Day 250: Make A Wish

Hi, Olivia here.

Once again, I volunteered for the Wishmakers Club (Benefitting Make a Wish) and sat at the Bake Sale table during lunch. This is the time of year when everyone walks through the Student Center to get to the Library, so we had many classmates come by and buy treats. They looked yummy, but definitely not as good as a Daddy's Cookie! For more information about Make a Wish, visit www.wish.org.

Day 249: Lea Community School

While furiously playing catch-up with all the school work that I neglected to do over Thanksgiving break (but worth it!), a young girl who looked about 14 years old approached me while I was reading and asked if I wanted to buy a wristband for a dollar. I quickly but politely declined, as I was on a deadline to finish my Spanish novel and I also didn't have cash. A couple minutes later, I realized that I did have a dollar in change and that the wristband profits were probably going to some cause that was blog worthy. So, I chased her down and scoured the entire building (of 3 huge floors) before I ran into another girl who was also carrying these wristbands. I asked her why she was selling the wristbands and what cause they were fundraising for. She said that she was from the Lea Community School and that these wristbands were being sold for the Music Program. Lea Community School is just down the street from campus, about a 5 minute walk into West Philadelphia. The name of this school stood out to me in particular as we are learning about the state of the Philadelphia school systems in my math class. (The "math" part is that we go into inner city schools to tutor students in math, so learning about the surrounding schools is relevant). As I learned in class, they are shutting down a couple of the elementary and high schools in Philadelphia and consolidating the students into Lea and one other school. So, I figured that with this huge influx of new students, they could use all the help that they can get! After all, they will be having a lot more students joining their music program once the students are transferred.

Day 248: St Judes Children's research Hospital

Paul here.
While checking out of CVS, I was asked if I wanted to donate to St. Judes Research Hospital.  I was not aware (probably never noticed) that CVS was raising money for such a worthy charity.  As previously expressed in this blog, while cancer is such a horrible disease, it is made that much worse when if affects children.  While doing some research, I discovered that thanks to St Jude and other cancer fighting organizations, childhood cancer survival rates (since 1965) have gone from 10%-20% to 55%-95% depending on the type of cancer. What used to be a likely death sentence is now a survivable disease.  When it began in 1962, the Research Hospital was aptly named after St Jude, commonly referred to as the patron saint of lost causes.  I'm not suggesting they change the name, but thanks to their efforts, childhood cancer is no longer a "lost cause".    According to their website, "no child is ever turned away because of the family's inability to pay".
CVS deserves a lot of credit (Thanks Tom) for raising money for such a worthy cause.

Day 247: Holiday Wishes To/From Claudia in Mexico

Once again, we are privileged to be able to maintain our commitment to send on-line monthly financial support to our sponsored child in Mexico.  How timely that just yesterday, we received this hand drawn holiday card from Claudia.  She's quite the little artist.....just one more reason why Sophia wants to meet her someday!!! http://www.hopeforafamily.org/

Day 246: Salvation Army Holiday Bells

Just back from Thanksgiving weekend in Bethesda and when stopping for groceries on the way home, we saw the familiar bell ringers of the Salvation Army at the store entrance. Although it's hard to believe it is indeed that time of year to "Hear The Bells" (can't resist a reference to that song from Hairspray since we just flew in from Baltimore!) we see the local lights and holiday cheer everywhere....... are we happy to start the season by dropping a little something into the bright red kettle.
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ 

Day 245: A Visit to the Smithsonian

We are still enjoying a wonderful visit with family in Bethesda, and today was filled with sightseeing, and eating, of course.

Sophia was excited to see her favorite animal, up close and impersonal, so it was an easy choice for her to head off to the Museum of Natural History. 

It was a fun morning touring an incredible museum that contains more information and fascination that can be absorbed in a week, never mind just a few hours.

