Bristol County Daily News

I am beginning to realize how much everything is intertwined. I have been writing about how we need to stand up and make some noise about homelessness. That if we work together we can put an end to homelessness. I talk to the papers, I write stories for papers, I email other organizations that are working to end homelessness. I want to get people involved and end homelessness. So here I am at church when the lesson we are teaching is about community when the Sunday school teacher asks if there is any one who is helping others and my son practically jumped out of his seat with his hand held so high and he proudly announced "My mom makes afghans for the homeless." Trust me as he talked about what we have been doing it brought tears to my eyes. I realized that by doing the lesson he is learning is 100 fold what just saying would ever be. Then I received an email from the PTO and I felt they were leaving parents out. Out of the loop that is. And knowing that I was going to ruffle feathers I replied to the email saying we should wait to hold elections until people have a chance to get involved we don't need to rush so that the same people always are in control. Trust me it didn't go over well with the people who are in control but I made it a point to email it to others as well so the word spread in after a few days it seems others were feeling the same way but just didn't want to make waves. I say toss the stone in the pond and see what happens. I got a call and we are having a meeting before the Meeting. It might be one of those bashing meetings where I am going to take a lot of blows. But its OK, I have think skin. If it means others will get a fair shake from now on then so be it. Take your best shot. Toss the stone out there make some ripples in the pond and see what happens.

When all else fails toss a stone in the pond and see what happens. I am constantly frustrated by people who just stop trying because it takes too much effort. I don't think anything is ever founded on the easy way. Well I do tell my children that there is an easy way and a hard way to do things. But in this case we are talking about hard work. The grass will not mow itself, the dishes don't do themselves. That type of thing. I have been spreading the word about the homeless. Not just making afghans but talking to people about how we need to find a solution to this problem. There is this group in Philadelphia that says they have a plan to end homelessness in 10 years. I emailed them and asked them for their plan. Maybe it will work here. When the paper came to do the follow-up story I talked about homelessness. Not just afghans but hey did you know there are homeless people who go to school with our children but they are to embarrassed to tell anyone so they are ashamed, they hide it. Could you imagine being 9 years old and having to carry that burden. Yet even as adults we are to ashamed to tell people we would rather live in our cars then ask for help. If my husband and I both lost our jobs and couldn't pay our bills I surely hope that enough people would care to help us our and that we would trust them enough to accept it. Why is it so shameful to ask for help. When we pay someone to fix something is that not asking for help? Just because we give them cash its OK? Sometimes we have no control over loosing our job, not being able to find a new one that will pay all our bills. One serious illness can wipe out a life savings in a few months. It might take effort it might take time it might take a lot of things but quiting is not one of them. Please don't quit on the people who need up the most, the children, the injured, the helpless, the ones who have no voice in our society, let us speak up for them. We can find a way to end homelessness lets start today.

Labels: afghans

I was so excited the paper was coming to do a follow-up story on the afghans. I was looking forward to jump starting the community again. When people see it in the paper they want to get involved. This time it was going to be about everyone who has been working on the afghans not just my family. So I spent the morning trying to clean the house while my three youngest children mess it up behind me. I decide maybe if we all went outside and stopped messing up the house it would work better. There we are playing in the sandbox all picturesque when my 5 year old decides to choke my 3 year old and I have to send her for a time out just as the reporter shows up. Well I think here we go...then my three year old doesn't want to come inside while mom talks to the reporter and begins to have a fit. I am trying to calm him down while holding my infant daughter in my arms he gets a shovel full of sand and whips it onto her car and us and then I have to take the shovel away because of the sand throwing and then melt down occurs and he throws himself on the ground and begins to scream. I only have one hand at this time still carrying my daughter I pick him up by one hand and I am trying to get him up the stairs without him getting injured. Mean while the reporter is standing there thinking I don't know what and I am thinking AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Well we finally make it in the house and sit down in the living room to talk. I begin to tell her about all of you. The students at the high school, the teachers, the women at the nursing home, Tae kwon do mothers and everyone else. That's when my son decides he has to go to the bathroom and needs my help so I have to leave to get him squared away I put my daughter down and leave for a moment when I come back she has crawled over and is trying to eat the poor women's shoe. She is gentle trying to get her to stop without really picking her up. So I pick my daughter up only to have my son yell he's ready for a wipe...AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Really I am an intelligent person but I will tell you it doesn't look like it all the time. We did end up having a wonderful conversation and I believe the story will be well told. Look for it in the Standard-times. You might see some of your squares as I sent them pictures of completed afghans. Thanks to all of you this project is continuing to be a great success.

