The Civic Projects: Serving 50 States in 50 Days

Day 25 - Indiana - Project HOME Indy - Revisited

2010-04-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to hand this one over to Tim – let him take the wheel, so to speak, mostly because it has been the wheel he has been primarily responsible for during the entire trip. Here’s where I blush a deep crimson and admit that Tim did 93.2% of the driving (now kiddies, break out your calculators and figure out the exact mileage!). While I have been yack, yack, yacking away

Day 24 - Kentucky - Olmsted Park Conservancy - Revisited

2010-03-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

This being home, and, dare I say it, stationary, has not been a walk in the park – what with unpacking, figuring out what next and seriously embarking on the dreaded, dreaded job search (I now know what early privateers felt like, but instead of seeking and plundering treasure via the sea and ships, I am searching for professional booty via the internet and my resume), Tim

Day 23 - Missouri - Haven House - Revisited

2010-03-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

I never know what will stick with me. Sometimes have an inkling of the things I will remember and perhaps even the stories I will tell regarding a certain event, but I am never completely certain of the details, the expressions, the particulars of the interactions that will stay, captured in my minds eye. It is always a surprise what stands out - what jumps to the forefront in my memory. When,

Day 22 - Arkansas - The Living Affected Corp - Revisited

2010-03-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

For having just three and four letters respectively, HIV and AIDS are two very scary words, if I may call them words and not acronyms. At this point in our trip, we had worked with five organizations that counted HIV/AIDS among their primary focuses, if not the primary purpose of the organization. Some organizations provided food to person with HIV/AIDS and their families. Others provided home

Day 21 - Tennessee - Children's Museum of Memphis - Revisited

2010-03-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

The following includes profanity and drug references. Reader descretion is advised.Begin Scene: Two A.M. A girl and a guy, both of who have obviously had a good evening, enter the studio apartment, already occupied by two sleeping travelers. The girl reaches for the light switch. Garish light floods the room. Girl: “Oh, shit, sorry dudes!” Lights extinguish. Lights flick back on. Lights

Simmering away.

2010-03-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

Well…crap…we kind of dropped the ball. We wandered to the edge of the earth, failed to stop, and kept trudging along, stepping almost mindlessly into the atmosphere, floating away into the ether. Though not physically tired (thanks to our many, many hosts who kept us well rested and well fed), our minds quietly turned the switch to “off”, before slipping into a daze and

Day 50 - Hawaii - Lanakila Pacific

2010-03-08T22:56:00.000-08:00

Slept with the sliding door open, heard the rustle in through trees, and woke up before the sun rose. Worked with Lanakila Pacific Meals on Wheels. Spooned gravy over roasted chicken, scooped brown rice, and portioned peas and carrots into eco-friendly containers, pushing them down the line toward the sealing machine. Compiled cold packs with butter, fruit and milk. Got

Day 49 - Alaska - STAR

2010-03-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

Worked with the STAR (Stand Together Against Rape) in Anchorage by helping to carry boxes of food and assorted snacks into the facility that houses the waiting rooms, interview rooms, and exam rooms. Heard about the services provided by STAR while touring the building, seeing the differences between the adult facilities and the children facilities, taking care to note the

Day 48 - Washington - People for Puget Sound

2010-03-08T22:42:00.000-08:00

The car limped, coughing and sputtering into Seattle, where we deposited it quietly in a garage and grabbed a ride to the work site. Though we arrived a few hours early, we found a member of People for Puget Sound and a boy scout troop working away, cutting through fibrous netting to plant to plant trees and shrubs in the sloped riverbank in Tukwila, WA. Later, additional

Day 47 - Oregon - NeighborImpact

2010-03-08T22:35:00.000-08:00

Visited NeighborImpact in Redmond, Or. Spent the morning working in the Head Start program, Tim in one classroom and me in the other, reading books and playing in the yard. Moved inside to complete puzzles, make binoculars out of colored paper and bright masking tape, hammer nails into wood (in a very safe and supervised fashion), eat sandwiches and write in journals. In

