Harmony Through Service: Getting Involved in Small but Meaningful Ways

[Daruya]

 

 

As we all know, the Aes Sedai of Rand Land considered themselves to be “Servants of All.” We won’t get into how they served others “in their own way” - through manipulation and bullying at times – but what we will do is look at how we, in our world, can serve others.

 

Granted, we don’t have the One Power with which we can do great and wondrous things; we do, however, have the power – and by that, I mean the ability – to change one little part of the world. Whether for one person, a local community, or a community on the other side of the globe, we can make a difference in the lives of others.

 

In this topic, we will be discussing ways, both small and large, in which we can make a difference through service. Your topic moderators, Daruya and Kukaso will propose ideas and you are encouraged to add your ideas to the list for further discussion.

 

Keep in mind, this topic is specifically for ways to serve others by meeting needs as an individual (or a small group, if you want to put together a group of friends). This topic is not meant to discuss ways to make a difference politically and any political discussion will be promptly removed.

 

To get us started on ideas for service, your moderators have come up with the following list. Feel free to ask about, discuss, or further expound upon any of them, as well as suggest ideas for addition to the list.

• Pet therapy: nursing homes, hospitals (where allowed).
  
• Senior assistance: visiting nursing homes (play bingo or cards, paint ladies' fingernails, sing), helping a senior still living at home (take out the trash, rake the yard). You can even take it a step further and "Adopt a Grandparent!" By that, we mean, find someone in a retirement or nursing home who doesn't have relatives (or relatives who visit) and become their "adopted" grandson/daughter" You can write or visit or both, as well as send presents for the holidays.
  
• Pen pal: be a pen pal with someone, whether in your own country or a foreign one. A good way to encourage people is to send them happy mail!
  
• Volunteer at a local hospital.
  
• Make simple sewn/stuffed/crocheted dolls/bears/etc. for emergency workers to give to frightened children they may be called to help/transport.
  
• Make pretty beaded jewelry or dreamcatchers or something for children in cancer hospitals or who are with their moms in abuse shelters.
  
• Even "just" sending a letter to someone (AND their employer) because the employee was nice and/or helpful is a wonderful thing to do. Think how much it would make that employee's day if their employer called them in and said, "I just got a letter from someone telling me how much they appreciated you!"
  
• A few years ago, a radio station was asking people to knit blankets and baby caps so they could take them to Afghanistan for new mothers and babies in poverty-stricken areas there where they previously had no access for prenatal and postnatal health care. The response was overwhelming. Even if you had no way to get it to another country like this, surely there are places locally that would be glad to take your donated items and pass them to needy families. (Here is a link to WildFire's thread on crocheting a granny square; it can help you make something to donate to this type of program: http://www.dragonmou...-granny-square/)
  
• Be a "secret pal" by finding someone in your community (neighborhood, work, church) who needs a "pick-me-up" and send them an encouraging note or some flowers or a small gift card for a meal, etc. It doesn't have to be a big-dollar amount to mean the world to someone who needs an emotional boost. It could even be a craft item you make specifically for them (decorated picture frame, bead bracelet, etc.)
  
• Volunteer to search for lost pets. Sometimes it's the only chance for someone to find their lost dog if a great number of volunteers search for it very actively.
  
• Volunteer with organizations that look for lost children/elders/etc. Some of these organization may be volunteer organization attached to a law enforcement agency; for example, a mounted sheriff’s posse or a search and rescue group.
  
• Adopt an Angel! Around Christmas, you will often see Christmas trees in department or grocery stores where you can select a card from the tree and then buy presents for the person on the card. Most often, it is a child. Sometimes, however, it might be a senior citizen.
  
• Volunteer going to the area suffered from some hurricanes/floods/eathquakes to help cleaning/digging through ruined houses or something like this.
  
• Volunteer at a pet shelter
  
• Be a foster home for a pet shelter and/or rescue organization.
  

