Surrounded by Workers

Today I am feeling grateful for all the groups that surround me that participate in charitable activities. I know for a fact that our family wouldn't get involved in most of the fundraising or charitable activities that we do if it weren't for somebody else getting organized and providing us with the opportunity to help out.

This month our Daisy Girl Scout troop has several different opportunities because of work that other troops in the area participate in. Our Daisy's made rice sock/bed warmers for the resident's of Issaquah's Tent City because a nearby troop committed to every homeless person in tent city getting one. Next our Daisy's will be contributing items for Easter baskets for kids at Matthew's House. Matthew's House takes care of kids while their parents are incarcerated and is a charitable focus of our entire service unit (all the girl scouts in our area).

Through my kids' swimming program, they can contribute to Project Ethiopia. Our swim instructor encourages each of her students to make $8 - $14 themselves and donate it to Project Ethiopia so that a child there can get a set of clothes and be able to attend the local school. My husband's cousin recently traveled to Ethiopia for some mission work and that provided an opportunity to help out in Ethiopia as well (her blog can be found at http://hopeforethiopiasorphans.blogspot.com if you are interested in her work there).

My Father-in-law organized a fund-raising golf tournament for the SemperFi fund to help Marines and their families who need assistance. Our church group supports the missionary work & disaster relief in the Phillipines. Our preschool supports the local food bank. And the list goes on...

What's my point? All these efforts have been started by someone else...usually someone else that I know...and give us an opportunity to be a blessing to others. Some days it seems so overwhelming just taking care of my own family that I can't imagine putting the time and energy into a project like that, but then I wonder where would the world be without people like these who do dedicate themselves to organizing help for others.

I'm about to wander off into the political arena people, so some of you might want to start tuning me out now...

I think it would be awesome if all the world's ills could be fixed by generous people like this reaching out to help others. Ideally, I want us all to be aware of the needs of those around us and help out so the government doesn't need to step in with large scale, usually red tape filled programs to make up the difference. But that just doesn't seem realistic. I know many of those close to me (sorry dad) would just like the government to remove their hands from their wallet and let them choose whom to help and how much to give. I just don't think we are aware enough of the problems of society to do that. I don't think the "less pretty" illnesses would get very much assistance at all...and I think those groups need help too.

So, that's my $.02. I know I wandered off into a more serious topic than usual. Never fear, tomorrow I'll go back to wondering what color I should paint my girls' toenails. =)