Category: community service

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While we’re planning for Christmas

While most of us are busy trying to find the perfect gift for our loved ones for Christmas, there are local  families here that have a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan in harms way.  We worry about simple things like did we fix enough food for our Christmas meal.  They worry about their loved ones getting a meal that is hot and being warm and safe.

We hope we didn’t forget anyone on our list when it comes to the presents.  They worry that their loved ones will be forgotten for what they gave as they are placed in the ground.  We worry about trivial things while those that are in the military or have loved ones in the military are there to try and make sure we are able to worry about those trivial things.

Because of that, I volunteer at a local nursing home that houses a lot of old veterans.  I read them stories, bring them movies and bring them treats that I get approved before I bring them in.  A lot of patients can’t have sugar and things like that so I have become quite the sugar free cook when it comes to treats.  On any special day like Veterans Day, D Day or V Day, I always make sure to bring each veteran something special to thank them for what they gave and what they did.  To see the humility and pride on their faces when I bring them these little gifts is all the ‘Thanks’ I need.  What do you do to honor them?

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See this is what gets me!

They’re talking on my local news about what in the world to do for the homeless population that seems to keep growing and growing.  How in the world are we going to meet their needs?  I’m just a kid in college and I have a few ideas but what does a college kid know?

I know that I have seen just in the past two months, the city tear down two buildings that could have been made into great places to actually give some real help to homeless people.  The reality of it is most people are not homeless by choice.  Some are though because that’s all they know anymore.  Not all homeless are alcoholics or drug addicts either.  Yes some of them are.  Not all homeless have mental illness but some do.

So why not take these buildings and turn them into real help for each group of the homeless.  One of the buildings used to be a three story small factory.  There’s enough room on the bottom floor to turn part of it into a thrift store and another part into something like a McDonald’s or a cafeteria type restaurant and then another part that could have been turned into maybe a training facility.  Each of those places can help the homeless learn a new job skill, give them a temporary job to help them feel that they are earning their food and shelter

On the second floor there was enough room to make several units for single mothers and their children.  Maybe even a daycare for the people that live there so they could work.  The third floor would make several units for families.  This type of place will not be for those with mental, alcohol, or drug problems.  This would be for the people that have found themselves homeless because of the economy or factories shutting down.

Of course I don’t have all the answers but I do have ideas.  They may not be very good ones but maybe someone will read this and it will grow into an idea that will work.  I sure hope so.

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Ponder this

Scientist have told everyone that global warming is happening and yet there are some that don’t believe it.  If you check back through history, sure there are warming periods and there are colder periods.  Perhaps this is just a warming period, but what if it isn’t?  What if we’re causing it just like scientist are telling us we are doing?

I don’t think this is just a warming period or warming cycle if you rather because of several reasons.  First of all, there are so many people on earth now that are using cars, motorcycles, RV’s, boats, lawn mowers and all sorts of other things that use fossil fuels.  They used natural things in a warming cycle before like their feet or a horse to get around, canoe’s with paddles, or goats and sheep to mow the grass.  None of those threw harmful gasses into the atmosphere like the ones of today do.

Then there’s all of the rain forests and natural habitats that are being destroyed all in the name of progress.  Progress of what?  Killing trees and habitats so we can have more apartments, condo’s and houses.  There are enough empty housing around that I bet everyone could have a place to live without building a new housing unit at all most anywhere.

As far as all the empty buildings that used to be department stores or factories, why tear them down only to build something else there?  Why not take these buildings and breathe new life back into them with homeless shelters, studio apartments that young adults trying to get out on their own for the first time could afford or elderly people could afford?  We are such a wasteful people that it drives me crazy sometimes.