Include My Family

The project:
Include my parents in our family's weekend plans.

Time:
The weekend, though the planning time was negligible.

Why bother?
This may not seem like a charitable deed, but we do things for and with our own friends and family every day without noting it as a "charitable deed." Still, these are the most important acts to help ensure a strong family.

It's wonderful when your parents want to spend time with you...even when you're "getting on in years." (Yep, this was birthday weekend.) So including them in our weekend plans was a must.

Worth it?
It was really nice to have my parents with us at the high-density campground along an otherwise secluded shore. What's most wonderful about it, though, is that my parents can share space with each other. I'm ever so thankful for them.

Help a Stranger/Plant a Tree

The project:
Pull off the road and help a stranger finish planting a tree in her front yard.

Time:
20 minutes

Why bother?
I was driving home when I saw a woman struggling to set the root ball and associated 8-foot Golden Locust Tree in her front yard. Two small children wandered the yard as their mom teetered on the edge of the hole.

Worth it?
When I pulled over and rolled down the window, she was clearly confused. We'd never met each other. What could I, a stranger, want at this inopportune moment? When I asked if I could lend a hand, she thought about it for a few seconds, then smiled and welcomed me to the yard.

Turns out we had a lot in common, and in addition to planting a tree we may have begun a friendship.

Recycling Plastic Bags

The project:
Deliver the mysteriously multiplying plastic bag collection to the recycling center.

Time:
Moments

Why bother?
See previous discussion here.

Worth it?
Since raising my awareness about issues surrounding plastic bags (and the fact that we're not just talking grocery bags here), I find myself with more plastic than ever to recycle. I'm remembering to take my reusable bags to the store more often than not, but the sheer quantity of OTHER plastics is INCREDIBLE!