Blogging By Mail
Yesterday I signed up for Blogging By Mail. It's this really nifty foodie-style care package swap that pairs up willing food bloggers all over the world. You agree to send a care package containing ten of your favorite food items and you'll get a package in return from a someone else. You just have to promise you'll actually ship your package by October 18th and that you'll blog about the care package you get in return.The last time Stephanie from Dispensing Happiness hosted the event, she had 85 generous folks sign up! If you're curious to see some of the contents of the care packages from the last event, she has a list of everyone that participated and what they received.
I'm so inspired by this event that I've decided to create two foodie care packages - one for the event and one for one of my awesome readers! If you'd like to have a chance to win some of my favorite foodie things, please leave me a comment and tell me about the nicest, most selfless thing you've ever done for someone else. Big or small it doesn't matter, I just want to hear about it! And if you can't think of anything, maybe this contest will inspire you. :-)
All entries must be received by September 21st and the winner will be announced on Sept 26th. International entries welcome! Please limit one good-deed story per entrant. No email entries please; comments only. NOTE: when leaving your comment, be sure to include a way for me to contact you. If I can't contact you, you can't win!
**Contest Update**
I was very impressed by the contest entries that I received. Some of the stories really tugged at the ol' heart strings and it made me want to send everyone a little something. As such, I've decided to break up the award to three people:- Dirtbikes and Divas because of her nomination of GrandmaCarnes. I think it says volumes about the type of person she is (talk about selfless!)
- GrandmaCarnes because of DirtBike and Diva's recommendation. She sounds like the type of person I hope to be someday!
- Heather of Diary of a Foodie Fanatic. I think that sometimes lawyers get a bad rap as being out for money and her entry reminded me that there are good ones out there that do selfless things everyday.
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24 comments:
My husband and I heard about a single mom in our church that was out of money, food and firewood so we found out where she lived and waited until she was gone. We snuck down to her place and put 2 big bags of groceries and a chord of split firewood on her porch. We heard she was so grateful and was trying find out who did it--the best part was not telling!
Kris
http://ladiesofthehouse--ak.blogspot.com/
I was working as a pharmacy tech at a walgreens in Kansas City when hurricane Katrina hit. The company started asking for volunteers to go down to their makeshift trailer locations that held a couple of doctors and a small pharmacy. I was about two months from my wedding and had no idea how long I would be gone but couldn't stand not helping those that were hit. My fiance and I talked about it and decided that I should go help. Since we were putting the wedding together completely by ourselves (translation "handwriting invitations as well as any piece of paper in sight") we figured that it could be pushed back if necessary.
To know that I really made a difference in all of those people's lives is something I will never forget. I think about them every time I hear about another hurricane coming to land.
ladiesofthehouse - great story!
Vicky - don't forget to include an email address in your post! Yours is a great story too!!
I can't think of anything totally selfless I've done - I do little things every day. I bake and cook for elderly friends, I leave a gift for a neighbor on the anniversary of her husband's death every year, I bake for the special needs teachers at my sons school a couple times a year (60 teachers), I bake for the school bus drivers, the UPS office, neighbors, I take elderly friends to their appointments, put up their Christmas trees, clean up the water in the basement when it rains, watch neighbors dogs when they go out of town, just every day normal things. I don't know if this qualifies - but that's all I got. icywit@gmail.com
The most selfless thing I have done was to spend my spring break building a Habitat for Humanity home instead of going on a trip to Mexico like all of my friends. I had wanted to go to Mexico so badly but when one of my professors mentioned in class that there was a home that needed to be built by April 1st for a young couple (who had graduated the year before) who both had physical disabilities I knew what I needed to do. I couldn't trade in or sell my plane ticket (post 9/11) so I was out the money I had spent for the trip. That didn't matter to me.
I signed up and and I along with 15 other staff and faculty built their first home. It was so rewarding.
I try to do things to help my sister and family often. They have been through some tough times. I'd say my favorite thing to do is go over and pick up one of her three children, take them grocery shopping with me, and then bring the groceries home for them to keep.
