#26 Resthaven Care Center

Sooooo, this is a BIRTHDAY Celebration after all....and what would it be without ice cream???? I got the opportunity to work a 50's Themed Ice Cream Social at Resthaven Care Center in Holland this week. You know I couldn't say no to that. We spent a couple of hours scooping up ice cream and toppings to the residents and their families while the entertainment for the evening played 50's music for them to enjoy. The volunteers and staff even got into character with their clothes. This was a FUN event. This facility works with Alzheimers' patients, residents needing temporary care after surgery and residents needing full time care. They have regular and occasional needs for volunteers. If you are in the Holland area and would like to be the difference in the lives of the patients here, if you would like to be the bright spot in their day when their families cannot be with them, this is the place to volunteer. You can contact them at http://www.resthaven.org/413955.ihtml

#25 SECOM

#25 South East Community Outreach Ministry. Nearly Labor Day.....Can't believe how fast this year has flown by. The kids are getting ready to return to school next week. On Saturday I was lucky enough to join an amazing ministry in South East Grand Rapids in preparing backpacks to be given to kids who might otherwise start their new school year without the proper supplies. Through donations we were able to assemble 250 backpacks for needy kids in the community they serve. WOW! We did 125 for middle school aged children and 125 for elementary school aged children. This organization does so much more. They have established a free pre-school to encourage early childhood development. They are teaching two separate classes of 15 children each. In addition, they have a food pantry (partially supplied by a garden they grow and tend on-site), they offer exercise classes, they offer resources to meet emergency needs and they are there to connect the community with the resources around them to assist with their long term needs. I can't think of a better way to help out as summer comes to an end. Imagine the smiles on 250 kids when they receive a new backpack stuffed with school supplies just for them. This organization can use assistance year round. If you are near the South East side of Grand Rapids and you want to help out here is how to contact them.......http://www.secomministries.org/volunteer.html

#24 Exodus Place

So what would a summer birthday celebration be without a cookout????? Tonight my birthday adventure took me to Exodus Place in Grand Rapids. This is a facility that gives formerly homeless veterans and other men in need a "hand up not a hand out". The men who live here are given a place to live, 3 meals a day, encouragement, skills training to assist them in finding work, counseling, bible studies, recreational activities and most of all...........a new start. Many of the residents are military veterans who have needs that the staff of this amazing facility are meeting. Each Wednesday night the staff hosts a cookout on the deck at this facility. The deck overlooks the Grand River and couldn't be more perfect. Tonight I was lucky enough to stand beside the two chefs and join them in serving approximately 50 men a fantastic dinner, barbeque chicken, homemade potato salad, corn on the cob and berries and cream for dessert. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there tonight. If you want to be a part of these men's lives, even for just a few hours, I recommend you contact them at http://exodusplace.org/

#23 ALS Association -Michigan Chapter

Today's adventure took me to the ALS Association, Michigan Chapter in Grand Rapids. ALS? What is that you may ask. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. This is a terrible disease with no cure. It affects the connection between your brain and your muscles. The loss of this connection results in the brain not being able to control how the muscles in your body react. Eventually the person suffering this disease will pass away because the brain didn't tell the body how to function (no direction to the lungs to breathe or to the heart to tell it to beat). What can we do to help? Well, tonight my daughter and I found a way to "Be the Difference". The Michigan Chapter has an Equipment Loan Program. They lend out medical equipment to patients and their families to allow them to care for their family members as the disease progresses. Our job today???? ORGANIZATION. As you can imagine there are regular calls to their office with requests for equipment. They are blessed to have received many donations of equipment to lend out, however, they are limited on space. That is where we came in. We went and spent a little over an hour and organized the equipment. The next time a call comes in, they will know exactly what equipment is available and they will be able to find it :) This was just one way to help. There are many other opportunities to help this amazing organization make their clients lives a little less stressful. If you would like to help please contact them at http://webmi.alsa.org/site/PageNavigator/MI_6_volunteer.html

#22 Unity Christian Music Festival

For those of you who don't know me personally, I am a CHRISTIAN and I LOVE MUSIC. Music touches me in a way that no other form of art can do. It reaches me on an emotional level and I love it!!! When an opportunity to volunteer at a Festival full of Christians and Music came up, I couldn't turn it away. It was a busy day, but my life is greater for having been there. I met a woman who had lost her mother-in-law and the next day had a mini-stroke. Her husband brought her to one night of the festival after she pleaded. He enjoyed himself so much that the next day they came again. Why you ask??? Because one of the musicians sang a song that resonated with him and he was able to finally grieve for what he lost during that year. Music is powerful. CHRISTIAN MUSIC moves people! I have seen it in my own life and after this weekend, I have seen it in may other's lives as well! Man I love this birthday celebration. For those of you who may wonder, there were 700 volunteers over 4 days that made this event run smoothly. I was but one. If you are interested in being a part of next year's event, they are already gearing up for the event. You can contact them at http://www.unitymusicfestival.com/ Hope to see you there!