RECEIVED HOLIDAY CARDS - Chances are, with this year's economy, you didn't receive as many holiday cards as usual - but what do you do with the ones you did get? St. Jude's Children Ranch accepts used cards until Feb. 28th. The children participate in making the new recycled cards by removing the front and attaching a new back made with recycled paper. The new card is a beautiful, “green” card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive "green" holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of "going green".
Salute a solider this holiday season. Send cards and messages of cheer through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, a partnership between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes. Runs through the end of the first week in December. Visit www.redcross.org for info.
So many days we rush around trying to "get it all done." We jump in the car, speed off to multiple destinations, never thinking a thing about it. What about those who are unable to do so? Ever notice that mother is the grocery store with four young kids in tow? Or the elderly man in the post office trying to figure out how to use the self-serve mailing station? Next time you are on your way out the door, take a minute to think: Does my neighbor need something dropped off at the post office? Maybe my mother-in-law needs something from the grocery store while I am there. Did the church bulletin say this is the week for the can drive? Reach out to others. Save them some hassle and get rewarded in your heart in return.
Here are some other great gestures that will make a world of difference to others:
- Cook and deliver a meal to a friend who has been stressed lately - Offer to help the single mother by watching her children while she does her weekly grocery shopping - Purchase one extra gift every time you do your personal shopping and give it to a child in your neighborhood or drop it to the local children's shelter - Help and elderly family member decorate their home for the holidays - Stand in line at the post office to mail gifts and cards for a shut-in church member -Buy a Christmas tree, decorate it and donate it to a family who cannot afford one - Have Christmas dinner at your house this year and take the load off grandma
RECEIVED HOLIDAY CARDS - Chances are, with this year's economy, you didn't receive as many holiday cards as usual - but what do you do with the ones you did get? St. Jude's Children Ranch accepts used cards until Feb. 28th. The children participate in making the new recycled cards by removing the front and attaching a new back made with recycled paper. The new card is a beautiful, “green” card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive "green" holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of "going green".
I like to host Creative Days and after the holidays I ask all the ladies to bring in their cards. We box them up and send them to the kids. What a great and easy way to "give back."
Such a simple use for all those photo holiday cards you get year after year….
Although every January I donate all my Christmas cards to St. Jude’s Children Ranch, I keep the ones that have my friends and family’s photos on them. I have several years’ worth of each family’s Christmas photos in a bowl on my living room coffee table. It is such a wonderful thing to look through a see how the children have grown, pets that people have include and all the wonderful friends that share their family with us. My bowl is almost full and I plan to place all of these in a scrapbook in the next few years, but for now, I just love “visiting” with my friends every time I pass the table.
I do the same thing at Halloween with the girls in their trick-or-treat costumes….
If you don't know, my youngest daughter, Grace, goes to Excel Christian Academy - a local private school. Although the purse strings are pulled tight, my husband and I feel it is important for her to get started in the right direction, especially these days. Being privately funded (by us PARENTS and fundraisers) every penny counts. At tonight's PTF meeting, we were told of a new search engine that donates a penny for EVERY SEARCH! I can't tell you how many searches I do a day, but I know it's a bunch! What a great way to earn money for her school - believe me, every penny DOES count! Great thing is that you can choose (or add your own) from thousands of charities. Read on.....
"As reported by the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal, here's a new easy way to raise money for your favorite cause. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they'll donate about a penny to your favorite cause every time you do a search! GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! Visit now and start earning for your school or charity!
From her post....." Do you know a family in need? Maybe someone who has been ill, or has lost a job; perhaps a family with a loved one who will not likely be alive for another Christmas, or a Pastor in dire need of a vacation or time away. Maybe it is a couple in your Sunday school class that your class would like to help by showing them some love during the holidays.
Between now and December 13, we are offering you a chance to Pay-It-Forward. If you are not familiar with the concept it is actually quite simple. You receive a gift, which you cannot keep for yourself, but you must “Pay-It-Forward” by giving it to someone else in need. The gift should be to someone who cannot possibly repay the gift, or obtain it on their own. "
Nominate your person/family who deserves this great vacation before it's too late.
"America Recycles Day (ARD), Nov. 15, is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Celebrating its 12th year, it has grown to include millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and work and to buy products made with recycled materials.
Through America Recycles Day, Keep America Beautiful and the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) support local communities and raises awareness by educating citizens about the benefits of recycling. Volunteer America Recycles Day coordinators are positioned throughout the country and work to organize recycling awareness events in their schools and communities, and in conjunction with their local municipalities."