Before leaving, we were happy to slip a donation into the one of the many plastic banks that encourage financial support from visitors. This is especially easy to do when the the admission to theSmithsonian is FREE!!!
http://www.si.edu/ 

Day 244: Thanksgiving Day "Race To The Rock" in Bethesda

 It's our first Thanksgiving in Bethesda and we couldn't have more to be thankful for!  Although we do miss not seeing the Rinck family on the holiday.....
this quick little blog-ditty can hardly express the joy and gratitude we are all feeling as we celebrate the holiday with Marcia,  the Cutler sibs, lots of cousins, and our newest family member, Miss Indie.
Indeed we are all blessed.
And thanks to Abigail, the day got started with a short road race that is organized each Thanksgiving Day by one of the Rosen-Cut neighbors who has a longstanding and inspiring relationship with a family still living in Nepal.  According to the race promotional literature, "Race to The Rock allows  our small community to make a big difference....every year. The race benefits the Kaski Oral Health Care Project and Gaky's Light Education.  Since 2006, EVA Nepal, with the help of residents and businesses in Bethesda, has provided dental care and college scholarships to over 6,400 people in Nepal." 
The Sherborn Cuts, all together for the first time in months, were privileged to be a part of the event. We met some wonderful people who are dedicated to a most deserving cause as oral hygiene is something we often take for granted in the states.  Daddy, Sophia and Abigail volunteered to set up for the race and Daddy even served as a route monitor so the racers didn't get lost in the hills of Greenwich Forest!  Dale, Sarah, Abigail, Jacob, Bianca, Olivia, Sophia and Mum all ran the race and enjoyed the neighborhood cheer and friendship.  Where was Michael, you might ask?  Home attending to the consummate host/hostess duties before greeting us at the official Award's Ceremony!!
At the finish, there were raffle prizes (Sophia won a gift certificate to a local bakery which she has already redeemed with her Uncle) as well as a silent auction and beautiful hand made scarves, hats and purses for purchase, all brought to town from Nepal, personally, by the race coordinators.  I plan to enjoy my gorgeous aqua/teal scarf that will always remind me of this special event.  We were thrilled to be a part of an effort that is so close to the home and hearts of the Rosen-Cut family....a very special family who are truly the type of people that give of their time, talents and treasure, everyday, in every way, to make the world a better place. 
We love them so much.

www.evanepal.org

Day 243: Childrens Books

How many of you have heard of or seen "Kohl's Cares Program?" It is a great program, in that 100% of the net profit will be donated to support kid's health and education initiatives in communities nationwide. We have contributed to this before and they have a stuffed animal to go along with the storybook. This time we chose--"Wherever You Are, my love will find you", with a stuffed gray dolphin to go with it and "It's Time to Sleep, My Love" and an adorable panda bear goes with that book. The author of the books is Nancy Tillman. Each book is easy reading for goodnight stories to little ones and the children love the animals. kohls.com/cares

Day 242: Big Brother/Big Sister Pick Up

Another donation to the Big Brother Big Sister foundation left on the front porch for a 7:00 AM pick up.  Added a little Thanksgiving surprise treat for the driver today.....Daddy's cookies, of course!!

Day 241: Counting the Money

Nothing too different while counting the money this morning. There were 2 collections (which there seems to be every week so far this month.) The second collection today was for the Retired Sisters of the Archdiocese. In past years, we used to have a nun come to the parish and speak at all the Masses in behalf of the sisters, but lately we don't have that. We didn't even have a blurb in the bulletin to remind us of the upcoming collection. Those of us who use envelopes had an envelope and were aware, but there were many one dollar bills to be counted. Most all of us who went to parochial school or Sunday School (or CCD) have a Sister they can remember who was kind to them at one time or another. Sisters were not allowed to enter the Social Security System until 1972. Consequently, the retirement benefits are significantly less than the average social security benefit for women of comparable age and years of work experience. The religious communities are responsible for health and retirement expenses for each sister. I had 2 Aunts who were Religious Sisters( my Mothers sisters) so I have heard the stories many times of their need for money. I realize the economy isn't good and it showed in the collection yesterday. Next year, I hope to remember to mention to the Pastor to mention this collection at each of the Masses early in the month and hope for a better response.