Labels: afghans

This will bring new readers up-to-date and regular readers some new insight. Read on....

About five months ago I started writing people asking them to help. It all started when I was trying to find one of those illusive parking spaces near the library and parked in front of the bus station. I was in a hurry and began to get my four small children out of the car when I looked up as saw a group hovering about and well I was late and didn’t have time to load the children back in the car and find a new parking space. So I huddle my children close and told them to walk fast. The way any mother hen would when she thinks her chicks are in danger. As I hurried my children pasts the people huddled around the vents at the bus station my 7-year-old son asked me why all those people were there and why they didn’t have coat. I told him they were homeless and tried to move him along a little faster. He said “Why don’t they go inside the bus station it looks a lot warmer in there.” I new this was one of those moments I could turn and run or tell the truth. I answered “Because people don’t like homeless people hanging around it makes them uncomfortable.” Then he asked that question “ Why don’t they have a home? Where do they sleep? I stopped and realized this was one of those moments when I could teach my children a valuable lesson. I answered, “There could be a lot of reasons why they are homeless. Lets say that Dad lost his job or got hurt and couldn’t work. Well how would we pay for our house, food, clothes, shoes or a winter coat to keep us warm? Some times that happens and as hard as we try we lose all of our things. And people are always afraid to ask for help. They think people won’t like them. So they end up in shelters and then they hide because people don’t like homeless people to hang around. They think they are dirty, bad people. He said we should do something. I agreed.

When we got home I started making calls to see if we could volunteer. But the more I called the more I realized that people don’t want a woman and her four small children helping. I got a lot of. No Thank You’s I thought, well now I know why nothing ever gets done. Even volunteering had a lot of red tape. It was hard to make a long-term commitment. I didn’t want to volunteer and then not be able to follow thru if something came up. What to do now? I wanted to teach my children they could make a difference. That they could do something, but what could I do? I didn’t know.

Then I was surfing the web when I came across Warm Up America. Warm Up America makes afghans for the homeless with the help of everyday people. You can make just one square and send it to them. They will put it with others and it will become an afghan. That afghan will be given to a homeless person. I thought, “ I don’t know how to knit or crochet but they had directions and I can read so why not give it a shot.” I went out and bought a skein of yarn and knitting needles…cost was about $5.00. I read the directions and yes it took me a while to figure it out. I stitched and pulled it out and tried again, and again and again then I started to get the hang of it. I made a square. Trust me it wasn’t a pretty one. It had lots of mistakes. I figure if I was cold I don’t think I would be counting stitches I would be counting my blessings for a warm blanket. So I tried again and then I began to show my children just how easy it was. As I showed them I thought, if I could get each of my friends and family to make one square, well maybe I could also get the people at church to make a square, the children in my sons class, hey this is an idea. I could get enough people to make an entire afghan. My children could see just how easy it could be to make a difference. So how do I get all these people involved and where do I get the yarn and knitting needles and crochet hooks…Well I went back to the web and looked up yarn suppliers and wrote to as many as I could find about donating yarn. Then I called the paper and asked if they wanted to help me spread the word about making afghans. On Christmas Eve Day the Standard Times ran the story.

Ask and it will be yours….
That day, Christmas Eve, neighbors who I have never spoken with, saw my picture and story in the paper, came to my house with donations, money to buy knitting needles, yarn they had and never used, and then Caron Manufacturing donated boxes and boxes of yarn. I couldn’t believe it. My phone started ringing people who have knitted or crochet for years wanted to send me squares. Little old ladies who have been forgotten in their apartments for years called me to talk, to ask me if they could help. They had something to give again. Their stories touched my heart and their warmth filled me.

The Gift I received…
Once every six-week a women who is blind meets me as she goes for her cancer treatments. Her daughter drives her and we meet in the parking lot and talk about our progress and I describe how beautiful the afghans are and tell her how her pieces have been woven in to the blankets. She tells me that her prognosis is not good and smiles as she hands me 30 squares she has made. My heart is full.

