Monday, November 26, 2007
Yes, it's curtains for Thanksgiving, and the long-drawn period generally referred to as the holidays has dawned. So many traps to fall into this time of year. Avoid them at all costs.
Don't be like so many Grinches and sourmouths, mumbling to yourself, "I hate the holidays." Don't proclaim to your comrades, "It's all become so commercial." Don't say, "If I see one more puke-wrenching Christmas special I am moving to Mauritania." Most importantly, don't burden casual acquaintances with the empty words, "Geez, all this crap starts so early anymore."
Such statements have already been said. Hold your breath. Say, rather, "Ya want holiday spirit? I'll show ya some holiday spirit. I'll go holiday spirit all over your asses!"
Volunteer for so many things that your life becomes hectic and absurd. Volunteer for so many things that you start to feel the power and become disgustingly egotistical, as if no one in the world had volunteered for anything before you stooped down from your throne to lend your Vaseline-gloved hand to the indelicate hordes.
Then, when it's all said and done, and you come down from your New Year's hangover, you can go back to being a cynical scumbag and know that you packed more into a month than anyone with a sane mind ever would.
Possibilities abound:
Volunteer
Salvation Army bell ringers
Needed: people to ring them bells, through Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., minimum two-hour shifts
Contact: Wes Dalberg, 843-4188 ext 102
Toys for Tots Christmas Toy Shop
Needed: People to sort and display toys, Dec. 10-12. People to help clients choose toys and clothing, Dec. 13-15
Contact: Wes Dalberg, 843-4188 ext 102
"Share the Warmth" Coat Drive
Needed: people to sort donated coats, through Dec. 1
Contact: Wes Dalberg, 843-4188 ext 102
Children's Holiday Shop
Needed: People to assist young shoppers and wrap gifts, Dec. 7-8
Contact: Lawrence Arts Center, Noelle Uhler, 843-2787
Donate
Douglas County AIDS Project
Needed: holiday gifts, certificates for gas, food for people living with HIV/AIDS
Contact: Sue Licht-Cliff, 843-0040
KVC Behavioral Health Holiday Party
Needed: stocking stuffers and small gifts for children in foster care
Contact: Lydia Diebolt, 331-4200 ext 6620
Lawrence Community Shelter holiday gift program
Needed: AA batteries, sleeping bags, camping gear, backpacks, deodorant, razors, shampoo, shaving cream, socks, gloves, knit hats, blankets, coats
Contact: Diane Morgan, 832-8864
Stuff for children
Needed: clothing, toys, books, gift certificates for groceries, diapers, school supplies.
Contact: Boys and Girls Club, Jana Butcher, 423-3777, or Janet Murphy, 841-6854
Kaw Valley Center, Lydia Diebolt, 331-4200 ext 6620
Adopt a child living in foster care or a group home
Needed: Items such as clothing, toys, CDs, gift certificates, books, school supplies.
Contact: KVC Behavioral Health, Lydia Diebolt, 331-4200 ext 6620
Achievement Place for Boys, Roxanna Sarraf, 843-5560
The Villages, Diane Schulze, 267-5900
Adopt a family
Needed: Gifts, food, clothing, other necessities
Contact: Women's Transitional Care Services, 865-3956
Ballard Community Center, 842-0729
Salvation Army, 843-4188
Penn House, 842-0440
ECKAN, 841-3357
Adopt a person with developmental disabilities
Needed: Items from the individual's Holiday Wish Card
Contact: Community Living Opportunities, Yolanda Hargett, (913) 341-9316 ext 102
Adopt a grandparent
Needed: At least one thing from the grandparent's wish list and a grocery certificate
Contact: Douglas County Senior Services, Janet Ikenberry, 842-0543
Food pantries
Needed: food
Contact: ECKAN, 841-3357
LEO Center, 841-7297
Penn House, 842-0729
Ballard Center, 842-0729
Salvation Army, 843-4188
Trinity Interfaith Food Pantry, 843-6166
Meals
Homeless Holiday Dinner
Needed: People to prepare, serve and clean up, Dec. 5, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Contact: Salvation Army, Wes Dalberg, 843-4188 ext 102
Christmas breakfast
Needed: Food dishes and people to cook, serve and clean up, Christmas morning, 8-11 a.m.
Contact: Lawrence Community Shelter, Diane Morgan, 832-8864
Lawrence Community Christmas Dinner
Needed: Pies, turkeys, hams, cash donations, volunteers, Christmas Day
Contact: First United Methodist Church, Brower Burchill, 843-9199
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cog_nate (Nate Poell) says...
Nice article. It's pretty easy to get cynical about the holidays, but you're definitely right that volunteering or doing other worthwhile stuff makes it easier to take your mind off the materialist aspects. For example, last year a few friends of mine and all gave blood the day after Christmas. We called it the Boxing Day Blood Drive, and after we donated we went to Free State and had dinner and a beer. Saved lives, ate good food and drank good beer -- the whole thing was a lot of fun, and we're doing it again this year.
If any of you Lawrence.com "homies" feel like donating the day after Christmas, shoot me a message through the site here or via e-mail (my username at hotmail.com). Donate with me and my crew and -- if you are of age -- I'll buy you a pint of beer at Free State afterwards.
Cheers!
December 2, 2007 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )