Helping Hands Project

Thistle over at Of Thistles and Maple Leaves is hosting a Helping Hands Project. This project challenges bloggers to help out in their community in some way. (this also counts towards my Friday Foto Finish Fiesta at Candid Carrie's since my foto is at the bottom!)


I thought this was a neat concept and I thought, initially, that I would need to start helping in my community but then I realized I already did.


I have this wonderful blog that makes the blogging community laugh.


'Nuff said. Done. Where's my badge?


No? That's not what she meant?


Ummmmm....ok, I don't fart in public.


There. Believe me, that is a SERVICE to our community. Not to mention the environment at large.


Still not what she meant?


Oh, OK. I'll toot my own horn.


I don't have a lot of money. That's obvious. It's obvious because I've said it like a gazillionity times here on this blog.


So, it's hard for me to contribute in a financial way. Or, at least, in a high profile kind of financial way.


My aunt, the one that lives with my grandmother, and her church is heavily involved with Samaritan's Purse and their Operation Christmas Child project.


I've known about this project for many years, but since I lived in New Orleans and didn't attend a church, I was out of the loop and never contributed.


Several years ago, I started buying things here and there for my aunt to include in the shoeboxes.


I made a decision before we moved up here, to start actively collecting items to include in shoeboxes. I had originally decided to donate all the items to my aunt's church to use but then realized that Light of My Life liked assembling the boxes (she liked to decided what items went in each box) and we decided to make it a family project.


I gathered up as many boxes as I could and we got to work. By the time the call came in to get them ready to ship off, we had assembled 20+ boxes. I donated them all to my aunt's church and we gave ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done.


We started collecting again after the first drive was done and over with.


And I'm proud to say, that this year, we assembled 46 boxes!


I make it a habit to pick up items each time we go to Wal-Mart or the dollar store. I can (barely) afford the extra dollar or two but it totally adds up by the time you're ready to assemble.


Also, due to Mardi Gras, I'm able to collect tons and tons of beads as well as new stuffed animals that they throw from the floats. I also collect other small toys they throw.


In addition to Operation Christmas Child, I also volunteer at the Methodist Rummage sale in the next town over.


I'm not Methodist.


Yet...I help. I go in the off hours and organize and decorate and straighten up and move boxes of clothes up and down the basement stairs. I had told my retired mom about this place and she started volunteering. She then asked me to come help her on my days off and I went.


I love organizing and gathering and decorating.


We also have fun spending time together.


Just yesterday, my day off, we went and worked on a Christmas display for this upcoming weekend.


I also adopted Max. Now, that might not have done much for the community, but it's done wonders for our family.


Do you volunteer? Do you help out your community in any way?


Later,


Mama Dawg


P.S. I got this from Pseudonymous High School Teacher.

P.S.S. This is a Wal-Mart sized bag of scissors that I got for FIFTY CENTS! They had a deal where you got whatever you could fill in the bag for FIFTY CENTS. If you'll notice the little orange sticker on the top pair, it shows FIFTY CENTS for ONE PAIR. I got the WHOLE BAG for FIFTY CENTS. It's over 200 pairs of scissors. These are the kinds of deals I find. Yeah, I'm THAT kind of shopper. I also can get my kids entire summer wardrobe for less than $100 by shopping in the off season at Old Navy for their clothes that are prices $1.99.