I go to a triple-decker family house in New Bedford where an elderly women lives on the third floor. We make our way up the flights of stairs and she smiles to see my children. She brings out a basket of toys for them to play with and her tiny apartment is filled with the laughter and noise of children. We talk about what’s going on in the City. As we enter her living room she has three cardboard tables set up. The first is filled with small squares of a single color. The second with medium squares with two colors and the third is piled high with finished three-color squares. Then on the couch is a pile of completed afghans. At one visit she had made three afghans in a months time. I tell her how much her hard work and commitment is appreciated. How much it means to me that we are doing good. How beautiful her work is. She thanks me and hugs me, telling me I was sent by God and have changed her life. I hug her again. My daughter asks me why is she crying. I say because she feels good. The deep down good that makes you cry.

I thought I was making afghans for the homeless but then I realized so much more was being made. Kindness, goodwill, love and friendship are stitched in with each piece that is made. The boxes come full of squares with notes from the makers with promise of more to come. People ask me to send pictures of the afghans and I send updates to them as we go.
I tell people next time you see a homeless person wrapped in an afghan and you are rushing by trying not to make eye contact, stop, take a moment, smile warmly and remember I don’t think they want to be out in the cold either. If you have one half hour in you life you can make a difference. Together we are making a difference, join us.

Labels: afghans

I have to say I should ring the bell more often. I got a great response from the papers. Two will be running stories maybe three. It makes me wonder if there isn't enough good news to print. People like good news. Well everyone we are good news and we will be in print soon. I have emailed a few people to ask if they would like to participate. Tell the papers what its meant to them so far. I am hoping that by others telling their stories that it will inspire others to join in. If you are still on the fence about joining us or doing something now is the time, jump in. Start small once you get the ball rolling see how far it takes you. I have found this has opened up more doors then I ever thought possible. I have met so many people and their ideas have spurred more ideas it is amazing.

Labels: afghans

Its funny how things happen, the Blanket Bunch met the other night and there was another group meeting at the same location, well when the meetings got out people started asking about the afghans and making comments about how beautiful they are, we told them about donating them to the homeless. The next morning I received an email from a man that saw the afghans and was very impressed. He wrote to a friend at the local newspaper who was looking to do a story on peace activism...I never thought of us as peace activists. I thought wow is this how a movement is started? Then I thought Yes this is how a movement is started. So I wrote to a few editors in hopes that the word gets spread. Then I wrote to a few local papers that carry calendars about happening and I thought I should put notices in about our monthly meeting. I have been thinking that we need more people to get involved and so I need to step it up a little bite to make that happen. See things don't happen by themselves. We need to ring our own bells. Stand up to get noticed. You need to make things happen for yourself its not just fate its action that will get things done. Sometimes fate comes knocking but you need to answer the door and let it in to take advantage of it. So I'm opening the door wide and I'm standing up and I'm saying LETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND LETS INVITE EVERYBODY TO JOIN IN. If you want to start your own group go to www.warmupamerica.org

Labels: afghans

People do make a difference and when they come together they make things happen they didn't know they could. Last night the "Blanket Bunch" had there monthly meeting and as people walked in carrying semi completed afghans by the end of the meeting they had six completed afghans. They worked finishing trim and tassels and teaching others new stitches. Everyone felt the electricity of the wonderful deeds they have completed. To date that brings the "Blanket Bunch" total to 24 afghans. The original goal was 24 in the first year but with the hard work of many the group has completed 24 afghans in 4 1/2 months. They are confident that they will be able to complete 50 by the end of the year. If you would like to get involved or start your own group check out www.warmupamerica.org or www.allensneck.org Keep up the good work together we are making our world a better place.

Labels: afghans

Today being Mothers Day I have been thinking about how blessed my family is. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs. But there are mothers who struggle every day with putting food on the table, clothes on her children's backs and keeping them warm in the winter maybe just impossible. So for as little as I may have I will tell you there are people with far less. I am able to make a small difference with the little on have and with the help of so many we are making a difference. Please take a few moments today to sit back and relax. Enjoy the beauty of your family. Breath in the beauty. Happy Mothers Day.

It seems I need to get up and get people moving again. Last month the afghan group floundered. I am usually a very enthusiastic person and get people to rally but last month was very busy and I just got nothing done. The hurried I go the more behind I get. So this month I really need to get back to basics and spread the word. So I am starting here. I started making afghans for the homeless in January and to date have as a group made 18 afghans. Its good but just because the weather is getting warmer doesn't mean the homeless won't need afghans this winter. So now is the time to get to work so when the cold weather comes back we will have a stock pile. That said...if you have an idea to make a difference don't let it fall by the way side get it going and make it happen.