Day 46 - Idaho - Hays Shelter Home

2010-03-08T22:27:00.001-08:00

Saw the intersection of services – a community organization working with other organizations to expose kids to the benefits of volunteerism. Met with staff of Hays Shelter Home, and with them came 2 residents staying at the facility, whom we spent the day volunteering with. Drove by a local church to pick up bags of food supplies for families and individuals in and around

Day 45 - Montana - Thrive

2010-03-08T13:52:00.000-08:00

Toys, toys, toys. Bikes, trikes, tunnels, and bouncy balls. Kids - zero to five - rumbling, tumbling, and romping, burning off midwinter energy, switching from “scoot” toys to pedal toys and riding at break neck speeds, skillfully avoiding collisions with the acumen of a racecar driver. Moms and Dads lining the walls, catching up, some brave souls venturing into the mass

In Flight Entertainment

2010-02-20T23:45:00.000-08:00

We are onboard our flight from Seattle, WA to Anchorage, AK… “Why the change?” you interject. “Since when do you focus on the present, rather than the past?” Since today. Because, today we boarded a plane, and the game changed substantially. As of today: -Tim no longer has to drive (this is where I admit, sheepishly, that Tim did 98.27% of the driving) and is able to

Tales of the (yet to be named) Car

2010-02-19T18:23:00.001-08:00

The car is struggling. He (for this car is very surely a “he”) is groaning and growling and having trouble getting out of bed. Each time we ask him to reverse, he baulks and then snaps at us, refusing to engage, then smoothes the sheets, rolls over and puts the pillow over his head. In fact, just before we left Bend, I had to get out and push him from his slumber, hands on

Day 20 - Mississippi - CARA - Revisited

2010-02-18T19:11:00.000-08:00

Two small, black, wiggly puppies, squirming, tumbling and tromping on one another, reaching up, up, up toward my out stretched hands that can only hold one, but want to hold both. And once I picked one up, I never wanted to put it down, could hardly bear the thought of ever letting him out of my sight. I intended to hold him close, sign the papers, and take him home.

Day 44 - Wyoming - I-Reach 2 Lifestyles

2010-02-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

“Think of this as your signature, use your imagination.” Tim and I have carried around a canvas and had people we meet along the way sign that canvas, all inspired by a project we planned to do at our 44th stop, I-Reach 2 in Casper, Wyoming. 50 square feet of canvas, all signed, cut into 40 even pieces and handed out to a number of participant artists, adults with

Day 43 - Colorado - Groundwork Denver

2010-02-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

Walked door-to-door, up steps and onto porches, knocking on doors. “Hi, I am volunteering for Groundwork Denver…”. Though Monday was President’s day, hardly anyone was home to listen to our speech. Knock, knock, knock. Count to thirty slooooowly. If the door opens, a) introduce yourself, b) ask if they would be interested in us swooping out their traditional front porch light bulb for an

Day 19 - Louisana - Project Lazarus - Revisited

2010-02-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Tim wants me to write about resiliency. It makes sense, given we are to be discussing New Orleans. It would actually be a perfect topic, and to prove it I even wrote 2 almost complete vignettes (almost complete means over half written, but no editing, so almost complete is subject to opinion). But as I get to the (relative) end of each, I get frustrated and finger-tied,

Day 42 - Utah - Wabi Sabi (at the Youth Garden Project)

2010-02-14T14:57:00.000-08:00

(We didn't take a picture because Kirsten was driving an that would have required her to shift with alacrity while a trucker was riding her tail on a semi deserted road) Drove into Moab in the coal black night and woke up to a view that paralyzed us in the window. Found the Youth Garden Project, the area housing the kitchen WabiSabi uses to cook their weekly community brunch

Day 41 - Nevada - Give me A Break, Inc,

2010-02-14T14:48:00.000-08:00

Tim went on his first spin down the strip, his eyes the size of dinner plates in the bright lights at night. Speeding down the highway, sunroof and windows open, dry heat filling the car (well, heat compared to where we have been), our eyes peeled for the cell phone towers made to look like palm trees. Worked with Give me A Break, Inc. to clean up a veteran’s cemetery in

Day 40 - California - Inland Temporary Homes

2010-02-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

Day 40 – See that in the title! That’s right…only 10 days left, which seems absolutely absurd. You mean we won’t be doing this forever? We have only just begun! Buried between an orange and grapefruit grove, Inland Temporary Homes offers families facing homelessness a positive environment, filled with possibility. Organized as a Disney “Give a Day, Get a Day”, 65 people

