LIVE UNITED Y’All!

I was recently invited to be a guest Sunday School teacher at church for a group of fourth grade students.  Their exercise was to read about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other people who were making a difference for others through their lives and work, including the President of Heifer International, Jo Luck. 

I asked my class what they could do each day to make a difference for others.  After getting through a couple of “do nots”  I got a few positive action ideas, like “collect can goods for food drives,” and “serve food at a soup kitchen,” which are truly helpful and worthwhile things to do. 

However, I encouraged the students to think about even more basic actions than those.  For example, saying hello to someone you may not usually speak with, or sharing a smile and a helpful hand by opening a door for someone whose hands may be full.  There are countless ways we can lend a helpful hand each and every day. 

I am reminded of a story that I have seen circulate a few times through the internet about a freshman in high school who dropped a large stack of books walking home from school one day.  Another student unfamiliar to him stopped to help him pick up the books, and soon they became fast friends.  Three years later, the formerly clumsy freshman was delivering the valedictorian address at his high school graduation and recalled the story of how a classmate whom he had hardly known had extended an act of kindness.  He then relayed a chilling story about how he had cleaned out his locker that day, as a freshman, with the intention of taking his life that evening, and how he had wanted to save his parents the task of picking up his belongings from school afterwards.  Who could have known that a simple act of kindness by a stranger at that moment had literally saved his life, and had provided him with a renewed sense of hope and confidence? 

Regrettably, I have lost more than one person in my life to suicide.  I think it’s the most difficult form of loss to endure.  I’ve often asked myself – why didn’t I see that coming?  Why couldn’t I have done something to prevent that from happening?  I have come to the realization that sometimes it takes another person to make a difference for those closest to us, whom we love the most.

As a new year’s resolution, I invite you to continue loving and caring for those who are closest to you, and I request that you extend your warmth and compassion to an even broader set of individuals, perhaps even strangers.  Never doubt that even a very simple act of kindness can make a profound difference in someone’s life.  In 2011, let’s all live the words of Anne Herbert that are immortalized on a bumper sticker – “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” 

How will you make a difference this year?

General Change the World, lend a hand, making a difference

By Kerri Cokeley

This past January, my Grandmammy passed away. This was a hard time for me. I had spent the previous ten years helping care for her, and though her health was not the best, her death was quite sudden. As I sat at the funeral home preparing the arrangements the following day, I realized that I was so thankful that I had no regrets. I cared for her the best that I could, I learned as much as I could from her, and every time we saw each other we expressed our love for one another.

The feelings that have sunk in for me following her departure mostly relate to the recognition that I have lost all four of my blood grandparents. A whole generation is now gone from my family. Am I prepared to help fill this void?

Just as I finally start to come to the conclusion that, yes, I am ready and able to step up, I get hit with another blow. A text message came with the news that Helen, a second mother to me as a teenager, had passed away. How can this be? I’m just barely able to step up to the loss of my grandparents, I’m definitely not ready to start losing the next tier, my parents.

I expect that it will take a very long time for me to cope with and be ready to fill the void that will ultimately be left by the loss of the immediate next generation. However, it takes me to a new reflection. When I am gone, what will I have accomplished? I’ve thought about this many times before, but not in such a desperate, mortal kind of way.

Even several days later as I re-read Helen’s obituary, my eyes swell up at the third paragraph. Despite the unfortunate health situation that had plagued her for many years, she still found a way to make the world a little better than she found it. I hope that I can do the same. Don’t you?

Helen Frances Graber

POSTED: August 18, 2009

Helen Frances Graber, 49, of Matlacha, FL died at her residence on Aug. 14, 2009 after battling 20 years of illness and pain.

She was born to William G. and Kathleen F. (Preston) Graber on Feb. 2, 1960 in Louisville, KY. Helen moved to Matlacha in 2003 to be close to her only child and her grandchildren.

She was formerly from Clarksville, IN. where she spent many years working as an LPN caring for others. Her caring did not stop with her work, she was known for her open heart and open door policy. Many times she provided a needed refuge for countless teenagers that had nowhere else to go and no one else that cared. She made sure all had a warm place to stay, food to eat and most of all someone who cared.

She is survived by her daughter, Michelle Lynne Scalf, son-in-law, Stephen S. Scalf, grandchildren, Ashlynne Jade Scalf and Stephen Sebastian Scalf, of Bokellia. Other survivors include brothers, Norman D. Graber of Tuscon, AZ. and George P. Graber of Matlacha and a sister, Patricia L. Murphy also of Matlacha. She was preceded in death by both parents and a brother, Billy (Apple) Graber who died in 1979.

General Change the World, community service, future, making a difference

Do you ever watch something that just gives you chills? When I saw this video, I got goose bumps: http://www.give5forall.org/

Created by our very own Erin McMahon [ed. note - with help from United Way of America!], it really resonates with me, because it focuses on a place I really care about – Kentuckiana. I wanted to share it with you because I think you will love it too! So hurry, go watch it, right now…

Leave me a comment and let me know if you feel the same way too!

General, Giving Change the World, Common good, Live United

I wasn’t aware when it was occurring, but it seems I was raised to think serving others is an important thing to do. Perhaps by osmosis, as I saw my mom be the Boy Scout leader or my dad help neighborhood kids work on their cars, I recognized serving others is important.