EVERY week there are always pet supply coupons. Do you throw them away? Let me open my little book of "Coupon Laws to Live By" and tell you why you should not throw them out..... Coupon Law # 4 - CUT EVERY COUPON, even the ones you don't need
My mother-in-law wanted a dog. She specifically wanted to adopt a rescue dog. She didn't want a puppy to train or a full breed expensive dog - just one that was sweet and that she could save from being put asleep. We found her a rescue center on-line and paired her with a wonderful dog. In researching local rescue centers, a pattern emerged - Due to the economy not only we they full of dogs rescued from abandoned or flood damaged homes, they we extremely low on volunteers, funds AND supplies. It hit me like a ton of bricks - THAT'S why I'd been saving all the dog and cat supplies coupons.
This week my goal is to go through the STACKS of pet supply coupons, organize them a little better and start buying up what I can get on sale. I will collect these over the next month or so and take them over to the rescue center near my house. I know that before I personally was stocked up on dog treats, I noticed there are always pet coupons every week. The first week of using coupons I remember I bought three bags of dog treats, on sale and with a coupon, for about .15 each bag. Now even I can afford that much extra a week. Just think of all those animals in county shelters and state rescue centers that would love a little extra treat!
EXTRA NOTE: This weekend is Pet Smart’s National Adoption Weekend. If you are looking for a new pet to rescue - stop by and get additional special offers including a FREE 3.5# bag of Purina Pro Plan and 20# of Purina Tidy Cats liter. Pet Smart uses the local rescue centers for their adoptive pets. Our local Pet Smart uses Dog Pak Rescue out of Kingston, Georgia. This past week’s newspaper coupon also included over $20 in additional savings. Save a dog (or cat) AND save money!
Okay, so maybe not that many but seriously - why should you keep buying more tubes of toothpaste (or shampoo, soap, etc) when you are completely stocked up?
You won't explode if you DON'T get all the CVS Extra Care Bucks this week.
You won't kill over if you don’t use those coupons that are expiring tomorrow.
You already have 5 back ups for your own family.
So WHY KEEP BUYING?
Could be you’re a shop-o-holic or have coupon fever, but chances are you still buy these items because you know you can donate those extra items you buy for pennies on the dollar to those in your community that really needs them. I'm not just talking about your church's food bank or Outreach Committee. I'm talking about nursing homes (those free Accu-Check coupons you keep throwing away, hearing aid batteries, and free magazine subscriptions), Women's shelters (those B1G1 Free Mascaras?), teenagers at the local high school (Tampax, Kotex, any makeup) and the local animal shelter (free treats, dog food and litter). That's right - YOU GIVE BACK!
Some of the best coupon cutting advice I ever received was from Jenny at www.southernsvaers.com; she says to cut EVERY SINGLE COUPON - whether you are stocked up on the item or think you'll never buy it - cut it. You never know what you can get for pennies on the dollar and sometimes even free. That's why I cut every coupon and check every sale item every week - anything that is extra or I don't usually buy, goes in a box and is taken to the appropriate group that needs it.
There is a group out there you could choose to support. Another thing to remember - during the holidays, support groups get an abundance of supplies, but once they distribute them during the holiday season, they are EMPTY in January and the following months. Why not start stocking up now - by January you will have a boxful to help replenish the empty pantries.
I am SO excited! The campagin for this plate started almost 2 years ago and, although they did not reach their goal of selling 1000 plates, they decided to go ahead and produce the ones that were ordered. If you are not familuar with the Georgia Sea Turtle Resuce Center in Jeykyll ISalnd, Georgia please vistit http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/.
They have a beautiful center where you can actuqally visit with the current tutrlepatients in recovery.
research and education programs, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will increase awareness of habitat and wildlife conservation challenges, promote responsibility for ecosystem health and empower individuals to act locally, regionally, and globally to protect the environment.
"All donations to the GSTC go to the daily operations, upkeep and maintenance of the Center, exhibit development, maintenance and modification, various hospital equipment, and of course, all aspects of turtle care. Thank you for your donation and helping us help sea turtles!" https://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/store/donations/cat_10.html
You can also adopt the patients. This is a great classroom project for you teachers out there. Here are the details form the website:
"The sea turtles at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center need your support! Food, medications, Dr. check-ups, and x-rays are just a few of the things that our sea turtle patients need during their stay here. If the turtle is successfully rehabilitated, we hope to also be able to provide each one with a satellite transmitter, secured to it's shell, so we can keep track of the turtle upon release! But even then, funds to cover costs for satellite time and maintenance of data are still a concern. We need YOUR help to raise these funds and the Adopt-a-Turtle Program is designed just for that purpose! Whether you are adopting a turtle for yourself or as a gift for someone else, it is sure to bring you joy knowing you've contributed to the conservation of these amazing, endangered animals! Our Program offers 2 options: #1 Current In-house Patients and #2 Successfully rehabilitated and released turtles with a satellite transmitter:"
I. Current patients:
Official Certificate of Adoption
A letter from your turtle
5x7 photo of your turtle
Adoptive parent(s) name listed on the GSTC website adoption page
Exclusive access to the Adopt-a-Sea section of the GSTC website, featuring bi-weekly updates and photos of your adopted sea turtle.
