I wrote about the Page It Forward campaign the other day and was glad to see that some of you read my piece, and hopefully have supported the cause.
Now I have another appeal. This one takes a little more effort but also helps people from across the country. It's a website called anysoldier.com. It's a great way to support the soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq, by sending care packages to them. Soldiers submit a request of things they would like for them or fellow soldiers. This can be anything from snacks and treats to hygiene products and toiletries, movies, books, etc. You pick a soldier, fill up a package, and send it off.
Remember what it was like getting a care package when you were away at camp or in college? Remember how excited you got and how grateful any of the friends you shared with were. Imagine how grateful these hardworking brave men and women will be. They are much further from home, they are living under much harsher conditions, and most importantly they are putting their lives on the line everyday. The lucky ones have access to email or Skype to keep in touch with family in friends back home, but most I'm guessing do not. Think about how much a care package (especially one from a stranger) would mean. Disregard the politics behind these wars, and support the troops.
If you're wondering how much this is going to cost you, there is one important thing to know. These packages are shipped via APOs. That means that you send them to a military postal sorting facility located in the United States and they forward it to the appropriate place. Bottom line, you only pay domestic postage. You do still need to fill out the same customs form you would need to attach to any other international mail package, but that's easy. What we've done is get a priority box from the postoffice, bring it to the supermarket with the soldier's wish list and fill it up as much as your budget allows. We write a letter and include a picture of the kids. The first package we sent the soldier had requested crafts to help them get in the Christmas spirit. My kids had a great time making snowflakes, gingerbread men and other stuff to help them decorate.
Since finding this site about a year and a half ago we've sent 5 packages. Of those we've chosen to send to women, partly because they tend to give more specific wish lists, and partly because since they are still in the minority in the military, they have a harder time acquiring more feminine products. Of the five we've only gotten thank you notes twice. But the important thing to know is that you shouldn't do this because you expect a thank you note. They are in warzones after all and have more important things to do, like stay alive :)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Page It Forward
A friend of mine posted a link about the Page It Forward book drive on Facebook earlier in the week and it depressed and astounded me. I've posted a link to the article below but the part of the article that stuck with me was......
40% of 6 year olds in Waukegan Illinois had never had contact with a book.
Now I'm not really sure what they mean with contact with a book, but I'm assuming it means they have never had someone sit them down and read them a story or paged through a book themselves. I have 3 kids, age 7, 5 and 2. We've been reading to them from the day they came home from the hospital. True in the beginning they didn't pay attention, but by about 6 months they did, and at that point we had already established the bedtime ritual. My kids are all avid readers now. My 7 year old goes through chapter books quickly - thank goodness for our wellstocked library. My 5 year old is starting to read independently, but is happy to reread books over and over til she gets all the words right. Our two year isn't reading yet, but still loves to look at books, and does have some of the words of his favorites memorized. He loves when we get up early and have time to come into my bed and snuggle and read stories.
They probably each have over 100 books on their bookshelves and we go the library a couple of times a month. I realize that books are expensive and board books seem especially expensive for the few pages you get. But I can't tell you how many board books we have that are have been taped and retaped with packing tape because they were so loved. "Hug" and "the Lion King" are two that come to mind. With the economy being what it is, I'm sure a lot of communities have had to cut expenses and libraries were affected. Parents are working hard to put food on the table and may not have time to take their kids to the library. I get all that. But reading to children and giving them books to read on their own will help foster a lifetime love of learning. That's why I really want this program to succeed.
Page it Forward is trying to collect 100,000 books to distribute among children in the affected areas. As of the current count on their Facebook site they have over 87,000 more to go to make their goal. It's really easy to help. There are three ways to help....
The easiest - and it's free!!!
Facebook - 1 book
You can donate 1 book with a simple click of a button. For everyone who “likes” the Page it Forward Page on Facebook sponsors will donate 1 book to a child in need.