As we said, feel free to discuss any of these items or suggest additions to the list. If you also have links to resources for those areas of service, include those, too, so that people can actively pursue the ones that interest them. If someone else wants to do research to find a "parent" organization (national or international) through which someone can research a resource in their home area, that would be awesome! We'll add it to the list next to the appropriate suggestion.

 

Now . . . Discuss!

[wheeloftime13]

hmm... first one, so this weekend I went to a Student to Student camp for military kids, and I must say that I had fun. We learned how to help new people, how to get the word out, and how to find out if we're getting new people. I'm not usually a social person, but hearing about how other kids go through the same things that I do, I want to help them as much as possible, and I'm going to try and get involved. I've also tried rescuing some more kittens from around the base, but no luck. I rescued 2 last year and I now keep them as pets. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can catch them and what to do with them when I do (I don't want to take them to a place where they'll get put down if they're there for more than a few weeks or a year).

[Elgee]

What a wonderful list of things you've put together! Some of them are so simple and easily done, yet I'd never thought of them.

[Ryrin]

I chose my occupation just for this reason. I am a social worker. I have worked in a residential center for people with developmental disabilities as well as an acute care psychiatric hospital inpatient unit for children and teens. Ten years were spent in a level 14 residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed children and currently I am a case manager for people with developmental disabilities. About two thirds of my caseload are people with dual diagnoses, developmental disabilities and mental illness. I wanted to devote myself to this full time. I've also volunteered for the Special Olympics.

 

My family has been the recipient of volunteer services. Both of my sons were born prematurely and I love the foster grandparents as well as remember those who knit little warm hats for each premature baby. Each incubator has one and the volunteers use the size of a grapefruit as a model.

[wheeloftime13]

That's sweet of them. I've been in an inpatient program twice, and the people there are always nice. Did you enjoy your job there?

[michellem]

I'd like to add to the list:

 

-Be a voulenteer at a pet shelter

-Be a fosterhome for a pet shelter

[Ryrin]

That's sweet of them. I've been in an inpatient program twice, and the people there are always nice. Did you enjoy your job there?

 

Yes, very much so.

[WildTaltos]

I am not big on volunteer work for organizations - I like to choose who I help so that I know they are worthy of it rather than help anyone indiscriminately - and I do not give any resources to charity type things either, for that reason and because I do not actually know if what I give is going to who I intend. Yes...I am not a very trusting person. That being said, I do a lot of things for others around the area - if I know someone is struggling to get food, I will take a lot of my food for over and give them it (I always have a huge surplus of food anyways), and that makes me feel nice because I know I am helping them not go hungry, and if someone desperately needs clothes or warm clothing for the winter, I will set some time aside to piece them a few outfits together. Best part about that is they can dress like me...er. >_> Also if a friend's animal has gone missing, I usually will volunteer to help them find it, and if someone is raising a new barn or they are expanding their home, I will help them build it for free if I have enough time. So...like I said, I help, but only those I think deserve it .

[Leala Sedai]

Well, in my job, a GED teacher, I find that a lot of my students feel discouraged that they don't have their diploma yet, or that sometimes they don't get the lesson. Sometimes it's that they dropped out of school so early that they've forgotten something, or they don't use it enough.

 

But I always tell my students that none of them are stupid. They can all get that diploma. Everyone has their own pace, and we just have to find it and figure out a good way to study.

 

And I've found that encouragement like that for my family, or even random strangers, can make a difference when someone is having a bad day.

[kukasö]

Wheeloftime, I don't know how it's done where you live but here are some groups of people who help such animals and try to find them new home.

If there are no such people in your area you can try to do it yourself. Ask people you know if they want a kitten, people at school. You can make an ad on the Internet on some forums about cats, for example. People usually make some cute photos to attract attention and write about the kitten so you immediatly understand you want this kitten!

I can't guarantee that it'll work but you have a chance.

That's great you already saved two!

 

Ryrin, that's a very good idea to find a job where you can help people! You can do so much more when you can devote yourself full time to it.

Does your center use volunteers to help? Maybe there are some links where we can found out how we can help in your center or others like it too?

