Volunteering as Docents

The project:
Volunteer at our local state park to serve as docents for upcoming events.

Time:
Just a few minutes today, but it'll take hours, even days, in the coming year.

Why bother?Our oldest daughter loves, loves, loves history. Bringing history to life through special events at our local state park, for instance, helps maintain that spark. Why not?

Worth it?
We shall see (and report) once we're activated.

Photo courtesy DSearles under Creative Commons License.

Take a Bridal Party Photo for Strangers

The project:
Borrow the photographer's camera to take a photo that INCLUDED.

Time:
30 seconds

Why bother?
How many times have you looked back at family trip photos, special event photos, only to discover that, as far as the photographic record shows, you weren't THERE! As official family or friend photog, maybe you don't get a chance to get in the group shots, and even when you do then some OTHER group member is missing.

While at a bonfire at the beach this evening, the neighboring bonfire was host to a bridal party having one last beach hurrah before the Bride's Big Day. The ladies were taking a group shot, so I stepped in and offered to take it so they could ALL be included.

Worth it?
Yes - I love taking photos anyhow, but the ladies were super appreciative of the offer.

Recycle Our Glass, Plastic and Alumninum

The project:

Turn in the plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers collected at our home over the past several weeks.

Time:
15 minutes, excluding drive time. (The recycling center was super busy today!)

Why bother?
No need to use earth's limited resources when we can reuse the materials, so we make a habit of collecting recyclables. Why turn it in TODAY? Our bin was overflowing, plus we needed milk money.

Worth it?
Yes - saving resources AND just enough for a gallon of the good stuff. :)

Organize an Educational Tour

The project:
Organize and see through an educational tour for more than 70 people.

Time:
About an hour for reservations, publicity, communications related to RSVPs, responding to questions and sending reminders.

Why bother?
Some organizations offer tours only to groups. While I am sometimes granted access as an author writing about these organizations and their special places, it feels better to go with flow - to share the places. We know lots of folks who are interested in the things we do and the places we go, so I thought we'd make this a shared experience.

Worth it?
Yes. We got to see the place, but so did the families who showed up for the day - plus we played at the beach all afternoon with friends.

Organizing events has been an education. I've learned not only to ask folks for confirmation of their participation, but to confirm again within days of the actual event. In this event, for instance, 77 people initially responded that they would take part. In the week leading up to the event, I asked for confirmations. Of the 34 children and 19 adults who confirmed they would be there, 21 children and 10 adults showed. I've heard that charging fees helps because folks are more likely to show up for things they've already paid for, but I'm hard pressed to charge folks for something that costs me nothing except time. Sure, my time's worth something, but other families like mine probably appreciate no-cost programs, too.

Compliment a Woman

The project:
Give an honest compliment to a woman.

Time:
Moments

Why bother?
This morning, while at the theater for a family matinee, the girls and I ran into a friend we don't see often enough. Though she has more children than I do and a busy calendar, she always manages to look fantastic. Before we went our separate ways (we in search of adjacent seats, she headed to the lobby) I told her as much.

Funny...I didn't think of it as a charitable deed until later when she found us in the theater and told me that compliment was definitely today's good deed. (Our local paper ran a story over the weekend about A Year of Living Charitably. Word is getting around!)

Worth it?
Absolutely. I think too many people are so afraid that simple compliments will send some "wrong message" that they simply keep to themselves. What a shame! A compliment can be simply that; and I find that most of the time people appreciate being noticed.

Donate with the Click of the Mouse

The project:
Donate food to Feeding America through Kraft.

Time:
30 seconds

Why bother?
Kraft is giving boxes of its brightly colored macaroni and cheese away to Feeding America, but it's using the giveaway as a marketing opportunity. See, they're only going to give away as much as site visitors TELL them to give away. If we don't visit (and thereby get a visual reminder of what Kraft has to offer us all), then click the giant button, the promotion/donation project doesn't work. So...I took part.

The site allows one visit/click per day per computer, so I think I'll check back daily 'til the program ends July 31. The company aims to donate a million boxes, but is only at 579,148 tonight.

OH, and if you're really into the mac 'n cheese, you'll be glad to know there are printable coupons on the site, too.

Worth it?
Sure. By taking a few seconds to look it up and click (they don't even ask for your e-mail address or ask you to sign up for an "account" or any other such rubbish to take part), I helped donate 10 meals to families in need. If I do this every day 'til the promotion ends, I will have "donated" 50 boxes all at no expense to me but a few seconds a the computer.

Go ahead - you know you want to lend a hand. And it won't cost you a dime! :)

Mosquito Abatement

The project:
Dump yucky water and refill containers for horses. Move a goldfish from a clean trough to one with lots of wigglers (mosquito larvae).

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
As I placed a halter on the rack after yesterday's ride, the rack tore free of the wall. We were on the way into town for an appointment, so we had to take off, but I left word that I'd fix it in the morning.

This morning I headed out into the morning mist only to find that someone else had already fixed it, and cleaned up that corner of the tack shed.

Rather than turn around and head for home, I looked for some other way to contribute during the time I'd already set aside for my project. I greeted the yawning horses, then checked their waters. Some had run far enough down to be dumped (whisker droppings and all), and refilled. One of the largest troughs, however, had too much water for a complete rotation. It also had LOTS of mosquito larvae, so I transferred the goldfish from another trough into this one to do in in the bugs and make for one happy little orange fish.

Worth it?
Yes. Anything I can do to help. All my time out here feels so relaxing, and there's so much work to be done help is welcome and appreciated.

Photo courtesy Álvaro Rodríguez under Creative Commons license.