Day 20 -- Helping give kids nasal flu vaccine at Elementary School

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without heping himself."
---Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today I helped in the makeshift flu clinic at my daughter's elementary school. About 200 children were receiving the nasal flu vaccine spray. The volunteers escorted groups of children from their class to the portable classroom, which normally serves as the instrumental music room, and after checking in at the desk they took a seat until it was their turn.

I was so impressed at how brave -- and trusting -- the kids were, especially those who hadn't had it before and didn't know what to expect. As a mom who asks lots of questions and proceeds very hesitantly when it comes to even seemingly simple medical procedures, I found it especially sweet that these kids just "went with the flow" and didn't complain a bit. Actually they seemed to enjoy the shared experience, afterwards talking and giggling about how it made their noses feel funny.

There's nothing like spending time with cute, healthy kids to put you in a good mood. I left feeling very cheerful, and of course in awe of the teachers who spend not 90 minutes just watching/supervising kids (as I did) but rather the whole school day teaching, inspiring, and nurturing them. They're my heroes!

Day 19 Labeling ducks at a hospice organization

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it."
---Mother Teresa

Today I did something that might sound strange - labeled rubber ducks with a stickers that had numbers on them. The purpose for doing this is an upcoming fundraiser sponsored by Montgomery Hospice Foundation. The annual "Derby Duck Race and Festival" is one of their largest fundraisers of the year." Winners of the duck race get donated prizes, such as restaurant gift cards.

So this was one of those activities where my little part seemed inconsequential but actually contributed to a much larger goal, i.e. raising funds for a very worthy organization. And the fun part was getting to talk to the other people helping out - everyone was really nice and so appreciative. And what's not to like about being surrounded by rubber ducks? It reminded me of bath time when the kids were little!

Day 18 - Doing an art project with women at a group home

"It's not so hard to get rich as it is to know when you have gotten rich."
---Josh Billings

Today, on Yom Kippur, my youngest daughter and I went to a group home for people who are mentally-challenged. It was a nice house in a quiet suburban neighborhood. We did a very simple art project with them -- making a colorful chain of construction paper links. All it involved was glueing and linking strips of different colored construction paper.

I was touched by their enthusiasm even though it was a hard project for some of them; by their smiles even though it didn't seem like they had all that much to smile about; and by their kindess towards us and appreciation of our coming there even though we hadn't done much (and were there for an hour or less).

I left feeling very fortunate to have the skills and abilities that I do, as well as to be able to live in a house with my family. I was thinking about how there are ways to feel "rich" without having a lot of money -- and as I drove away I was feeling very rich in some of those ways!

Day 17 - - Making the switch to 100 days of service

"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time."
---Leonard Bernstein

I am writing another posting today (Day 17) because I have decided to adjust/refine (not totally change!) my original goal of volunteering each day for a year. I have come to realize that that goal is to some degree unrealistic and to another degree unnecessary.

It's unrealistic because we are planning several trips as of late December and into 2010, and making sure to volunteer each day would be imposing on family members at a minimum, and perhaps even leaving/ignoring them at times when the whole point is to travel or share in a special occasion. It's unnecessary because I am benefitting so much each day with every project yet I can see the finish line a couple of months away and continue to be creative in my choices. Going for a year would require so much repetition and juggling, especially on weekends, that I think some of the stress caused would end up affecting my family a lot.

So I hope you, my 3 or maybe even 4 readers -- will understand
and be supportive. Any comments, thoughts, cricisms??

Days 16 and 17 -- Making brownies and delivering them to shelter

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
---Ralph Waldo Emerson

Having dropped off apples at a homeless shelter in Rockville last weekend, I'm now feeling comfortable just stopping by there impromptu with some food. It always seems appreciated by the staff and other people there, and by my family as well, since I tend to make extra for us. I may even improve my cooking by the end of this endeavor (much improvement is needed!).

It's funny that before starting this it didn't occur to me to make extra or to cook/bake specially on any given weekend in order to donate food to a homeless shelter, unless I was doing it as part of a group project. But I think now that concept is etched in my brain, and hopefully I'll continue it after this journey is done.