Day 240: Community Service Group Bake-Off

Earlier this week, I entered the Penn Relay for Life group into a community service bake-off competition. The event was held in Rodin (my college house), and Rodin was giving monetary awards for the groups who won the competition. First place got $150, second got $100, and 3rd place got $75. I baked the classic "daddies cookies" which we used to awe the judges. It was my first time making them at college, AND I accidentally bought peanut butter chips instead of butterscotch chips, but they still turned out delicious. We were judged on taste, presentation, and incorporation of the Rodin "crest," which is our house symbol. Since the event was so last minute for us, we weren't able to really plan an elaborate display. We were quite humbled by a lot of the displays, including giant cupcakes, a puppy cake, etc. In the end, we won 3rd place...$75 more for th American Cancer Society! Everyone said the cookies were absolutely delicious. Can't go wrong with those Daddy's cookies!

Day 239: Homelessness Awareness Week

Hi!

This week is Homelessness Awareness Week. Tonight, Loyola students as well as other Baltimore schools and their students are participating in a Sleepout with the Homeless with the idea of "A Bench is Not a Bed". Nicole and I were going to join, but I'm still not feeling well, and Nicole has a ton of homework to do. However, the leaders of the event asked everyone to bring cardboard boxes for the homeless. So, we went around the floor and others and asked for cardboard box donations. We ended up getting 27 boxes! These boxes really help insulate the homeless from the cold cement on the ground. It also gives them protection from winds or rain. We were so glad we could help the homeless even if we couldn't join the Sleepout! Here are all the boxes we collected; we are lying on them too, and they are much more comfortable than they look!
-Olivia

Day 238: (Another) Food Drive at Penn

My college house, Rodin, is constantly holding volunteer events and trips to encourage its students to become more involved in the community. Since I am usually not able to take these day-long trips (as they are a big time commitment), I was able to contribute to the Food Donation bin today. All donations are going to local homeless shelters and soup kitchens. I thought I had some canned corn from earlier in the year, but my roommates must have just recently seen it on the community shelf for the past month and decided to cook it up. So, I figured I would stop by the store on the way back from working at CHOP to buy some canned vegetables and Jell-O. The bin has been in the lobby for days, but there were only 3 or 4 cans in it when I dropped off my additions...so sad, as this residence holds over 1,000 people. Hopefully as Thanksgiving Day gets closer, more students will contribute.

Day 237: School Food Drive

For the past week, DSMS's homerooms have had collection boxes taking in non-perishable items for people in need to have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Today, I decided to cover the blog and bring in a few items to put in the box. When I put them in, my teacher was very happy I contributed...actually reacted like I went through a lot of trouble of getting the items together....but I just kindly said, "Oh no problem! I was happy to!" The school Help-Club will be bringing the items to A Place To Turn in Natick. As I was going through my day in and out of rooms, I saw that many classrooms' boxes were overflowing! I am glad I got to contribute to this cause.

Day 236: Project Mexico

Hi all,


I was going to run this morning with Back on My Feet, but since I woke up with a fever, I decided I'd try and catch up on sleep. So, instead I bought a t-shirt benefitting a Loyola Immersion Program called "Project Mexico (more affectionately known as PMEX). PMEX is an international immersion program that takes place in the Mexicali/San Diego border region for 10 days in early January. The trip to Mexico follows after a semester of student organized preparation, education, team building and fundraising. While on the trip, participants are involved in community directed projects. They also engage in cultural and social activities and education programs that address topics such as immigration, the environment, human rights and political and economic issues. The program also emphasizes personal reflection on the Mexico experience and its impact on one's personal and spiritual development. My roommate Sam was accepted into the program (as one of two sophomores), and the trip is basically all funded by donations and an auction (held tomorrow), so I knew they could use the money! The trip costs thousands and thousands of dollars, and it would be such a shame of they couldn't raise enough money! The shirts were white and long sleeved, and had the Loyola Greyhound colored in with the Mexican flag design, as well as the "Project Mexico 2012" name spread across the center. It's quite comfortable, and I'm glad I was able to support an amazing friend and a good cause. 

