Back in motion

Well, it's been a little bit...I kind of slacked off after September when I realized I'd already logged at least 35 different organizations/charity events and I still had the whole of the holidays looming ahead. I might actually make it 50 volunteer episodes in my 40th year!

Anyway, got a two-fer on Saturday, Nov. 7. I helped out at the Animal Lifeline of Iowa's annual auction (www.animal-lifeline.org) and I made a few purchases. Actually got quite a bit of holiday shopping done.

Also, recruited a couple people to fill up the back my car with donations for Pet Project Midwest. It's a new venture started by a past acquaintance and a good friend of mine at work. The group started out by kicking off with an Iowa Pet Alert using Twitter an amber alert type manner. The thoughts grew into offering extended space in the form of foster homes for overcrowded shelters. Transportation to help pets get from one shelter to their final destination is another service. They are also going to stock the Pet Pantry to help those families facing hardship. (Pets are often given up when a family is running out of money or has to move to place that doesn't allow pets.) The Pet Pantry is evolving and it might also provide items for adopted pets resettling in their new home. There's no website yet -- that's coming in January. Meanwhile, they are on Facebook.

And, last but not least, the first of the food drives has kicked off in my office. We'll be helping out Combat Hunger (http://www.combathunger.com/) again this year. I started it a week early and have been really surprised at how well people are "remembering" to bring items in. We've already got one full box and another week yet to go.

Until the next time!

Feed the world

Tomorrow, a group of us from my office will be taking a couple hours to package up meals to be shipped all around the world with the weeklong project Meals from the Heartland (http://www.mealsfromtheheartland.org/).

We did this last year and as a team we packaged something like 12,000 meals. Each little baggie is cited to be four meals. Although by American standards it looks to be two. Aside from the extra vitamin tab that's thrown in, it looks quite similar to many of my quick fix meals - rice, soy protein and dehydrated vegetables. Of course, mine tends to be tastier as I add lots of different spices, but if a person only gets one meal a day then I suppose spicing it up doesn't really matter.

I'm coming into the home stretch as far as numbering 40 charities/events - and there's still almost 4 months til the end of the year. A lot of people I told about this idea/project have reacted as though it was un-doable or just plain crazy, but it's been really easy and enjoyable. I have a new appreciation for things like Iowa Public Television, the effort it takes to put on a fundraising walk and how something as little as a notepad and crayons can make such a big difference.

I have also discovered a new "hobby". With my "big" contribution (adopting my three-legged dog, Pony), I have an idea I hope to flesh out. Pony and I are currently in Canine Good Citizen classes with hopes of taking the therapy dog certification test in October. I hope to continue on with that interest by enrolling in Animal Behavior College and possibly, over the course of the coming years, train and get a couple of companion/service dogs out to some really deserving disabled folks. That will be a while to come but it's a new side path and that's always exciting.

Until next time!

The past three

Well, I did the MDA Lock Up (www.mda.org) and I have to say...I'm not a fan of that type of fundraising. I called a bunch of people and actually got three on the phone - none of whom, after talking to them, could I ask for money.

One had just been to the doctor for carpal tunnell and I learned her mother had died a month earlier. The second regaled me with a story about having to go to the hospital by ambulance and discovered a bad infection in a very personal place plus my mom accidentally backing into another car at the mall. The third was so stressed about her current living arrangement a impending career change...well, there was no way. All told though, I earned about $200 - that's enough for six kids to get a flu vaccine.

Then there was bowling on Saturday. I was totally dreading that. I hate wearing those shoes! Well, I only wore them for one toss and went sock footed the rest of the time. We figured we'd pay our $20 to the Boone County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (http://mk-mk.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49763803906) bowl 10 frames and blow out of there. But OH NO...we ended up making it into the finals and finally coming in second place. It was pretty fun though...except when I slipped and bounced on the floor. My hip still hurts.

I also picked up some school supplies to give to a friend to put in a donation drive, but when she showed up Monday to donate them, the drive was over. I suggested giving them to Children and Families of Iowa. (www.cfiowa.org/)

Also just got the opportunity to help build baskets and work the Claws and Paws Auction for Animal Lifeline (www.animal-lifeline.com). That event takes place Nov. 7 at the Hotel Ft. Des Moines. (Finally I'll get to unload the silent auction item I "purchased". (I made the purchase but got the wrong basket.)

Until next time!