Day 39 - Arizona - Second Chance Center for Animals

2010-02-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

Arrived in Flagstaff at 2 am after sharing a meal with another traveling volunteer at Los Cuentas in Albequerque (just ask the waitress to surprise you, she makes good choices on your behalf). Switched organizations at the last moment due to a logistical issue – our former AZ organization suggested contacting Second Chance Center for Animals, our latter organization. A

Day 38 - New Mexico - Talking Talons

2010-02-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Talking Talons is a youth leadership program that brings birds of prey, reptiles, and bats into classrooms (often high risk classrooms) to teach students eco-awareness. Not only do they show students the magnificence of these animals up close, but they help these students to develop confidence with public speaking by assigning an animal to each individual and having them present a report to the

Day 37 - Texas - High Plains Food Bank

2010-02-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Though chilly, Amarillo in the winter does not boast the biting chill, but instead features the type of cold that lingers in the air, slowly numbing your extremities. In preparation for our day outside, Tim and I layered, throwing on gloves, ear warmers, and thick socks. At the High Plains Food Bank, Tim and I helped out in the community produce garden. In the morning, we helped build the

Day 36 - Oklahoma - Myriad Botanical Gardens

2010-02-12T07:58:00.000-08:00

Snow fell on Oklahoma City as Tim and I weeded the arid dry mountain inside the Myriad Botanical Gardens. Stepping gingerly between plants dotting the soil, we pulled deep-rooted weeds, and cleared the clover cover. Beautiful and lush, we had a birds-eye-view of the garden, and the movie that was being filmed there that day. That afternoon found us in the prop house, dislodging donated

Day 35 - Kansas - Sedgwick County Zoo

2010-02-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

You know you can volunteer at a ZOO? Like, with animals!!! No, really. You can! In Wichita, Tim and I volunteered at the Sedgwick County Zoo. We worked with the “bird folk”, prepping meals for the various birds in the jungle habitat. Chopping fruits and vegetables, grinding lettuce, distributing other food items (meal worms, fish, rats, mice, and chicks) between serving

Day 34 - Nebraska - Academy of Rock

2010-02-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

“These kids are really good….they ROCK,” Tim said to me, incredulously. We stood in one of the multiple practice spaces that had been constructed in the basement of a local music shop, staring wide eyed at the 11 year olds tearing it up on their guitars, basses, and drums. In Lincoln, Nebraska, we worked with Northeast Family Center, but more specifically, for the Academy

Day 33 - Iowa - Siouxland Aging Services

2010-02-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

Sioux Falls to Sioux City. Worked at the Siouxland Aging Services, helping with office projects, such as database content review, and their meal delivery program. Tim and I went in different cars – I delivered meals at an SAS subsidized housing facility, while Tim went from house to house, delivering meals to a variety of residential locations. Some quick deliveries, but

Day 32 - South Dakota - HelpLine

2010-02-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

(Doesn't it make you proud to know we concentrate so hard on driving that we miss the state signs?)Discussed religion and teaching with one of the more creative educators ever. No ands, ifs, or buts – EVER. She even treated us to her cackle, which would make the Wicked Witch of the West’s toes curl. We served at Help!Line, an organization dedicated to linking community

Day 31 - North Dakota - Great Plains Food Bank

2010-02-11T17:17:00.000-08:00

Setting in rapt attention, we ate venison curry and listened to a number of stories (or numbered stories, I should say, as the teller’s swore she could identify them as #62, or #154) about the area, the newspaper business, and various people he had interviewed. Worked at the Great Plains Food Bank, labeling bulk goods, and putting together boxes of staple items.