A tiny bit more work, and will cost you $10
Text - 4 books
You can donate 4 books while you wait in line for your morning coffee. Text “PAGE” to 85944 and reply YES to confirm your $10 donation. (A one-time donation of $10 will be billed to your mobile phone bill. Messaging & data rates may apply. Donations are collected for United Way of Lake County by mobilecause.com. Reply STOP to 85944 to stop. Reply HELP to 85944 for help. For terms, see www.igfn.org/t.)
And of course you can donate books. I went through my kids book shelves and we found a few they were willing to part with. Our local library had a book fair on Friday and we picked up a few there as well.
If you need a additional incentive you have a chance at winning a $50 Visa card when you visit certain drop off locations!
Donation Sites:
*Independence Grove, Libertyville, Tuesday Night Concert Series (Thursday rain date)
Tuesday, July 12
-Book collection (pre-concert) 12- 5 PM
-Book collection (country band) 5-10 PM
Wednesday, July 20: Norman Woods Business Park
United Conveyor, Waukegan, 7:30 AM-5:30 PM
*Sunday, August 14: Gurnee Days, Gurnee, 11AM-5 PM
-Book collection booth (11 AM-5 PM)
Wednesday, August 24: Lincolnshire Corporate Center
EH Wachs, Lincolnshire, 7:30 AM-5:30 PM
*Sunday, September 11: Farmers Market, Buffalo Grove, 8 AM-12:30 PM
*donate books at these locations and enter our raffle to win a $50 Visa gift card
http://triblocal.com/grayslake/2011/06/16/united-way-asks-lake-county-residents-to-page-it-forward-by-donating-used-childrens-books/
40% of 6 year olds in Waukegan Illinois had never had contact with a book.
Now I'm not really sure what they mean with contact with a book, but I'm assuming it means they have never had someone sit them down and read them a story or paged through a book themselves. I have 3 kids, age 7, 5 and 2. We've been reading to them from the day they came home from the hospital. True in the beginning they didn't pay attention, but by about 6 months they did, and at that point we had already established the bedtime ritual. My kids are all avid readers now. My 7 year old goes through chapter books quickly - thank goodness for our wellstocked library. My 5 year old is starting to read independently, but is happy to reread books over and over til she gets all the words right. Our two year isn't reading yet, but still loves to look at books, and does have some of the words of his favorites memorized. He loves when we get up early and have time to come into my bed and snuggle and read stories.
They probably each have over 100 books on their bookshelves and we go the library a couple of times a month. I realize that books are expensive and board books seem especially expensive for the few pages you get. But I can't tell you how many board books we have that are have been taped and retaped with packing tape because they were so loved. "Hug" and "the Lion King" are two that come to mind. With the economy being what it is, I'm sure a lot of communities have had to cut expenses and libraries were affected. Parents are working hard to put food on the table and may not have time to take their kids to the library. I get all that. But reading to children and giving them books to read on their own will help foster a lifetime love of learning. That's why I really want this program to succeed.
Page it Forward is trying to collect 100,000 books to distribute among children in the affected areas. As of the current count on their Facebook site they have over 87,000 more to go to make their goal. It's really easy to help. There are three ways to help....
The easiest - and it's free!!!
Facebook - 1 book
You can donate 1 book with a simple click of a button. For everyone who “likes” the Page it Forward Page on Facebook sponsors will donate 1 book to a child in need.
A tiny bit more work, and will cost you $10
Text - 4 books
You can donate 4 books while you wait in line for your morning coffee. Text “PAGE” to 85944 and reply YES to confirm your $10 donation. (A one-time donation of $10 will be billed to your mobile phone bill. Messaging & data rates may apply. Donations are collected for United Way of Lake County by mobilecause.com. Reply STOP to 85944 to stop. Reply HELP to 85944 for help. For terms, see www.igfn.org/t.)
And of course you can donate books. I went through my kids book shelves and we found a few they were willing to part with. Our local library had a book fair on Friday and we picked up a few there as well.
If you need a additional incentive you have a chance at winning a $50 Visa card when you visit certain drop off locations!
