story, though. It falls in line with the "random acts of kindness" theme of this group.

About a year and a half ago, I had my new puppy at the vet's office for his shots and wellness check up. As I was paying my bill, this scruffy, really pitiful looking man came in with his cat, who had a wounded paw. The cat was bleeding on the reception area counter, so I know it was a pretty serious injury. The man was already in tears about it, but he was also apparently in arrears with his vet bills, so the receptionist had to tell him that unless and until he paid his debt, they couldn't treat his cat. This got the poor man even more shook up than he already was, so I asked what he owed, and then I quiety fished the money out of my purse, handed it to the man, and told him to take care of his baby.

The woman behind me was inspired by my act of kindness (and the guy's tears,) so she fished some money out of her purse, slammed it on the counter, told the receptionist to put her money toward that day's vet bill, and further told the receptionist that she should be ashamed of herself for denying care to an injured animal for any reason. I concur with that sentiment, but I also understand that office policy is office policy. Anyway, the man started crying again, but the kitty got his treatment, and I still feel really good about doing the right thing in this case.

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