THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a year 2013 turned out to be!!!!!!!!!! I hope you had as great a time in 2013 as I did. As we ring in 2014 I wanted to take a moment to say a great big THANK YOU to all of the organizations I got to walk beside in 2013. I learned so much this year. Many of you have asked what I will take away from this year of volunteering. I will take away the fact that each of us can BE THE DIFFERENCE! It doesn't matter if you are rich, poor, old or young. It doesn't matter what your faith is (or even if you have a faith). It doesn't matter what race you are, what ethnic background you have, what gender you are, what socioeconomic background you have. The only thing that matters is that YOU choose to reach out and help someone that could use a hand. It can be your neighbor, your family member, your friend or even a complete stranger. Opportunities to better the life of another person present themselves to us each and every day. I am hopeful that if you have been enjoying my blog this year, you will consider taking action when you see one of these opportunities present themselves in your future. You too can BE THE DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I understand that what I did this year is not the norm. I understand that we don't all have time to volunteer with 40 different organizations. But I also understand that any amount of time that you can spare to help another is time well spent :) I will always remember this year. I will always remember the people I met and organizations I got to learn about. And I will always be looking for ways to BE THE DIFFERENCE. Here's to 2014!!!!!!!!!! May this coming year outshine the year we are about to put behind us. Wherever your journey may take you, I wish you all a blessed, prosperous, love filled new year.

#40 American Red Cross

Today I completed my 40th Volunteer Opportunity and reached my goal!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW GREAT DOES THAT FEEL???? I joined the American Red Cross in delivering Holiday Mail for Heroes. Have you ever written a letter or sent a Christmas Card to a soldier or serviceman/woman you have never met? Have you ever wanted to? The American Red Cross offers a program in which you can send the letters to Holiday Mail For Heroes and those letters can be put in the hands of our brave military members. My job today was to assist in this task. By the time I arrived, all of the cards had been sorted into different piles for active military members and any serviceman/woman piles. I joined the American Red Cross Staff and Volunteers and together we loaded into a van, and headed out to deliver these cards into the hands of those brave men and women. We spent nearly two hours handing out Christmas cards to the residents of Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. We got to spend our afternoon greeting them, shaking hands, handing out cards and sharing the Christmas Spirit with each and every one of them. When we finished there, we continued on to the VFW Posts, American Legions Posts and even the Marine Corps Recruiting Office. At each location we did the same. Can you think of a more fitting end to this journey I have been on? I surely cannot. Imagine what fun I had today, spending time with our HEROES, sharing the Christmas spirit and genuinely bringing smiles to their faces. If you want to be a part of this, and BE THE DIFFEFRENCE, in the lives of our American Heroes, then please contact the American Red Cross at http://redcross.org

The End is Near

Who knows what this Friday is???? This Friday is December 13. That's right people, my lucky day. Friday the 13th has always been a favorite day of mine. I was born on Friday the 13 (July, 1973) I was married on Friday the 13th (August, 1993) and this year, I will complete my birthday adventure on Friday the 13th (December, 2013). I can't think of a better way to end this year long journey :) Stay tuned!

#39 Grand Rapids Home For Veterans

For those who don't know me, I am terribly patriotic :) I am the daughter of an Army Veteran and a Navy Veteran (my father served in both branches of the United States Military). I was born at a Naval Base on July 13, 1973. I KNEW without a doubt that one of my 40 opportunities had to be the Veteran's Home. And guess what??? I achieved that goal. On Saturday I was able to join an amazing group of people who take time out of their lives every two months to put on a birthday party for the veterans living in the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. The Ruff Ryders allowed me to join them and lend a hand that afternoon. They all arrived and made me feel so welcome to be serving with their group. We served cake and ice cream to all who wanted some that day. It was great fun. When I finished with the birthday party, I was then sent to another room where I joined the Purple Hearts in running a bingo game. Imagine that, me and a bingo game.....hahahahaha My dad would love that. I got to meet a veteran who had earned two purple hearts in his lifetime. What an amazing man! If you have ever wanted to BE THE DIFFERENCE in the life of a veteran, if you have ever wanted to say THANK YOU for all that they have done for our freedoms, I ask you to consider volunteering your time at the Veteran's Home nearest you. For me that was at http://www.michigan.gov/dmva/0,4569,7-126-2362_2749-8474--,00.html

#38 Bethany Christian Services - Refugee Services

Have you ever considered how extremely lucky we are to have been born in the United States? We are sooooooo very blessed. We have opportunities that people from so many other countries can only dream of. Imagine being born in a country, and then from no fault of your own, you are forced to leave that country to protect your family or your life. This is the case for refugees. Each year they come to the United States to find freedom, safety or just to get a new start. This is where organizations like Bethany come in to play. They take these refugees and help them become assimilated in the United States. I was asked to assist with a silent auction that would raise funds to allow Bethany to continue their programs. I was excited to be a part. If you want to be a part and be the difference in the lives of those who have fled to the United States to make a new life for themselves and their families, then PLEASE contact Bethany Refugee Services at http://www.bethany.org/main/volunteer?link=menu