Day 30 - Minnesota - Upstream Arts

2010-02-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

(Those darn state signs come up so fast!)Hi my name is Kirsten and today I feel ADVENTUROUS (hand to brow and a sweeping look over the crowd). Hi my name is Tim and today I feel like I have done a lot of driving (hands at ten and two, clutching an invisible steering wheel). Two interpretations of the same question – no right answer, no wrong answer. Spent our day in

Day 29 - Wisconsin - Project Concern Cudahy

2010-02-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

Custard! Why has no one ever said anything before! Frozen custard – we are never to eat ice cream again! Stayed with a friend of a friend, her wonderful family, two wonderful dogs, and a quiet bunny. Early morning found us playing a board game with the youngest son, eyes drowsy, but interest peaked, a puppy wandering past and flopping into our respective laps. Served at

Day 18 - Florida - Appetite for Life - Revisited

2010-02-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

Everyday, you meet people who directly influence the your life. Some in little ways, by, I don’t know, recommending a book that helps you to see things a little differently. And others in large ways, like the kind that find you driving down a dark (ah, inky has found its appropriately use here!), interstate in Nebraska, listening to Bela Fleck on repeat, because it just

Day 28 - Illinois - Inspiration Corporation

2010-02-05T14:40:00.001-08:00

(We obviously need to get better at catching the state signs before we pass them) Stayed with a friend, who fortified us with support and snacks, namely gummies and jerky. Served at The Living Room Cafe (part of the Inspiration Corporation), a community brunch during which the clients sit down and the volunteers take their order. Joined by parents of Quincy University

Day 17 - Alabama - Waterfront Rescue Mission - Revisited

2010-02-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

Well hello there, stranger! Miss us? Yes, we have been absent from story hour for quite awhile, and I apologize. It has been my fault - I got distracted. See, this experience has been wild, and I didn’t quite know what to make of it. So I have been hesitating. Tim has been diligent in his duties, namely driving and being unflappable, taking everything in stride. I, on

Day 27 - Michigan - Capuchin Soup Kitchen

2010-02-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

Ate Michigan cherries and dark chocolate while swapping stories with old friends, relocated to Michigan from New Hampshire. Arrived at the wrong Capuchin location - we were meant to spend the day at the soup kitchen, but arrived at the warehouse facility. Warmly welcomed, we joined a number of people from a local company, packing boxes with staples for 8 to 10 meals for a family of 4. One box

Day 26 - Ohio - Serenity Horse Rescue

2010-02-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

Mucked stalls at the Serenity Horse Rescue. Cold weather prevailed, but we warmed up while working, raking through shavings. The horses, happy to be out of the elements, watched interested as we worked stall-by-stall, isle-by-isle, through the barn. Tim mandated we ate at Skyline chili, which was a pleasant change from typical fast food (though we haven't eaten much fast

Day 25 - Indiana - Project HOME Indy

2010-01-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

Stayed with family, though we still spent a moment figuring out exactly who was related to whom. Visited the gutted structure that, once completed, will house Project HOME Indy, a family house for 6 parenting or pregnant teen girls and their children. Walked through the structure, heard the design plans and visualized the end result. Magnificent. Drove a U-haul around

Day 24 - Kentucky - Olmsted Park Conservancy

2010-01-31T15:52:00.000-08:00

Fingers chilled while in gloves and toes numb despite wooly socks and boots, we navigated Cherokee Park in Louisville, spotting Garlic Mustard and pinching it, roots and all, from the soil. Traversing the park with the Olmsted Park Conservancy, our movement sustaining our warmth, we hunted the invasive plant, finding along asphalt paths, where the ground had hardened,

Day 23 - Missouri - Haven House

2010-01-31T15:41:00.000-08:00

Stayed overnight at Haven House, a home-like facility for families that travel to St. Louis for medical care, where we were welcomed warmly. Designed materials for the upcoming auction fundraiser, typing on opposing computers in a cool office, overlooking the snowy grounds. Spoke with one of the families in residence during lunch, before wiping down the cafeteria and

Day 22 - Arkansas - The Living Affected Corp

2010-01-31T15:29:00.001-08:00

Watched the end of the Saints game in a sparsely populated Irish pub and cheered for a team we hadn’t intended on following. Drove through the downtown, noting Clinton building, after Clinton building, after Clinton building. Arrived at the Women’s Project, in which The Living Affected Corp is housed. Discussed the problems faced, the intersection between culture and