Having said that, it doesn't take much -- a plate of pasta, a casserole, or as I did this weekend, just a couple of batches of brownies (confession: made from a mix).

Day 15 -- Delivering meals to the elderly

"There is no better exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up."
---Bernard Meltzer

It seems to me there are few volunteering experiences that yield such a good feeling as delivering meals to elderly people who need them. You get direct contact with people in their homes, some of whom interact with few other people all day. They are so appreciative and so nice about something as simple as bringing a meal (and not a gourmet one!) to their door. One person said "Thank you for bringing this so that I won't starve this weekend."

The homes range from very well-furnished and neat to extremely cluttered. But either way, the face t0 face encounters are very touching. This is the type of project that I hope to be able to do every week or every other week.

And as a bonus, it gives me time to spend on my own in the car (at non-rush hour times when traffic thankfully is not bad) so I can listen to talk radio or to cds on tape. I even made a stop at the library after finishing my route and picked up some Spanish cds and a biography of Benjamin Franklin on cd. If I can keep myself away from my cellphone I could really learn a lot. Adios and Buenas noches...

Day 14 -- Preparing a newsletter mailing at NAMI

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
---Nelson Henderson

Today I helped prepare newsletters for a big mailing at a local office of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It was interesting and in a way exciting to head to this office where I'd never been, like a total clean slate. I didn't know what to expect.

What I found were a group of volunteers who ranged in age from about 20 to 70 and some very friendly staffpeople. We sat at a big table and each took a stack of the monthly newsletters to seal with a sticker. The task was pretty menial, so we could talk while doing it about a wide range of general topics-- different recycling policies, cellphone carriers, where we live, etc... Working from home I don't get to work directly with people of different ages and backgrounds on a daily basis, so these sorts of situations are a treat.

I've been fortunate not to have to seek out NAMI's services, but hope to help out there again. There is something nice about volunteering at a place you don't directly benefit from.

Day 13 -- Helping out at the high school Writing Center

"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."
---Unknown

Today I was sent a New York Times article written by Maureen Dowd about how women are becoming less happy and more gloomy as they age, while men are becoming happier. I don't doubt the finding, as so many women seem to regret and bemoan the aging process.

I on the other hand (and fortunately many of my friends) am trying to embrace it. I think it's easier for me to do so since my father died suddenly at age 34. Ever since I turned that age and each year since I've felt lucky to be able to surpass the age at which he passed away, as though there might be some family curse that could lead me to the same destiny as him.

But I also believe that each year, with the wisdom that age brings I've been able to get a bit wiser, a bit mellower about sweating the small stuff, and hopefully a bit kinder and more patient (I'm a New Yorker, so that last characteristic doesn't come easily)!

And while volunteering won't enable me to better afford anti-aging products, I do believe it adds happiness to my life, which is something the New York Times article reminds me is nothing to sneeze at for a woman in her 40s.

Day 12 -- Planning MoverMoms and future service projects

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
---Albert Einstein

Planning volunteer projects for myself and for MoverMoms takes a lot of time. Fortunately I enjoy all of it - making contact with organizations, going back and forth on dates and other details, sending out emails to the group, and getting responses from members.

I went back and forth as to whether this "counts" as a community service project, but concluded that it does, as planning is an essential, if behind the scenes, component to making community service effective and fun.

My only other thought on this topic is that if you are trying to plan volunteer projects for yourself or others, don't get discouraged by what might seem like an overwhelming number of choices or by not knowing where to start or if you don't get your email or call returned. There are volunteer opportunities in almost every walk of life. But many organizations are understaffed so you may not get a response right away.

As with anything worthwhile, you need to persist - it's worth it in the long run!

Day 11 -- Picking fruit off the ground for the needy

"Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
---Dr. Seuss in The Lorax

Today's project was so enjoyable mostly because I did it with friends. It was a MoverMoms project in which we headed out to a farm in Leesburg, Virginia for the privilege of getting on our hands and knees to pick the apples that had already fallen from the ground.

Doesn't sound fun? Well it was, totally. The weather was great, we felt like we were doing the work for a good cause (the apples would be donated to people without enough means for food), and I was there with two amazing women who shared my passion for helping out and had lots of interesting topics to discuss.

