On Monday, August 10th Melanie Smith and Jessica Reilly will be donating 100% of tips to the Lymphoma Leukemia Society through #TeamEitel! This event will occur at the Philadelphia street bar from 7pm-12am. Bring a card to hold a tab, but cash tips are preferred.
Tell EVERYONE to come have some delicious drinks and amazing food for a great cause! What else is there to do on a Monday?
#relentlessforacure
#Fcancer

https://www.facebook.com/events/926165434071646/

https://www.facebook.com/events/926165434071646/

As many of you are aware, Saturday morning I stopped over at the Grace Lutheran Church on Jefferson Avenue in York City to deliver the donations that I collected to Kim’s church (again, thank you so much to everyone who donated.) We had a wonderful assortment of goods that I was able to drop off from turkeys and boxed/canned foods to winter clothing and blankets. Based solely on the hour I was able to stay, sort and organize some of the goods, I think that what my friends helped collect is going to make some individuals and families holidays that much warmer and enjoyable. However, most notably for myself, I received some insightful words of wisdom from someone who I thought that I was there to help, that I would like to pass on.

When I first arrived at the church I saw Kim, waiting by the loading “dock” right at the time we agreed upon earlier that week, gloves on hands, ready to unload the jam-packed truck and take care of some charitable business. We got to talking while unloading the truck and she let me know about a man that had already got her attention when she first arrived at the church and that he had asked when and if they were going to be doing the clothes exchange that day. He told her that if they were to remember him because he’s going to be waiting outside all morning until the church opens and that he could really use a new warm jacket. He wanted her to know how dedicated and patient he was going to be. I remembered seeing a man standing out on the corner in front of the church on that cold 18 degree morning, I thought it had to have been the same guy I had passed about thirty minutes earlier.

We get setup to unload the clothes and blankets on some tables after unloading all of the food into the kitchen and we let the gentleman into the church, offering him some hot tea/coffee and a space to warm up from the bitter weather outside. With some help from Kim?s family members (forgive me for not tagging) we are able to sort out and somewhat organize all of the clothes that were donated along with what was already down there but at the same time looking for something that would fit the gentleman joining us from the cold. I believe it was Kim that found a jacket that would be perfect fit for him. Let me just say, the amount of immediate appreciation from this man was incredibly warming. While trying the jacket on, with no concern or comment for the condition, color, pattern or feel, he shared with us some of his story; surgeries needed, sports teams loved (he was a Pittsburgh Steelers fan), we joked about me liking the Eagles (I?m pretty sure he tried to convince me that Dallas had a better record), the blindness issue he was having in one eye, and so on… The jacket was a perfect fit and he was extremely thankful, continuing on engaging us all in conversation, asking us questions about ourselves, telling a little about himself and just enjoying the company and warmth. Now what really brought everything full circle for me was what I heard just a few moments later. Kim found what she thought would be a very warm and nice sweater for him and with some excitement in her voice asked him to try it on. Now this is what got to me. His reaction and response to Kim. He said, in the most humbling of tones, ?Now what am I going to do with more than what I need??

I?m not going to go into why that means anything to me, but just that it does and I thought that it just might do something similar for someone else. I am so thankful to have had that experience Saturday morning – so thank you to Kim and all of my friends who helped pack a truck that got me over to the church. At the end of the day I can’t help but stress the importance of doing your best to keep your community clean, safe and attempt to be a part of it at whatever level you can. Especially with everything that is going on in the news/world within the last 24 hours; be committed to your town, it?s where you live, it’s where you do your business, the streets you walk and the people you can count on…

Happy Holidays All

Good evening friends,

I wanted to take a moment to share with everyone what I intend to do to help out this month and Thanksgiving to give and support those who are less fortunate than I. After my post, which gathered some traffic here, about Arnold Abbot and the ridiculousness of him getting arrested for helping others I noticed a lot of people who wanted to help out and had the same impression as I had after reading that article. So, I’ll get down to business as we only have just over a week to make some of this happen! Kim Ziegler reached out to me and gave me a ton of helpful information that we can use to do some good within the York Community. With your help (and her help) I think we can do some truly wonderful things for some families this winter. We can also continue a wonderful tradition of selfless giving and caring that Kim has started.

Kim is a member of Grace Lutheran Church @ 150 Jefferson Avenue, in York City and as a member of the church she does what she can to help others in the community throughout the year, every year.? On Saturday 11/22 Kim is going to be putting together Thanksgiving food baskets (of turkey, potatoes, bread, eggs, milk, vegetables, canned fruit/applesauce, cranberry sauce, cookies/pastries, etc) for families that may need just that little extra help this Holiday season. The following donations I will take in until Friday 11/21 so that I can get all of them to Kim so we can get together and make the baskets. If anyone wants to help make baskets and is available Sat 11/22 let me know, I believe Kim will be using the kitchen at the church to put as many baskets as possible together so more families can have some enjoyable Thanksgiving meals. I will make sure to get you whatever information you need to help that day.

Donations Accepted:

• Variety ?of canned vegetables ? corn, peas, string beans etc.
• Canned fruits/applesauce
• Boxed instant potatoes
• Tubs of Butter/Margarine
• Loaves of Bread
• Packs of cookies
• Pre-baked pastries
• Cranberry Sauce
• Turkeys

If you would like to donate any of these items, please get in touch with me, I’m hoping that I’m able to fill my truck up and deliver to these to Kim NLT Friday evening. So if you want me to pick them up from you all Friday, I’ll do that. Just get in touch with me!

Other donations not necessarily for Thanksgiving but for the season if you have them available or would like to provide can be a huge help to the community…

Food for the food pantry (stored at the church):

• Canned foods
• Boxed foods
• Baby food
• Baby formula

Other Items:

• clothing (winter hats, gloves, old jackets)
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• deodorant
• shampoos
• soaps
• combs/brushes
• hand wipes
• household goods

When I was talking to Kim over the weekend I started to think about the amount of hoodys, hats and gloves that are sitting in my moms front closet and also what I’ve purchased over the years and never use? anymore due to having something newer and “better”. I try my best to put together trash bags full of clothes that I no longer use and drop them in drop boxes throughout the year but this is probably the most important time. If you do have any WARM clothes that are not in use and want to donate them please get in touch with me. I’ll swing by and get them. It’s about to get cold and although I enjoy cold weather I know that I won’t have to suffer through it.

Again, if you could, please let me know if you would like to share the wealth this holiday season and help out someone in need. I know that many of you may belong to your own churches and if you are already supporting them that is great, but if you are not and would like to help out another community I’d be forever grateful.

Happy Holidays