The Year-Long Search for My 30-Year Cause

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

2009-12-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

Oh, wow! It’s December already. Where did the year go? Well, looking back over the promise that I made to myself at the beginning of the year, I’m glad I made it to some volunteer projects and a little sad that I did not make it to more.

I discovered some wonderful community service organizations. I’d like time to explore a few more organizations before choosing one to support for many, many years, though. So, again, in 2010, I will do my best to make it to one volunteer project a month. Family responsibilities with two young children and work obligations of starting my own business might prevent me from reaching that goal every single month, but the commitment is still there. Having this blog – my commitment in writing – is helping me keep this promise to myself.

Note: As a follow-up to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) fundraiser that I supported in October, I’d like to report that the Eastern North Carolina Light the Night Walks surpassed their fundraising goal of $400,000 and raised $423,000. In a year when so many of us are struggling financially, isn’t it wonderful that an organization such as the LLS is getting the money it needs?

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s “Light The Night”: A Project for the Whole Family

2009-10-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

My service project this month was taking part in Light the Night fundraiser for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). I looked forward to the event because it sounded different and neat - a walk for a great cause that takes place at night with lit balloons. I also looked forward to it because it was the first service project that I’ve done this year that allowed me to involve my kids.

Light The Night is a fundraising walk that benefit’s LLS’ mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The Eastern North Carolina Light the Night Walks are taking place in three locations – Raleigh (October 17th), Durham (October 22nd) and Wilmington (September 24th). Last year, they raised $365,000. This year, their goal is $400,000, and reports from event organizers indicate that their goal is within reach.

I thought Light the Night might be a good opportunity to plant a community service seed with my four-year old daughter. I tried to explain that we were going to walk with lots and lots of other people to raise money for sick people. She seemed to take some of it in as we decorated our team banner Saturday afternoon at home. That evening at the event, however, the excitement of music, dance performers, a bounce house and balloons pushed aside the greater meaning. Nevertheless, she and her younger sister had a fabulous time and the seed has been planted.

I will admit that asking for money, even for a wonderful cause, is not one of my strengths. I really dragged my heels on reaching out to folks, but I finally sent a short and sweet e-mail to family and friends the day of the event and I was very, very surprised to watch the Duffort Team quickly surpass our fundraising goal within a couple of days. (LLS is accepting Light The Night donations through the end of the year.) A great, big “THANK YOU!” to all of our generous supporters.

To find out if a Light the Night Walk is taking place near you, visit http://www.lightthenight.org/. For more information on The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, check out http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/.

Orange, Black and Pink: Colors That Make Me Think

2009-09-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

It’s October 1st and that means for the next 30 days, I expect to see a lot more orange and black and … pink. Every time I see someone in orange, I immediately will think of Halloween. Every time I see someone in pink, I immediately will think of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an amazing campaign that was started about 25 years ago. I don’t know how many millions and millions of dollars have been raised to fight the disease in that time span, but my goodness, aren’t we all so very aware of it?

Chances are that you know someone participating in one of the many fundraising walks and marathons dedicated to the fight against breast cancer and chances are you’ve made a donation. If that is not the case and all the pink that you see over the next 30 days gets you thinking about breast cancer and what you can do to show your support, please scan the events listed below and note that one-time general donations can be made via any of the websites.

Lee National Denim Day – October 2nd
http://www.denimday.com/
Lee National Denim Day is a national, single-day fundraiser for breast cancer. Starting in 1996, Lee Jeans invited companies to “go casual for a cause.” Employees were invited to make a $5 contribution to breast cancer and in exchange, they could wear jeans to work. More than 3,000 companies participated that year and a total of $1.4 million dollars was raised. Since then, Lee National Denim Day has raised more than $75 million for the fight against breast cancer.

