Make A Difference Blog
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Join Us on April 21 for Serve A Thon for Schools
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Help create that excitement for eight year olds around the Valley. Join us for Serve A Thon for Schools on April 21.
By participating in Serve A Thon for Schools, you benefit Valley schoolchildren, Make A Difference and, even yourself. Here's how it works. 1) Schools reap the rewards of your elbow grease with brightly painted murals, freshly planted flowers, organized libraries and so much more! 2) The funds you raise by asking for pledges helps Make A Difference provide 40+ amazing and impactful service projects and programs each month. 3) You earn prizes like commemorative Serve A Thon for Schools tees, Diamondbacks tickets, gift cards and more for pledges raised in the amounts of $25, $100, $250 and $500. For 2007, our goal is to raise $50,000 in pledges with the help of generous folks like you. So get started today!
¶ 11:11 AM 0 comments
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It’s Monday, April 23rd and you’re eight years old. You’ve put on your navy blue uniform pants and your white uniform polo, strapped on your Spider Man or Barbie backpack and trotted off to school. Once on campus, you enter the front gates and hear giggling, see lots of pointing and sense a general excitement hanging in the air. And then you see why: your once dull school has a new flower garden in the courtyard, bright murals cover the walls and there’s even new sets of hop scotches on the playground! All of a sudden you feel excited to be at school and you’re glad that someone helped make it a more interesting place to be.
Help create that excitement for eight year olds around the Valley. Join us for Serve A Thon for Schools on April 21.
By participating in Serve A Thon for Schools, you benefit Valley schoolchildren, Make A Difference and, even yourself. Here's how it works. 1) Schools reap the rewards of your elbow grease with brightly painted murals, freshly planted flowers, organized libraries and so much more! 2) The funds you raise by asking for pledges helps Make A Difference provide 40+ amazing and impactful service projects and programs each month. 3) You earn prizes like commemorative Serve A Thon for Schools tees, Diamondbacks tickets, gift cards and more for pledges raised in the amounts of $25, $100, $250 and $500. For 2007, our goal is to raise $50,000 in pledges with the help of generous folks like you. So get started today!
Monday, January 08, 2007
A New Year Full of Cheer!
Welcome to 2007 and the Make A Difference Blog. My name is Meg, I’m an AmeriCorps member here at the Make A Difference office. I shall write little tid-bits of news, juicy gossip and stories to entertain and delight the readers of this blog. Feel welcome to send your thoughts and stories to me as you volunteer in your community.
New Year’s Resolutions are just pretty dang hard to keep. As you make or break promises in 2007, just remember that you can redeem yourself by VOLUNTEERING!
Here are a few more resolutions that the Make A Difference staff and AmeriCorps Members serving around Phoenix wrote in with:
Smokie the Bear, serving at Audubon Arizona, writes: My new year’s resolution is to quit smoking, I am on day 2 and it isn't so bad yet. So if you see me and I am cranky please note the non-smoking sign on my back. Good luck with your resolution!
-That’s a hard habit to break, Smokie. I myself have struggled with addiction. But don’t worry the birds and lizards in Phoenix will appreciate your new fresh breath.
Sleeps Late, serving at Day Resource Center, writes: I just want to wake up on time. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it is quite tough for me. To keep my resolution, I plan on going to bed earlier and to drink coffee in the morning. I'm also going to start eating large amounts of kelp, because I think it will help me fight off the extreme tiredness I have due to my thyroid condition.
- I hope that seaweed family doesn’t come after you for eating all that kelp! Seriously, setting more than one alarm holds no shame & coffee can jump start any morning…
Long-Winded Fruit Eater, in her second year at the Phoenix Mayor’s Office, writes:
I found it very interesting that this was probably not the first time I pondered on this question. How much time and energy did I put into what I should do? While I was thinking “Well… I should bite into an apple and crack open a book [in 2007]” I was just sitting there, probably during a commercial break, waiting for a repeated episode of Will & Grace to return. So long story short:
My 2007 New Year’s Resolution is to focus on thing I need to do to be a healthy happy person. I will plan on making a mental list and wait for the new year to arrive to fuel my fire.
- You really never shut your pie-hole, do you? It looks like you have a great start to your list. Be sure to let me know once you actually do something.
Jogging for Joy, Programs Coordinator here at the office, writes:
I've got one that I want help with! I'm going to go to the gym during lunch time! Life outside the office it just too crazy to regularly work out but I'd love a companion or two! The fun begins TOMORROW! Peace
-You are one ambitious lady, Jogging! Since when is exercise fun? I just hope you don’t make our nostril hairs fall out after one of your long runs. Remember to shower!