Notice of potential release date of your sea turtle as the information becomes available. Release dates are subject to change without notice, at any time.
Website link to adopted sea turtle's tracking information (if available).
II. Successfully rehabilitated and released turtles with a satellite transmitter:
Official Certificate of Adoption
A letter from your turtle
5x7 photo of your sea turtle during the release
Adoptive parent name(s) listed on the GSTC website
Website link to adopted sea turtle's tracking information if available. https://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/store/adopt-a-sea-turtle-program/cat_9.html
What exactly IS Veteran's Day? Let me tell you what it means to me.
My brother VOLUNTARILY re-signed up with the Marines shortly after 9/11. He was scheduled to be released and was given the option to re-join or go home. He felt it was his duty to stay and was almost immediately sent overseas. I am in tears as I write this now. I cannot express the feelings I felt then (and now) at that the PRIDE I have for him. He was in a group that went into Baghdad BEFORE the war was even officially announced to set up communications for the incoming troops. Our family was terrified for him but very proud as well. He came home in one piece but suffered from Post Traumatic Stress for quite awhile. He is fine now and we are so thankful to have him home. Every family's story I hear tugs at my heart and I get emotional at just the thought of the things my brother and his fellow troops endured and the sacrificed they make for us and our country.
Veteran's Day is a day to show appreciation for the sacrifices the soliders and their families make for everyday people - just like YOU and ME. I truly believe that this country should show more support for those who are enlisted or are veterans. Fly your flag, tell them thank you, and send care packages.
I wanted to share with you a wonderful post from The Mother Huddle. Often they will share another follower's blog and their "Bullet List". Being Veteran’s Day, I had to share this list with you. Read the word’s of actual solider AND wife of a deployed solider her thoughts on Patriotism:
Please check yesterdays postings for specials offered for veterans today and pass them on! Some additional posting related to supporting the troops:
Sending Soilder Care Packages
Anysoldier.com is a wonderful place to start when looking for information on what to send, how to send it and who to send it to.
"A soldier in Iraq cannot see your ribbon
or the flag at your front door
But a letter they hold in their hands
To them, means so much more"
Liam Sweeny
When my brother served in Iraq, we sent him weekly packages. He passed many of the items onto friends who did not receive things from home. He had so much that often he had to leave much of it behind when they had to pack up quickly and move. First tip: Instead of sending large volumes to one soldier, send smaller packages to many soldiers. Do not send food and non-food items in the same pack. If ants or other bugs get into the food, then your other items will not be damaged. Some of my brother's requests - Containers of powdered Gatorade, sweat-proof sunscreen (Bullfrog is great), socks, chewing gum, baby powder (for gauding), vasolene (can be used for wind-block) and batteries.AnySoldier.com discourages sending DVDs and CDs as they're often stolen and re-sold to the soldiers.
I would like to share an email I received from the Principal at my daughter's school:
Dear Parents,
Several years ago MSHS students made Veteran’s Day cards to send to ECA friends and family members who have served or are currently serving in the military. This project was one which brought a huge response from service men and women who received those “thank you” cards. One very special card and letter came from a gentleman who served in WWII…..he stated he had NEVER received a Veteran’s Day card. His wife mailed a homemade card of thanks of her own to the school. It was a touching day for everyone involved.
This year, we would like to once again recognize service men and women, and we need your help. Please send us the name and address of any veteran or active-duty serviceman/woman that you know. This may be done by simply replying to this email or by sending a hard copy of addresses! Students will prepare cards which will be mailed next week. Please make sure you have the correct address to help ensure proper delivery. Replies to this email will go to Mrs. Pickens in the MSHS office. She will make sure your friend/family member is added to our list. Thank you in advance for supporting this worthwhile effort to recognize those who have served in defense or honor of our freedom!
Paige H. Lochridge
Excel Christian Academy
Principal
What a WONDERFUL idea! My brother served in the Marines in Bagdad at the beginning of the war so this runs near and dear to my heart. If you have someone you'd like the children to send a card to - please send or post me the info. Let's tell thoe who sacrificed for us how much we appreciate it!