I like meeting new people, but it's less of a guarantee of a good time than if I volunteer with friends. Then again, this is an adventure, so I need to keep an open mind...

Day 10 -- Bringing apples to a women's homeless shelter

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.....
....For it is in giving that we receive...
---St. Francis of Assissi

One of the readers (maybe I have about 6?) sent this Christian prayer to me, and I like the lofty goals that it espouses. Certainly ones to aim for, even in small daily acts. And that last line - so true, so true. Doing something today as simple as delivering the apples that I picked with my family yesterday felt like I was benefitting. Why? Because I could that the fruit brought smiles to some women's faces at the shelter. I could tell that my daughter and her friend were learning something about giving to others as we delivered them, and I knew we still had way more at home than we needed for a pie or cobbler.

Day 9 -- Picking Apples to donate to a shelter

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."
---Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am happy to report that after a little more than a week it seems my family is on board with my plan. At first they thought it was a crazy, overly ambitious concept, or maybe just another of my wacky ideas (I have many!), but now they are interested in taking part when they can. One of my daughters sent me a whole lot of inspirational quotes to use at the top of blog entries. Even my daughters in college ask 'so what's today's project?'

I try to involve my family whenever I can since I want - and need -- them to be supportive to make this work. Partially in deference to the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana (on which apples are traditionally eaten with honey to symbolize and hope for a sweet New Year), my husband, one daughter, and I we went to a nearby farm and picked apples with the intention of donating them to a homeless shelter tomorrow (that's your preview of tomorrow's project!). My husband put our youngest daughter on his shoulders so she could reach the apples, and pushed her around like in a wheelbarrow at record speed, and we all had a great time.

It seems obvious in retrospect that one of the teachable moments of a family excursion to a farm would be to donate some fruit to needy people, but before undertaking this journey I didn't think of doing that. Not to sound too dramatic, but I think I'm starting to look at life a bit differently...maybe with a more giving approach? (or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part).

Please keep sending comments or questions - I love getting those!

Day 8 -- Checking people in for lunch at a shelter

"You've got to get up every morning
With a smile in your face
And show the world all the love in your heart" -- Carole King

Today I went to help with lunch at a shelter for people who are homeless or who are among the working poor. My job was simply to check people (mostly men) in as they walked through the door. In total, about 40 came through. I tried to greet people in a friendly way as they walked in and again as they were leaving. Most of the people seemed like they had been there before, so they knew what to do. There was little conversation among them -- they seemed to mostly sit quietly and contently while eating a meal of vegetables, yogurt, pasta, salad and chicken that would please even the most health conscious of eaters.

Noticeably absent were cellphones. While there was no sign prohibiting anyone from using them, I didn't see a single person talking on his phone, or texting or doing anything else with any technological device. I realized they aren't quite as ubiquitous as they seem in most of the circles that I travel in, which was a welcome realization!

Day 7 -- Delivering Meals on Wheels

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi

I love this Gandhi quote, as it challenges each of us who hopes to make a difference to set high standards for ourselves. It's not enough to talk the talk about helping people, you've got to walk the walk.

I tried to do that today (by driving not walking!) when delivering meals to elderly people who for the most part live alone. They were somewhat frail but at the same time could express appreciation for my bringing them a meal, and in some cases provided interesting details about their lives. I wanted to stay longer to learn more about each person.

Another thing that happened today is that my youngest daughter saw that a friend who liked certain shoes that she was wearing. Since my daughter happens to have two pairs of those (they were hand-me-downs), she took them off her feet and gave them to her friend. I realized right then and there that something in her has clicked when it comes to giving and generosity. I know she's picked up lessons about those traits in school and elsewhere, but since being a good role model is in part what this journey is about, it was very gratifying to see those characteristics put into action right before my eyes.

Day 6 -- Helping new families adust to local high school

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill

I love this quote because it says what I really believe to be true: that there is so much personal benefit gained through giving to others, no matter what form that giving is in. It could be time, or money, or skill, or even just patience or a listening ear.