Day 235: Donation to the Food Pantry

This weekend, I noticed in the Walgreens ad that there were a lot of everyday food items on sale that have been on the suggested list for the Food Pantry; so, off I went to Walgreens with my coupons. All the items that I was interested in, were available. Purchased them all and came back home satisfied. Of course, Buppa had to take a photo, so now they are already to be delivered before the day is over. The St. Jude people always make a delivery to Sacred Heart on Wednesdays, so when I see them gathering the different foods tomorrow, I will be happy to know that we contributed.

Day 234: Counting the Money

Here we are in November and it is my group to count the church collection. This weekend, there were two collections, so we had lots of counting to do. Five in our group showed up ready to work and we worked pretty quickly. The total of the collections was 3513.00------good numbers for me if I were a lottery player---the year and day of my birth! As always, some people folded their bills up into different shapes and the same usual 4or 5 came with tape or stickers adding to the already sealed envelope. We got to talking about the different areas like the churches in Florida that get 15,000.00 and more in their collections and wondered how long it would take them to total their monies----much longer I'm sure. At any rate, it always a good feeling to know that we volunteered to help our church community.

Day 233: Crafts For The Church Bazaar

 Hello! It is Sophia. Well, I figured out what craft I would make to donate to our St. Theresa Bazaar! (The bazaar is a profitable event for our church where home-made, bought, or like new items are donated to be sold in a fair type event in the church.) I made votive candle holders by decorating glass goblets with glitter glue and gems. We went to Jo-Ann fabrics and we got the materials yesterday and I was so eager to make them, I got half of them done yesterday! With some trial and error, I figured out some good designs that were Christmas colors, or just pretty!! I put some Christmas trees, lines, holly, and other decorations. I hope they all sell and I might even keep one for myself! Can't wait to attend the baazarr!!

Day 232: Boy Scout Food Drive in Sherborn

Each year, a very devoted group of local Boy Scouts organize a very important service project, a November Food drive to assist local food pantries stay stocked for the holiday season.  The scouts make it quite simple to contribute.  They are driven around town by dedicated parents a week ahead of the scheduled pick up date (today) and drop of empty plastic bags, requesting that neighbors fill the bag and leave it on their doorstep for pick up this morning.  And then those terrific parents will drive all around town again with the boys to collect all the bags and bring them to the Sherborn Fire Station for sorting and delivery.  What's especially nice about this Food Drive is that almost every household in town participates!  And why not?  In our house, there's always a place for another at our table and always an extra few cans in the pantry for someone who needs it.

Day 231: Great American Smokeout

Tonight's event for the blog had an unexpected change of plans! The Relay for Life and Colleges Against Cancer Committee was to host a "Great American Smokeout," an anti-smoking campaign with a bonfire to represent the "Smokeout." Since there was such high winds, our bonfire permit was revoked at the last minute...but we still had all of the supplies to make s'mores, which was the biggest appeal of our event! I suggested that we make them in one of our ovens (which was a slow process...but at least we still had our s'mores!) We also handed out free hot chocolate and sold anti-smoking t-shirts for $5...and of course all of the money went to the American Cancer Society. The purpose of our event was not only to promote awareness about smoking related cancers, but we also made a video petition to send to Congress about increasing taxes on smokeless tobacco. Pennsylvania is currently the only state without this tax!

Since it was so cold outside, our expected 150 attendees ended up only being about 15. But it was still a fun time with the committee, and a couple of my roommates and friends stopped by for some nice hot chocolate and s'mores. I don't think we raised a lot of money, but we encourage many students who stopped/walked by to register for Relay for Life in the spring!

Day 230: Supporting St. Jude's School in honor of Ruth

Yesterday was as beautiful as a sad day can get.  Ruth's funeral at St. Jude's Church was a remarkable tribute that celebrated her commitment to faith,  family, friends and community. It was suggested that, in leui of flowers, donations to be made to St. Jude School, in Ruth's memory.  Today, we were happy to support the Rinck/Roche alma mater by contributing to the fund established in Ruth's name.

http://www.saintjudewaltham.com/

Day 229: Back on My Feet!

