Another great post from the Good Cheer Food Bank blog! Here you go.
America may have talent, but South Whidbey has its share of talent, too!
In the fashion of the popular television show “America’s Got Talent” Good Cheer will present “The Mother of All Talent Shows” Saturday evening, May 8th at 7:30 p.m. in the South Whidbey High School auditorium.
This venue is very special as you can see by the photo. The challenge will be in filling all of the seats to make this truly a special event. An annual talent show would restart a great tradition for the community and will be lots of fun.
With more than 20 acts signed up to perform, the May event is looking like it might just be the reincarnation of South Whidbey’s old-time talent show held annually until three years ago. The annual talent show was coordinated by Jean Shaw, well known South Whidbey school teacher, and became a community institution.
JoNoah Spratt and State Representative Norma Smith
The idea of a hosting a talent show started when Good Cheer volunteer, JaNoah Spratt was giving State Representative Norma Smith a tour of the Food Bank. JaNoah is a young man who has done many projects to raise funds for Good Cheer, including his own garden at his house near Langley. On the tour, he and Norma came up with the idea of having a talent show to earn money to support Good Cheer Programs.
To view the entire post you can click here.
I wanted to share this post with the community. I’ve been helping the Good Cheer Food Bank with their blog and this is a post that you should all read!
The South Whidbey Commons grew out of a 1998 Family/Youth Summit. A shared vision and plan for an increasingly healthy and connected South Whidbey community was put forth. It is a vision that has taken roots in our community.
Caitlin Golbaum, an Americorp volunteer, comments on the community, the Island Coffeehouse and Books and the South Whidbey Commons were really on target.
“In my short six months here as an AmeriCorps member, I have been consistently impressed by the way this community cares for its own. There are several incredible non-profit organizations in the community that work tirelessly to ensure that basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are available to everyone. However, there is a fourth fundamental need that often gets overlooked: the need to build relationships with other people. The South Whidbey Commons is a non-profit that is dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable place where members of the community of all ages can build connections.”
The HELP Network, which South Whidbey Commons is a member, is truly unique. There is something special about our community and I do think that it is that small town atmosphere that makes it easier to know each other. Having programs that accentuate that belief in sharing and building connections is a way to ensure that we all feel like we are a part of the community.
South Whidbey Commons offers a wide variety of programs that serve as opportunities for interaction with the community. Their free PlayScape program allows children age birth through kindergarten to play together, while caregivers can visit and share experiences.
For the full post click here.
Here is a nice article on the Good Cheer Food Bank. Growing green gardens and helping to feed those in need.
I’m sure that most of you are aware of the Good Cheer Food Garden. The point that strikes me is the depth of what is being done and the variety of the volunteers that we find working at the garden site. This last month we saw the first harvest of the year and the planting of some of the first seeds for later harvesting.
The starts were donated by Molly Peterson and they were planted in the greenhouse in mid-February; they’ve been growing and should be moved outside under protection around mid-March.
Here is a photo of our volunteers harvesting the kale and collards. You can read more about the harvesting and the planting of starts by clicking here.
Molly Zeiger, as you may know, is our Americorp volunteer. She began her tour with Good Cheer and the garden last September and we are lucky to have her around through this July.
“While I am here, I hope to help implement a sustainable and efficient system to turn healthy harvest from the garden into appreciated meals on the table. So far it has been a humbling learning experience.” Molly is a great role model for our younger volunteers and adds an energy that is certainly welcome at Good Cheer.
For the full article click here.
Here is a great post from the Good Cheer Food Bank Blog; all about people helping people and preserving this planet Earth.
Team Earth and Harrison Ford are teaming up and bringing awareness to sustainable living on our planet.
Every living organism on this planet is an energy of light in the universe. With enough energy we can bring a new light of hope to this planet. This is all about getting involved and being aware that the actions of a few can start that process moving forward.
This is not about politics it is about having a common purpose that works for everyone.
About Team Earth:
Ensuring the sustainability of Earth’s essential resources while maintaining economic growth is the defining challenge of the 21st century. How we manage the gifts of nature – a stable climate, fresh water and abundant oceans, fertile soils for food, the right conditions for healthy lives and the ability to sustainably balance human needs – will determine the long-term health and prosperity of all people, everywhere.