So as a fairly new member in my church, I was looking for a place to help out. The morning bulletins showed several needs in the church such as child care, building maintenance and hospitality committee. I decided to serve through the Audio/Video Team; it looked easy enough to click through the words that keep us all singing the right songs. Well, I guess I should have researched a little better before I signed up. This role needs to be present for the Wednesday night choir practice, prepping the slides before hand and also be present an hour and a half before church to run through everything again. So hearing me grumble about how this community service is asking more of me than I thought would be required, imagine my embarrassment and humiliation when I heard of a friend’s commitment to serve others.

Debbie has been on a bone marrow registry for about six years from a registry drive for a local attorney. Short story is that she has gone through the testing and is a match for a 14-year-old girl with leukemia. The harvest is set for July 9^th. So as I’m grumbling about the two hours extra a week that I’ve committed to – Debbie is giving up several vacation days, expecting a few days of stiffness, undergoing full anesthesia for the procedure and donating a life giving piece of herself. Hmmph, makes my AV service feel a bit trivial. She always has been the over achiever.

So join with me as we pray for the bone marrow recipient, the doctors involved and Debbie that all goes well and it is a life saving success for the recipient.

Now, my message is not that you need to be a hero and the only service that counts is the big stuff. That is not true. You need to serve where you are and however you can. All service is important. My message is to serve joyfully, be thankful that you CAN serve and also recognize there are times when you may receive the services and to do that joyfully also.

For more info about bone marrow donation go to www.bethematch.org

Jan and Debbie

General, Volunteering Change the World, Community, community service, Live United, making a difference

The Obama Administration is betting that 81 days can strengthen a movement, a movement of change through volunteering.

Metro United Way has been part of that movement for a while now, and is excited to have such strong support for volunteering from the President and the First Lady this week.

Yesterday, June 22, was the launch of United We Serve, a national effort initiated by President Obama to engage more Americans in serving their communities. It is an extended call to service challenging all American to help lay a new foundation for growth by engaging in sustained, meaningful community service. The initiative runs for 81 days through a new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.

The Administration is working with hundreds of national and local organizations like Metro United Way to encourage participation in the effort and launched the Serve.gov website to help make it easy for all to get involved. Metro United Way is listed on the Serve.gov website as the local volunteer connection place in Louisville, surrounding counties and Southern Indiana area.

The United We Serve initiative shares two of Metro United Way’s key focus areas of Education, Income, and Health, and is a great way to highlight and promote strong efforts already underway in the Louisville area and communities across the nation.

Local volunteer opportunities can be found on our website at www.metrounitedway.org

Michelle Obama’s address to the opening session at the National Center for Volunteer and Service Conference in San Francisco:

http://www.volunteeringandservice.org/live/opening-session.cfm

K. Thompson

General Change the World, Common good, Community, Live United, Volunteer

What are the things keeping you up at night as we begin 2009?

As I started thinking about this post for our new blog, all I could think about was the pressure of being interesting, delivering some quality content, and helping us launch with a bang.  It stressed me out, but I thought I was up to the challenge.  You be the judge – let me know what you think.

The real thing that has been making me lose sleep is the threat and opportunity that has arisen out of our “economic crisis.”  While I think that phrase should be added to the banished word list, it does make you think about what is really important – specifically for us working in non-profits and community change.

What I really worry about is that amidst all of our talk about “belt-tightening” and dealing with “tough times” we focus too heavily on the threats that face us.  I hope that we don’t lose sight of the great opportunity we have in front of us right now and the work we know makes the future better.  The Bridgespan Group put out a great article about managing in tough times, but there are three things that needed to be added/reinforced:

1. Compelling vision is key – we must rely more heavily on a picture of tomorrow that is different from today.  People will weather any storm if the potential calm afterwards is wonderful enough.  If you have a vision that is inspiring and significant, wrap yourself in it fully – if you don’t, get one now.
2. Real change is long-term – one of the pressures coming out of threat is to show short-term results and tangible benefits.  These are important, but we know that significant change happens over the long haul.  Make sure that you don’t compromise your ability to run the marathon by completely giving in to the need to sprint now.
3. This is the climate for innovation –the ideas and the behaviors of the past have gotten us to where we are today.  Identify the new ideas that will really make a difference and make sure you prioritize pursuing them.

During this “downturn” we can either let our fears paralyze us and force us to make decisions that don’t lead us to a better community or focus on the opportunity and use this time to urgently prioritize the things that matter most over time.

I’ll be fighting like mad to protect the most important pieces of my work, to explore and analyze new ideas, and bring more focus and clarity to all of it.  I’m going to live in the place of possibility and opportunity.

What are you going to do?  Where are you going to be?  What am I not considering?  Let’s talk more.

Photo credit: wwarby

Advocacy, General Change the World, Community, Non-Profit Sector

If you are committed to making change in your community, whether that means your neighborhood, city or a greater region, you could easily be attending the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States on January 20th. 

The Case Foundation is sponsoring the “Change Begins With Me” campaign, a challenge to Americans to “be the change” and commit to making a difference in 2009. All you have to do to participate is make your commitment to be the change in 2009 by visiting the Case Foundation’s website and completing the sentence, “Change begins with me… .” One lucky changemaker will be selected to receive a prize package that includes:

• 2 round-trip tickets to Washington D.C.
• 3 night hotel accommodations
• Participation in Washington D.C.’s MLK Day of Service
• 2 tickets to the Hawaii Inaugural Ball
• 2 tickets to the Inauguration
• A Flip video camera to record your experience!

Go share how you’re going to make change in 2009, and good luck!

Advocacy, General Case Foundation, Change the World, inauguration, make change