Today I did something pretty simple -- calling families that are new to the local high school and inquiring about how they are adjusting. The goal was just to give them a chance to ask questions, and to make them feel more welcome. Didn't take much of my time but felt as though I was contributing in some way to the community.

It's been almost a week and already this is starting to feel very good and normal, though I haven't a clue how I'll keep it up for 359 more days! Any thoughts?

Day 5 -- PTSA meeting at the high school

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
--Joshua J. Marine

Several people have made really nice comments to me about my personal challenge of volunteering each day. And I appreciate that support so much, as I'm finding it not that easy to line up some type of meaningful project each day.

But today I am thinking that many people I know are doing impressive and inspiring things day in and day out, though not necessarily getting public recognition for them. It could be caring for a sick or elderly relative or for a disabled child, or working in the mental or physical health field or teaching children, or working to make the environment cleaner - the list goes on and on.

In other words, when I look around I find inspiration for my project in so many places. So many people are out there working hard at making the world a slightly better place, and while I'm trying to count myself among those people, it is they who are my heroes (and heroines!).

Day 4 -- Bringing lots of stuff to a shelter

"One of my best moves is to surround myself with friends who instead of asking 'why?' are quick to say 'why not?' That attitude is contagious." -- Oprah Winfrey

Well it turns out Oprah now has scientific proof of that quote. A Sunday New York Times magazine article focus on how to some degree happiness, good behaviors, and even good health is appearing to be contagious among friends, almost like a virus.

I couldn't be more glad about this finding since I feel so lucky to have friends are upbeat, who take care of themselves and their families, who do lots of good works, and who inspire me in many ways.

They have been so supportive of this project and I am so grateful for that, especially at moments when I'm wondering if this journey makes sense. I had a moment like that this morning, when I didn't have a project lined up. But with the encouraging words of friends in mind, I came up with the idea of doing some (much needed) de-cluttering and taking all the stuff to a nearby homeless shelter. I collected several bags of stuff (clothes and toys) that my two younger daughters had given me when they recently cleaned and rearranged their rooms, along with some outdoor play things and drove them to the shelter, where I knew it would be much appreciated.

Day 3: Stuffing Envelopes at KEEN

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is a miracle." -- Albert Einstein

Today my youngest daughter and I helped out at KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now), a fitness program for kids with developmental and physical disabilities that helps them develop friendships while engaging in a community activity. Our task was to stuff envelopes with invitations for the organization's upcoming Annual Dinner and Silent Auction.

We worked at a table with many other very nice volunteers who we met and talked to. But we also had the chance to see several of the kids, or "athletes," engaged in a variety of recreational activities. Despite their disabilities, they were working hard at exercising, and appeared for the most part to be having a great time doing it. I couldn't help thinking that each and every one of them is a miraculous child, as are my own children and yours too.

Day 2 -- Adopt-A-Road Cleanup with MoverMoms

"The longest journey begins with a single step." -- Attributed to Lao-tzu (c 604-c 531 bc), founder of Taoism.

An appropos quote since today I took not one but many steps along Sangamore Road in Bethesda picking up trash with other women in the MoverMoms group, followed by a stop at Starbucks. Really, could I ask for a more enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning than chatting with friends while walking outside on a cool September day, then continuing the conversation over coffee and tea? So far this challenge is so much fun it feels like I'm cheating....

Also saw in The Washington Post that Michelle Obama is challenging George Washington University students to do 100,000 hours of community service by the end of their spring semester. If they do it she'll be their commencement speaker. I love how she's made community service such a big priority. Do you agree?

Day 1 -- Creek cleanup and manning a PTA table

“Let us renew the true spirit of that day: not the human capacity for evil, but the human capacity for good; not the desire to destroy, but the impulse to save and to serve and to build. On this first National Day of Service and Remembrance, we can summon once more that ordinary goodness of America to serve our communities, to strengthen our country and to better our world.”
---President Obama, speaking at the Pentagon on 9/11

I'm off and running, in this marathon of sorts, and am happy to report a wonderful first day!

Instead of my 17 year-old daughter Caroline and I sitting at our computers, as we routinely do when she gets home from school, this afternoon we headed down to a nearby creek wearing dishwashing gloves and holding black trash bags as we walked along and picked up pieces of styrofoam and other garbage along the creek-side trail.