You can click on the photo below ro view the video. This is a You Tube video and you may want to click on full screen to get a better visual impact when you get to the video.
Are You In?
To read the full article you can click here.
Here is a nice piece from Kathy McLaughlin and the Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift Stores. Kathy is the Executive Director at Good Cheer; people helping people is what it is all about. No better way to spread happiness and compassion:
It’s Back! Good Cheer’s Biggest, Baddest Bag Sale Of Them All!
This is a reminder, a doorbuster sale, that takes place the first Tuesday of the Month between 10:00 a.m. and 5 p.m at the Langley store and from 9:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. at the Clothing Rack in Clinton. Mark your calendar for February 2nd and pile up some real bargains!
Ever wanted a real grab bag? Here’s your chance.
Come shop the Good Cheer Thrift Stores we’ll supply the bag, normal grocery store bag, and you do the choosing, grabbing and stuffing of any clothing item under $10.
Whatever clothing you can fit into one bag, you pay only $5! Now that’s a bargain!
Questions? Call 221-6454 or email kathy@goodcheer.org.
Find a treasure at either of the two Thrift Stores; Langley or Clinton. The bag sale is for clothing only.
Why buy new when used will do… and you can help end hunger at the same time?
Thrift Store (Langley)
114 Anthes / P.O. Box 144
Langley, WA 98260
Good Cheer Two Thrift Store (Clinton)
4777 Commercial, Clinton, WA (Near Clinton Food Mart & Jim’s Hardware)
Now Open 7 days A Week! • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kids clothes too!
Good Cheer Two, Clinton Thrift Store, now sells clothing in an adjacent suite dubbed “Good Cheer Clothing Rack”.
The store sells gently used clothing for the entire family, everything from sleepwear to winter coats, plus shoes and accessories for $7 or less.
Proceeds help fund Good Cheer, which operates the community food bank.
While not clothing the fluffy toys are fun and make a good play thing for Fido.
Good Cheer’s Clothing Rack is open weekdays from noon to 5 p.m. and from noon. to 5 p.m. Sundays thru Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The bag sale is an exception to the normal operating hours; remember the Good Cheer Clothing Rack will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on the day of the sale.
The photos are from the Langley store, I’ll make a point of getting some from the Clinton store in the future.
Good Shopping!
Here is the link to her Good Cheer Blogsite.
The Move Your Money Movement got started over the dinner table with a few friends. Those present were wondering what they could do personally that would help limit the the power of the big banks while creating a more equitable and stable financial system.
Risk and greed have have always been present in in our society, however, ever since the Glass-Steagall act was repealed in 1999 the impact on our financial markets has been more broadly felt. The repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act allowed banks to get involved in the investment business. If your interested you can click here to find out how this all developed; not surprisingly you will find the money boys at their worst or best depending on your perspective.
Getting back to the Move Your Money Movement. The financier at the table recommended “that everyone could move their money out of the Wall Street banks and into community banks. Community banks are typically more conservative about how they manage their money, they’re more closely connected to the people and businesses who live near them, and they’re more inclined to make loans they know will get paid back. In other words, they have the values that more people would want banks to have.”
The filmmaker at the table reminded the others of the story told in the classic film It’s A Wonderful Life — a tale about a small banker, played by Jimmy Stewart, who almost gets crushed by a big banker. In the end, though, the community rallies around the small bank and helps save it. You can click on the above photo and view the short video; I guess greed will always be with us. The point is whether we can change things.
In America money talks, just ask our politicians.
I think that if we look long and hard at are political system; it would be hard to deny that things need to be changed. The question is always how? When people think about changing the system we think in terms of electing a new President. The problem is that the party that is shut out of office then begins its fight to get re-elected. They surely don’t want to help the new President look good and hurt their chances of taking back the Presidency. We did not elect these politicians to spend their time on getting re-elected; we expected them to do their jobs and to be the voice of their constituents.
This cartoon is symbolic of the situation we face; not a knock on any particular party. They are both at fault!