Donation Sites:
*Independence Grove, Libertyville, Tuesday Night Concert Series (Thursday rain date)
Tuesday, July 12
-Book collection (pre-concert) 12- 5 PM
-Book collection (country band) 5-10 PM
Wednesday, July 20: Norman Woods Business Park
United Conveyor, Waukegan, 7:30 AM-5:30 PM
*Sunday, August 14: Gurnee Days, Gurnee, 11AM-5 PM
-Book collection booth (11 AM-5 PM)
Wednesday, August 24: Lincolnshire Corporate Center
EH Wachs, Lincolnshire, 7:30 AM-5:30 PM
*Sunday, September 11: Farmers Market, Buffalo Grove, 8 AM-12:30 PM
*donate books at these locations and enter our raffle to win a $50 Visa gift card
http://triblocal.com/grayslake/2011/06/16/united-way-asks-lake-county-residents-to-page-it-forward-by-donating-used-childrens-books/
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Iphone leads to Mommy ADD
I got my iPhone about a month ago and while it is cool and helpful I also feel like it's giving me ADD or at least popcorn brain as I have heard it called. Being a mother of 3 young kids is hectic enough. I often find myself having 3 conversations at once because everyone is talking at the same time.
The main problem of course is Facebook and email. I don't get a lot of important emails. I don't work outside the home so the majority of what I get are from all the various deal websites, coupons from real stores, and once in a while a real message. Still I feel like I have to check it multiple times a day (when I have a free minute at home, when I'm at a stoplight, when I'm waiting for kids). I do not check it when I'm driving and if I need to text I pull over. I even told the kids how dangerous it is to text and drive knowing that they'll call me on it, if I try.
Now that I've started this blog, I find myself obsessed with my stats. I don't know why. I'm not really publicizing it, so don't expect a lot of traffic. I am writing under a pseudonym so am not sharing it with my friends. No one is following me yet, but I have had someone in Germany and someone in Canada read my blog. Not sure how they found it, but it's kind of cool.
I find myself having thinking that I need to look up something and then getting sidetracked when I unlock my phone and check FB before getting to google and then I forget what it was I going to check. I guess these are signs of addiction. I have recently unliked a bunch of pages to cut down on the number of updates I get, it's mostly back to friends again, which has helped.
Now that I have everything in my calendar, I feel like I can't remember any simple dates without consulting my calendar. With school out for the summer and the camp schedule pretty relaxed, it gets worse as I don't really need to know the day of the week or the date most of the time, but then I also haven't really been planning ahead in terms of activities for the kids. We just had my inlaws come to visit. They left today, and today I'm spending getting the house back in order, and getting caught up on laundry. Camp starts for all three kids next week which will allow me some free time, and hopefully let me tackle some of the smaller projects I need to tend to so I can get my life organized.
The main problem of course is Facebook and email. I don't get a lot of important emails. I don't work outside the home so the majority of what I get are from all the various deal websites, coupons from real stores, and once in a while a real message. Still I feel like I have to check it multiple times a day (when I have a free minute at home, when I'm at a stoplight, when I'm waiting for kids). I do not check it when I'm driving and if I need to text I pull over. I even told the kids how dangerous it is to text and drive knowing that they'll call me on it, if I try.
Now that I've started this blog, I find myself obsessed with my stats. I don't know why. I'm not really publicizing it, so don't expect a lot of traffic. I am writing under a pseudonym so am not sharing it with my friends. No one is following me yet, but I have had someone in Germany and someone in Canada read my blog. Not sure how they found it, but it's kind of cool.
I find myself having thinking that I need to look up something and then getting sidetracked when I unlock my phone and check FB before getting to google and then I forget what it was I going to check. I guess these are signs of addiction. I have recently unliked a bunch of pages to cut down on the number of updates I get, it's mostly back to friends again, which has helped.
Now that I have everything in my calendar, I feel like I can't remember any simple dates without consulting my calendar. With school out for the summer and the camp schedule pretty relaxed, it gets worse as I don't really need to know the day of the week or the date most of the time, but then I also haven't really been planning ahead in terms of activities for the kids. We just had my inlaws come to visit. They left today, and today I'm spending getting the house back in order, and getting caught up on laundry. Camp starts for all three kids next week which will allow me some free time, and hopefully let me tackle some of the smaller projects I need to tend to so I can get my life organized.
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