We were given these lunch bags at church and asked to fill them for the homeless you see beggin on the street. In side I put handwarmers, jerkey, trailmix, and some non parishable stuff. Then we put a little bible inside each one and handed them out to people on the road with signs that say, "Anything helps, God Bless".
I gave out 3!
i am an attorney that works with domestic violence victims who are below the poverty line. i provide free representation to them in protective order hearings, custody battles, etc., and also assist the local women's shelter with providing safety planning and a comprehensive response to domestic violence cases. honestly though, i'm the lucky one -- my clients are amazing and sometimes, i get out of bed just to see them.
Off the top of my head, about 3 years ago I had to put my cat to sleep. She was in pain, but it was the hardest thing I had to do. It was the kindest, but not the easiest. I never thought I would have that kind of pet again, but I was rewarded with a cat who's just about the greatest little guy ever. Itsy Bitsy is gone but never forgotten. Thanks Julia!
Before I became a stay-at-home mommy I worked in a dental office for 10 years. We had a single mom that came into the office and although we knew by some of the bruises and stories that we heard from others that she suffered from domestic abuse but she NEVER complained and always put everyone before herself especially her two children. When Christmas came around she confided in us that she was worried about Christmas because her small son had told Santa that he wanted a bike and she couldn't afford it and hoped he wouldn't be dissapointed. Again, she wasn't complaining about her life she was most concerned about the welfare of her son. It was at that point we decided to throw our money together and buy a bike and a turkey for their Christmas dinner. At our office Christmas party we called her and asked if her son was sleeping yet and when she said he was we told her to meet us outside. We didn't want the gift to be from us, we wanted her to be able to give it to him from Santa. A lot of people would have been ashamed to have had help but she was so touched and was truly in disbelief that we were helping her to make her Christmas wish come true. There were lots of tears that night I will tell you! Although I was an adult and a Christian that always knew the true meaning of Christmas, that night I learned the true meaning of "giving"!! Thanks for the fun contest Julia, I am enjoying reading everyone's stories! You obviously have awesome readers!!
gosh, i am not sure i can compare to some of the stories above, but i am trying to teach my kids to help other people all the time. we give a lot of their toys away, almost on a weekly basis. recycling is important to us. and makes other people happy at the same time.
My husband and I had a member of our church who was single, 3 kids, and out of money. She was going to school to try to get her degree. Times were really hard for her. The oldest daughter mentioned in passing that their dryer had been out for about 5 months. We went to a second hand store and got a dryer for her. the entrance to her basement was outside the house. He had the daughter leave the door unlocked. We went while she was away and took the old dryer out, then hooked up the new dryer. I took all her clothes that were haning up in the basement, dried and hung them all, folded what needed to be done and washed essential items/towels/washcloths, etc. She came home and just couldn't believe it. Doing for others really does give you more than it gives them.
We also bought a second hand sofa with a hide a bed for our son's friend from high school. She went into the AirForce after high school. Once out, she had no money for furniture for her apartment. We got her the sofa to give her friends a place to sleep when staying with her. She was floored.
http://grandmacarnes.blogspot.com
oh i'm not smart. my email is heather dot rascona at gmail dot com
Hi,
I was going to sign up for the "blogging by mail" event. Still am. I thought it sounded pretty cool to exchange goodies with someone from across the globe/country. Great minds and all that!
For the past three years the owner of the dealership where I work has sponsored 2 trailer park communities for Christmas. While he has donated the money, I donate the time. During my spare time, I write letters, make flyers,and lists to collect the names and sizes of 40/50 kids (each yr it grows). I shop for a clothing item and toy for each one (I love Target). I make "goodie" bags for each child. I buy groceries for each family (about 25)so that they can prepare a holiday meal. I wrap and label each gift and arrange for "Santa" to hand out the presents to the children in a gathering at their park. (my co-worker Becky generally tries to helped me with the wrapping and labeling, THX!) I spend more time, effort, and thought on these children than I do for my own. My children now ask me about my "other" children and help me when I've had to "work" at home. This takes a tremendous amount of work but the sense of accomplishment and joy can not be described. These children wouldn't know Christmas if it wasn't for the generosity of my boss. Both the children and their parents are so thankful. Their sincerity rings through the air unlike when you give a gift to someone who already has so much. Not that they aren't thankful but you know what I mean.