Labels: afghans

Today I'm thinking Mothers Day. What makes a good mother? How did you become the Mother you are? Who do you look back on and say "I learned so much from her?" See mothers day is not just about the mother that gave us birth but all the people who have stepped in and helped along the way. This weekend I am celebrating Mothers Day for all the women who have helped me become the person I am today. Think back gather the thoughts and remember them all.

I've been thinking about the school budget a lot. I can't help but think about the shoe being on the other foot. This is what I mean. I know that my mother and father are getting older and my sisters and I have talked quit a bite about how we will take care of them when they can no longer take care of themselves. We keep saying how we never want to put them in a home that it would be awful. They have dedicated their lives to making our lives so much better. They deserve the best of care. The best retirement. We want them to enjoy their golden years. I just hope we can afford the cost. The average skilled care nursing home in 2007 is $74,000.00 per year and assisted living facilities are $35,000.00 per year. So when I retire in 30 years what do you think the cost will be. I sure hope my children think as much of my care as I do of my parents. I hope they don't think I was cheap in there education and didn't want to spend the money and in turn would do the same with my care. So my thinking is this we spend about $9000. per student per year to run our school. http://www.doe.mass.edu/ So lets say we cut our school systems and cut our children's services, close two schools and combine the schools so there will be about 35 students in each small classroom with one teacher and a part-time teaching assistant and if we are lucky a parent volunteer. We cut the physical Education, the Art, the Music all the after school programs, field trips and make them pay for busing, and after school sports. We cut it down to say $8,000 per student and children go to elementary school for 13 years simple math 8,000 time 13 is 104,000.00 but we know there will be an increase so lets round $120,000 over 13 years. Now skilled care at 75,000. for 13 years oh why bother 2 years of skilled care is more then 13 years of elementary school. Do you think our under educated, cramped classrooms with angry teachers if we have any willing to stay I don't think they will be top of the line. the best teachers will leave to a school system that has job security. Will give our children the education they need in order to cover the cost of caring for us when we need it? So buy your cardboard box now because that's where you'll be living. Then again we could fight for our schools. My choice is to fight for our children's education now. Get involved get the message out. Get your voice heard. Keep talking until people start to listen. http://www.dartmouth.k12.ma.us/budget/index.shtml http://www.house.gov http://www.senate.gov Governer Deval Patrick http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=gov3utilities&sid=Agov3&U=Agov3_contact_us

Labels: school budget

There is so much going on right now with Dartmouth http://www.dartmouth.k12.ma.us/district/committee/index.html, Fairhaven http://www.fairhaven-ma.gov/and Wareham http://www.wareham.ma.us/Public_Documents/indexthe budgets are a mess. The school system is being dismantled and the children are going to be left behind. I wonder what President Bush meant when he enacted the No child left behind act in 2002? http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/reports/no-child-left-behind.html I don't think I thought he meant lets spend billions of dollars in Iraq and close down cities and town governments because they don't have enough money to educated our children. To date we have spent http://costofwar.com/index-pre-school.html you must go here because the dollars being spent change so fast that as I type this millions are beginning added. So the question is where did we go wrong? I don't believe that fighting is the solution for anything thou we all do it at one time or another. The cost of my fights with my husband or children or friends does not come out in dollars per say the cost is much higher..it is love and you can not buy that any where. Besides the dollar amount it is the hearts and souls of many that have been paid I my children when they fight "use your words". It might take longer and the work might be harder but in the long run we have a better understanding of how the others felt and we can use that in the future to work better together... the concept "my way or the highway" is just being a bully. Anyway I was trying to talk about our children...I am going to ask all of you to write to your government where ever you may be and ask that the money being wasted on anger be moved to our future our children our Federal government has the money to educate every single one of our children and then some but they choose to spend it somewhere else...guess what WE VOTE WE GIVE THEM THE POWER and we can take it away. Get a move on...write you governor, congressperson, the editor of your local paper, the editor of a national paper get a move on get your voice heard. And keep talking until they listen remember "use your words" It might take longer but it will work. Here are some webs with information on addresses to send letters to:http://www.house.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/ http://www.southcoasttoday.com/ http://www.boston.com/news/globe/