Donate Photo Skills to Youth Soccer Teams

The project:
Take action shots of all the players on two area youth soccer teams (our daughters' teams) and share them with all families - no charge, no strings attached.

Time:
About 30 minutes per game (between cheering for the team and waiting for good light).

Why bother?
We're at the games cheering, but I need something to do with my hands. By taking photos, I get less stressed about the games (they're supposed to be FUN anyway, aren't they?) and provide a skill that's not too shabby (though a bit rusty at this point).

Worth it?
Yes.

Recycle for the Future - The Future is Now

"Waste Stream" courtesy UrbanWoodsWalker under Creative Commons License.

The project:
Deliver our collection of recyclables to the buy-back center.

Time:
20 minutes (new center - longer wait - I think I'll carry on with the old center)

Why bother?
In 1987, California adopted the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (AB 2020), also known as the Bottle Bill. The idea - to get Californians to recycle, to stop trashing the parks and roadsides by giving them financial incentive to recycle their soda cans and bottles, among other recyclable materials. Maybe I have a special affinity for it because I remember one of my moms pushing for this, though it seemed like it was LONG before 1987. Or maybe it's just because it makes more sense to me to smash up used pop containers and turn them into something else we can use rather than continuing to mine for brand new, fresh materials.

Worth it?
Yep. It take a little time and it's not much, but it adds up. Our trash will be turned into something new, the money goes in the girls' college savings, our garage recycling pile is cleaned out.

Give Away Ballet Slippers and Leotards

The project:
Give away the slippers and leotards our daughters have grown out of - to a complete, random stranger.

Time:
10 minutes

Why bother?
We were in the shoe store grabbing a new pair of tennies to replace the pair I blew out walking with my cousin in Utah a couple of weeks ago. A woman approached me to ask where I'd look locally for ballet shoes (since this store didn't carry them). I asked what size she needed. Turns out they were JUST the sizes of the shoes that were sitting, used, in a box in my garage. I offered them to this visitor. She and her mom (aka Grandma) followed us home, and picked out the things they needed. (I offered the rest up at the girl's ballet school.)

The woman from Oregon was visiting her mom, a resident of nearby Santa Ynez Valley. Her comments included thanks and a laugh and, "This is certainly the most interesting shopping trip I've ever had!"

She asked me, "What do you want for these?" I waved her off, and said, "I'll tell you what. When you're finished, if they're still in decent shape, hand them off to someone else. Or maybe you'll overhear someone else who needs something you have lying around sometime, and you can offer it up."

Worth it?
Yes! I've donated these to the thrift store in past, or sold them at garage sales and such, but they really don't fetch much, and it was super fun to see someone so pleased with the find.

Lend an Understanding Ear

The project:
Lend a sympathetic ear to an administrator of a local group who's just wrapping up some very tough times.

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
Sometimes it's nice to have someone outside of the organization to talk to - to let off some steam.

Worth it?
Sure. No skin off my back, and provides her some relief.

Saddle Up!

The project:
Help the riding instructor get the kids' horses ready and put away.

Time:
20 minutes

Why bother?
Though we pay for these lessons, it's awfully helpful to lend a hand when she's trying to get all the horses ready for our class, and the next. Plus, it's fun for me, too.

Worth it?
If you're doing this in hopes of a discount, perhaps it's not worth it. I'm not. Discount? No. Thanks? Yes.

Confession - I Slept, and Relaxed, and Slept More

The project:
Today I took care of myself. I had a true day of rest. Charitable to no one but myself, unless you count reading to my kids. :)

Time:
Pretty much all day.

Why bother?
I can't tell you when I had a day where I was so plain lazy. Today, I didn't do much for anyone else. I didn't do any chores of note. I didn't try to leave the house. I slept in, played with my children, took a nap, read to my daughters, sprawled on the couch and read to myself (WOW...my magazine stack is overflowing its basket), watched a movie with my husband and went to bed at (gasp!) a decent hour.

Worth it?
AB-so-LUTE-ly! I really should do that more often! (But I always feel like there's so much that needs to be done!)