Hi!!


I had quite and interesting experience this morning. My friend Nicole and I went on a run this morning, but not just any ordinary run. We belong to a club on campus called "Back on My Feet" (BOMF), where we run with the homeless. Specifically, we ran with men that belong to Christopher's Place. Christopher's Place Employment Academy is an intensive residential program that provides education and training as well as emotional, spiritual, and addiction recovery support to formerly homeless men. The leaders invite the participants to engage in a process of change that moves them from homelessness to permanent stable living, trains them to obtain employment, and empowers them to live a life free of drugs and alcohol. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the men go on runs. Non-residential members (not living at CP) from nearby neighborhoods, colleges, and "graduates" of the program run with them as well. 
This morning, Nicole and I woke up at 4:45 to catch our ride leaving at 5:15. It was quite chilly outside!! The BOMF schedule has warmup begin at 5:30 sharp, but although we arrived around 5:35 we got there just in time to catch the large group leaving! According to a regular member, today's route was tough for a first timer; they're usually more mellow. We ran a mile warmup and started the workout at the Washington Monument, which I had never seen in Baltimore before, and now I was running around it! We could run as many half mile loops around the monument as we wanted, so Nicole and I, as well as some other members, ran two. We ran the mile cooldown in the opposite direction as the warmup. The course was hilly and somewhat difficult, but the experience was amazing! We met some great guys, and we are so excited to go back again next Wednesday!


For more information, please visit the BOMF website, http://www.backonmyfeet.org/.


-Olivia 

Day 228 : Thanksgiving Dinners

Yesterday in the mail, I received a second request to give a contribution to the Boston Rescue Mission to help feed the hungry on Thanksgiving and/or provide shelter for those who are in need. Since we have different plans for the holiday this year and we are not hosting the usual family gathering, we decided we should help some people less fortunate than ourselves. The goal of the Rescue Mission is to provide 28,000 meals------we hope our donation will help them reach their goal.

Day 227: Toys for the St. Theresa Christmas Bazaar

Every year, our church holds a Christmas Bazaar that has become a regular outing for Sophia and myself.   November 19th is the big day this year, and today I was able to drop off some new and "like new" children's toys that are requested for The Children's Room, a place where kids can by inexpensive gifts for their siblings and friends.

So that was the easy part of our contribution!  Now we have to figure out what craft project Sophia will make to donate to the holiday themed craft table.  Last year, she made these adorable "Sweet Santa's" that followed a much treasured old "craft recipe" of her great grandmother, my Nana Bertha !  Using a brandy snifter, you decorate with felt to create the belly of a Santa and then top it with a styrofoam ball and felt hat.  Very cute and brought back many memories from my own childhood!  I just couldn't resist adding a photo (or two or three! to share the artistic talents of the littlest Cutler....but now I wonder if I've just put the pressure on because I'm thinking that this project is a tough act to follow!!   To be continued..........

Day 226: Ronald McDonald House

Today was going to be a nice, slow catch-up day to do things around the house, but as luck would have it, I received a call that there was an extra ticket to the Patriot's game, and off I went.  We had a great time tailgating on a beautiful fall afternoon.  Then the game started...  Not a good day for Patriot Nation.  However, in many of the public service announcements and throughout the stadium, it is clear how much the Patriots provide for many local charities.  Today there was a booth accepting donations to the Ronald McDonald house. 
The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children.  They provide support for families while children are receiving treatment, and are involved in many programs that help children.  I was glad to donate, since it served as a distraction to the horrible game I was witnessing.