American Cancer Society: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer – Raleigh: Oct. 3rd
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY10SouthAtlantic?pg=entry&fr_id=19948
The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer has raised more than $340 million since 1993. The event has roots that go back to 1984 when a Massachusetts cancer survivor named Margie Gould Rath worked to establish a way to celebrate fellow cancer survivors by raising funds for the American Cancer Society. Her concept evolved into the fundraiser in which almost 5 million walkers have participated.

The 5K Walk begins at 9am at North Hills.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure – Charlotte: Oct. 3rd, Hickory: Oct. 17th
http://ww5.komen.org/
The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is credited with launching the global breast cancer movement in 1982. Komen for the Cure is the “world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find cures.”

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – Charlotte: October 24th-25th
http://walk.avonfoundation.org/
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is a national series of 29-mile weekend fundraising events. It started in 2003. Participants can choose between a marathon (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half (39.3 miles) over two days. Participants are encouraged to raise at least $1,800!

A friend of mine, Cynthia Cassell, will be walking in Charlotte. I admire her for committing to the marathon and a half and to raising over $3,000! Here is her personal donation page: http://walk.avonfoundation.org/site/TR?px=3630112&fr_id=1860&pg=personal.

Orange, black and pink…the colors of the month, colors that make me think.

Picking up a Bagel for a Cause Tomorrow

2009-09-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

I’m easing my way back into this blog and back to the commitment I started earlier this year of finding a life-long community service cause. One of the challenges of keeping this commitment is finding different service organizations for which I can volunteer on a one-time basis. I am working on lining up some fall projects, though.

I prefer hands-on service, but of course, there are countless ways to give back to thousands of organizations and hundreds of causes each day. In fact, anyone can support the fight against hunger this week simply by eating at a restaurant that is participating in Share Our Strength’s “Great American Dine Out.” On the website’s homepage, you can enter your zip code to find a participating restaurant near you. More than 5,000 restaurants in all 50 states are donating to Share Our Strength’s effort to bring nutritious foods to needy kids.

Note for Raleigh, North Carolina residents: There are 75 restaurants in the area supporting the Great American Dine Out, a week-long event that continues through this Saturday (September 26th). If you plan to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner at a restaurant over the next three days, why not check the list and make your meal count?

Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery appears to be a big supporter so I’ll be picking up my bagel and caffeine fix there tomorrow morning.

Service Search On Hold

2009-08-04T19:03:00.001-07:00

Wow! It has been a while since I've posted anything on this blog. Unfortunately, it also has been a long while since I've done any volunteer work. I have not forgotten about the promise that I made to myself - finding a community service cause to support for the next 30 years. I hope to circle back to this objective later in the year. For now, however, I need to find a “cause” that will help pay the bills.

I am giving some serious thought to the consulting route – a path I never expected I would take. We’ll see what I can pull together over the next several weeks. I plan to write about this adventure at my new blog, http://kellyduffort.wordpress.com.

Durham Stream Clean-up

2009-04-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to do an environmental project for my April service commitment. A few years ago, I considered myself not quite an environmentalist, but at least an environment advocate. Lately, however, I realize I’ve done more things out of convenience (e.g., buying a plastic bottle of water at the gym instead of toting my own, using more disposable bags instead of reusable containers for packing lunch, etc.). It’s time I get back on track with doing a little more to create a little less trash. Yesterday’s project reinforced my commitment.

I met up with a group of about 15 volunteers to pick up trash along the Ellerbe Creek Greenway, part of a city-wide stream clean-up that was taking place in conjunction with the Durham Earth Day Festival. Bottles, dishes, and a bedspread were some of the things that our half of the group found just a few feet off the greenway, hidden under bushes, branches, vines and lots and lots of poison ivy. Each time we found a pile of trash, I was stunned. Why would someone dump their junk there? Little did I know that the other half of the group was picking up stuff like a couch, a highchair, baby toys and several pairs of shoes. Volunteers who have done the clean-up in years past reported that they have seen things like refrigerators and washing machines … right there along the greenway. Unbelievable. And infuriating!