Instead of being in our own worlds behind our screens, we talked to each other about our day, observed the beauty of a rushing stream surrounded by woods, and picked up trash along the way. As anyone with teens knows, having the opportunity to talk leisurely with a teen in an peaceful outdoor setting that has no technological or other distractions is a rare treat.

Later in the day I sat at a PTA table, signing parents in for the back-to-school picnic. I volunteered for this at the last minute, as it seemed simple enough. It felt good to help out, but again there was a hidden benefit - getting to see and talk to friends as they arrive and to meet a lot of parents whom I had never seen.

I'm beginning to think there are going to be lots of unexpected benefits during this undertaking....--RK

Defining Community Service

Now that I'm just one day away from beginning this 365 day journey, I need to ask (and you may be wondering): How will I define the term 'community service?'

There are two definitions of this term on theFreeDictionary.com:

1. Services volunteered by individuals or an organization to benefit a community or its institutions.

2. Similar work performed by law offenders to serve a sentence in lieu of or in addition to jail time.

Hopefully I'll be doing the description in the first definition rather than the second!

But more specifically, I plan to use a very broad definition of the term to include everything from helping out in some way in my neighborhood or picking up trash at a local park or stream to volunteering in my children's schools to volunteering for local, national or even international organizations. After all, each of those constitutes a part of my community, and all have needs for volunteers to help. Please send your ideas for projects, as I'm open to almost anything!

Helping out family members, on the other hand, will not count. As important as they are in my "community," if we moms counted as "service" all that we do for our spouses or kids we'd be racking up dozens of service projects each day, right?

So wish me luck -- tomorrow is the big kickoff day! I'll let you know how it goes.....

Like chicken soup, service is good for the body and soul

Here I am planning to do daily service for others for a year, but in truth there are many mental and physical health benefits to be gained by embarking on this 365 day journey. Just look at some study results and facts:

---"Giving a donation or volunteering in a food bank tweaks the same pleasure source that lights up when we eat or have sex," said Stephen G. Post, quoted in More magazine (March 2009)
---Several studies have shown that teens who volunteer are more likely to make healthier life choices and less likely to engage in risky behaviors.
---A University of California at Berkeley study found that volunteering is associated with big reductions in mortality.
---A 2005 Stanford University study found that frequent voluntereing was strongly linked with later mortality in over 7,500 Americans over age 70 who lived in elderly communities.
---The same study, called the Longintudinal Study of Aging, found that volunteering was a powerful protector of mental and physical health, and that people who volunteered most often gained the most protection.
---A 1992 University of Michigan survey of 3,617 older people found that hleping others lowers depression. (This and the above 3 facts are mentioned in "Why Good Things Happen to Good People" by Stephen Post and Jill Neimark)
---Americans Changing Lives, a National Institute of Aging study that followed 3,600 people from 1986 to 2006, found that people of all ages who engaged in community service were "happier and experienced better physical health and less depression." (According to study leader Peggy Thoits, PhD, quoted in More magazine, March 2009).

So if I'm not getting enough sleep (guilty!) and not always eating well or exercising enough (guilty again!), at least I can feel like I'm doing something good for my health by volunteering :-)

--RK

Beginning a new personal challenge on 9/11

Hello and welcome to my blog. I'm new to this so bear with me! Hopefully I will inspire you rather than bore you as I embark on a personal journey and challenge.

As of this Friday, September 11th, a day that President Obama has declared a "National Day of Service and Rememberance" I'm planning to do some type of community service project EVERY DAY for a whole year, meaning for 365 consecutive days.

I am motivated and inspired by:
---President and Mrs. Obama's call to all Americans to be more involved in their communities
---close friends who are involved in so many good causes
---a passion for volunteering and wanting to make a difference in my community
---a desire to be a good role model to my children
---the movie Julie & Julia -- I really like the idea of a yearlong personal goal/journey, even though I could never do it by cooking!

I will relate each day's project to you via this blog. I welcome your comments, ideas and inspirational quotes. Here's one of my favorites, perhaps a good one to start off with, from Mother Teresa: "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." --RK