What did you do to further community today?

[Wannabefree]

We have posts where you can post what you've done to save or make money today. I thought it'd be nice to have one where we can say what we have done for our neighbors, co workers, family, friends, etc. today. Little things often make a MUCH bigger difference than we often know, and when we do nice things for people I think it makes our entire community a better place. So here's a place for us to post those little things, that may make a difference for others.

Today, I helped a friend sell one of his goats Not a big huge deal to me, but I know he needs the money, and I could have not spoken up when I overheard someone looking for one in TSC, so I think it was a nice thing for him, and only took a few seconds out of my day.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We have a new young man working in our office. He is a very bright young man who has fallen into some bad times. He separated from his parents for some reason...(I have my suspicions) But, he graduated from high school very high in his class, is taking college courses and living with a former high school administrator AND, he works two jobs. He was sick in December and wasn't able to work for two weeks so he's very short of money right now. The registration is out on his car and he doesn't have the money to get it and he's already gotten a ticket. The ticket will be dismissed when he gets the registration - but he's got no money. So, the gals and I in our office got together and decided to loan him the money. I love my co-workers!

 

[Wannabefree]

That is AWESOME fem!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

He's a very deserving young man who is trying soooooooo hard to better himself. He deserves to have someone in his corner. Our progam works with high-school kids. He wants to be an educator when he graduates, so he fit right in. We tell all our new studens that when we accept one of them into our program they have three new mama's. (Well, maybe two new mama' and a gramma, lol!) We get allll involved in their lives. We're simply doing the same thing with our new student woker.

WBF, I know you are a hero to many, many people You help people every day! Keep it up, sis!

 

[Wannabefree]

We're all heroes if we choose to be. That was the point to starting this thread. I bet that kid is GLAD to have a few extra folks looking out for him! Bless you all

 

[DianeS]

I run the kitchen section of a food bank. I spend five hours every Thursday making up bags of frozen food for people who have such low incomes that they are at risk of not having enough to eat. It's a lot of fun.

I get to know a lot of the repeat customers. I get to know how many people in their families, their food allergies, and what kinds of food they like to eat. People love it when I remember them, and know one family is vegetarian and another loves to eat beef. I remember the homeless families, and make sure they get things that don't take special cooking. And the ones who don't have electricity, so they can get things that don't require refrigeration.

Today we only had about 20 families come through, but some weeks we have over 100 families come through. Keeps me busy, and I hope our customers know they're definitely not alone in this rotten economy, and that each of them is important and remembered.

 

[Wannabefree]

DianeS that sounds like a great volunteer job. I'd love it too! It's so encouraging to see folks giving of themselves to help each other I totally agree everyone needs to feel important and not forgotten. There are so many folks hurting these days! I wish there were no homeless people, and everyone had enough to eat all the time without worry. Thanks for serving them

 

[frustratedearthmother]

DianeS - I'm sure that's a very fulfilling thing that you do. Glad you're there to help those folks out!

 

[Joel_BC]

Wannabe, thanks for starting this thread. A great idea, and I do feel that part of what rural living is about (not to mention what community living within a city can ideally be) is cooperating, supporting, sharing.

I try to contribute to my community when and where the opportunity arises. Just recently, it's been by sharing my research about good, productive, disease-resistant veggie and fruit varieties with neighbors who operate the largest organic plant nursery in this part of the valley. These neighbors are friends who - due to their nursery - are in a position to assist a lot of the food production on local homesteads and farms. They've been getting their seed orders out there to start the early stuff.

In a few days I attend an evening meeting of the board of our local food & fuel co-op. I've been on the boards of various different non-profits and projects over the last 20 years or so.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I got 2 ideas I want to put into action. One was introduced to me by my little sister. She reminded me of our cousin who runs a flea market and who is going thru chemo for some kind of cancer she has. It occured to me that I have a few truckloads of stuff I can offload for a garage sale, I will never have time for. Some of the stuff is in my school bus, which was only supposed to be in there for 6 months at the most (its been in there since before Katrina) and then my sister-in-law was coming for it. Well, I need my bus cleaned out, so its all going, as well as other stuff. My sister will be helping me load it up.
The other thing I was thinking was to help my little brother, who is partially disabled. Now that I've used all the best of used sheetmetal we had to finish the barn roof, I still have a bit of junk in the yard and sometimes little brother sells scrap metal. I think I can give him a few hundred LBs, between all the messes. Plus less place for rats to set up housekeeping. Its best to do it for the love of others, but its good when helping someone also helps you.