Come and gone

Well the birthday came and went but not without a few surprises. First, my younger brother informed me two days prior to the event that no one would want to go home after the officially end of the party at the Lagniappe, so I pulled together something at my house. Thankfully, the nearby neighbor girl (an entrepreneur at heart) helped me clean up the yard on Friday in exchange for a donation to her spending money while visiting Tennessee a bit later this summer.

Secondly, the weather was unbelievably gorgeous.

And last but not least, Mom arranged for my one of my favorite singers, Tina Haase Findlay, and her husband/guitarist, Brandon (http://www.reverbnation.com/bellasoulmusic) came and sang a few quick songs before their 8 p.m. show. Too cool!

Oh...and a small, very cook Korean bracelet/gift from Tierney's co-worker, Bo, reminded me that I had donated a bunch of small toys and books for her to take with her on her trip to Korea earlier this spring. She gathered a bunch of people together to take up a collection to deliver to the orphanage where she once was a newborn.

Takin' one for the team - actually two

So a friend of mine who knows about my project emailed the other day saying "If you're still looking for things to do for 40 for 40, a friend of mine is doing a fundraiser to benefit domestic violence prevention." (http://www.assaultcarecenter.org/)

Of course I'm all up for that! the downer...it's a bowling event (ew, I hate those shoes!) BUT it's being held in Madrid so I can take a swing by the Hindu Temple. Haven't been there since it's been finished.

I also got wrangled into "getting arrested" to raise funds for MDA. That happens on Aug. 13. More info to come on that. Hope I can raise enough money to make bail although the "clink" is being set up at Splash. :)

The big one

Well, this one kind of puts a cap on 40 for 40...and I'm taking it as a two-fer. A few weeks ago, my attention was directed toward a lovely Anatoalian shepherd that had been flown to Des Moines from Texas. He had been found a stray somewhere outside of Ft. Worth and spent some time in a shelter there. His number was up and some employee or volunteer put out a call to no-kill shelters to see if there was someplace he could go to be spared. Des Moines' Animal Lifeline (http://www.animal-lifeline.com/) said they had space and partnered with Pilots n Paws to transport, Keno (now PonyBoy) here to Iowa. When I saw his picture, I was smitten. A lot of talking with a couple of volunteers from Animal Lifeline and then discovering there was already an application put in to adopt him (the pilot who flew him up here was smitten too) I had to take my chances. Three weeks later, and the big guy is here! We're on our second day and Koda (my dog) is doing really well with it and Keno/Pony is just a mellow love bug. (Oh the reason I'm making this a two-fer...I also donated a bunch of bandages and things that Koda no longer needs and Animal Lifeline can use as they provide shelter for injured, disabled or pregnant dogs.)

So long story that will get longer...happy birthday to me from Keno/Pony!

Secondly, at the bequest of another friend of mine, I went through some of my "summer" clothing and purses and put together two bags to take to the Young Women's Resource Center (http://www.ywrc.org/) for women who are transitioning from shelter to independent living and looking for work.

I actually took a tally last week...believe it or not...inside of 6 months, I've worked with/for 32 different charities/non-profit events! Only 8 more to go to cap out 40 for 40. ... I might have to rethink it and make it 50 for 40 cause the holidays are always a big volunteer time and that's still many months away.

When you're hot; you're hot

This weekend ought to be a blistering one. Just perfect weather to spend hours outside volunteering :). On Friday night, I'll be holding down the fort at the Nurture a Student's Vision booth at the Des Moines Arts Festival (http://www.desmoinesartsfestival.org/). My job will be to help people find the artwork created by specified children.

Sunday, the Miracle League (http://www.kiwanismiracleleague.org/) has several make-up games due to cancellations because of excessive heat. I kind of doubt the weather is going to back off much until September, but I promised to go help out at 5 p.m.

Managed to make a trip to St. Vincent de Paul's (http://www.svdpusa.org/) to drop off some househould tchotkes. St. Vincent's is one of my favorite places to donate...very easy drop off and they actually offer vouchers to shelter men and women in need of clothing and other amenities.

Last but not least -- and this could be the coolest -- I might be helping out Animal Lifeline of Iowa (http://www.animal-lifeline.com/) by adopting one of the sweetest dogs, Keno. I met him last week along with Koda and all went well. We're just waiting to see/hear if the pilot who flew Keno up to Iowa from Texas is going to take him home.

Pray for humidity relief!
Sarah