Day 21 - Tennessee - Children's Museum of Memphis

2010-01-30T16:17:00.000-08:00

Stayed with a complete stranger found on Betterthanthevan.com – felt absolutely radical trusting someone we didn’t expressly know. Drove past Graceland, dingy and depressed, like a faded poster that once boasted bright colors. Walked along the Mississippi, vast and muddy. Ate breakfast in silence due to a miscommunication – words were exacerbated by hunger and silence was

Day 20 - Mississippi - CARA

2010-01-30T16:05:00.000-08:00

White washed the inside of a donated trailer at CARA with a number of volunteers, covering the wooden walls with a thick coat of paint, making the interior to bright and clean. Held both of the tiny and tumbly puppies, and walked through the isles, saying “hello” to all the dogs, craving to take one home. Ate barbeque made by the undisputed barbeque king. Cleaned out the

Day 19 - Louisana - Project Lazarus

2010-01-30T15:48:00.001-08:00

Ate course after course of homemade traditional New Orleans delicacies – crab cakes, etouffe, gumbo, barbeque shrimp (though not doused in the sauce or prepared on the grill, so I need help understanding the etymology). Staffed a resident house at Project Lazarus, a home for Louisiana men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Passed the time talking to residents, making the

Day 18 - Florida - Appetite for Life

2010-01-30T15:36:00.000-08:00

Stayed in our first hotel – the absolute quiet was strange. Baked huge sheets of pineapple upside down cake, brownies with walnuts, and individual birthday cakes at Appetite for Life in Pensacola. In addition to sumptuous treats, the organization provides nutritious, high quality meals at no charge to persons infected with or affected by HIV/ AIDS or other terminal

Day 17 - Alabama - Waterfront Rescue Mission

2010-01-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Drove along the Eastern Shore in the early morning and stood on the pier overlooking the glass-flat water. Completed office work at the Waterfront Rescue Mission in Mobile, shredding old documents to make room for new. Helped serve lunch (beanie weenies, bread, and sweet tea) with a few men from the rehabilitation program to the transient population that visits for a hot

Half the way there...

2010-01-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

Well, we are half way done.Yes indeedy - 25 down, 25 more to go.In the the past month (almost, we are a whisper away from a full month on the road, so let us round up and be on with it), we have learned/observed a number of things, at least some (or maybe just one, short and sweet) of which I would like to share with you.This country is beautiful, gorgeous in geography and in personality. She is

Day 16 - Georgia - FurKids

2010-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

Tim is not a fan of cats; actually, he is a pretty well established, card-carrying member of the anti-cat party. He may even run for office next year, under the slogan “Let this town go to the DOGS”. When asked for the reasoning behind his disdain for felines of all shapes and size, he reasons that cats are completely useless - they serve no real purpose. I guess everyone

Day 15 - South Carolina - Center for Community Services

2010-01-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

“Wow. This is a striking number of people,” I thought, before counting off by twos. Two, four….sixteen….thirthy-four….fourty-eight….sixty-eight….(wait, is that three or four people over there. Three, okay)….On no…. Where was I? Well, I am sure, dear reader, that you don’t need an exact number, that you, in fact, would loathe having a completely certain and round figure,

Day 14 - North Carolina - The LaStraw

2010-01-25T20:35:00.000-08:00

Eat locally and support your local farmers, thereby sustaining the health of your local agriculture. Shop locally and support your local businesses, thereby sustaining the health of your local business environment. These are mantras that many Americans are incorporating into their daily lives. Instead of shopping the cheaper Wal-Mart, people are heading to mom and pop shops, small boutiques,

Day 13 - Virginia - Roanoke Valley Horse Rescue

2010-01-22T23:59:00.000-08:00

More often than not, I sit staring at the computer, wondering what to say. I wonder how to properly convey this experience. Because everyday, Tim and I have a very different experience from the proceeding day, and most often a very different experience from each other. Sure, we can sum it up in over arching generalities (volunteer work is rewarding) and there is some

Day 12 - West Virginia - Cause for Paws

2010-01-22T21:58:00.000-08:00

Country Roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain momma Take me home, country roads I have been trying to get Tim to sing for a long time and was hoping this song would provide him with the proverbial “toe in the water”. Tim’s family is from West Virginia and I had heard rumors of a certain family tradition that involves putting on this

