We all have the power!

I just spent the morning working on "Snail Mail For Seniors." Today this included a trip to Waltonwood Carriage Park on Canton Center Rd. to pick up donated cards, then off to the Canton Post Office to mail my bundles of cards to nursing homes. Then I checked my P.O. box and retrieved more cards that were sent to me from out of the area.

It was a great week for donations!  So many cards and envelopes from many wonderful people!  I came home and picked out a few cards from each volunteer, took a picture of them, and posted them to our Facebook page.  This gives others a chance to see what is being donated. You should take a quick look for pictures and comments regarding Snail Mail.

The cards we use do not need to be homemade either. Do you have blank note cards lying around or those free greeting cards you get in the mail from non-profit organizations? We can use those! Garage sales are a great place to find cards and cardmaking supplies.  The greeting cards do not need to be fancy. Cut out bright pictures from magazines and glue them to folded paper for a quick, easy, card. Cut out pictures from your kid's coloring books and glue them onto folded colorful construction paper...a simple card!  Don't have room for all of your child's end of year artwork they bring home from school?  Donate some of it to us! They will be a cheery addition to someone's wall.

I watched Oprah's final show this week.  She said so many meaningful things, but I especially liked the message about giving out positive energy, doing good for others, etc.  I admire  many people here in our community who do so much for others; always serving on committees, doing volunteer work , making life better for others in general.  Sometimes I would feel intimidated by them. Being a stay-at-home mom of three, some days I was just  happy if I made it through the day and nobody threw up on me or there were no trips to the ER.

Eventually I realized we can all contribute in a positive way and it doesn't have to be a huge thing.  So, I volunteered at various places when I could, usually involving my kids, and came to realize that maybe I cannot raise a million dollars for a great cause, but hey, doing something small is still better than doing nothing at all. I also discovered that when life got stressful, doing something to help others actually made me feel better. It is a great outlet and heartwarming feeling.

Now, years later, Snail Mail evolved and I am sending greeting cards to senior citizens. How simple is that?  And, if others could also do it...we could expand our services to more people. This is something people can do at home, on their own schedule, and does not cost a lot of money. 

It is a win-win for everyone!

Somewhere along this blog, I think I lost my train of thought!  :)  But ... that is me, often going in many directions at once.  I just hope you will consider donating cards for "Snail Mail For Seniors."  I will make sure your cards will go to someone who will appreciate them.

Just remember -- please not write "get well" on them. One little boy from a class at a local school sent a card that read on the outside, "I'm sorry you have to be at that place," and on the inside he wrote, "I hope you don't die tomorrow."  Although he meant to show empathy, I did not send that card for obvious reasons, but bless him for his intention.  And yes, I do read every single item I send out to make sure everything is appropriate. Send me an e-mail if you have questions.

OK...enough for now.  Thanks!

Cathy

www.snailmailforseniors.com