Do You Get Involved???
 

I get invloved in various functions for a couple of charities.

One is the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2002 we did a Clips/Cuts and Shaves where we get a salon to work on your hair, staches, & beards. We get friends to pledge what they want and hold it at a local bar. We hold 50/50 raffles and get the beer distributors to donate beeraphenalia to auction off. The local TV stations come and do a news item that gets aired later. We get a DJ to play tunes thru-out the event as well. Needless to say there's a lot of "suds" flowing.:D

In 2002 we raised $5375. In 2003 we raised $13826.

Another is for the Maine Childrens Cancer Fund. A local biker club holds the annual "Belt Sander Races". It started in a bar here in town when someone bragged about a new Makita he just got. We have a track built out of plywood abot 24 feet long with walls on each side and a divider in the middle. It resembles a drag strip and has a starting line with a "Christmas Tree" and a catch box stuffed with styro-foam and the end. Outside the track, on each side, at the start line are two receptacles with a flip switch where you would plug in your sander. People come from all over not just to watch but to participate as well. Cheating is encouraged. Again, we hold raffles & door prizes and ALL proceeds go to the kids.:D

http://users.rcn.com/markt.dnai/lett.../race-wide.jpg
http://users.rcn.com/markt.dnai/lett...ges/barbie.jpg

So what do you do???

That's really nice of you... Sadly the only charity I've been involved with was Meals on Wheels, and I don't have time for that anymore. Once I get more time and money I'll find some way to help out.

I used to do stuff with LifeBeat the music industry's response to AIDS. I would go to concerts and give information on AIDS awareness and condoms. You'd see kids run up to the fishbowl and take handfuls... and their friends would giggle...

I work for Habitat For Humanity.

Hanx, that's great.

I volunteer annually at a pediatric oncology picnic.

Ditto!

Most of my volunteer time is now at my girls' gymnastics studio. I use to schedule volunteers to host/feed homeless families, teach parenting classes, work at a shelter for abused woman and children, do soccer registration (when my boys were younger), teach Sunday school, and more. Every little bit helps! I just wish I had more time for the general public.

The only type of charity I would ever donate to is the Humane Society. I am actually planning on donating some money soon...I hate how those helpless animals are locked up in cages.

If I could, I would take everyone of them home with me.

That is something I would love to do, Have a ton of property and take in dogs, cats and whatever else from abusive homes and give them a spoiled life. Lots of land for them to run and play.

Although its not through any organization, we have plenty of people that are older and alone in need within our community here. My store, my boss's and myself help anyone in need with a meal, reduced costs, and when I have time, we go to there homes, deliver some food or anything else I/we can. Never being asked to do these things, we just do, because its the right thing to do.

the fund raising you were involved with for Make-A-Wish was amazig! if not ironic ;) heh...

I've helped with various things in the past.. from volunteering time at inner city youth groups, to habitat for humanity, to serving food at church for homeless folks... but mmy involvement on that level has been limited lately.

The best I can say I do these days is get involved with charity parties. See... I'm big in the electronic music scene... and every so often, we throw events that are purely to raise $ and awareness for a charity. Sometimes Food Not Bombs, sometimes for half-way houses... whatever... unfortunatelly, raves hardly ever make money to begin with, so it's more of a positive gesture than an actual fund raiser =T

I own a soundsystem, and I'm always happy to donate it for a good cause...

i give free music lessons to beginner musicians who cant afford professional lessons

i do what i can

Im afraid the only good thing I do is that cancer research screensaver thingie.

And even then the computer does it, not actually me :-(

I have been tutoring literacy at public schools since I started college. I work with kids who have learning disabilities and family problems so bad that they would end up illiterate without special attention. Attention that many in public schools aren't fortunate enough to get.

Check out volunteermatch.org or ask at your local schools if you want to get involved. There are literacy programs everywhere.

The kids are vicious... :-)

Personally, I donate - and donate well - to the United Way. I always sign up or donate for the American Heart Association's Heart Walk, and for my own personal tastes I'm a member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy.

But that's just me.

I put in quite a lot of time with the local Sally Ann.

BTW Hanx, that first pic is pretty damn cool!

I'm voulenteering as member of the national board of Norway's biggest youth enviromentalist organization, Natur og Ungdom.

I donate to Wisconsin Public Radio.

My daughters school has me running and doing so many fund-raisers, I dont really do anything on a city or state level. I do give to the united way every paycheck though.

I do local stuff.

I help out when I can at my nephew's elementary school. The usual stuff. I help out at the local library quite a bit and I'm always doing something at the college.

I don't shoot the rednecks that steal my old couch on big trash day.

Beyond that, I pay taxes the government puts into welfare. Close enough to charity as I like to come.

I used to volunteer for the United Way; or actually it was a partner org. for the united way. I worked with people with CP. The org was very inefficient and the paid employees were horrible. I think they thought that because they worked for a non profit it made them good. They drove fancy cars which made me wonder where the funds were going.

Have worked with the local food pantry years ago. I haven't done much in about 10 years though. Helped out with a special run for kids who had Downs Syndrome and other handicapps. Those kids ran harder than some athletic people I know. That was cool.

I donate money.

I'm not much for doin' work I'm not gonna get paid for. I'd rather work to make money then give a charity my money.

I work with a group at my school that goes to inner city boys/girls clubs, and schools and talks to the kids to educate them about all kinds of things, mostly medical related such as first aid, etc...being a poor college student I don't really have any money to give.

Volunteer FF, HazMat tech, former Paramedic/EMT.

I also teach adult evening education for the local community college.

volunteer fireman/emt

If you don't give back to your community you are missing one of the most rewarding things you can do. Find something that interests you and give some time, money is good too, but you will get more out of time.

I work extensively with the local children's hospital, fundraising, and advising the hospital and families. I also serve on a board that raises money for college scholarships at the University of Arizona. My wife and I also volunteer with a number of charitable groups and contribute to the United Way.

Go out and do something for someone else. You will feel much better about yourself and your community.