Giving back is just that simple; I know

Growing up my mother instilled the importance of giving back to those less fortunate. Sure I donated money to organizations that I believed in, volunteered hours for certain community service projects, and participated in many walks for cancer. This was something that I did with my family and extremely proud of them for giving back.

Through college I still donated to charities, attend special events/fundraisers, even planned a few with the assistance of classmates and on-campus organizations. However; I never felt satisfied with what I was doing, and I continually questioned "why aren't I doing more?" For a long time I believed I needed the money to actually make a difference. Boy was I wrong and my first encounter was a job right out of college, a recruiter for "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" hosted by The American Cancer Society. I was lucky to know a college graduate from my Alma mater (Johnson & Wales University) who took me under her wing ( Thank you Colleen!) Can't forget the amazing crew I worked with: Kristyn Noren, Mary Sallas & Wendy Glick to name a few. They showed me it as more than money but it was heart, compassion, and focusing on what you can do! Even though we have all moved on I know that where ever I land up I will have amazing friends.

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon Carolynn Cecilia's blog: the Anchor and the Bird where she is writing about a wonderful project she is currently working on; The Days of Deeds Project.  In this project she proves the point that it is extremely easy to give back and make a difference in our own backyard. I hope to follow in her footsteps and try some of the great deeds she has done.

You don't need money to make a difference, so get out there and do something, anything small or big just give back!!

Preparing?

Big City Storm:

Rumor has it we are in for a big bad hurricane **Irene this weekend.

Twitter & Facebook statuses constantly being updated by friends/family/acquaintances along the Eastern seaboard. New Yorkers scurrying through the streets preparing for what is being said to be the worst storm in the past 50 years. New York City residents have been slowly starting to prepare, not wanting to panic,and not wanting to get caught in the supermarket stampede(saw one today btwn 2 elderly ladies over last carton of Skim Milk). In preparing for such a natural event there is a long list of items that need to be tended to.

What are you doing to prepare? What category do you think it will be by the time it hits NYC? Are you being evacuated?