gift to all of my brothers

Finally I had enough in my Kiva account for this gift to my brothers, as well as to those seeking the loan there to enrich their community!

Meet Mary, of Good Hope Sgbl, in Zambia.

She's the third from the right in this photo of the group she works with for loans.

She needs the $2,750 "to buy beers and restaurant dishes" for her customers.

What made her ask so compelling for me?

Today is Friday.

That's the day I get together with my brothers and their friends for the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos of Sandfly.

Seriously, that's a real thing.

The men quaff beers and the women sip margaritas and we all sit and chat for at least an hour whilst munching chips and salsa.

Then, we order and we're there another hour, still chatting and quaffing.

Hugs all around before we go our separate ways at night's end.

Let me tell you, this time with them is very important to my social life.

I'm sure the people in Zambia who dine at Mary's restaurant feel the same need for a place to eat, drink, and be merry with those important to them.

So, Happy Christmas, Smitty and Dood!

keeping wiki free to all

Dear Faustina,

Thank you so much for your USD $28.60 one-time donation to support Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation. With this support, you help strengthen our nonprofit mission to ensure people everywhere can access the information they need, whenever they need it, for free.

Wikipedia only works because of the hundreds of thousands of humans who dedicate their time and energy to making it one of the most trusted sources of information online. The tireless efforts of these volunteers are what makes this website invaluable to billions of readers worldwide. This is even more important today with the changes in technology and artificial intelligence shaping our world.

So the next time you visit Wikipedia, I hope you take pride in knowing that you help make this possible. Wikipedia is a collective labor of love, and you’re a part of it. Thank you again for your dedication to this remarkable mission.

With gratitude,
Maryana Iskander
CEO, Wikimedia Foundation 

------------------------------

If you like Wiki

Like I like Wiki,

oh, oh, oh, what a site!

You can give, too, to make sure reliable information is accessible to all.

Just click here.

There's sure to be an option for your budget, too.

picking fruit from the angell tree

No, that isn't a typo in the title.

Laura Angell had been the youth minister for Asbury Memorial Church for years and when she died from cancer a few years ago, the youths became Laura's Angells.

Nice, right?

This year, the group has decorated the Angell Tree in Holliday Hall with paper ornaments bearing the names of gifts needed to help P.A.C.K. Savannah.

That group - People of Action Caring for Kids - had requested a range of items for their clients, running the gamut from sports items to dolls to warm coats in various sizes.

I don't usually participate in this drive, but I chose to be part of it this year.

The item I ultimately settled upon was "basketball", which was written on multiple ornaments on the tree.

 

My choice of which to buy was based on my belief that the toy was meant for a girl.

Here's hoping she will become as famous in that sport as the player - Caitlin Clark - whose name is emblazoned on the ball.

putting in the time for turkey day aid

It all began a week or so ago.

Yvonne had marked on fb that she was interested in an event for charity, and, as it was near me, I checked that I was 'interested' as well.

Not soon after, she contacted me.

Was I definitely going?

If so, she would go, too.

That's how we ended up at the Eichholz Law Firm - where her son-in-law works - late on a Monday afternoon.

We were not alone.

Besides her friend, Toni, there were at least 30 others there to help Blessings In A Bookbag with their 14th annual Operation Thanksgiving Pack Attack.

Founded by Mahogany Bowers, a Savannah native who made her mark as a dancer in New York City, the organization works to give kids here a better environment by providing better food.

Very nice, right?

I don't know how many bags were packed, but it was quite a lot.

Those bags full of food are four-deep on that table, with even more on the side tables.

She and I and Toni were part of the "rice bagging brigade", tasked with filling ziplocs with rice from 25-lb sacks.

With the help of some high school volunteers, we managed to keep up with those who were filling the tote bags with stuffing, green beans, and other foods.

All told, the operation took only about 30 minutes instead of the 90 minutes allocated!

Plus, it was fun to do something that would be meaningful for others.

I look forward to do this again!

in honor of Dood

My youngest brother's 57th birthday is today, so I've honored him with two Kiva loans!

He's off on a cruise and I'm hoping he will travel more, perhaps even crossing the oceans to other continents, such as Asia and Africa.

How did I determine which loans to support this time?

 

Both of these are matched by Deloitte, doubling the impact of my funds.

The first loan is to Nusrat of Pakistan.

Tony has become closer to his daughter these past few months.

Nusrat is 38 years old, which Hope will be in two years.

This young woman is raising lambs and calves to help her family.

The second loan is to Mpower Ventures in Cameroon.

They have a very ambitious project: supply solar power to 2000 homes.

The good news is they have experience, as this is not their first Kiva loan.

They have already successfully empowered (get the pun?) 800 homes.

I certainly wish both of these loans much success in their ventures!

Happy birthday, dear brother!

just say "NO" to dyes in food

This latest petition from Consumer Reports is about dyes in children's lunch foods, but why stop there, if the dyes have been linked to behavioral issues?

Aramark, Sodexo, and Chartwells, please heed this call!

Children have enough to deal with in their small bodies.

Aramark, Sodexo, and Chartwells, please stop putting dyes in their school lunches.

Aramark, Sodexo, and Chartwells, please stop putting dyes in any products for children.

Are natural coloring agents not available?

As an analytical chemist, I am sure there are dyes from natural sources, such as red from beets and orange from carrots.

Aramark, Sodexo, and Chartwells, please consider the current health of our future leaders.

Please.

Here is the link to the petition.

Dear readers, please sign to encourage Aramark, Sodexo, and Chartwells to seek out more healthy options for America's youth.

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.