For today only (Thursday, March 21, 2011), Sanrio stores throughout the United States will be donating 100% of their proceeds to the American Red Cross to support their work in helping victims of the Japanese earthquake and the tsunami in the Pacific.
To find a Sanrio store, go to http://www.sanrio.com/store_locator/. Online purchases at http://shop.sanrio.com/ will also be donated.
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On Monday night (March 28) from 8-9 PM, NBC is going to air “All Together Now – A Celebration of Service”. This was an event that took place on March 21 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The TV broadcast will feature performances by Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Cee Lo Green, Reba McEntire, Sam Moore, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, Darius Rucker and Carrie Underwood.
The evening honors President George H. W. Bush for his commitment to promoting volunteerism and service in the United States. In attendance was all four living ex-presidents: President and Mrs. George W. Bush, President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton. President Obama is scheduled to appear via a pre-recorded video.
It’s a fitting tribute for President H.W. Bush, to whom President Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom back in February. After volunteering for service days after the attack on Pearl Harbor (becoming the youngest Naval aviator ever as of that date), his plane was shot down, killing his two fellow crew members. Even after this horrific experience, he went back and flew combat missions and trained soliders until the end of the war. After a successful business career, he went back to public service, serving in Congress, the CIA, the State Department, and of course as vice-president and president.
The history books will judge the job he ultimately did as president. He certainly went through his highs and his lows in foreign policy and domestic policy, like all Presidents before him and after him. But in my mind, one of the most important things (and sadly, one of the least mentioned) was his call on others in the country to volunteer service. Today is a different world than it used to be. It seems that we as a people are becoming more and more selfish. “Community Service” is something which high school kids do to get colleges to look favorably upon their applications. Or it’s something that people convicted of crimes do when they don’t want to go to jail. Whatever happened to just doing good because it’s the right thing to do? Whatever happened to The Golden Rule (and no, I don’t mean “he who has all the gold makes all the rules”!)
President Bush wasn’t unique in his generation. So many of the members of “the Greatest Generation” gave so much of themselves so that we can enjoy the freedom and blessings of their sacrifice. Hopefully this program will serve not just as a quaint reminder of a time that is long past, but as a reminder to all of us that we are at our strongest only when we help those who are weak.
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In the last post, we highlighted the Flight 93 Memorial Campaign.
Another new item is a one-of-a-kind rose bush which you can purchase and grow in your yard. This is a rose variety that has been bred uniquely for this purpose, even registered at the American Rose Society as “Wilflt93″ / The 9/11 Flight 93 Rose”.
Several nurseries offer the rose for sale, and $5 from every sale will go to the Flight 93 Memorial.
Wherever in the country you grow it, it can serve as a living memorial to those brave men and women who lost their live ten years ago.
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The first is a “9/11 Never Forget” pin designed by Philadelphia jeweler Steven Singer to benefit the Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign. Since 2009, Mr. Singer has sold over 20,000 pins. 100% of the proceeds from the pins, sold for $10 each, are donated to construction of the Memorial. The pins have sold out, but they’ll be available for sale again on August 1, 2011. To pre-order a pin, email flight93memorial@nationalparks.org with your name, mailing address, phone number, and the number of pins you would like to purchase.→ 1 CommentTags:
On Friday, March 11, the largest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history caused unbelievable devastation to that part of the world. The earthquake registered 8.9 on the Richter scale and hit just off the coast of the northern part of the country, resulting in an enormous tsunami wave which wiped away entire coastal towns.
As much as we see the best in humanity during times like these, we also sometimes see the worst. Here’s some information from a site I trust, Charity Navigator, on the best charities to donate to at this time if you’re in the United States. These charities were specially selected by the folks at Charity Navigator both for how well they manage their finances, as well as for having an established footprint in Japan already (thus enabling your donation dollars to go directly to work).
Here are some general tips from Charity Navigator and other sources on the Web to make sure you’re giving wisely as well as generously:
For the full article on Charity Navigator, see here.
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Well, the long hard winter here in New York City thankfully appears to be coming to an end. There are definitely signs of spring, some trees are starting to bud, the birds are singing, and the bakeries are brimming with bright, happy cakes.
If you can’t make it to New York, Bake Me a Wish is a New York Bakeries that delivers their freshly made cakes nationwide. They just announced that from now until April 30, you can save 15% on cakes if you use promotion code SPRING15.
Bake Me a Wish has cakes which support all kinds of charities, from their “Operation Birthday Cake” where a portion of every purchase is dedicated to delivering fresh cakes to soldiers serving overseas to their “Change your Life Cake” wihch supports Friends of Island Academy.
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Back in December, this book, LAX-Files: Behind the Scenes with the Los Angeles Cast and Crew
It’s the result to two years of deep work by Erica Frager which has deep meaning besides just being a fan book. X-Files director Kim Manners passed away in January 2009, and it was talking to those close to him that inspired Erica to write about the X-Files in its Southern California years. It’s filled with memories from cast and crew sharing their experiences with Manners and the show. 100% of the profits from the book’s sales will go to the American Cancer Society in memory of Kim Manners.
Chris Carter, Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, R.W. Goodwin, and Laurie Holder, and more share their behind-the-scenes stories, many which have never been told before. There are also fascinating details describing actual filming locations in LA, which you can visit yourself.
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It’s an interesting look into humor. It’s not meant to be a textbook or a deep study into the definition of humor. Instead, it puts together a lot of writing, from poems to short stories to essays, that at one time or another has been considered “funny” and lets you decide.
Proceeds from the book will go to 826 National, a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization that promotes creative writing to kids ages 6 to 18.
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This Sari Scarf
from Uncommon Goods is available in blue, cinnamon, or red/cream color. It is an incredibly beautiful silk scarf, handmade in India.
The process these scarves are made with is fascinating. Fine vintage saris are selected, cut into strips, and hand-stitched together with others to create beautiful, unique patterns (it’s almost like “quilting” using silk). The scarf is moistened, twisted, and wound around a bamboo pole. The result is a truly unique, eco-friendly, comfortable, and stunningly beautiful fashion piece that can be wrapped around your shoulders or your head.
Not only is the “upcycling” of the saris eco-friendly, the vendor will also plant 10 trees via the non-profit organization Trees for The Future.
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