wish of a lifetime - helping others

"Dear Faustina,
I’m so grateful for your generous contribution of 4,000 [AARP Reward] points. It’s friends like you who make it possible for AARP Foundation to create and advance effective solutions that aim to help older adults secure the essentials they need to thrive.
Thank you for choosing to use your AARP Rewards points to help those in need. We truly value your support.
Warm Regards,
Claire Casey
President, AARP Foundation"

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That was waiting in my inbox this morning.

I'd checked the AARP website for items that I'd like to use Reward points on and there it was, having not yet been snapped up by another.

That was good.

I keep getting requests in the mail from the AARP Foundation to donate money to one cause or another, but money is not what I have.

I do have time to play brain-teasing games to earn Reward points...

and time to view informative videos to earn Reward points...

and also time to answer quizzes to earn Reward points...

so I have Reward points...

and I am thrilled to be able to use them to help others!

Thanks, AARP, for giving me that option!

still counts as a bday68 gift to me...

I've been a bit busy, so this annual part of my birthday ritual was delayed.

Today, Kiva sent me an email that I still had money available to lend.

No time like the present to gift someone with support!

I chose Rasha, an educator in Israel who is helping her students fight those who bully others.

Here's the message I sent to the other Nerdfighters on my team.

 

As I told them, I once had my office as a Safe Space for any and all who needed a listening ear and an open mind.

That was during my time as a full-time assistant professor in the Chemistry Department at Armstrong Atlantic State University, and beyond when I was back to adjunct status, before the merger deleted my position entirely.

I've been retired since May of 2018, but I still recall how grateful students were to have a safe, non-bullying, environment that welcomed and supported them so they could concentrate on their studies.

Rasha has requested a rather large loan, which is why I sent the message to the other nerds like me.

I also posted a message on her loan page.

"As a retired professor whose office once provided safe haven to all students, I know the importance of this work. Wishing her much more success!"

I'm glad that she has the support of several schools who recognize the importance of her work.

She has a month to raise the funds she needs to expand her program.

Anyone can help, using this link.

Thanks!

ciao, bella!!!

Toward the end of last year, I deleted my Kickstarter account.

It had been years since I'd spent any time on that site, so I ditched it.

Today, I opened a new account on Kickstarter... to help JinHi.

She has written an autobiographical play about her life with cancer, and the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, has accepted it at that prestigious event.

Wow.

She has an entourage who will travel with her: stage manager, producers, light tech, sound tech, prop master, director, wardrobe mistress, and all the others who help bring this creation to life on stage.

This won't be the first time I've helped to send a production across the Atlantic Ocean, but that time was well over a decade ago.

Here's the difference: I know JinHi Soucy Rand.

I've supported fundraisers for her benefit before.

The first time was for the very first 24-Hour Play Festival here in Savannah, a fundraiser promoted by her one-and-only brother, Chris Soucy.

I treated that as a birthday gift to myself, as it was in May (of 2011).

The next time was also promoted by her brother and was that same summer, as a way to bring new folks to the fledgling Muse Arts Warehouse performance space that JinHi created for this seaport and its artist community.

The third time was in 2015 and was also to raise funds for that space, with artists contributing their creations as repayment for the lives JinHi had enriched.

The fourth time was two years later, with her brother putting on a one-man show titled "Fears My Sister Taught Me". 

Now, it's all about JinHi.

The kickstarter campaign, started by Erin Muller, has a big ask of $15,000.

Erin created a special funding opportunity just for me: Pen Pals Plus.

That's because I wanted to get a postcard from Scotland, but also wanted a ticket to the premiere of the show here in Savannah next month.

Like magic, Erin made that opportunity happen!

So far, I am the first to make that choice.

Sure, a postcard for $77 sounds a bit steep... but it's for my bday68... and it's doing the traveling for me, to benefit my friend.

That's worth every penny. 

bye, bye, blackbird

Savannah Stage Company, the troupe I've endorsed for well over a decade, has a new play that I've never heard of before.

"Blackbird" deals with childhood abuse from the past, rearing from the depths into the present day life of one of the characters.

As this is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, the timing is impeccable. 

Ordinarily, I'd definitely make plans to see this modern play... 

but this is no ordinary time for me.

Still, I didn't want to not mark my support.

So, I've purchased a ticket for a show I will not attend.

I also sent an email to Jayme Tinti so she won't wonder where I am when I don't show up at the Sentient Bean.

"Hey, Jayme!
I just wanted to let you know that I bought the ticket in support of the show, but I will not be attending.
I know Shawna will do an amazing job with the material!
However, I cannot drive at night right now.
It's an anesthesia-recovery thing from the inguinal hernia repair on the 1st, and I expect to be dealing with this brain fog for a while.
Still, I wanted to show my support for this brave venture!
Hope you have a full house!"

Break a leg, y'all.

(smile!)

encouraging children of savannah to SING

I know, I know, I'm not supposed to make financial decisions whilst recovering from anesthesia, but the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one...

or something like that.

I recall Spock saying that to Kirk in one of the "Star Trek" movies, and it seems to be just as apt here.

The children's choral group, SING!, is having a concert later this month.

Titled "How Can I Keep From Singing?", it has drawn me in! 

That concert is free, as have been all of their concerts at Asbury Memorial.

Sure, they usually pass the hat, so to speak, at some point in the show, but the draw for me is that the music is free for the soul.

This event on the 25th will differ, though.

While the concert itself is gratis, the Italian dinner afterward is not.

That will be a fundraiser for Savannah Inspiring Next Generation - that is, SING - and I intend to do my part, both with the eating and the giving, that is.

An actual chef is doing the cooking, so "That's Amore" should bring a taste of Italy back to my heart and spirit.

Plus, there will be more music woven into the meal!

That's why I chose to donate the money "in memory of", rather than having it be counted toward one of the competing teams.

The Asbury Memorial songbird was the person that came to mind.

I know in my heart that Joan Hester Byrd would dearly love these kids.

(smile!)

my second seamstress of guatemala

 

I'm so glad that Kiva was quick to provide the $20 lending credit for the International Women's Day loan made yesterday!

Thanks to them, I was able to lend to the other young woman, Ruth Nohemi.

 

She is just two years older than Manuela, and she and her clients are in the northeastern part of the Central American country.

However, just like her countrywoman in the south, she is working to please her customers by providing new clothes for Easter.

I know Mama would be so pleased that I chose these two.

Sewing and embroidery were a big part of her life, and, consequently, of mine when I was younger.

I do hope Ruth's loan will be soon completed.

Incredibly, Manuela's became fully funded as I was making the one today!

I made sure to leave a note on Ruth's page... that will help.

Hopefully another Nerdfighter will lend a financial assist, too!

(smile!)

getting folks ready for holy week!

 

She does embroidery and wants to buy nice materials and threads.

That's because she has regular customers and wants them to have pretty choices for the religious holiday approaching.

I remember my mother making new clothes for us for Easter.

 

This young woman is also a single mother.

Mama was a single mother by the time I was in high school.

 

For this International Women's Day, Kiva is granting me $20 to give toward a future loan, just for making a loan to a woman today.

I intend to give that to another young woman, doing similar work in northeastern Guatemala.

For today, though, I chose to fund Manuela Christina Olivia in the south.

I'll have to let my first niece know.

She'll catch my inside joke with her.

(smile!)