help for the 4th grade!

I've received three emails from my great-nephew and one from his teacher.

White Bluff Elementary School needs help with classroom supplies.

Would I please help out?

Of course!

I decided to be extra generous, as Bert recently had his 9th birthday... which I missed.

My initial pledge to this charitable request was for two $30 gift cards for his class.

That's partly because they gave me a discount, charging just $50 for the two.

That gained him 2 points toward a gift that required 4 points.

That's fine, someone else could help out, right?

But, during the checkout process, the company offered another deal: one $20 gift card for the teacher, 2 points for Bert...

Sold!!!

Now his birthday gift is done, with no shopping required of me.

What a win, all the way around!!!

children + star castle = yes, please!

Ever since the unusual snowfall in January, the troupe has been homeless.

The weight of all that frozen water was the last straw for the aged roof.

Fortunately, they've been blessed with the use of many acting spaces to tide them through for the events already in the works... but they needed their own place.

Now, the Savannah Children's Theatre hopes to begin its 21st year in a midtown location that's right in keeping with them being all local.

Their sights are set for the Star Castle building on Mall Boulevard.

They have some patrons with deep pockets that are putting up a lot of the millions of bucks that will be needed for that title transfer, but there's a catch.

There's still half a million which must be crowdsourced by October 1st.

Given the thousands of children who have grown up in their plays, that's doable.

Given the thousands of parents who still have children to act on stage, that's doable.

Given the thousands of people who have delighted in watching, that's doable.

I'm one of those from the audience, coming forth to give what I can.

Twenty-five dollars is the gift I have given as a Nerdfighter to many Kiva strangers.

Twenty-five dollars is the gift I have given to SavChTh.

As of their update on fb, they've raised more than $136,000 toward their goal.

I do hope they are successful in their bid for the 'Castle!

How awesome would that be for the kids???

a horse of a different color!

Naturally, when someone starts talking of equine animals, my mind goes to "The Wizard Of Oz".

I can't help it - that movie has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

 

That's partly what drew me to Nariman's loan at Kiva.

Horses.

Everyone else in Kazakhstan who had animals were interested in getting more cattle or more sheep.

Not him.

In his bio, he states that he "owns 174 registered horses — all documented with veterinary records and official tags".

Impressive!

This loan will help him improve his livestock facilities and develop milk processing.

Yes, that's right: this horse ranch is a dairy farm...

with products derived from mare's milk...

wow!

That's amazing!!!

I made sure to post on his loan page, to encourage others to become part of this change.

"I am fascinated by the originality of this dairy farmer! Not cows, not goats, not sheep - horses are the source! He even has an established clientele for his mare's milk products! That's why I chose this loan: to support innovation!" 

I then sent the above message to all the other Nerdfighters of Kiva to make sure they knew about this one. 

Why was I wanting to make sure others knew of Nariman?

Because of this: I was the very first person to lend to him.

That's never happened to me before.

I felt that I was meant to find this one loan amidst all of those clamoring from my attention from that country not yet in my portfolio.

Enough repayments from others I'd lent to had finally amassed to enough for a new loan, so I stipulated "countries I've not yet lent to" in the search.

Pages and pages of people with loans sprang forth!

I whittled down the list to three, including Nariman.

All had established farms, all ran them with their entire family.

But, this was the only one with horses...

this was the only one using mare's milk...

and that innovation struck a chord with me.

I do hope his loan is a success over the next 13 days.

I like the thought of, maybe, someday, trying mare's milk cheese.

still wishing with others

Yes, that's right, I used 4000 of my AARP Reward Points again to help others' dreams come true!

That was earlier today, before my volunteer shift at the 13th Savannah VOICE Festival.

It was right in keeping with the concert theme, too, come to think of it!

"Once Upon A Time"... yes, wishes and dreams and fairy tales can come true!

Just ask anyone at the Wish Of A Lifetime Foundation!

helping aarp with ending senior poverty

Yep, I did it again...

I took 4,000 points that I earned on aarp.org and I donated it back to the AARP Foundation.

No one should have to choose between food and medicine.

I choose to believe a made a difference for at least one person.

another wish on its way to being granted...

 

... and I helped.

Yes, I've again donated 4000 points to the AARP Foundation to help someone's "Wish Of A Lifetime" become a reality.

