The Summer "Bucket List"

Today marks the first official day of summer, and mother nature agrees! What are your plans this summer? A friend of mine recently told me that her family is creating a summer "bucket list", a list of all the things they want to accomplish before school is back in session and cool fall weather arrives.

Her family has things on their list such as "go to the beach", "make smores", "catch lightning bugs" and "go fishing". I thought this was a great idea since summer seems to fly by quicker each year.

But why not take it one step further? How can we use the "bucket list" to give back? I challenge you to make a summer bucket list and include at least 5 ideas for giving back on your list. Here are some examples:

Help your neighbor mow on a hot day
Pull weeds at a local shelter (hey- I know someone that needs that done *wink*wink*!)
Clean out your kid's closet and donate some of their toys
Buy an extra box fan and donate it to a senior
Plan a neighborhood block party
Find a bargain on toiletries or diapers and donate them to one of Dove's programs
Get a head start on knitting Christmas stockings for the Christmas basket drive
...the options are limited only by your imagination!

Go get started on your summer bucket list and enjoy the summer!!!

Comments

You don't have to be able to Dance to do Baskets

Growing up in the world of dance, one of my favorite things to do each year is participate in The Nutcracker Ballet. My favorite part? Giving the audience a magical Christmas experience with the perfect setting of lights, music, glittery costumes, and refined steps by ballerinas. The audience is transported to a magical land of sweets that makes even adults feel like small children in awe and wonder. Of course, that’s just what the audience sees! What they don’t see is the months and months before hand! Long rehearsals, bandage wrapped dance feet, and stage and tech crews working tirelessly so that every detail before the final show is perfected. After several years, I have started comparing the Christmas Baskets Process to that of the process for The Nutcracker Ballet. Starting months and months before, staff and volunteers work endlessly for the exhilarating distribution week to come. With that said, the magical essence of the Ballet experience cannot happen with just the prim

“have you talked to a trained domestic violence advocate?"

Have you ever had a victim of domestic violence try and open-up to you about their abuse and you not know what to say or how to handle it? Have you found yourself asking a victim of domestic violence, “why do you stay?” Moultrie County Dove Office understands that without being properly trained on domestic violence and best domestic violence practices, it is hard to know what to say or do when a victim of domestic violence finally decides to open-up to you about their abuse and we want you to be better prepared. Asking a victim of domestic violence “why do you stay” can place emphasis in the wrong place and make the victim feel as if they have done something wrong. In all actuality, there are many reasons victims of domestic violence stay in and return to abusive relationships. Victims of domestic violence stay in abusive relationships for fear for their personal safety and the safety and well-being of their children. Statistics show that a victim of domestic violence is at a 75%

Doing our part to make a difference.

With so much talk everywhere on issues of violence, once again a topic discussed at the CONO (Coalition Of Neighborhood Organizations) meeting this past month in wonder of how to stop violence from happening in our community. Let’s consider narrowed down, violence begins in neighborhoods, no matter where they are. Cities including Decatur, have Stop The Violence campaigns and rallies in order to take a stand and to bring positivity and hope which is so important! But I wonder, doesn’t the remedy lay within each one of us? We must not close our eyes or turn a deaf ear, right, and when we see something, yes, we must say something, but isn’t there more? Doesn’t there need to be hands reaching out to one another in solidarity and hope with a goal in mind like the future of our family, neighborhood and ultimately our world. It begins in a neighborhood, your neighborhood and mine. So, if you don’t already have an active neighborhood group in your area, will you consider starting one? If so

Dove, Inc.

Search This Blog