Day 225: A Day To Remember and Celebrate Friendship

Well, when I logged onto the challenge site just now, I had every intention of writing a quick ditty about bringing another case of empty bottles to the transfer station for the Lion's Club to redeem, which did happen today. But while looking at the blank screen, I felt like something (someone?) tapped me on the shoulder and suggested I write about the power of friendship and how it truly embodies all the elements of this blog:  service, support and volunteerism.  So I'm doing it! And it will be dedicated to the dear friend we just lost today, Ruth, and her devoted friends Jane and Philip.  Ruth has been my parents' neighbor and dear friend since forever ago.  We have all grown up and old together,  through many cheers and tears, celebrating life and love and loss together.  The absence of Ruth's remarkable personality, filled with generosity, compassion,  humor, intelligence and kindness, will be greatly missed by all the extended Rinck family....but especially by my parents.

The truth about friendship is that it's quite easy when life is showering you with happiness and good fortune.  But the defining measure of friendship is when life gets complicated..  When you're faced with a hail storm of sadness, fear and frustration that requires time, patience and understanding.  And it was in the confusing final months, leading up to the desperate final hours of Ruth's life, that my parents proved themselves to be the ultimate friends to a woman who would have certainly done the same for them.  They are truly a couple that will stay on the front lines until the finish, offering unwavering support and service to those who need them most.  We can't pick many things in life, but we can pick our friends, and clearly, Ruth, Philip and Jane all chose wisely.

Day 224: Yarn for my senior friends in Sherborn

Finally, I've discovered something besides Daddy's Cookies to gift to my friends at the Sherborn Council on Aging!

Tucked in their recent newsletter was a request for yarn to support their efforts to knit mittens and other holiday gifts for families in Appalachia.  Today, as I made my weekly trip to Joann Fabrics for my quilting supplies, I was happy to take a maiden voyage down the yarn aisle (knitting is not my cup of tea!) and pick up a bundle of yarn for the COA.

Happy knitting, my friends, and let me know when you need fleece remnants!!

Day 223: Fundraiser for local homeless shelter

I recently joined a professional healthcare fraternity at Penn, and the past couple weeks have been jam packed with pledging duties. Among other facts that my pledge class is required to memorize, the three pillars of the healthcare fraternity are: compassion, discipline, and integrity. As it was "compassion week," we were required coordinate a bake sale and donate the money to a charity of our choosing. Since there were 22 of us chosen for this year's pledge class, there was a lot of confusion and strong opinions regarding the details of the sale (it was especially difficult as we were given less than a week to plan this). But, many hands make light work, and we managed to set up a four hour long bake sale on Locust Walk today. I baked chocolate chip cookies the night before (which I am told were the first to be sold....even though they were from a box!) and we ended up raising $110. We chose to donate the money to the local student-run homeless shelter that just opened on November 1st. This is only the second student run homeless shelter in the nation (Harvard's has been successfully operating for 28 years). Since the shelter just opened and all of the workers are student volunteers, we figured our donation would be put to good use. In keeping with the compassion theme, we also handed out little paper hearts with messages to students walking by to brighten their day. Even if they didn't stop to buy anything, we ran up to people a shoved a heart in their hands, watching them smile as they read their message ("nice scarf!" "stay beautiful!" "great smile!"). It was probably one of the most fun bake sales I had ever worked, and it was great getting to know the members of my pledge class a little better.

Day 222: Support for our Paper Boy (Man!)

Although we've never met the Paper Boy, we assume he is indeed a "Paper Man" as we hear him drive through the neighborhood each morning.  As my first job was a Paper Girl in the old neighborhood, I am  very appreciative of the effort it takes to deliver the paper both neatly, and timely, each day. 
Last week, the Paper Man left us a note with the newspaper,  informing us that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and would be taking a leave of absence to undergo chemo.  So sad.  We figured he could use immediate support, so we decided to send him a note of encouragement and his holiday tip today.  We wish him well on the difficult journey ahead.

Day 221: Charitable Donation

A few weeks ago, we received a card from the Vietnam Veterans of America. They needed our discards, so I called and put down our address for a pickup on today. We gathered up some clothes not being worn, some vases in which flowers had come on special days, a suitcase and various other things that we were not using and could be put to good use by someone less fortunate than ourselves. Dad put" the Stuff" out last night and it was gone by noon today. Hopefully, someone will benefit from our donation.