Last month, I gave those points to the AARP Foundation to help make all seniors computer-literate.

I'm so happy I've found this fun way to help others!

Now, I'll keep my eye out for more of these opportunities!

may the 4th be with ...community service

This was definitely something different for me.

I'd grabbed a few of the flyers about "Congregations In Service" after the SING concert, intending to read them and possibly attend.

I realized quickly, though, that the activity to be held at Asbury Memorial Church would not be the one for me.

I'm retired and don't do early mornings!

However, the one at Baha'i Unity Center wasn't to start until noon30 - I could most def be there for that!

So, there is where I was today, for the 33rd community service event they have held since the project first began in 2004.

I know, the math sounds wonky, but it isn't.

Baha'i usually holds two per year, in spring and fall, but not for the first few years and not during the pandemic.

I'm glad I was there as part of my bday67 celebration.

Betty taught me how to make no-sew blankets, and I did so in the company of several folks older than myself: Betty; Ray, the Vietman veteran; Connie, the 81-yo lover of butterfly pins; Dee, of India; and two others across the table from me.

That was actually very nice to be with older people.

I also loved that the blankets were were making would be given to children.

These were smaller blankets that usual, and they were brightly colored or had fun designs on the soft fabric, like these hedgehogs that I thought were opossums.

I only got two blankets completed, but that's two more than there would have been.

Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.

red ribbon for a winner

 

Just as I do for Habitat For Humanity, I also give to Special Olympics Georgia.

There will be a competition for those special athletes next month, and I'm actually cutting it pretty close to get this ribbon and card back in time.

I'd placed them on the living room table... 

then placed other mail there...

So I'm fortunate to have found them at all!

Best of luck to the athlete who receives this ribbon!

They are a winner in the game of life!

(smile!)

why i give to habitat for humanity, still

Dear Faustina,

 

Your support as a HopeBuilder helps empower families to build stability in decent, affordable Habitat Homes!

 

It's a life that Cynthia, a part-time recreation aide, and Valdemar, who works in the information technology field, always dreamed of: having a home in a tight-knit community where their children can play and grow.

 

Faustina, you help make the dream of home ownership a reality for families and individuals as a generous Habitat HopeBuilder. When you make your regular gift, you'll help create the opportunity for people in Georgia, across the U.S., and around the world to achieve safety and security.

 

Before purchasing an affordable, stable home with Habitat, Cynthia and Valdemar - and their two growing boys - were running out of space. Every year, their apartment's rent increased, despite mold issues and items that needed repair. The couple searched for a home of their own but struggled to find anything in their budget.

 

The course of their home ownership jourey changed when Valdemar spotted an ad for a Habitat home ownership information session. The couple attended, and they left the meeting hopeful. That hope turned into joy after their Habitat application was approved.

 

While working on the build site of their townhome community, Cynthia and Valdemar met other aspiring Habitat homeowners who share their passion for service. The couple even co-founded a neighborhood association with two other Habitat homeowners, who are now their good friends - and pickleball opponents.

 

Cynthia and Valdemar say that having a safe, affordable home in a loving community has led to an abundance of blessings. The best part has been watching their children, Val and Logan, thrive.

 

"They have their own space, and I think their self-esteem has gone up tremendously," Cynthia says,. "Their grades have gone up. Tey have been practicing more of their sports: they both like baseball and basketball. And they both love the violin, and I love hearing them play."

 

From dedicated HopeBuilders like you who consistently make generous contributions to the volunteers who hammer nails and boards, to aspiring homeowners who work side-by-side building Habitat homes, it takes a community to make home ownership possible for people like Cynthia and Valdemar.

 

You are an essential member of that community. Your loyal support helps make a difference with families like Cynthia and Valdemar's. I deeply appreciate the way you step up to help provide home ownership opportunities to people in urgent need of safe, affordable housing. Thank you for your compassion.

 

In partnership, 

Jonathan T.M. Rockford

Chief Executive Officer

Habitat For Humanity

_*__*_

i thank You, God, that I know that joy of having a home.

a gift for computer literacy

No, it's more than that.

It's a gift of access to all the knowledge a computer on the internet can bring.

Far too many seniors do not have that access.

With our current POTUS busy slashing support budgets, that leads to hours-long hold times for seniors trying to access their Social Security and Medicare benefits by phone.