~ingrid
In thinking about what I wrote I realized isn't selfless. I do it because I love the feeling I get afterwards. All of those children laughing, happy, and tearing into everything. Their parents shaking my hand or hugging me. The sense of I did something "good".
I gave you a blog award. Check it out over at my food blog.
www.testkitchenrecipes.blogspot.com
Well Julia I know I already left a comment but when I came back to read the other comments I was reading Grandma Carnes and I have to tell you, this gal should be the front runner. Although I don't know her very well, we are from the same town. This wonderful lady gathers school supplies every year for terminally ill children in the hospital so that they can maybe get a neat pencil holder full of pencils and notebooks and all sorts of neat things in an attempt to make this special children feel "normal". She and her siblings have also been spending most of their spare time doing repairs to her mother's home in anticipation for her return following a long and almost fatal bout with cancer. Repairs that will hopefully make things easier once she gets home. She also recently drove a car to Kansas City to promote Breast Cancer Awareness I believe. I just thought you should know that the things she commented on just scratch the surface of the wonderful things that this woman does everyday!!
Oh no!! I'm like FIFTY MINUTES too late. Augh. Well, if I've still got a shot at getting into the drawing... Uh, nicest, most selfless thing ever. Hrm.. I dunno - I feel rushed right now, what with me missing the deadline.
Well, right now I am crocheting a scarf for a friend. No occasion really, she has just been such a dear during my layoff anguish, and she has loaned me crochet and knitting books and passed along some of her yarn stash that she said she was never going to use, etc. So I am going to send along this scarf soon with a thank you note for everything she's done and given, etc. That's all I've got for now. I'm not a saint or anything, but I do LOVE giving gifts. Even when I have no money. :)
I'm from a very small town and when something happens, even something private and tragic, word can spread quickly.
I heard that someone I was acquaintances with in high school (but never close with and sometimes contentious with) had experienced a horrible tragedy in her family. Years before her older sister had died in an accident - as a result of the pain this caused, her mother went into the woods and attempted to kill herself.
Luckily someone found her and she was able to be saved. I felt so horrible about this that I wanted to do something, so I put together a package of books, a journal, and an anonymous note and mailed it to my old acquaintances. I didn't want the package to be about me at all, so it was impt. to me to remain unknown.
Obviously I'll never know if it helped, but it was worth a shot.
Oops - sorry about not leaving an email!
sanders492@yahoo.com
Thank you for this, I am so surprised, I forgot all about it. My daughter emailed to tell me I'd won. Leslie, you made me cry by nominating me, I don't expect recognition for doing things for people. The bible says the right hand should not know what the left hand is doing. We should not shout it out or look for recognition. It makes you ponder the REAL reason you do it if you want to be recognized, I guess. I just see people in need. If I can help with that need, then I do. I just wish I could do more.
Congrats to the well deserving winners! Thanks for hosting another terrific contest!
~ingrid
My BFF had ovarian cancer (discovered on our vacation in Hawaii) and I was at the hospital everyday bathing her and just being a friend. Her family all lives in Ohio and I was her only 'family' but I didn't even think twice about it. I finally 'broke down' one day when the CEO where we both work asked how I was doing (innocent question...he had no clue) and I burst into tears and started crying uncontrollably. Needless to say, he left the breakroom quickly and I tried to compose myself. I've never told my BFF this but now (5yrs later and she remains in remition) I can laugh about it. Ok, enough of the sob story! I'm sooo excited about the 'blogging by mail' event I hope I didn't sign up too late (like I did last year)....thus the story of my life...
I got my little package last night. Thank you so much! I love everything. I posted a photo on my blog.
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