Flexible & List Challenged, the Make A Difference Special Initiatives Director, writes:
I have a tendency to practice resolutions throughout the year as I get new insights or challenges in my life. So I don’t have a long list now but I do plan to do some sort of cleanse., I’m going to practice appreciating people in my life more – sending some hand written cards out to thank people (rather than email). There are also a lot of exciting things going on at the yoga studio where I teach that will be part of my new year.
Have you come up with yours?
- It sounds like you’ve got a long list already, Flexible. Maybe you can stop off at the post office after your last Downward Dog. Yes, I have many resolutions. Do you need my mailing address? ¶ 4:07 PM 0 comments
New Year’s Resolutions are just pretty dang hard to keep. As you make or break promises in 2007, just remember that you can redeem yourself by VOLUNTEERING!
Here are a few more resolutions that the Make A Difference staff and AmeriCorps Members serving around Phoenix wrote in with:
Smokie the Bear, serving at Audubon Arizona, writes: My new year’s resolution is to quit smoking, I am on day 2 and it isn't so bad yet. So if you see me and I am cranky please note the non-smoking sign on my back. Good luck with your resolution!
-That’s a hard habit to break, Smokie. I myself have struggled with addiction. But don’t worry the birds and lizards in Phoenix will appreciate your new fresh breath.
Sleeps Late, serving at Day Resource Center, writes: I just want to wake up on time. This doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it is quite tough for me. To keep my resolution, I plan on going to bed earlier and to drink coffee in the morning. I'm also going to start eating large amounts of kelp, because I think it will help me fight off the extreme tiredness I have due to my thyroid condition.
- I hope that seaweed family doesn’t come after you for eating all that kelp! Seriously, setting more than one alarm holds no shame & coffee can jump start any morning…
Long-Winded Fruit Eater, in her second year at the Phoenix Mayor’s Office, writes:
I found it very interesting that this was probably not the first time I pondered on this question. How much time and energy did I put into what I should do? While I was thinking “Well… I should bite into an apple and crack open a book [in 2007]” I was just sitting there, probably during a commercial break, waiting for a repeated episode of Will & Grace to return. So long story short:
My 2007 New Year’s Resolution is to focus on thing I need to do to be a healthy happy person. I will plan on making a mental list and wait for the new year to arrive to fuel my fire.
- You really never shut your pie-hole, do you? It looks like you have a great start to your list. Be sure to let me know once you actually do something.
Jogging for Joy, Programs Coordinator here at the office, writes:
I've got one that I want help with! I'm going to go to the gym during lunch time! Life outside the office it just too crazy to regularly work out but I'd love a companion or two! The fun begins TOMORROW! Peace
-You are one ambitious lady, Jogging! Since when is exercise fun? I just hope you don’t make our nostril hairs fall out after one of your long runs. Remember to shower!
Flexible & List Challenged, the Make A Difference Special Initiatives Director, writes:
I have a tendency to practice resolutions throughout the year as I get new insights or challenges in my life. So I don’t have a long list now but I do plan to do some sort of cleanse., I’m going to practice appreciating people in my life more – sending some hand written cards out to thank people (rather than email). There are also a lot of exciting things going on at the yoga studio where I teach that will be part of my new year.
Have you come up with yours?
- It sounds like you’ve got a long list already, Flexible. Maybe you can stop off at the post office after your last Downward Dog. Yes, I have many resolutions. Do you need my mailing address? ¶ 4:07 PM 0 comments
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wanted - Inspirational Stories
Do you have an inspiring volunteer story? Would you like to share it with the Make A Difference public? We are looking for motivational stories from YOU to add to our blog. We are looking for YOUR help in sprucing up the blog. Please submit your stories to Sara.
¶ 8:43 AM 0 comments
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Hey.. Good AM from the Gulf Coast!...
Monday was just what I was thinking this week was gonna be like. We worked our butts off :>)…. The five of us Katie, Steven, Rachel, Kaitlin and I (the other two make a difference members we hadn’t hooked up with yet) signed up to work on constructing a park in Biloxi. As you can see from the pictures the Hands On people have done a ton of work so far creating a park on what once was an oyster shell dump. In some parts of the garden where we were digging, the ground was hard as a rock..eerrrr shell.!.... We all were working on building some raised beds for the planting vegetables.
