My New Year's Resolution for the past two years has been to pay it forward as much as I can. That can mean something as simple as baking cookies for your neighbour. Or something as large as organizing a team to participate in the Relay for Life. The fact is if I had a lot more money than I do I would happily give it to causes that are important to me. I would shower money on the NICU where both girls spent their very early days. I would give to cancer research until my pockets were empty. I would help my struggling church stay afloat. But I can't. I don't have that kind of money. So I have to get more creative in the ways I give back.
I spend my downtime watching TV, but also knitting scarves and hats for a local organization to hand out to those in need. I am still trying to figure out how I can knit for the NICU/Children's hospital that took such great care of the girls. Or rather if they have a need for it. The cost of a few balls of wool can easily work their way into my budget.
I have given my time to committees where I am a small cog in a larger fundraising machine. I am great at writing donation letters. Something I am planning to start again soon for a function at Abby's school.
I organized our team last year for The Relay For Life. It was one of the most incredible experiences in my life and I cannot wait to do it again. Any of last year's team members willing to participate again let me know. It's less than six months away.
And I have at least one new project for this year. I have a bad habit of putting off getting my hair cut. I let it grow and grow while I shove it up in a pony tail and then complain that to myself that I always have it in a pony tail. Since I already live my life like that I thought I may as well let it go a few inches longer and donate the pony tail to locks of love or a similar organization.
So why do I do this? The simple answer is because I can. I am able. I am not the world's best knitter, but I can knit a scarf. Very well, if I do say so myself. I can grow hair. I can write a letter. And it makes me feel good. It makes me happy to give of myself.
And since I'm in a giving kind of mood, here's an easy one for you:
From January 12 through February 28, for every UPC from a Quaker Oatmeal hot cereal product families enter at www.startwithsubstance.com, Quaker will donate one bowl of oatmeal to Share Our Strength, a childhood hunger organization. You’ll need to be a Facebook member to participate.
“This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by The Quaker Oats Company.”
7 comments:
Thanks for sharing that with us. I am trying to give more back as well. I am thinking the relay for life, and the MS walk this year, and I save the boxtops for M's preschool. Trying to find the time with all the other stuff is hard, but God wants us to give of ourselves as well.
Those are all great ideas! I've been growing my hair our for two years to be able to donate to Locks of Love. Any day/week now, it's coming off (just a matter of coordinating my schedule wiht my cousin's so she can take me to her hair genius salon owner guy for my first real hairSTYLE...EVER). Emily will be getting hers cut and donating to Locks of Love this summer after her dance recital and my brother's wedding (gotta keep plenty of hair for a bun for the recital and an up-do for the wedding!)
I should look into knitting baby hats for local hospitals... Baby hats whip up pretty quickly and don't take up much yarn!!!!
KUDOS to you for coming up with all these ways to give back without breaking the bank
I admire those who can donate their hair. My curls are a different story.
Are you donating to Locks of Love in hopes it will go to a cancer patient? If so, you should read up on their donation policies. They donate to people with permanent hair loss, which cancer hair loss is not always permanent.
Thanks for this post Shan. I keep saying that I should do more and never get around to doing it. I need to find little things that fit into my schedule. I think the scarf thing is a great idea. I need to find a local organization that can use that. I'm tasking myself with that job this week. Little steps.
When my daughter was in the NICU she received a hand-knitted hat and a little sewn kimono thing. Both were made by the hospital's auxilery but I bet you could do something similar. Even though the colors/style were something my odd grandmother would pick out, it meant so much to see my baby in something other than hospital whites.
Betsy - i forgot that one. Saving labels for Abby's school. Also being involved on the Parent's Council.
Leah - thanks! I can't wait to see your new hair cut! That's true about the hats. I also like scarves because I don't have to pay them much attention as I'm knitting.
Julie - glad I could inspire you.
Calee - When my oldest was in NICU they let us take her little knitted baby blanket home that had been in her isolette. I still have it in her memory box. And my youngest, who was there three weeks, went through a bunch of different outfits and hats while she was in. It's nice to have them looking like a regular baby.
Widney - I forgot to reply to this one. Must have missed it in the scrolling up and down. Anyway I used Locks of Love as an example since it's easily identifiable. I have a list of organizations that operate here in Canada. I prefer to keep my donations to causes and organizations that are Canadian.
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