Did I mention grocery carts?	In two hours, our group collected enough trash to make a difference in what people see (or don’t see) as they walk and bike along the trail. I left the project feeling disturbed by the trash that other people toss anyplace they like, but also reinvigorated about the efforts I can make to cut down on the trash I generate.

My One Green Act for Earth Day

2009-04-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, I woke up today wondering what one thing I could do to help the environment. Halfway through the day, I saw a news item on the mind-boggling number of plastic bags that are used in the United States every year. You can see a very disturbing counter at the top of Reusable Bags website.

For a long time, I have been bothered by the number of plastic bags that my family brings home after each trip to the grocery store. I have thought more than once about finding cloth shopping bags, but I never took the time to find ones that would be just right. The ACME Bags that are available on the Reusable Bags website have very high marks from consumers, and they look like they will fit our shopping needs perfectly. I just ordered five of them.

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to my April service project this Saturday. I’m going to help clean up a local stream just before the Durham Earth Day Festival. Do a little good work and then enjoy an outdoor festival…what a great combo!?! Added bonus: The weather is supposed to be beautiful!

Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act: What Will Its Impact Be 30 Years From Now?

2009-04-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a bill that will triple the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years and expand ways for students to earn money for college through volunteer work. The bill outlines five areas in which people can serve: help the poor, improve education, encourage energy efficiency, strengthen access to health care and assist veterans.

During the current recession, AmeriCorps has received an unusually high number of applicants. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, the organization that oversees AmeriCorps, they received 17,038 online applications in March. A year ago, in March 2008, they received 6,770 applications.

I’ve read in a couple of different articles that recent graduates are turning to volunteer service as a way to postpone their job hunts. Students signing on with AmeriCorps could have once-in-a-lifetime experiences serving worthwhile causes and then…fingers crossed…be in a better position for getting the better jobs that will be opening up as the economy improves.

I’m pleased with the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act because it makes the AmeriCorps 10-month community service program an option for more young adults. I wonder how the legislation will impact the generation of kids who take advantage of it? Will their AmeriCorps service be something that they do to simply sidestep today’s lack of jobs ... or more likely, in my opinion ... will it shape them in more ways than we can imagine?

SPCA of Wake County K9-3K Walk – April 18th

2009-04-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Wake County is having its 10th Annual K9-3K Walk this Saturday, April 18th at Moore Square Park in downtown Raleigh. The festivities run 10am to 2pm, with the walk starting at 11am. Money raised will support the SPCA’s mission of “creating a more humane community where every adoptable pet has a home.”

In addition to the money that will be raised for a great cause, it sounds like a fun day with some entertaining dog contests kicking off at 12pm. As an owner of a lovable, but crazy Pug, I really wish I could make it to this event, but I have a prior commitment.

For full details on the K9-3K Walk, please visit the SPCA of Wake County website.

Also, it looks like the SPCA of Wake County has some great volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Volunteers are required to attend a basic orientation and make a minimum commitment of 25 hours per year.

Buster and I will have to catch this event next year.

Getting April Project Lined Up

2009-04-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

I was looking forward to a Habitat for Humanity project this Saturday, but it just got cancelled. (I am finding that in order to meet my "one project per month" goal, I really must plan at least two projects.) April 22nd is Earth Day so it would of course make sense to take on an environmental project. A quick Google search led me to Durham’s Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 25th. Before the festival begins, they are having a Stream Clean-up. I’m sending in my name now and keeping my fingers crossed that they can still use some help.

Food for Fashion Food Drive

2009-04-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (April 7th) through Thursday (April 9th), you can donate canned food to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and get 10% off your purchase at participating Old Navy stores. More information can be found halfway down the Food Bank's Events webpage. An easy way to give a little something while you are out picking up some warm weather clothes.