#37 - 3 Mile Project

Are you a parent? Do you worry about where your kids are spending their free time? My birthday adventure took me to a local hotspot that might be the solution you are looking for. The 3 Mile Project is an activity center set up with them in mind. This facility holds open activity nights each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Thursday is for 5-6 graders. Friday is for 7-8 graders. Saturday is for high schoolers. The kids pay $5.00 to enter and they are able to participate in all activities for three hours. They have a skate park, re-ball course (kind of like paintball with rubber pellets instead of paint), basketball courts, volleyball, movie rooms, video games, arts and crafts, dance floor, and gaga ball pit. There are also dodgeball games at the end of the night. This was built as a safe place for kids to go, have a great time with their friends and make new friends. My job was to greet the kids as they came in for the night. Once all the kids had been checked in, the fun began. I got to walk around throughout the night and just keep an eye out for any issues and see these kids having a blast with each other. Over 200 kids took part in the fun the night I helped out. As you can imagine, there is always need for volunteers. You can volunteer if you are a highschooler, a college kid, or even an adult :) If you want to lend a hand please contact them at http://www.3mp.org

#36 Allendale Lifelong Learners

October 30 found me joining Allendale Lifelong Learners for a mystery dinner/movie night. I had no idea what this would entail. We gathered in the kitchen as the guests arrived. We had 12 items that would make up their dinner that night. Animal Crackers with Frosting, Green Beans, Celery Sticks, Cucumbers, Baby Carrots, Meatballs, Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Jello Salad, Fork, Knife and Spoon. Each item was assigned a number. The guests were told they would have a 3 course meal (4 items for each course). They had to pick which items they wanted for each course by picking 4 numbers for each course. The "mystery" was that they didn't know what number was assigned to each item. This was so fun. Some of them got their spaghetti, but only had a knife to eat it with, or in one case they used their celery to eat their spaghetti because they had chosen no silverware. As you can imagine, this was quite a fun experience for all :) After dinner, the guests enjoyed the movie "We Bought a Zoo". At intermission, we served them apple crisp and ice cream. This event was just one of many that Allendale Lifelong Learners (our seniors) enjoy throughout the year. If you would like to help put on any of the upcoming events and meet some amazing seniors living in our community, please contact Kathy Hanes at khanes@allendale-twp.org

#35 Paradise Bound - Open Doors Orphanage

So this week my birthday adventure took me to Guatemala. Ok, that may be a stretch. But it took my volunteer efforts to Guatemala. On Monday night I joined JQ99.3 (a local Christian Radio Station) in their Lift Sit 2013. This is the second annual fundraiser for Paradise Bound - Open Doors Orphanage in Guatemala. Troy West (a JQ 99.3 radio personality) and Dan Smith (the founder of Paradise Bound) go up in a shack on a lift suspended over I-196 and vow to stay there until the goal is met. I worked the phone bank during their lift sit. Listeners were invited to call in to make donations to support one year of costs associated with the orphanage. The total they were seeking was $65,000.00. The phones opened up at 6:00 a.m. that morning. After work, I left to go work the phone bank. I arrived just after 3:30 p.m. When I arrived the total raised was $17,858.00. We had 4 phones in the phone bank. Before I left at 6:00 p.m. the total had increased to $23,016.00. What a blessing. I was able to be a part of fundraising over $5,000.00 in just under 3 hours. Can you believe it??? That is 1/13 of the annual budget for the orphanage. This orphanage is fully funded by sponsors and donations. Every penny raised allows them to continue to help the orphans of Guatemala. The phone bank shut down at 6:00 p.m. It reopened Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. and stayed open until 6:00 p.m. Before 6:00 p.m. on the second day, they had raised over $70,000.00 and Troy West and Dan Smith were able to leave the lift. This was GOD working in West Michigan to provide for the orphans in Guatemala. This was a VERY happy day indeed :) If you want to be part of this ministry, if you want to volunteer with Paradise Bound, or if you want to take a mission trip to the actual orphanage in Guatemala, please contact them at info@paradisebound.org

#34 Moriah Ministries

For those of you who do not know me personally, I am a married mother of two teenagers. My oldest child is a senior this year at Allendale High School. We are currently working through the process of college applications and visits. For this opportunity, I was contacted by Mrs. Love who invited me to join her in serving a meal to GVSU Students. I didn't know about this ministry, but I couldn't say no to that. After all, I am Alumni at GVSU. It turned out to be such a great night!! Moriah Ministries is a ministry for Grand Valley Students and their friends. There are team chaplains who are available to the kids for spiritual guidance 24/7. This group meets once a month. They are provided a home cooked meal (which is where I was put to work) followed by a youth group meeting which this night included live music. What a great way to spend some of my birthday celebration. Playing MOM to a group of college kids that literally live two blocks from my home. When kids are away for college, they often face many challenges. Their faith gets challenged. They are missing their homes. This ministry works to resolve both of those issues. It gives these students a sense of home. FAITH BUILDING AND A HOME COOKED MEAL.....what college kids wouldn't want this???? When I attended GVSU, in the 1990's, I would have loved to find this ministry. It would have sure helped me with my homesickness. If you want to BE THE DIFFERENCE in the lives of college students, please contact this ministry. They can be reached at http://moriahministries.wordpress.com/volunteers/

