How do YOU "give back"

Okay, so we've had lots of wonderful things happen to us in our lives and I'm wondering how YOU choose to give back ( you know random type stuff ) to the community or others. I like to try and adopt a "cause" - mine currently is the American Heart Association. I do my darndest to raise funds for that group. So far for this years walk, I'm almost 5,000 in fund raising. I also try and just do stuff, you know you're in a scrapbook store and you don't live there and probably will never be there again and you drop a load of money and they take "saved receipts totalling X amount of $" then you turn them in and you get something, well, I'll turn around and just hand it to someone who looks like they might not have tons of money in the store and give it to them. I also like to try and post on surgery pages, volunteer in the school, help out at work (off the clock)...stuff like that. So....your turn!

Yeah Janine!!! It's really a good feeling to "random" stuff. Once you start keeping track, you lose the whole meaning/feeling of stuff. I just really like the special way it makes me feel to do something for others who either can't do something or just need the boost. It's that old philosophy better to give than to receive!

I teach reading to 2nd graders in a local school. I love it! I also participate in a effort at work to buy new clothes and school supplies for underpriviledged kids. I led an effort to donate 16 new bikes to a local inner city school for a reading achievement and citizen program. I make 1 or 2 quilts for the Linus Program every year, and I put as much effort into them as though I was making it for someone I know. It's so fun. Ann

Ann, that's wonderful! When children benefit, that's really a super feeling! Sometimes those kids have nothing and the little bit you can give - WOW.

i give back in ways thati know what i do i feel a act of kindness every day regardless of monetary or emotional giving..is good karma..

very good Joanne, so darlin' how are you doing with your family life. I saw your post about a week ago and have been thinking of you.

I love to do things anonomously, That gives me so much pleasure. I like to send packages or money to folks with no return address. I guess I have always wanted to be "surprised" and so I like to do it for others. I've heard people comment years later...how something came through just in the nick of time. I also do volunteer work with the Ronald McDonald House. It truly gives Families that have sick kids in the hospital a "home away from home".

I give back to people and causes that touch my life. I teach at religious school-even though the times are in direct conflict with my kids high school sports I run a support group for OH and local wls patients that are not patients of the RNY doctors in town. I adopted an elderly Holocaust survivor in town that has no local family--she is our "grandmother". Every minute spent with her is a blessing for me and my family. Her best friend has always been an independent woman now is needing more help- so we are taking her into our hearts as well. Again my kids and I gain much more than we can ever give. My parents are in CA- however they are mainly only involved in my sisters life and with her kids by their choice. DH's live closer but we have no relationship with his mother, his father and brother visit once a year at most. All kids deserve to have grandparents who think they are wonderful---so if our own don't give my kids the love we have been blessed to find our own!! We try and set money aside for charitable donations and as a family decide why we feel passionately that a cause deserves our money. For me Walk From Obesity is getting top billing, the kids are pledging their money for a local cancer walk- named for a local high schooler---we will all walk as a family in that one. However it may be the little things- holding a door, driving someone home to save another parent a trip, making chit chat with someone who looks like they could use a friend that I feel proudest of. gratitude is my attitude Amanda S VG-DS October 2001 highest >350/342 start of wls journey/154 @goal and after ps

I am a Girl Scout leader ,Boy Scout leader , I go to our support group , have done walks March of dimes , Cancer , this year Walk from Obesity , Worked with Take Pride in America for 6 years ,Head Start for 3 years , Money to United Way for over 15 years , I work for the Hospital here in Columbus, IN, and we just started to do Bariatric surgery the last 2 years and I always make sure I go and see if they need anything , most just want to talk. and see how I'm doing. And to get them over the humps in the road. Kim