 

Taltos, I totally agree with you, I usually don't trust big organizations and help people I know. But there are cases when help of your friends and relatives is not enough. For example when you search for a lost child in the forest. Several people can't do it effectively. But when there are 100-200 people searching at the same time you have much more chances to find a child. I don't know anybody who has so many friends ready to come and search at once so they'll need help from unknown people.

 

Leala, you are right sometimes just being attentive to people around you makes a big difference

 

Thanks, Misheru!

 

Thanks, Mother!

[WildTaltos]

 

Taltos, I totally agree with you, I usually don't trust big organizations and help people I know. But there are cases when help of your friends and relatives is not enough. For example when you search for a lost child in the forest. Several people can't do it effectively. But when there are 100-200 people searching at the same time you have much more chances to find a child. I don't know anybody who has so many friends ready to come and search at once so they'll need help from unknown people.

 

I guess it depends on whether you live in an area with a high population or a smaller community - at my home, if someone or a child gets lost, and for some reason we needed 200 people (usually it is only about 50 people who actually know the forests roundabout), about 100 of those people I would know pretty well, since I have lived with them all my life and all anyone does is visit each other and talk about each other, while the rest I would know most of the names at least and something general about them, so they are not complete strangers. Pretty easy to get to know most people because not a whole lot live around the area.

[Daruya]

wheeloftime13, one thing that may help you is to check petfinder.com and look for rescue organizations in your area that way. You may find, though, that many rescues only take owner surrenders or only pull from kill shelters. People who find strays and try to get them help are often told to turn them in to animals control. It's worth a try, though!

 

I applaud those of you who help individuals as you can. However, some things do require organization, as Kuka said. Many years ago, before we even had kids, a child disappeared from one of the nearby military bases. I can't even tell you how many people showed up at one of the advertised "command center" points to participate in the search. We literally combed many square miles looking for this child. Unfortunately, he was not found alive and the man who abducted, molested and murdered him took his own life before he could even be arrested.

 

Since then, my husband and I have been members of the local mounted Sheriff's posse and, as members, have participated in various searches. Those searches were either for people or for evidence. A couple of those searches resulted in locating two firearms used in a home invasion and murder. My search partner and I located the person who found (and picked up and TOOK) one of them (seriously? You find a firearm on the side of the road the day after a murder within 5 miles of the home and you pick it up and take it? Doh!). Other posse members found the other weapon a couple days later. My husband helped with several searches for people; now that is something that can be a grim business.

 

Animal rescue organizations can do much good so I don't mind helping them out through donations of food, old towels, etc. All of our dogs are rescues so we have a rather soft spot for people who step up to the plate for them.

 

A few years ago, an old friend of mine was undergoing treatment for leukemia. She had lost all of her hair. I mentioned Karen on one of my online horse forums and an e-friend from Nebraska crocheted a hat for her and sent it to her. Karen was thrilled with the soft hat and the gal that made it for her loved "meeting" her.

 

Just little things. But they count in large ways!

[michellem]

I am not big on volunteer work for organizations - I like to choose who I help so that I know they are worthy of it rather than help anyone indiscriminately - and I do not give any resources to charity type things either, for that reason and because I do not actually know if what I give is going to who I intend. Yes...I am not a very trusting person. That being said, I do a lot of things for others around the area - if I know someone is struggling to get food, I will take a lot of my food for over and give them it (I always have a huge surplus of food anyways), and that makes me feel nice because I know I am helping them not go hungry, and if someone desperately needs clothes or warm clothing for the winter, I will set some time aside to piece them a few outfits together. Best part about that is they can dress like me...er. >_> Also if a friend's animal has gone missing, I usually will volunteer to help them find it, and if someone is raising a new barn or they are expanding their home, I will help them build it for free if I have enough time. So...like I said, I help, but only those I think deserve it .

 

How do you choose what makes someone "worthy" of your help? I'm sorry, but that just seems incredibly arrogant.