#33 Michigan Blood

On October 6 I joined the staff and nurses from Michigan Blood to work a blood drive in Wyoming, MI. This day I was part of a team that LITERALLY was able to save a life. I have been a blood donor many times over my 40 years. It is so easy to do and it could mean the difference between life and death to a person whom I never met and will never know. Knowing that I could spend a little of my time, give one pint of my blood and possibly save another person's life, I couldn't think of a more special gift. I was assigned the task of working post-donation station. I was there to monitor the donors after they had donated their blood to ensure that they had regained their strength and composure before they left to go about their daily activities. It was so inspiring to see the donors. I met teenagers, adults, senior citizens. They each were there for one thing, to save lives. And do you want to know where I was on Tuesday, October 8? I was in my hometown donating my own blood, saving a life at yet another Michigan Blood Donor Drive. It felt great to know I was able to BE THE DIFFERENCE to another. If you want to help out, Michigan Blood, can use your assistance. They can use volunteers any day of the week. It is easy to do and will fit with any schedule. If you want to get involved contact them at http://www.miblood.org/volunteer/

#32 I-61 Ministries

On Saturday, October 5, I was able to join I-61 Ministries for their Fall Women's Breakfast. This was a day filled with Women and Worship. What a great way to spend a morning. The women who attended this breakfast were treated to Ceci LeBarge from JQ99 (a local Christian Music Station) as the guest speaker. She talked to us about the drawbacks of social media. How we have started to base our happiness in our "status" on social media or how others respond to our posts. She reminded us that our happiness is found by looking up to our GOD and not to what others think of us. It was a pretty powerful speech. That was followed by some beautiful worship music. The I-61 Ministries have one mission "The primary mission of I-61 Ministries is to formulate a community of women who offer support to one another as they search for peace and joy in their lives. I-61 Ministries strive to network women together to share one another’s burdens and offer encouragement through prayer, song, testimony, fellowship and God’s word. Ultimately, it is the focus of I-61 Ministries to “Bind up the Broken Hearted”, as stated in Isaiah 61, by reaching out to women with the gospel message of hope, healing, and salvation." What a beautiful thing to be a part of. I was able this day to work the registration table and assist with clean up following the breakfast. While I thought I was there to help a great organization, it turns out I may have been there to learn from them. I was moved by the amount of peace I felt leaving this day's activity. If you want to feel this kind of peace, if you are searching for somewhere to dedicate your time, please consider contacting them and see how you can be the difference in the lives of women. They can be reached at www.facebook.com/I61MinistriesforWomen

#31 Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding

Do you have a favorite sound? I have two. The first is the sound of crashing waves. The second is pure uninhibited laughter. Last night my birthday adventure allowed me to experience one. I arrived at Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding after work. I was taught how to groom a horse. Once we completed the task and the horse was outfitted with its saddle then the fun began. The riders arrived. This night would prove to be a fantastic experience. I was able to be a side walker for the rest of the time I was at the center. Equest is a center that holds horse riding classes for persons with special needs. During their 30 minute class, riders are taken through different activities to allow them to challenge themselves. These include riding, directing the horses to walk, trot and once in a while even cantor. The riders are given tasks to increase their flexibility and their abilities to follow instructions. Some of the riders require side walkers, some are more independent. A side walker is just that, they walk beside the rider as they ride through their class. It was pretty universal that when the riders were allowed to have their horses trot that the joy came out. I cannot tell you how beautiful the sound is when you hear someone just laugh and even scream a little with pure joy. It was exactly what I needed to hear and a PERFECT addition to this birthday celebration. If you are interested in experiencing a little of this joy, please contact Equest and make arrangements to go and volunteer. They can be contacted at http://equestcenter.org/equest-volunteers/

#30 Oasis of Hope

On Saturday I was able to lend a hand to the Heels to Heal 5k held at Grand Valley State University. The funds raised at this 5k will be used to further the mission of Oasis of Hope Center in Grand Rapids, MI. Oasis of Hope Center provides medical care to people who have no health insurance. The services are donated from doctors, nurses and physicians assistants. In America today, with all the changes coming to the healthcare system, the fact that there are medical providers willing to donate their services to those in need moved me. I HAD to be a part of this. The 5k was held on GVSU Campus and could not have been more exciting. I met some great students, volunteers and participants. All of us were there for the same reason, we wanted to help out. If you are interested in doing so, please contact them at http://www.ohcgr.org/contact.html You can be the difference today :)