Sometimes I wonder who our elected officials really listen to. It seems as though they follow the money. They seem to respond more to the lobbyists and political action groups than their real constituents. Party loyalty becomes shameful when actions and policies that are for the good of the country are not truly debated in a manner that you would expect of statesmen.
Thinking term limits?
A Constitutional Amendment would be needed for term limits to be put into law and that would need a two thirds vote to pass; not very likely based on past experience.
The system has handcuffed the public’s ability to seek true change. There is another recourse laid out in Article V of the Constitution. Two thirds of the states could demand a constitutional convention for an amendment to limit terms. Some would say that there is some danger in this since it could lead to other changes in the Constitution.
The Move Your Money movement is a simple idea that doesn’t need a constitutional amendment to make it work.
Keith Olbermann has an overview of the movement in a video you can access by clicking on the photo below.
The Move Your Money Movement is a grassroots effort to shift the power in the financial system away from Wall Street and to Main Street. Wall Street has done nothing to warrant our trust; they need to earn it back. Maybe this movement will stir a new beginning; we need to bring this country back to its roots!
Whidbey Island Bank is one of the community banks that is listed on the Move Your Money website. You can go the the website and explore the other community banks or credit unions that are named. They have identified the banks and credit unions that have a sound financial base; those that were not involved in the practices that took down some of the biggest banks.
This weeks Whidbey Island Food Links starts with parmesan cream crackers from the Smitten Kitchen. What makes a cracker a cracker? Plenty of good wit and photos to led you through the process.
Ravioli with Artichokes, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Peas in a Champagne Cream Sauce and it looks to die for. The Proud Italian Cook brings us a family Ravioli party; a pasta machine would come in handy. This is a step-by-step recipe with plenty of photos to help you along the way. Click here to find the recipe and the Proud Italian Cook.
More comfort food from Delicious Days entitled Cooking With the Guys. This is a recipe for Past’e lenticchie á la Claudio. You don’t have to have a pasta machine the chef gives you alternatives.
Culinary Travels of a Kitchen Goddess has a wonderful piece on Christmas. The first video is from 1984; Feed the World. Music artists have a way of painting a picture and this is done very well. She makes the comment that “Christmas is often seen as the time of excess and of great joy but it isn’t always that way for everyone – something the above music video brings home well.” Click on the above photo for the video.
What struck me about her post was the fact that I have written articles about People Helping People and when I write about this topic I feel the emotion. Here is the link to her post; it talks about the Blogger Aid Cook Book. There is much to read and see and I hope that it stirs your emotions as well.
This food bank on South Whidbey Island is all about good cheer. The Good Cheer Food Bank and its Thrift Stores have turned into quite a success story. Good Cheer had originally bought some property near the current location where they were going to build their new facility. Turns out the Masons were looking to sell their site and Good Cheer made the decision to buy the property and structures that now make up the facilities at the Good Cheer Food Bank.
I dropped by the food bank last week to find out a little bit more about the bank and the people that operate it. Most of the work that is done at the food bank and thrift store is done by volunteers. These special people take time out of their lives to help other people and there is no better work than people helping people.
The Good Cheer Food Bank is open six days a week to South Whidbey Residents in need of food. So, how does one access the food bank? Just show up; the staff will ask you some simple questions and you will need to have proof of South Whidbey residency. They trust people when they say they need food. This spirit of trust is reflection of the good people who work hard to make this a better community.
Clients are given a base of 70 points, plus ten extra points for every member of the household. For instance, a family of four would receive 100 points a month to spend on selection of food in the Food Bank.
Foods receive points ranging from one to fifteen for items that include cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, soup, pasta, flour, beans, rice, eggs, milk, bread, lunch meat, peanut butter, jam, noodles, sauces, potatoes, oatmeal, juice, chili, meat, chicken, and fish as available. Fresh fruit and vegetables are also available.
Good Cheer has an on-site garden that provides fresh produce to those in need. I intend to write another post on the garden in the near future. There is so much good coming out of this organization that I don’t have the space to show it all in one post. The two photos are from the garden blog site; looks to be harvest time!
Good Cheer has a great program for kids in their WIN Program. Whidbey Island Nourishes is sponsored by Good Cheer. This is a volunteer effort that provides free, nutritious sack lunches to people in need (especially children).
