So my rommie, Frankie, is involved in charities. Her dream job is being the director of a non-profit foundation. In fact, she used to be the Community Development Intern for the LA Kings, organizing all kinds of charity events for them. With Make-A-Wish Foundation, she helped Cameron become a King's hockey player for a day. With The King's Care Foundation she helped raise money for community projects in LA County, giving back to schools and outreach programs in the area.
Today I got to help her and the American Cancer Society. Frankie ran part of a fundraiser for Daffodil Days, raising almost $1300 for cancer research and support of those suffering from cancer. Tomorrow, anonymous gifts will be delivered to cancer patients in the hospital Frankie works at - delivered by fire men, I might add. wink wink.
Today, we got up early and drove to a freezing cold warehouse in Industry to help assemble these gifts. We put together bunches of daffodils with a teddy bear (a bear & a bunch), sunshine vases, vision vases, and friendship vases, all increasing in size based on the donation made. These are called Gifts of Hope and will be delivered tomorrow by the fire men.
Frankie and I volunteered to arrange the largest of the Gifts of Hope - the Frienship vases: 40 daffodils that will bloom tomorrow as they warm up in the patients' rooms. Doing this, we met a woman who began her involvement with the ACS because of her sister's bout with stomach cancer several years ago. Her sister did not survive, but Pamela keeps volunteering because so many other people suffer from cancer and a cure is so far from our grasp.
I also thought today of my new friend and co-worker, Deborah, who says that without the ACS she would not be alive now; it was they who championed her care when she developed thyroid cancer shortly after the birth of her son. She has been in remission now for over 10 years.
So I had a little bit of fun today. And I did a little bit of a good thing. Not a bad way to spend the weekend. And I know I can look forward to it again, because Frankie will be sure to volunteer me.
about me
- ~ jessica
- (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
ganesh
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2 comments:
That's awesome, Jess!
Jessica, I was just thinking about the Revlon Komen Breast Cancer walk last year. I have decided to volunteer at a booth this year in Tucson.
It is a small effort on my part, but I need to give something back in life. You have shocked me out of my listlessness.
My sister has breast cancer, and two of my life time friends have cancer. One is in class 4 and will have chemo blast to kill her bone marrow. Then, she will have the bone marrow transplant. Everyone involved in anyway with the care and comfort of them is doing the work of a saint.
So hats off to you, Jessica. You are so lucky to have Frankie in your life. It sounds like there is never a dull moment at your place. I bless the day I met some lovely ladies at a gathering. There is something missing in my life since I last met them.
Penny
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