Capital Nursing Home

2009-03-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

Last night, I returned to my volunteering roots and visited a nursing home. (My first community service work back in high school many, many years ago was volunteering with the elderly.) I visited Capital Nursing Home to help with the arts and crafts class. Our project was painting some pre-cut wood decorations (butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, etc.) for the center’s garden. I have very little artistic ability so the butterfly that I helped paint is probably the least attractive one in the bunch. However, I enjoyed talking with the residents.

The class was short so we did not have a lot of time to visit. A few of them invited me to return and I’m going to do my best to go back soon.

Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen

2009-03-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

I must address the fact that I did not make it to a project in February. I’m disappointed to fall short of my one project per month goal so early in the year, but I’ll make up for it. It has been more difficult than I expected to find volunteer opportunities that I can do on a one-time basis, but they are out there and I’ll continue to find them. Having told just enough people about this blog, I’m sure I’ll keep my year-long commitment one way or another.

My Comfort Zone
This morning, I helped prepare and serve lunch at the Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen. I thought volunteering with the homeless would take me outside of my comfort zone, but it was quite the opposite. As I walked in the door, I was overwhelmed by the wonderful, intense aromas of the meal that was being prepared and at the same time, enthusiastically greeted by another volunteer. What a way to start a cold, grey day!?!

The volunteer captain gave me an equally nice welcome and immediately showed me the ropes. She was in charge of the 27 volunteers who were there to prep and serve the food for the approximately 300 homeless people who would arrive at 11am.

Some of my fellow volunteers (left to right): Vsev, Fred, Bruce, Deanna and Richard

There was a mix of volunteers – some who were first-timers like me and some who were “old-timers,” devoting one morning a week to the soup kitchen for years. They were all very nice and they all really enjoyed being there. That kind of energy makes a person feel good. I was anything but uncomfortable.

Stepping Outside Myself
Although I didn’t leave my comfort zone, I did step outside myself for the three hours that I was there and that felt good. I forgot the stuff that weighs me down day to day. I think that is a benefit of volunteering that most volunteers will admit – the opportunity to forget your troubles while you help someone else.

As I helped serve lunch to the clients, I sensed that some of them were regulars and some of them were there for the first time. Some of them didn’t make eye contact with the volunteers and others gave great big smiles with simple words of thanks. Some were understandably sad and some were surprisingly happy.

Driving home, I realized that the happy folks have a grasp on one lesson that I know is true, but one that I have trouble following 100% of the time. Every morning, when I wake up, I can choose to be happy or I can choose to be sad/upset/stressed/etc. Today, thanks to my experience at the soup kitchen, I chose to be happy.

$25,000 by May 1st
The Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen is trying to reach its budget and the weak economy is making it very difficult for them to do so. Through a Steward Foundation Campaign, if they raise $25,000 by May 1st, that amount will be doubled – but they have to make it all the way to $25,000. Every little bit helps. If you’d like to donate, checks can be mailed to The Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen, P.O. Box 28024, Raleigh, NC 27611.

January Project: Food Bank

2009-01-31T19:48:00.000-08:00

I volunteered at the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina today –squeezing in the project just before my end-of-month deadline. It was a great project for getting me going on this year-long quest. I didn’t have to provide a list of references or complete any training. I didn’t have to provide a medical history report or complete any extensive paperwork. All I had to do was show up, follow some simple instructions and get to work.

I was one of about 50 people who volunteered at the Food Bank this afternoon. Half of us worked in the Salvage Room sorting through canned food that had been donated by local companies. The other half worked in the main warehouse sorting donations that had been collected via food drives.

It was surprising to see how quickly a large group of individuals worked out a system for the task at hand. In no time at all, the Salvage Room volunteers had a process for sorting through boxes and boxes of canned yams, adhering Food Bank labels and putting them back in clearly-marked, reinforced boxes.

