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June 20, 2011 11:45 PM UTC

Call to Volunteer

  • 22 Comments
  • by: droll

First, is the danger of futility: the belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills… – RFK

As some of you know, I volunteer in pediatric oncology wards, just tossing kids around and having my hair and make-up done (interesting for me since I don’t even blow dry my hair anymore and usually only wear mascara). I recently shared that I am stuck moving to Arkansas this very Friday (boo). Know what I’m going to miss more than my low humidity, local politics, hoards of attorneys to hit on, friends, and public transportation? Those damn kids. I went this morning and am still crying; apparently so are my babies. It’s such a small thing, just a little bit of time, that makes a difference. Just a little feeling normal.

CNN has been profiling small things that make huge differences. The soap recycling that’s turned into a huge lifesaving undertaking, a town in India that now has handy access to water thanks to a lousy $5,000 from SnapDeal.com.

“India has about 640,000 incorporated companies,” he said. “Many are much larger and more resourced than us. Even if 10 percent decided to do something like this, 64,000 villages would have clean water.”

$5,000 a company. Water (we need this to live). Lucky enough to have some extra cash? Sponsor a farmer. Andrew Romanoff will help you find a family. Just do it! They have devices that cost less than $100 that will water a field and allow for sanitation. Who doesn’t like flushing toilets and showers? I like them better when they aren’t the same stall, but if those are my choices…

Shop at the Bath and Body Works? Next time they do one of those ridiculous buy five get ten free sales, stock up. Keep a few bottles and take the rest to a shelter. See something on the clearance rack for $5 you love but isn’t in you size? Buy it. Donate it. Buying a jar of peanut butter? Make it two.

Even one of these so small things will impact someone’s life. Step one to a job interview is to come showered and in clean clothes. That could be your soap, your new pants. You just helped someone land a job that will pay for a safe place to live, pay for basic healthcare maybe, definitely make sure any children are not living on ketchup and saltines. $5 to save a generation. It’s a good deal!

If you want to help and don’t know what you can realistically do, just post here. I’ll do what I can to direct you and I’m sure any other of our fellow bloggers with some insight will too. Now, everyone get out there and make things suck just a little less!

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22 thoughts on “Call to Volunteer”

  1. Those damn kids are going to miss you, too. Once RP settles in and (hopefully) is, unlike the giant chocolate lab masquerading as a horse, not a total basket case, I’m gonna see what it takes to bring a pony to see some of the kiddies, at least the ones able to come outside. Might be impossible, but it’s worth a try. I went along on a few nursing home visits with a miniature horse a while back, so a full sized one can’t be THAT much more difficult, right?

    If anyone needs pet-related volunteer suggestions I can always assist with that. Not so much with the human beans, but I will say I got to mess with one of the foot pedal irrigation things Romanoff’s group sell to farmers, and they’re pretty neat–I would recommend IDE as a donation receptacle any day.

    1. If she’s sane I’ll send my doc to meet her. He’ll make the call. That’s what we did with Ms. Puppy. (That puppy is insane, but has an uncanny sense of who not to jump on. In fact, I can’t teach her to not jump because she doesn’t jump on me. I hate dogs who jump. Anyway, she’s great with any age group with disabilities, or a dislike of dogs. She also does a little four legged tap dance when she’s happy to see me. <– I just like to talk about her.)

      1. But VERY sick of having people stick hoses in the 5″ deep hole in her chest, so not friendly right now. I’ll know more after I see her this weekend. I think we’re leaving Denver on the same day. Maybe we’ll meet in the security line and you can laugh at me when I get molested by a TSA agent in my full business-cowgirl attire. (I have to wear formal clothing because of the kind of ticket I have for the flight… weird!)

  2. I hope it is to one of the prettier parts of Arkansas, there are some. And, I hope when you return to CO I get to meet you.

    Volunteering and sharing seems to be my life as well so I do know, I think, how much you’ll miss it.

    1. That you volunteer, I mean. Yay!

      I am sorry that I wasn’t able to meet more of you guys in general, a few of you (like you) specifically.

      The area is gorgeous, right at the tip of the Ozarks. You can drive into Missouri, toward Mark Twain’s forest, and find a valley filled with early morning fog. Utterly alone and on what feels like the top of the world. So there’s that. And banjos! 😀

      http://maps.google.com/maps?q=…

      2. I felt upon hearing about your move — (“Damn”).

        But, if you’ve got to live in Arkansas, then Bella Vista is probably the place to be.  My grandparents lived there for many years until they both passed several years ago.  I enjoyed visiting there regardless of the season — lots to do in the beautiful outdoors all year round.  (And, they have lots of these tall, green things they call “trees.”)

        Best wishes.  Colorado’s loss is Arkansas’ gain.  Hope you can make it back to the high-and-dry often.

        And, again, . . . damn.

        1. Still is, but the Wal-Mart people and vendors are taking over. It’s an actual town (two years ago?) with a school now.

          Definitely beautiful, so not so bad. My favorite niece, born in Lone Tree, is developing an accent (she moved there at 2.5 years old) which is not so great. Slightly hilarious, but that’ just because I’m kind of unpleasant.  >B)

  3. Thanks for helping the kids at the hospital, and for referring people to other, similar opportunities. I’m a firm believer in volunteering — when you help others with their problems, you tend to forget your own (or at least see them in perspective). Best wishes in Arkansas!

      1. They are going back and forth between friends/family  in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

        So far – all the younger ones are here, and most are still working (by pc/skype/etc)

        The older ones could get here – not all of them have.

        Bizarrely, one of the grandparents chose to go to his in-laws’ in Christchurch, NZ. Got there just in time for their most recent earthquake- and their airport shutdown because of the volcano in Chile.

        Anyhoo- alls well so far. There’s not really much to go back to in Fukushima, and the kids and teens all want to stay in L.A.    Big surprise.

  5. I lived and worked on a project in Tulsa before moving to CO and I thoroughly enjoyed my two year sojourn there in spite of the heat and humidity. There were plenty of places to volunteer and I’m sure you’ll find the same.

    Good luck and God bless.

    1. And yeah, I contacted my new congregation and the Rabbi there passed around my resume. Thanks to an interesting skill set, I’ve stopped answering the phone to avoid the non-profits. They’ve started offering money, which was not my intention 🙂 I should be able to stay pretty busy doing something worthwhile.

  7. but you are really going to be missed around here. Wishing you every happiness and blessing in Arkansas, droll. Don’t be a stranger, please.  

  8. And post them here.  I miss my midwestern roots and feel like a child abuser because my kid has never seen a cardinal, and has only seen fireflies once.  Good luck.

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