[WildTaltos]

How do you choose what makes someone "worthy" of your help? I'm sorry, but that just seems incredibly arrogant.

So what? I have my own criteria of who I think deserves to be helped by me and who doesn't, and if that is arrogant, then it is arrogant. If they mostly seem to have gotten into a bad position of no fault of their own - their job was suddenly no longer available and they had no other way to support themselves, they got crippled by an accident and can't work, they are physically or (genuinely) mentally handicapped since birth, and I think they are decent people on my own moral scale, then I will help them. If they are bums who mostly do a bad job at everything and who suddenly find themselves in a horrible situation because of their laziness, I am going to laugh at them when they are in trouble, not unless they beg me to help them and swear to return the favour.

[Sakaea]

I donate money when I can to my local animal shelter. I can't cope with being a foster home, because I would end up keeping all the animals. We adopt all our animals from shelters, and my parents have 3 dogs and 4 cats, and my fiance has 3 cats. So animals are my way of helping^_^

[kukasö]

Misheru, as arrogant as it sounds the truth is everybody do it.

You can't help absolutely everybody who needs help so you must choose.

 

I have my criteria, Taltos has his, you have yours.

[michellem]

I don't choose whom I help based on if I think they are "worthy".

[Daruya]

It isn't unusual to set limits on what/how one gives; we've done that ourselves. We used to live in an area that was "not the best part of town." We had a high population of transients, drug users/dealers, prostitution, etc. We would often have people come to our door asking for money so they could "get something to eat." Instead, we gave them something to eat -- non-perishables like canned goods, or maybe a sandwich or two -- that type of thing. We could have given them money but they probably would have spent it at the corner convenience store on alcohol or at the "corner drugstore" (drug dealer). Instead of giving them what they wanted, we gave them the meal that they looked like they needed.

[WildTaltos]

I don't choose whom I help based on if I think they are "worthy".

You can th ink that but you do. you would not help a child molestor out of bad spot, probably - and therefore, you deem them unworthy. unless you aer a saint, in which case good for you...

[Daruya]

I actually think it is necessary to exercise some discernment when providing assistance to an individual. I've had a drunk come up to my truck window in a grocery store parking lot and he started kissing the window while he was trying to "shmooze" money from me. I not impressed nor was I flattered; I also did not give him any money. And when my husband came out of the grocery store and I told him what happened, he went and reported it to the store manager who reported it to the police.

 

However, if someone comes to us and asks for work so that they can buy food for their family, even if we can't "hire" them (yardwork, etc.) we will go to our pantry and put together a box of food for them. We met one gal that was kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend and her roommate (who had "hooked up") and we allowed her to stay for free in our camper for several weeks so she could save up some money for a deposit on a new apartment. We had to ask her to leave, though, when the boyfriend sweet-talked her into taking him back and she let him stay in the camper with her. We didn't mind helping her when she was trying to make it on her own. When she took the two-timer back and invited him into OUR camper, she overstepped the bounds we had set.

 

You can't give to everyone, so you do have to exercise discernment and every person is going to have different criteria for whom they will assist.

[Ryrin]

I am not big on volunteer work for organizations - I like to choose who I help so that I know they are worthy of it rather than help anyone indiscriminately - and I do not give any resources to charity type things either, for that reason and because I do not actually know if what I give is going to who I intend. Yes...I am not a very trusting person. That being said, I do a lot of things for others around the area - if I know someone is struggling to get food, I will take a lot of my food for over and give them it (I always have a huge surplus of food anyways), and that makes me feel nice because I know I am helping them not go hungry, and if someone desperately needs clothes or warm clothing for the winter, I will set some time aside to piece them a few outfits together. Best part about that is they can dress like me...er. >_> Also if a friend's animal has gone missing, I usually will volunteer to help them find it, and if someone is raising a new barn or they are expanding their home, I will help them build it for free if I have enough time. So...like I said, I help, but only those I think deserve it .

 

How do you choose what makes someone "worthy" of your help? I'm sorry, but that just seems incredibly arrogant.

