Broadlands Community Service Group

Everyone,

I would like to form a Community Service Group in the Broadlands. So far I have one person volunteering to help me with it, I think I would like two more people to distribute the work load. Cliff told me that he thought the HOA would be supportive of this endeavor, so if you are interested in spending some time to plan and execute some charitable activities, drop me a PM.

I have some ideas of my own, but am also looking for more ideas.

Marianne

 

my time is limited but i will do what i can to help!

 

ummm....exactly what activities would a csg do? I'm not familiar with it but I may be interested depending on what all you'll be doing.

 

depending on what it is, when, etc. i'd be up for it. what did you have in mind?

 

I would like to organize activities like food collections, helping out at shelters as a group, collecting business suits to give to organizations that help women get back into the work force, etc. My first plan is a coat drive here in the Broadlands. We could put up collection boxes at the Nature Center and then deliver them to an organization that can use them. I am waiting for callbacks from a couple of organizations to see how this works, I have never done anything like this. I am hoping for others to have more ideas.

I was thinking if we get a core group of four people that gets together and does the planning and legwork on getting these things done, pulls together the advertising, does the begging in the forums and maybe puts some fliers in stores etc., we would be good to go. It is not something that would take an aweful lot of time, I don't think, I am just thinking one event a month would do an aweful lot of good.

Marianne

 

http://zontaloudoun.com/ is an organization that does a lot of these functions... I really like their philosphy and the work they do locally.

 

Ditto.

 

This CSG is not for the "Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist dictatorship" that Georgia Representative Paul Broun was talking about?

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/10/georgia-rep-broun-warns-obama-dictatorship/

"It may sound a bit crazy and off base....."Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. Well at least there is one thing I can agree with the Honourable Mr. Broun about.

LOL What a tool. I guess in Georgia you can lead a man to congress but you can't make him think.

 

But I do love the "what a tool" reference. One of my favorite sayings!

Count me and my family in for this....especially if you get something going by the holiday season. I'm not finding too much for an entire family to do together during the holidays.

I like the whole delivering meals/food to families that otherwise wouldn't have a Thanksgiving/Christmas/insert your holiday here dinner. However, my parents told me they did this with some neighbors and it was a HORRIBLE experience. They took the food to some families in Leesburg and my mother was berated by the mother in that family because the Christmas tree wasn't up by Christmas morning. (My mother got there in the afternoon with a tree, presents, and a Christmas dinner).

 

WHAT?

I would have turned right around and taken the stuff to a deserving family. What a terrible thing to say to someone volunteering their time to attempt to make someone's christmas a little special.

I bet there were more deserving families that could have used (and been a little more grateful) for a tree, presents and christmas dinner.

 

you know, just a thought- the holidays are when ppl who do nothing all year come out of the woodwork. we've actually been turned away at many charities b/c they are full up on volunteers.

ppl are hungry, need clothes, need help, need assistance all year long. what if the NON- holidays were the focus...?

 

You're so right Redon...why do people feel more "charitable" around the holidays? And it's the same attending Christmas Mass - good luck finding an open pew!

 

i think we spoil ourselves and family members around the holidays, which leads to thinking of others either out of wanting to spread the joy or GUILT. :doh:

but regardless of why- most of us are much less self absorbed during the holidays, have a little more time off from work, and don't forget- we are conditioned to give during those times- salvation army bell ringers, holiday coalitions mobilized, the less fortunate become a bigger blip on a radar screen.

just off the top of my head: a back to school clothing drives in August, food drives in March... fill those gaps!

 

Count me in! Thanks for getting this started!

 

Just a thought The Woman's Shelter of Loudoun Co would be a great place they give you a list of a family for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, and its so sad the Christmas list the kids ask for maybe 2 toys and then they ask for gloves, hats and a warm coat, one time they ask for everything for their Mom, These families leave there home with nothing but what they can carry,

 

Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter has a wishlist of items and other ways to donate and volunteer.

 

Is this LAWS? LAWS' website mentions a community, business, or religious organization adopting a family. Do you think a family could adopt a family? I'll give that POC a call tomorrow.

 

I would think that they can and will! If not, get a group of Broadlanders together and call yourself a community.

I was thinking of buying things from the wish list as I see them on sale at low prices and donating them. And I mean LOW prices - you never know what you'll find at Ross/TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Tuesday Morning.

 

That is actually the plan ... Broadlanders working as a community.

It is a coincidence that this is taking place just before the holidays, it is something that I would like for us to do year round. I spoke with Good Shepards Alliance today and have their information, looking forward to hearing from luftinarr on LAWS.