Day 7: Desserts for The Sherborn Council on Aging

Each Thursday, the Sherborn Council on Aging hosts a drop-in luncheon for the local seniors at one of our area churches.   It a lovely program offering good food, conversation, friendship and an interesting program/presentation to the participants.  Volunteers are needed to provide the menu of soup/salad, entree and desserts.  Today I was able to make a platter of desserts for the gathering.  Bianca and Olivia...see what you are missing?!!  xoxo Mum
coa@sherbornma.org

Day 7: Helping a Traveler

A different helpful task for sure, a friend that finds keeping track of how to use her cell phone a challenge, where she doesn’t use it often. Pretty much only uses it on trips and one is scheduled soon, so she came over for help to see how to use her cell phone. After a bit I realized that the instructions didn’t seem to be sticking with her, even after doing it a couple times. I told her I would put together a written procedure and did so on a index card. I made three copies, so she could keep one in her pocket book and one at home and one for whatever.

CELL PHONE
(1)Hold RED BUTTON down for
About 8 seconds to turn phone
Power ON or OFF
(2)To place a call depress number
Pads, and once all the numbers are
showing on phone screen, depress
the GREEN BUTTON once and call
will be sent and connection made.
(3)When call has ended, depress RED
BUTTON once and call is ended.
(4)Upon hearing the musical ring tone
Depress the GREEN PAD once and
incoming phone call will be accepted
When call has ended, depress the
RED BUTTON once and call is ended

She was ever so appreciative and actually went through the steps, so here’s hoping that her trip will be mentally more comfortable knowing she can use the phone if necessary.

BUPPA

Day 6: Bake Sale for Japan

Hi! It's Sophia. Today was the Student Council bake sale at my elementary school. The proceeds are going to the Red Cross to help Japan with their tragedies. I have been following the devastation in Japan on the news in the morning, so I was very interested in helping the cause. I went after school to the lobby to buy my treat. All of the 5th grade representatives of student council were there managing the stand. There were homemade cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and more yummy treats. Everything was sold for a dollar and it looked like they made a great profit. I hope that our contributions are well used in helping our friends.

Day 5: Volunteer at Kindergarten Physical Ed class

Hello, it is Sophia here. Today I stayed in from recess to help the gym teacher as an assistant with his kindergarten class. He needed volunteers and I was happy to help. This involved leading the warm-up exercises, (jump squats, crunches, jumping-jacks etc...) and then encouraging them to keep working hard and to finish well. When we went to stations, I helped out with the hockey station to give tips and at some points I was the goalie. It was really fun to see the excitement in their behavior. I forgot how little they were and it was hard to believe I was that small at one point! I look forward to joining them every Tuesday recess!

Day 5: Relay for Life Promotion at UPenn

Hi all! This is Bianca. Today I went to bluemercury, a makeup store on the edge of campus, to ask for a Relay for Life donation in their name. Last year, they donated free samples to the Relay Committee at the University to sell at the event. All of the money from the sales went towards cancer research. I also informed the employees that were unfamiliar with the Relay for Life what we were all about and encouraged them to inform others about the event and perhaps form a team. They said I need to put the request into writing, as they have recently changed management and now have stricter rules regarding the "giving away" of their free samples. I will be working on typing a request this week.

I am getting very excited for the event! It is only 2 weeks away and we have already raised thousands of dollars (and counting!) as a school.  http://www.relayforlife.org/

Day 4: Neighborhood Cancer Drive

Amidst the busyness of the A.M, I realized today was the day to send in the results of the Neighborhood Drive for The American Cancer Society. (I volunteered to address and send solicitation letters to the neighborhood on behalf of the ACS...perhaps not a very popular job; but certainly an important one).  They gave me a financial "goal" to try to obtain, which isn't easy as not too many respond--(5 out of 15). With the last generous return I received, it brought me $46.00 over the goal, so I was very excited and happy to mail my return knowing my effort was going to help the cause---helping others.  http://www.cancer.org/

Day 3: Coaching Special Olympics Swim Team

This is Paul.  Today I went to my weekly coaching session for the Wellesley STARS, our local Special Olympics swim team.  As usual, it was awesome.  The athletes range from 8-9 years old through young adult.  There is a huge range of (dis)abililites, but almost all the people are great to coach.  I have learned a lot from their perseverance and determination.  I considered myself a fairly experienced swim coach, but working with these athletes has changed the way I view a "productive" or "successful" practice or meet.
I'm sure the athletes appreciate the coaches help, but the biggest impression I've made so far is to one kid who thought my kelly green Guiness boxer shorts were the greatest thing he's ever seen.
Looking forward to next week.  http://www.specialolympics.org/

Day 2: Relay for Life at Loyola University Maryland

Hello All!

