helping folks stay connected, again

My good deed for October for AARP!

"Senior Planet Points Contribution - Help Reconnect Older Adults"
4,000 Points CONTRIBUTION

Their response to me was:

"Pat yourself on the back!!!

Thank you! 

Contributions like yours help AARP Foundation connect vulnerable older adults with the assistance they need. 

Your support is critical to building a brighter future for older adults across America."

So good to do good after Hurricane Helene...

i thank You, God, for this opportunity to help others.

coffee, chatting, and jewelry, too

The next time in Puerto Rico, I'll have to look up The Coffee Boutique.

I was hoping to find something woman-empowering on kiva that both Barbara and Christa might enjoy, and there it was!

Right place, right time.

Zorey found herself jobless when the pandemic struck, so she turned her hobby of jewelry-making into ZK Jewelry & More.

Now, she's ready for a new adventure... and that word is how she hooked me!

 

As a coincidence, mi amiga Sandy is also making jewelry and had her first sales show almost a month ago.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if she has another this busy Labor Day weekend!

(smile!)

And Carolyn, how would she feel about such a enterprise?

Oh, please, she wears more jewelry than all of us combined, and would love an excuse to hang out and talk about it!

(smile!)

Sure, we'd have to cruise down to Puerto Rico to do so... but that's fine.

We all enjoy a good shipboard adventure, and we wouldn't even need passports there. (smile!)

Capital One is matching all loans for Coffee Boutique, too.

Plus, there was already another Nerdfighter chipping.

I've even posted the link on fb, in hopes others will follow my lead and bring this dream to life for Zorey and others... like me and mi amigas.

(smile!)

Yes, definitely where I was meant to be on Kiva.

joining the races to vote

When the request came via email for veterans to help staff polling locations, I complied.

I have not yet received information for the training needed to do so, but Vet The Vote has received my message and responded.

 

Faustina,

I’m here at Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400 to launch Vet the Vote’s official partnership with NASCAR!

In just two short years, Vet the Vote has rallied over 140,000 veterans and military families to serve their communities as poll workers. Our partnership with NASCAR is more than just a collaboration—it’s a powerful opportunity to drive home the importance of civic engagement and the pivotal role our veterans and military families play in powering up our elections.

Vet the Vote is here, connecting with fans and sharing our story. We’ll be talking with Michigan Secretary of State and fellow military spouse, Jocelyn Benson. Our goal is to recruit more veterans and military families to join us as poll workers - ensuring fair, safe, and accurate elections. With NASCAR’s support, we’re reaching new audiences and driving home the message that service to our country can take many forms—even at the polls.

I wanted to personally reach out and share this moment with you because your support has been instrumental in getting us here. If you’re attending the race, I’d love to meet up and share more about what this partnership means for Vet the Vote and, if you’re a NASCAR fan watching from home, our two organizations thank you again for your service.

Thanks for answering the call to serve America again. Together, we’re making a difference, one race and one vote at a time.

Onward,

Ellen Gustafson
Co-Founder, Vet the Vote

points for aarp foundation again

The trick, obviously, is to be on the AARP website on the first of the month.

After that, these opportunities become "sold out".

That's a good thing, though, to know there are so many others in the world who want to help others by becoming more educated.

Why did I say that?

The points are earned by watching informative videos and answering quizzes. 

The last time I was able to constructively use my AARP points was in April, and those went toward feeding others.

This time, the points will help make sure older folks still have internet connections.

Many of them - like myself - lost that ability when Congress discontinued the Affordable Connectivity Program in June of this year.

Fortunately, I have been able to procure reduced-rate wifi through Comcast, but others may not have been as fortunate.

I'm glad I was able to help.

no excuse for speeding in breeding waters

To: Ms. Kelie Moore, Federal Consistency Coordinator, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Dear Ms. Moore,

I write to express my support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s proposed expansion of a 2008 vessel speed rule. This proposed rule has been thoroughly studied by NOAA and subject to extensive public review. It is not inconsistent with Georgia’s coastal policies and regulations. Most importantly, the expanded rule is urgently needed to help ensure the survival of Georgia's state marine mammal, the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

I stand alongside thousands of other Georgians who care deeply about our coastal way of life and have a long legacy of working collaboratively to protect our wildlife. We understand that we do not have to choose between our economy and protecting these beloved animals. Indeed, many of us choose to live and vacation here precisely because of our iconic species, like right whales. We are proud that our coast plays a singular role in the life history of this majestic species, as its only known calving ground in the world.

With fewer than 360 North Atlantic right whales left on the planet, we must take immediate and drastic action if we want to save them from extinction. Leading right whale scientists tell us we cannot afford to lose a single more whale per year to human causes; yet during the recent 2024 calving season alone, four whales—a reproductive female, a juvenile female, and two newborn calves—were killed or seriously injured by vessel strikes in Southeastern U.S. waters. These recent mortalities, along with other documented deaths in recent years, are killing these animals faster than they can reproduce to save their species.

