Youth Volunteer` 04

2004-12-31T01:49:00.000+08:00

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows."

"Once Volunteering Was for Dreamers" a poem

Once, volunteering was for dreamers....

We were and some still are pioneers in compassionate enterprise. It was the way we got good things done before there were big budgets or bureaucracies.

Once, volunteering was a legacy....

It was an inheritance from family, friends, or faith, an unself-conscious way of living out basic values.

Volunteering was just the way we were, a private matter of public consequence.

Once, volunteering was a power....

We didn't react to trends, we CAUSED them.

We didn't supplement staff, we CREATED them.

Politicians didn't use us; we used them.

And we made dreams happen.

Once, volunteer was for dreamers....

May it soon be so again.

2004-12-28T23:47:00.000+08:00

"It Makes A Difference"
The following story, by Loren Eisley.
A well-known author and poet was working and vacationing on the southern coast of Spain. One morning very early, he was walking along the beach; the sun was just rising. While enjoying the beauty about him, he glanced down the beach and saw a lone figure dancing about.

Fascinated by this other person celebrating the day that was about to dawn, he moved closer. As he came nearer, he realized that the young man was not dancing, but in one graceful movement was picking objects up from the beach and was tossing them out into the sea. As he approached the young man, he saw that the objects were starfish.

"Why in the world are you throwing starfish into the water?"

"If the starfish are still on the beach when the tide goes out and the sun rises higher in the sky, they will die," replied the young man as he continued tossing them out to the sea.

"That's ridiculous! There are thousands of miles of beach and millions of starfish. You can't believe that what you are doing could possible make a difference!"

The young man picked up another starfish, paused thoughtfully and remarked as he tossed it out into the waves,
"It makes a difference to this one."

2004-12-24T18:49:00.000+08:00

Nice?

It was right around midnight and I heard a clatter
I wasn't concerened what was the matter.
I fluffed my pillow and reassured Ma -
"Go back to sleep. It's Santa Claus."

Down the chimney, to the living room,
He took care of business like a sonic boom;
And then I heard a "ho, Ho, Ho ",
and I knew off he'd go.

But all of a sudden I heard a thump, thump, thump
Perhaps Santa's sleigh on my house did bump.
So I decided I better take a look
I put up the ladder and climbed to the roof.

Now, I knew Santa had looked in his book
and he'd found that I've been good,
but up on the roof what did appear -
a 'special' gift from a reindeer.

I've seen 'droppings' before, but never this size
fall out of the clouds or down from the sky;
Here was something earthly made -
a miniature sewer on my roof did lay -
the size of a bowling ball
the smell of chocolate chip,
And over the side of my roof -
an awful drip !

Then Ma awoke to look outside
There she saw the terrible sight :
Tho not too smart; she DID know
that brown is not the color of snow !

I took a double strength garbage bag to the roof
and admidst the prints of reindeer hoof;
I took my shovel and held my nose
Put the 'gift' in the bag,and got the hose.

As I watered the mess to the groundI
looked up for a passing sound;
It was Santa's sleigh, reindeer collars going jingle
Santa waved; I gave the reindeer 'the' finger.
"Goodnight to All", I heard him say
"Hey Santa - next year come without the sleigh".

Have no doubt that Santa is real
He does come each and every year.
The evidence left behind is surely proof
cause I was blessed with Rudolph's poop !!

2004-12-19T02:44:00.000+08:00

Love...

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish,
ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and
true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be
shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind.
Think big anyway. What you spend years building may
be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack if you help
them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have
and you might get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

2004-12-18T23:55:00.000+08:00

Helpers In Action!!

Being a volunteer is my way of saying 'thank you' and putting back something of what I have taken out. It is said that 'only in giving do we receive, and that 'love is what we give, rather than what we get.' Working with other volunteers to enable everyone to enjoy their day is a great pleasure...........

2004-12-13T17:18:00.000+08:00

YviP eVoLuTiOn V

"Leadership has an extraordinary power. It can make the difference between success & failure in anything you do for yourself and any group you belong to."