Last night (and this morning) I participated in Loyola University's "Relay For Life". It consisted of 12 hours (7pm-7am) dedicated to fighting cancer and fundraising for the ACS. Loyola incorporated games, concerts, food, and probably the most well known activity, walking around the track, to the list of events for the night. It was amazing!

The event took place in the entire building of the Student Center. On the basketball court was the "track", campsites, and the deejay. On the floor below was where the concerts and ACapella performances, and most of the food was put. On the first floor of the building, there were Wii Dance competitions that were held by the Loyola Dance Team, Cotton Candy machines, and tables for seating. Overall, Loyola had about 1,300 participants in Relay for Life. A huge theme for the night was HOPE. All around the walls were posters made by the Relay Committee about hope and staying strong. It was so inspiring.
For me, one of the most emotional parts of the

night was during the Luminaria Ceremony. Upon arriving, each participant recieved a small battery operated candle. All of the participants gathered to the center of the track, where mulitple speeches were given by students about their story of cancer influencing their lives of loved ones, and "Why They Relay". One that stuck out to me the most was a girl whose mother passed away. She was a senior in high school and her mother had been having bad headaches for a long time, but doctors didn't know why. Finally after bloodwork, the doctor called and ordered her mother to be rushed to the local hospital: she had leukemia. She went in and out of the hospital for a while, and everything seemed like it would be okay. The girl arrived at Loyola that next fall, and in late September, learned her mother had passed. After the speeches were finished, the co-chairs of the committee told us to light our candles if any of the following had affected us (lost grandparent to cancer/grandparent is fighting cancer, lost mother or father to cancer/mother or father is fighting cancer...etc.) Once that was completed, everyone (yes, all 1,300 of us) walked around the track together. Music played in the background (from CD's and from the women's ACapella group), and on the jumbotron was a slideshow made from pictures emailed in by participants in memory of people that have been affected by cancer. (Sorry this picture is hard to make out....it was quite dark in there!)

For the remainder of the night, my friends and I had a fantastic time. I decided on impulse to Sumo-Wrestle with my friend Nicole. She's around my size, so I thought it'd be a fair fight....I won by a longshot. She would run into me, I would calmly take one step back, and she would fall facedown onto the floor (partially due to the weight of the costume and partially to the fact that she is lighter than me). For the rest of my friends, the fight was hilarious to watch. Let it be known, though, that those costumes are meant for people around 5'10", which is why it was even more fun because we could barely walk in the outfits! To the right is a picture of my friend Kaitlyn and I.


To the left is a picture of Nicole and I. She was actually on the Committee, so it was great for her to see what a wonderful turnout the event was!



These are some of my other friends on my Team, named Peace Out Cancer, (and who are going to be my roommates next year). L-R: Sam, Emily, Katelynn, and I'm on the far right.


By the time 2:30 rolled around, many participants headed back to their dorms to actually get some sleep. It felt really great that once 7am hit, I was one of only about 200-250 that were still at Relay and walking the track.

Overall, this was such a wonderful experience!! I really want to be more involved for next year's Relay, and I'm thinking of being a part of the Relay for Life Committee. It was so inspiring to see so many people fighting for a cause that has largely influenced my life!  http://www.relayforlife.org/

Day 1 of the Cutler Family Service Challenge

Yesterday was March 25, 2011, a day that would be my sister Marie's 51st birthday. So what greater gift than to honor her memory, family style, with a year of doing what matters most...helping others?

Here's the background: Service has always mattered to my family.  My husband and I were raised by parents who knew the importance of volunteering.  We have tried, successfully I think,  to instill these same values in our own children. We believe that a commitment to service is a lifestyle, not just a phase.  And this works for us.  Giving does not need to involve a lot of money.  And that's the point here.  So we look forward to a year ahead that will be filled with all sorts of creative ways that families can give of themselves to make the world a better place. Some will involve a few dollars; others just time or support.  And if we inspire anyone along the way during this journey, it makes March 25, 2012 even sweeter!

Because Marie died of cancer, and we are starting this challenge on her birthday, we have chosen to begin our year  long service journey with a little donation to the American Cancer Society, which now hails itself as"The Official Sponsor of Birthdays".     http://www.cancer.org/         Sophia actually entered a cake design/decorating contest last year,organized by the ACS when they initiated the birthday campaign at a local Relay For Life Event.  And guess what?  She won the contest!!  A local baker made Sophia's "Together We Can-Can Kick Away Cancer" cake design a reality and the dessert was served in the RFL Survivor's Tent.