 

Why? It's my resources/money ( which I earned) so why do I not get to choose where it goes?

 

If I donate $$ online, I make sure that the majority of the $$ goes to the effort to serve not to overhead/administrative costs, so I research that. I also check out the legitimacy as there are lots of phony charities.

 

I love animals so I often give to the SPCA. I do not give money to people standing on street corners with signs. I will stop and get them lunch and bring it back to them because the signs usually say "hungry."

 

I also choose to give to the March of Dimes because I have had two premature sons.

[poetstorm]

A lot of these are great ideas! I've done the adopt an angel type thing a couple of times before and some volunteer work at libraries. One of the things I LOVE doing every year is going Christmas Caroling at hospitals and senior homes.

 

They used to have a reading program at my local library where you can go around and read to the younger kids, which was a great thing for highschoolers to get involved with.

 

Something I believe in is trying to constantly practice awareness of your surroundings because opportunities to be helpful come more often than you might think. It could be the person on the street who is lost, or someone having trouble carring something etc...

 

It's just that usually people don't pay attention. I'm guilty of this too especially with getting my nose stuck in my book while riding the bus home etc.. But even on a bus ride home I've found chances to lend a hand. I juat have to remind myself to make an effort to look around and be ready. :D

[Wayward_fool]

I teach floral arrangement classes to underpriviledged women (Single mothers/Low income families) every Monday at a Family Service centre... This is the FB page we have. http://www.facebook.com/bloomsofhope.reachfsc?ref=ts. Can you guys like it? And maybe... I dunno encourage us? *Lol* I figure it'd be nice to have some foreign notice. Anyway... I'm the primary trainer and teach most of the classes. We are trying to equip these women with the skills to become florists in the future so they can either work from home or join a florist somewhere on a part time basis. We also accept orders from people. (Tho international ones a bit hard at the moment coz we have no Paypal yet, BUT if you guys want to order I can discuss it with the family centre and see what we can do)

 

I'm also a very strong supporter of the Arts. Which I guess isn't as noble as working in a pet shelter, but I provide platforms for aspiring artistes to perform so they MIGHT eventually get noticed. The experience they get is good too. I'm trying to get a job at the local Institute of Technical Education (ITE) as a Senior Officer for Student Development, but that hasn't progressed much. With that job, I'll be running Art programs in the institute and stuff. I'd love to do that... more than what I do now, but without it moving along, there's nothing I can do.

 

Yeah. That's about it for me. I love animals. But I really don't have much time left in the week due to all these others extra curricular activities.

 

No, I don't get paid for any of them.

[Senexx]

Yes there are people that abuse systems put in place but to walk a mile in anothers shoes and truly have empathy for the plight of some people is a tough task for the best person to master. It is that dawning comprehension of really understanding where someone is coming from when listening to their story puts people more at ease than any physical reward you can give them.

[kukasö]

I think you just meet some situation in your life and some or other activity becomes important personally.

 

I have a dog. She is not adopted but it happened so that I read her mother's story before I bought her. Her mother(Feya) was lost because some people broke open the door of a car and the dogs got out on the road. Somewhere in the country.

Feya got lost. Her owner and those who wanted to help have been searching the neibourhood of the accident for couple of weeks, posted ads on the internet, checked ads about found dogs etc. There was about 30 volunteers taking part in this search. They have found several lost dogs in the countryside. And at last they have found Feya in Latvia!! When they have lost her not far from Moscow!

 

I was very impressed but this story. And it motivated me to take part in several searches for lost dogs too. Unfortunately my stories are less interesting and unsuccessfull

 

I always wanted to take part in searches for lost children but they are usually lost far from where I live. I don't have a car and I'm a little afraid there'd be more problems with me than help. I hope to take part in some all the same.

It's shocking how many people get lost in August-September! They go to pick mushrooms and can't found their way from the forest! Mostly old people who get tired quickly. It's so important to them that there are volunteers who will seach them in the forests because police and resquers(at least here) won't search for any lost old person in the forest