Day 11 - Maryland - Moveable Feast

2010-01-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

Can we talk about food?Tim and I eat a lot. Not like “quantity” a lot, but in frequency and diversity. Well, I guess in quantity too. Anyway, what kind of road trip would this be with out extensive amounts of eating? Originally, Tim and I were planning to add a food component to our trip: 50 states, 50 days, 50 organizations, and 50 state specialties. This was going to be for us, our

Day 10 - Delaware - Food Bank of Delaware

2010-01-18T19:06:00.000-08:00

(Insert Mental Image of Delaware Welcome Sign Here!)“That’s BALONEY!”Tim has been exclaiming that loudly lately. It was cute - 4 days ago. This is the problem (or the benefit) of having a 6 day lag in getting a story down on paper - I know what happens later on and you don't. I know how the story is shaping up. I know that Tim started using baloney as a colloquialism after volunteering at the

Day 9 - Pennsylvania - Philabundance

2010-01-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

I have a tenuous relationship with Philadelphia – we don’t really get along. See, Philly is my ex, my last relationship before Boston. We were only together briefly, but it was an intense situation. In fact, when our interactions became too strained, I packed up my things and left without so much as a good bye. I didn’t even leave a note. And Philly woke up one morning to find my side of the

Day 8 - New Jersey - Your ReSource

2010-01-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

Funny, I am writing this in West Virginia. A story of New Jersey as told from a car rocketing through West Virginia, toward Harper’s Ferry. We have departed the norm. Till this point, the landscape was familiar. We have passed through cities and towns that, though not the same, provided some semblance of similarity. Not anymore. We have officially seen our first wide

Day 7 - New York - Citymeals

2010-01-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

So where did we leave off? New York, I believe. Ah, yes, New York. I will be the first to acknowledge, we are not New Yorkers and will never be Manhattanites. I really like New York and am totally envious of those who call New York home. But, I feel like everyone in NYC is about 3000% more composed than I am. For the most part Tim and I walk around looking slightly

A jumble of order and words

2010-01-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

So, we are just about caught up in our blogging! I gotta tell you, I am looking forward to our 5+ hour car rides - it is easier to get work done in the car, rather than feel terribly rude walking into a dear friend's (or, sometimes, complete stranger's) home, say "Thanks for putting us up!" and then retreat into silence while writing, catching up on emails, and plotting out our next day. Ok, we

Day 6 - Connecticut - Foodshare

2010-01-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy last few days. We officially left our home base, driving into the wild tangles of concrete and asphalt that run up, down, and across the country. Every now and again, when we see a sign for Boston, and Tim and I exchange a glance. Silently, we press forward – some times quickly clasping hand, entwining fingers before Tim has to shift gears, pushing

Day 5 - Rhode Island - Save the Bay

2010-01-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

Painting is a lot of fun. Seriously, it is! Everyone has a story about a painting job gone horribly awry - an awful color; an ambitious job attempted solo, resulting in fuzzy edges and paint on the ceiling; splotches of paint embedded in carpet fibers. But picture a painting team with fifteen members, all clad in the perfunctory uniform of jeans and a tee shirt, some

Day 4 - Massachusetts - Emmaus Inc.

2010-01-07T17:11:00.000-08:00

It is not always easy to volunteer – some locations are harder than others. When talking about volunteerism, especially for this project where we are trying to urge people to get out and volunteer, the first instinct is to want to make the experience all posies and puppies, butterfly kisses and gold stars. But it would be a disservice to everyone to shirk the truth because it would gloss of the

Day 3 - Maine - LearningWorks

2010-01-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

I have found that I write better in bed. Weird, perhaps, but I feel as though I am enveloped in an impenetrable cocoon, that no one can get at my words and meaning but me. So here I am, moments from sleep, having my final dialogue of the day with you, dear reader. It is terrifying to have no immediate roots, exhilarating and terrifying. We have no place to lay our weary

Day 2 - New Hampshire - New Hampshire Food Bank

2010-01-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Day one and day two down! We have now visited two very different organizations and had two very different service experiences. It is time for a toast! Cheers to Volunteerism (sense a shameless plug here? Well, you would be correct! Join us at the Hi-Hat in Providence, RI on Thursday, January 7th from 6:30 – 10 pm for the Cheers for Volunteers event)! But, seriously, we

Day 1 - Vermont - Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports

2010-01-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

Oh, is it time to begin? I mean, (for those of you have been overseeing our planning process) we began months ago – but time to really get going? With details, descriptions, and pictures! What I am saying is, from this moment forward, we will not be having the meandering discussion that we have been having, but will instead talk turkey (gobble, gobble). At this juncture, I am under the impression

Truth Be Told.