According to data from NOAA and Georgia DNR, since the existing vessel speed rule was first implemented in 2008, the number of right whales killed by large vessels over 65 feet in the U.S. immediately declined, while the number of mortalities from those 65 feet or less did not. The data is clear: too many whales are still being struck and killed by these smaller vessels.

As we continue this discussion, it is important that we all recognize a few facts. First, the proposed expanded rule will require reduced speeds for only a very small percentage of yachts and large vessels during a few months of the year here in coastal Georgia. Further, these semi-truck sized whales, which can top 50 tons, pose significant safety risks to humans. Fast moving vessels simply cannot see them before it is too late, leading to potentially catastrophic consequences for the whale, vessel, and everyone in the water during a collision. Moreover, human safety is literally baked into the rule itself, as updated safety provisions allow vessels to exceed the 10-knot restriction in circumstances where human health and safety are at risk.

There are currently NO existing technologies that can replace the need for the vessel speed rule. While there are a range of technologies in development that may someday be able to help track whales and alert boaters, they are not tested or as effective in reducing the risk of a fatal strike as a 10-knot vessel speed restriction. Technological solutions will likely never be able to fully replace vessel speed regulations to protect whales. Reducing vessel speed to 10 knots is scientifically proven to reduce the risk of mortality from a collision by up to 90% and is a widely accepted international measure for marine mammal conservation.

Finally, as you prepare your response to NOAA, we urge you to listen to and learn from the experienced wildlife biologists within your own agency, who uniquely understand our whales and the scientific data that demonstrates the need for this vessel speed rule. Georgia has always been a leader for North Atlantic right whale conservation, and the species biologists with Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division regularly put their lives on the line to monitor and rescue these animals. They can provide the necessary expertise and data to inform your position.

Thank you for considering my comments, and for the work you do to protect our coast and its wildlife. We encourage you to submit your consistency determination letter supporting the expanded rule to NOAA as soon as possible, in hopes that this safe and effective rule will be finalized before next calving season—and before any further preventable deaths for this beloved species.


Sincerely,
Faustina Smith
Savannah, GA
United States

CC: Doug Haymans, GA DNR — Coastal Resources Director
Ted Will, GA DNR — Wildlife Resources Director
Walter Rabon, GA DNR Commissioner
Senator Raphael Warnock
Senator Jon Ossoff
Representative Buddy Carter

 

 

 

 

leather for peru

"I do so enjoy crafts with leather! I have a rocking chair with an embossed leather back and seat. I bought it by the side of the road in Panama in 1979, and it's still going strong!"

That's the comment I left on KIVA for Johnny of Peru.

He is a furniture builder and leather craftsman, as were his father and grandfather and several generations of his family and that of his friends.

He said, "My family is eternally grateful to all of you for these loans, which have allowed us to grow our workshop and stay prepared for periods of high demand. Our craft has been passed down from generation to generation through our family and neighbors, and we are thankful to be able to keep making a living from it. Thank you."

Thank you, Kiva, for adding another furniture maker to my portfolio.

Thank you, Sage Global, for matching the funds for this loan.

Thank You, God, for guiding me to this tribute for a friend's wife.

shoes to the purple planet

I'm not even sure when I bought these shoes.

Pretty nice-looking, aren't they?

But I didn't wear them because they weren't comfortable.

Things with closed heels tend to rub the back of my foot to a blister.

That's why almost all of my shoes are slip-on.

I tried wearing this pair that way, removing the laces to maximize the opening.

That didn't help.

So, I set the shoes aside.

Then came an email from the Purple Planet.

Hey, that's my pet name for Planet Fitness.

Everything there is purple, so why not?

Anyway, as I said, I got this message.

"Did you know the Environmental Protection Agency estimates 200- 300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away each year? Do you have any outgrown sneakers sitting in the back of your closet?
To keep sneakers out of landfills, reduce toxic chemicals in our air and soil, and raise money for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Planet Fitness is hosting an ongoing drive in partnership with GotSneakers, an organization that reuses and recycles quality, pre-loved sneakers.
The shoes received by GotSneakers are recirculated as affordable secondhand footwear, upcycled, or recycled by converting the waste into new energy. Please note, any proceeds from shore recycling are donated to Boys & Girls Clubs of America!
We'll be collecting donations IN-CLUB until June 30th! Don't miss your chance to bring in your items!"

 

That certainly sounds like a winner to me!

So, I put the laces back into the shoes, brushed them up nicely, and, when I left home to hit the treadmill at the PF on Victory Drive, the shoes came along.

I do hope someone will appreciate them more than I did.