I’m writing this Tuesday AM while Teresa, Rachel, and Steven are on Breakfast clean up duty, and Katie is working in the office. I did my chore by cleaning up after dinner on Sunday, yahooooo...Right now there are about 70 people living here, so the cleanup can take quite a while. The way this place works is everyone is expected to help out with the daily chores whether that is clean up, cooking , admin stuff, picking people up at the airport… all kinds of stuff…More about this very cool thing that the Hands On Network has going here on the Gulf Coast later……….gotta go now, I’ll be writing tomorrow…
See ya
Lee ¶ 8:07 AM 0 comments
Monday was just what I was thinking this week was gonna be like. We worked our butts off :>)…. The five of us Katie, Steven, Rachel, Kaitlin and I (the other two make a difference members we hadn’t hooked up with yet) signed up to work on constructing a park in Biloxi. As you can see from the pictures the Hands On people have done a ton of work so far creating a park on what once was an oyster shell dump. In some parts of the garden where we were digging, the ground was hard as a rock..eerrrr shell.!.... We all were working on building some raised beds for the planting vegetables.
I’m writing this Tuesday AM while Teresa, Rachel, and Steven are on Breakfast clean up duty, and Katie is working in the office. I did my chore by cleaning up after dinner on Sunday, yahooooo...Right now there are about 70 people living here, so the cleanup can take quite a while. The way this place works is everyone is expected to help out with the daily chores whether that is clean up, cooking , admin stuff, picking people up at the airport… all kinds of stuff…More about this very cool thing that the Hands On Network has going here on the Gulf Coast later……….gotta go now, I’ll be writing tomorrow…
See ya
Lee ¶ 8:07 AM 0 comments
Monday, October 02, 2006
Make A Difference Volunteers in Biloxi
What I never could have believed... Work starts on Monday Oct 2 in Biloxi Mississippi so on Sunday 10-1, Katie, Stephen, Rachel and I drove around on our own and checked out New Orleans. It’s been over a year since the devastation of hurricane Katrina. Not much to say except that it’s overwhelming. Mile after mile of pure destruction. It was kinda strange, we would all be talking about what we seeing then it would just all of a sudden get quiet... One of the hardest hit areas was the 9th ward, check out the water level above Katie’s head in a random house we stopped at.
The houses are the way they were
since the storm. The people just left...
Unbelievable...
It’s 10:00 PM now and we’re all settled in at our base camp in Biloxi, ready to get to work first thing in the AM!
Lee ¶ 8:27 AM 0 comments
The houses are the way they were
since the storm. The people just left...
Unbelievable...
It’s 10:00 PM now and we’re all settled in at our base camp in Biloxi, ready to get to work first thing in the AM!
Lee ¶ 8:27 AM 0 comments
Thursday, September 14, 2006
8-Year Old Seeks Experience...Yours!
Experience Corps members are trained and supported to tutor students in the
skills they need to succeed in school and life.
Tutors (age 55+ preferred) who commit to tutoring fourth graders 15 hours per
week for one school year, receive modest monthly stipends and educational awards.
The program starts this fall in the Mesa Public School District. For more information, visit our website, or contact Lisa. ¶ 1:55 PM 0 comments
Experience Corps members are trained and supported to tutor students in the
skills they need to succeed in school and life.
Tutors (age 55+ preferred) who commit to tutoring fourth graders 15 hours per
week for one school year, receive modest monthly stipends and educational awards.
The program starts this fall in the Mesa Public School District. For more information, visit our website, or contact Lisa. ¶ 1:55 PM 0 comments
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Become A Bookworm Buddy!
Would you like to be a Buddy? Become a Bookworm Buddy for the fall and help a student learn to read!
Bookworm Buddies is Make A Difference’s unique literacy, mentoring, and tutoring program designed to give students in under-resourced schools the opportunity to benefit from a one-on-one relationship with a committed adult while simultaneously working to improve their literacy skills. Volunteers are asked to commit to meeting with their student for one hour a week, for at least one semester. Students are in grades 1st-3rd and have been chosen by their teachers to participate in the program.
To sign up for training today, or for more information contact us at info@makeadifference.org or call 602-973-2212. ¶ 12:58 PM 0 comments
Bookworm Buddies is Make A Difference’s unique literacy, mentoring, and tutoring program designed to give students in under-resourced schools the opportunity to benefit from a one-on-one relationship with a committed adult while simultaneously working to improve their literacy skills. Volunteers are asked to commit to meeting with their student for one hour a week, for at least one semester. Students are in grades 1st-3rd and have been chosen by their teachers to participate in the program.
To sign up for training today, or for more information contact us at info@makeadifference.org or call 602-973-2212. ¶ 12:58 PM 0 comments