The lunches are available for pickup at the Good Cheer Food Bank, Island Coffehouse & Books in Langley and the Good Cheer Two Thrift Store in Clinton.
Here is the link to the Good Cheer website. The website is very informative whether your in need help or you’re just wanting to help out; the website will get you moving in the right direction.
In this economic environment it is clear that people do need help. I know that many of us could use these services, however, we let our egos get in the way. Remember, these programs were set up for people needing help during the tough times that life sometimes hands us.
There are other ways to gain assistance in these tough times. Basic food aid (Food Stamps) sign-ups are now available at Helping Hand on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
A client services coordinator from the Opportunity Council is now available by appointment the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Helping Hand offices in Langley at 816 Camano Ave. opposite the Island County Fairgrounds.
The coordinator will help people determine if they are eligible to receive Basic Food Aid and can also provide help with energy assistance and rental assistance if needed. The representative will be available by appointment between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Appointments should be scheduled in advance by calling Helping Hand at (360) 221-7777 weekday mornings. The savings that food stamps provide might allow you to treat your kids or just have some extra money available for emergencies.
It is comforting to know that people care. If you find that you need a little help; they are there for you.
In July of this year I wrote a post entitled “Kids Helping Kids in Africa.” I thought I would post it on this new site since it describes a little about myself and family.
The actions of a few can change the world. It all begins with small steps; random acts of kindness and focused attempts to help one another.
If you haven’t noticed; young people are getting involved. My daughter’s husband, Joe, spent time in Kenya a couple of years ago working at an AIDS hospice. While he did have a bout with malaria; his real memories come from the time spent helping the people. My daughter, Meredith, spent time working as a children’s counselor for Americorp helping those with less. Now the two of them will begin a trek to South Africa; setting aside time in their lives to help others.
This is a bit of an anniversary event! Forty years ago, in July of 1969, I began a very memorable year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I was stationed at the Ethiopian Mapping Mission; they were mapping Ethiopia.
I remember being surprised to find high-rise buildings and telephone poles. Most of what I knew about Africa came from National Geographic or from watching “Abbott and Costello in Africa”. The biggest surprise came as I was walking into town and came across a television store; right in front of me was Neil Armstrong stepping down on the Moon!
July 20, 1969 - ”That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Sound familiar?
There is much that can be learned by experiencing another person’s culture. This type of education is not in books; it flows to your heart and soul. People are wonderful everywhere you go, that is why it is such a great experience to give. Joe and Meredith will be blogging back to the Generation Joy Foundation that they are involved with; barring any technology issues there will be more from me.
The Generation Joy Logo is a symbol of unity in diversity; oneness of humanity in spite of cultural differences.
Curtis Betzler the founder of the Generation Joy Foundation is a science teacher at Beaver Lake Middle School in the State of Washington. He says that the idea of “kids helping kids” began eight years ago on a personal trip to Ghana.
Betzler found that there was an incredible need for educational resources and the basic needs that we all take for granted.
“Knowing that I teach in a place where, in many cases, we have an excess of resources and most all of our basic needs are met, I began working on a way to connect the two regions. I truly believe, that in the right environment, all people want to learn and also that all people like to share.”
“This idea really took off due to the efforts of the children in the community where I work. They readily gave not only resources, but time, energy, planning and commitment to see this project through. The effort was rewarded when I witnessed the joy of children in Africa when receiving these resources and the impact it has had on their lives and community.”
Last year, Generation Joy filled two 40-foot freight containers with supplies. Among the thousands of goods packed in those vessels were 11,000 books, 170 computers, 60 bicycles, and hundreds of soccer balls.
“The potential is endless,” he said. “I think kids enjoy giving. They just need an outlet and a resource.”
Generation Joy needs donations of educational supplies, reading materials, new clothing, sports equipment, new and gently-used shoes, First Aid materials, and comfort items such as dolls, blankets, and baby bottles.
Here is a link to the Generation Joy website.
Do you know someone who can take that small step right here on Whidbey Island?
Lastly, here is a video showing “kids helping kids”. Just click here.
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