Since my donation of 4000 AARP Reward Points to Senior Planet can help alleviate that problem for other seniors and can lead to their training to handle that business themselves online, then that is a superb use of those points.

Happy to be of service, y'all!

flowers for two brothers, at the church

When I looked at the flower calendar at the start of the year, a date leapt out.

Ronnie's birthday was open for someone to pledge sanctuary flowers. 

I immediately placed my name on that line!

Today, I wrote the check to Asbury Memorial Church to pay for those flowers.

I know the fee won't come due for a couple of months, but I wanted to go ahead and pay off that pledge now, while I had money available.

Seventy dollars - that's a fine gift to honor one brother as he turns 65... and to honor the memory of another who would have been 63.

i thank You, God.

helping out a kindergarten teacher

Chloe sent me an email the other day.

Let me amend that: the fundraising group sent me an email on her behalf.

Her kindergarten teacher is in need of classroom supplies and wondered if I would help?

Trust me, there's something in it for Chloe, too!

Well, besides a better-prepared class, she'll get a Reading Buddy.

That's a furry critter that sits on her arm as she enjoys a book.

Her older sister already has one, and it's giving her fits to not have one.

Well, I am her G'Aunt T... and I saw Miyah's Reading Buddy last month.

Very cute little thing!

Long story short, Chloe's teacher will get a $30 gift card for supplies, Chloe will receive a credit of $30 to use for her to buy books, and... Chloe will have the required 4 points for her choice of Reading Buddy.

Ah, such a good Aunt T she has!

(smile!)

in memory of mother pat's bday84

Dear Faustina,
 

I’m so grateful for your generous contribution of 4,000 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,
Lisa Marsh Ryerson
President, AARP Foundation

 

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

This is in memory of Mother Pat, who would have been 84 today.

This is also in honor of her best friend, Chris Adams, who turned 84 today.

That makes both of them contemporaries of Ringo Starr, who is also that age.

Very nice.

fundraiser down at tybee!

What a wonderful evening I've had at Tybee Post Theater!

I'm so glad I finally decided to go there.

Tonight, the Coastal Cohorts held a 40th anniversary reprisal of their classic storytelling concert, "King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running", and every dollar went to the theatre.

It was a sold-out show, too!

That means the $26 ticket fee I paid, and that the majority of the patrons paid, went to help this venue bring more such shows here.

I'm all in favor of that!

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite places for films, concerts, musicals, and plays.

Keep up the good work!

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!

gift to the church for 2024

Today is the day for pledging funds for the their budget for 2024.

My pledge is lower than in past years.

However, the amount I have promised to Asbury Memorial Church makes them the second largest charitable organization to which I give.

They had been the largest for the past few years.

So, why the decrease this coming year?

I know they will have other fundraisers, just as they have had this year, and every year.

As a retiree, my funds are limited, and I already have other debts (for the repair of my car, for the repairs to my house, for the repairs to my roof) acquired in the past few months that I will be tasked with paying off next year.

Therefore, I found it necessary to decrease my pledge.

Fortunately, this pledge drive will allow them to amend their budget.

Meanwhile, I will feel freer to contribute to the fundraisers that arise.

I call that a win-win for all.

(smile!)

another church roof

This time, it isn't at the sister church, it's here at Asbury Memorial Church.

Rather than a low country boil, a different technique has been devised.

The members of the congregation are being asked to pledge by choosing a date on a calendar that holds importance to them, then to pay based on that date's corresponding placement within a calendar year.

Let me explain.

I chose May 17th.

That date happens to be the 137th day of the year, so I wrote a check for that amount this morning and dropped it off with Claudette.

What did I choose that date?

It certainly doesn't mark the birthday or anniversary of anyone in my family, nor does it mark a special day for my friends.

However, Joan Hester Byrd would have been 94 on that date.

I do miss that songbird.

stamping out hunger, again

I even made a special trip to the grocery store yesterday, just for this occasion.

Specifically for this bag, I bought

canned beans, canned corn, canned hominy...

ramen soup, penne pasta, cereal...

then I even added a jug of electrolyte renewal fluid that Tony and Laura had bought for me last month.

I was sure to double-bag the load...

got to make sure it travels safely to those in need.

i thank You, God, that I am able to help.