2010-01-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

Tim taught me how to drive stick a few weekends ago. For the record, I do not recommend this experience in a pair of heels. Me, the driver in training, not Tim. He would have been fine teaching in heels. Me, not so much. I mean driving not teaching. Nevermind. We spun circles around his elementary school parking lot, first slowly and then with speedy confidence,

Faith, Hope, and Believing

2009-12-27T17:47:00.000-08:00

Before I begin, I am going to apologize to Melva Florence, executive director at The LaStraw (pronounced “Last Straw”) in Greensboro, NC. Melva, I saw your comment on the iParticipateNH blog posting about our journey about a month ago and I never responded. I never reached out to you and told you how wonderful and meaningful your comments were, well really - still are, to

Cheers for Volunteers Event - Jan 7th, 2009

2009-12-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

A belated very merry and a whooping "Happy Holidays" to everyone! I hope your day was jolly and bright, and that Santa (if you choose to partake in that particular tradition) was good to you. Speaking of Mr. Claus, have you read this article? According to this health expert's assessment, Santy is quite the poor influence! We

The Tree Hunt (or, A Complete Departure from Anything Terribly Pertainent)

2009-12-20T10:36:00.000-08:00

I must warn you - I am procrastinating (so EASY to do on a snowy Sunday). We already answered some emails, edited some documents, started our press kit and power (?) point (?) presentation (?...We are experimenting with different mediums for information transfer. Some people, apparently, learn best through the bulleted method). The dogs have been out. And I need to give you an update, but I

Introducing our new and improved FAQ page! We save you time by condensing answers!

2009-12-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

We thought an FAQ page would be a plesant addition to our website and would nicely address the veritable landslide of questions we have received (okay, I exaggerate, we have received SOME questions, but it seems to be the same ones, over and over and over again). Now, hopefully, people won’t have to scrounge around our website and blog looking for answers. Scrounging is just so time consuming,

December? Really?

2009-12-04T08:25:00.001-08:00

My, my, my – how Time flies (or trips, or skips, or full on SPRINTS, without breathing heavily, needing water, or even breaking a sweat. What a nimble athlete that Time is! Remind me to never challenge Time to a foot race). Wasn’t Thanksgiving a second ago? What is this business about it being December already? Absurd, I tell you! We have so much left to do. Who hit fast forward? You know

50 days till 50/50/50

2009-11-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I have my first official experience of typing on the go. I am writing to you as a fly my way to Florida (yeah, I know, rough life) for my last business trip before Tim and I head out on our journey. Today is a very special benchmark. We are 50 days from our 50 day, 50 state, 50 organization odyssey (or, as one of the organizations we are visiting has appropriately termed it, our 50/50/50

"Tackling" Community Problems

2009-11-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

We got a really good question the other day: “How do you expect to tackle the problems of a community if you are only there for a few hours?” It is something that I mulled over for a long time when discussing our plan. I mean how much good can we do if we are only spending approximately 4 to 8 hours at each stop? Oh, no. Buckle your seatbelts and prepare to spiral into

How the heck are you guys going to pull this off?

2009-11-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

So, two things have recently occurred to me: One, I need to start blogging more to gear up for the 50 posts I will be writing during the course of our journey. This is terribly intimidating! I envisioned that I would sit here and my thoughts would effortlessly flow from my mind to the page, each word wrought with significance and clear, concise

How big changes start small...

2009-10-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

And so it begins, as anything else, with a simple statement – “I don’t know, I want to change the world…do something to make a difference…something I am passionate about.” Tim had been laid off from his job a few weeks prior to making this statement. One night, while he and I were discussing his future, the conversation turned away from his