Today is Saturday, November 21st, 2009; Karen's Korner #1700

Wow! Another milestone - Karen's Korner #1700, one day late as promised!

Thanks for sticking with me as a reader, contributor, supporter for all of us arer part of these daily email inspirational thoughts!
 
God has instructed me; you have encouraged me; and I am a better person from learning and sharing.......

Several weeks ago, one Karen's Korner shared about our Marys & Marthas organizing '8 Days to Make a Difference' in our community from Saturday, October 17 through Saturday, October 24. This was our eighth year of tackling different 'make a difference day' projects in our community as part of the National Make A Difference Day program, challenging volunteers to make a difference annually. The 'real date' is alwys the fourth Saturday of October. And annually, more than 3 million volunteers report projects.

We were happy to have had 118 reports, using 845 volunteers working nearly 1650 hours in our '8 days' time period. I submitted our report a week ago today.

Here are a couple from in and around our community:
 
* several people helped a neighbor with yard work or work around their houses;

* our local care center was the recipient 6 - 8 groups/individuals entertaining/doing work projects with residents;

* a couple of people did 'pay it forward' when they left $$ at a local fast food restaurant/grocery store;

* several people did major remodeling/clean up in a friends'/relatives' homes.

 As a community, we:
* hosted a community clean up day one Saturday morning;

* collected nearly 1,000 pairs of shoes to be given for use by Hope Ministries in Des Moines;

* hosted a Pastor/Staff Appreciation Coffee from local churches.

But I also made Make a Difference Day known to Karen's Korner readers and several of you responded and I included you on our list of those 'making a difference':
* one couple chose to travel to visit a relative who is now in prison for a short-term;

* one lady volunteered to be a bridge partner for a gentleman friend whose wife had died ("he really enjoys playing bridge", she wrote, "he is so good most people won't be his partner"); the bridge playing will be ongoing;

* another Karen's Korner reader is an avid reader. She had some books which she intended to give to the local library. Instead she decided to visit a homebound person (8 different people) each of the eight days, giving them a book to read (she knew their reading habits) with the instructions of passing the book along or giving it to a local library.

 Thanks to each of you for 'making a difference' every day in so many ways.....

.......and thanks be to God for giving each of us the health, wealth, and motivation to think of others in our world!
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