Week Ten - Packages for our Servicemen

This was the other project we did while we were on vacation. It did take some prep, but was actually quite simple.  After looking at pictures and talking about some of the sacrifices those in the military make, we gathered the items, colored some pictures and sent it off to Afghanistan to my husband's cousin. 

In our box we put a myriad of things that we thought he would like:  snacks & powdered drinks, a frisbee, Nerf football, Monopoly Deal card game, Field & Stream Magazines, a few Sunday's worth of comics, USA today, etc.  The boys colored pictures that I had found online of flags, the statue of liberty etc.  Cody wanted his to say "Thank you for saving our country."  And Corbin just wrote "Thank You!" on his.  They were very cute.  We also sent him a picture of our family visiting his hometown and a note telling him of our appreciation and support of his efforts.  We filled the Large Priority Mail box from the USPS - which, for military, will give you $2 off and it can weigh as much as you want.  And that was it!  Hope he likes it!

Not many details to add on this project.  But I do have some helpful links to share to hopefully entice you and your family to do something similar.

Patriotic Coloring Pages
Packaging & Mailing Tips: http://www.usps.com/supportingourtroops/welcome.htm
Great ideas for what to send: http://www.operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html
Holiday care packages: http://www.thesoldiersfamily.com/Holiday_Care_Packages.html#christmas

We love our service men and women and are so grateful for the sacrifices they make!

Week Nine - Visiting the Elderly

So I don't know if this really counts in our Summer of Service or not, but since we were on vacation for two weeks, and that in and of itself was enough for me to manage, I have to give myself a littel leeway.  So first off, let me say that the "older" senior citizen population needs service just about as much as anyone I can think of - at least in our American Society, and usually the things that they need are the most simple.  So our "project" for this week was visiting the elderly.  Yes, the ones we chose to visit happened to be my children's great grandparents - but it was still giving, my children felt happy and the people we were with felt happy.  That's the most important thing for kids to learn in this sort of activity.

So my husband's grandpa lives in Eastern Oregon on the farm he has been at for decades.  He is 93 years old, still lives alone and does many of the chores around the lot and house.  He loves to talk about hunting stories and where to catch the best fish.  He is extremely proud of his 40+ grandchildren and 100+ great grandchildren.  We really enjoyed our visit with him and my boys LOVED venturing around, playing with the dog, climbing on tractors, and seeing what it was like where their dad grew up. 

My grandma lives in Portland and we were so lucky to have her and her husband show us around the Columbia River Gorge and around Downtown.  We got to eat at their restaurant called the Deli Barn and enjoy many other parts of the city.  My grandma has lived in Portland for 6 or 7 years and this is the first time I have gone to see her (yes, guilt, guilt, guilt).  But it was so nice to be in her home and to have my kids see her and get to know her better.  I was very sad to leave.

So obviously we had a great experience with this.  And in talking with them, I realize how hard life gets once you reach a certain age.  I also think that life gets lonely.  So don't be afraid to get out there and talk to the elderly or invite them to do things with you.  Most will love just watching your children and feeling of their innocent joy.  This is a project that can be done with very little money, and may put you out of your comfort zone a bit, but it will be so worth it.

Here are some basic ideas to get you thinking.  Good luck!

 

1.Visit a nursing home.  Get a group together to sing or present a play.  Organize a sing-a-long with the seniors.  Draw pictures to give to them.  Offer to read to them.  Take your pet to visit.

2.Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean gutter or wash windows for a senior citizen.

3.During bad weather, visit seniors to make sure they have everything they need.

4.Pick up the morning paper for a senior neighbor on your way to school.

5.Help seniors with their shopping, pick up their medicine or their groceries.

6.Go for a walk with a senior citizen in your community or take them to the park with you.

7.Teach a senior friend how to use a computer or the Internet.

8.Do something creative on the holidays for the Senior Citizens (cook a meal, bake cookies, dress up in costumes, etc.).  Deliver treats and sing at the door.

9.Teach an elderly neighbor a new card game.

10.Offer to give them a ride somewhere, or just leave your number in case they ever do need a ride.

And as always, I would love to hear about your experiences!