The Food Bank estimates that for every hour volunteers work, 317 pounds of food is distributed to their network of partner agencies who serve the 400,000 people at risk in their service area. Each month, the Food Bank provides more than 2.7 million pounds of food to their partner agencies, which include soup kitchens, homeless shelters and food pantries. They estimate that volunteers sort 40% of their warehouse inventory. As the volunteer coordinator told us today, the Food Bank relies very, very much on their volunteers.

If you’re in the Raleigh area and you’re looking for a way to give back to the community, I encourage you to check the volunteer information page for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina’s Raleigh Branch. They have countless opportunities and various schedules. If you’re not in Raleigh, but wondering about Food Bank opportunities in your area, try consulting the Feeding America website, which has a “Find a Volunteer Opportunity” form.

Work to Be Done

2009-01-21T19:05:00.000-08:00

There’s a lot going on in our country this week to strengthen my commitment to finding my cause. With our new president, there is a sense of new beginnings and new hope. With the inauguration of President Barack Obama, there is an intangible sense of self-determination that is pulsing through the country.

One line from his inaugural speech that stood out to me was “For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.” I agree. There is a lot of work out there. Work we need to do to fix what we’ve broken. Work we need to do to get the country back on track. Work for which someone will most certainly hire me someday. Work that I can do to help others now.

I was looking forward to my first 2009 community service project tonight, but it was cancelled due to yesterday’s snowstorm. I hopped online and spent a couple of hours researching local charitable organizations, frantically trying to find one for which I could volunteer over the next 10 days (to meet my self-imposed deadline of one project per month). I read about some great organizations, many of which I hope to serve at some point over the coming year.

So, instead of writing about my first service project tonight, as I had planned, I have someone else’s story to share. I stumbled across this individual’s service commitment as I was looking up volunteer opportunities. Her name is Mary Judd. She is 70 years old and she has been feeding the homeless (at times right out of her home) for 12 years. See Mary Judd video clip from a local news station, WRAL.com.

My first service project is now set for January 31st, just under my deadline.

The Beginning and The End

2009-01-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

“Begin with the end in mind.” It’s one of the principles in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” book by Dr. Stephen Covey. It makes sense and it’s a straightforward idea. Decide what you want the outcome to be and then do everything in your power to make it happen.

Well, it’s January 2009 and I’ve been at this job search for almost a year. The ideal end for my job hunt would be me landing a challenging and fulfilling job that puts my skills to the test and rewards me with a paycheck and benefits. But, this job search isn’t like the searches I’ve conducted in years past. Things are different in these tough economic times and while I know that I will someday be back in the workforce, I know that the timeframe isn’t 100% up to me.

With the start of the new year, it is time for some changes. As a goal-driven and deadline-oriented individual, I need something else to fulfill me and reward me, something else that I can take on and accomplish this year no matter what the headlines say about our economy or the job market.

The Real End

So, I’ve taken a step back and I’ve given “the end” some more thought. The real end. The one that comes when my life is over and someone, somewhere is in charge of summarizing my life in a few short paragraphs. My job search of 2008-2009 will not be in there, but what will make the cut?

I occasionally glance at obituaries in the newspaper and the line that sticks with me is an individual’s lifelong commitment to a charitable organization. 15, 20, 30 years. Wow. No matter what that person had going on in his or her life or what unexpected turns he or she took, the commitment to that charity was always there.

It’s that line in my obituary that I will tackle in 2009 – the line that will read, “For 30 years, Kelly was involved with XYZ organization, giving her time, her skills and her financial support.”

The Plan

Each month this year, I will volunteer with one charitable organization. I will blog about my service, reflecting on what I was able to give, what kind of impact I think I could make and what I took away from the experience. In December, I will choose one organization to be my life-long volunteer cause. Between 2010 and 2040 (God willing I live that long), I will offer my time, my skills and my financial support to that organization’s mission.

Do you have a life-long commitment to a non-profit organization? If so, drop me a line at kduffort@gmail.com and let me know why you chose that group. I’d love to hear your story as I begin my 2009 journey.

-Kelly