Archive for August, 2011

    Life-Saving Moment Inspires August Change Project

    Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

    Our August project was inspired by an event witnessed by one of our own Change Through Giving members. A friend’s young child, 15 months old at the time, was realized to be missing. Upon searching for the baby, she was found in a nearby pond. CTG member, Julia, rushed to the baby’s side and began CPR, while another mother called 911 and stayed on the phone. Thankfully, the young girl was rescued in time. She was very lucky. For some, the situation is not as forgiving.

    This inspired the members of CTG to make a donation to The ISR Community of Caring. Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) is designed to teach children from six months of age how to survive in the water. If they can crawl, they can float. This skill has saved many children over the years and may be one of the most valuable lessons for any child.

    ISR Community of Caring was set up to insure that no family is turned away from the opportunity to give this life-saving lesson to their child. They have helped, on average, 100 families per year that may not have had this opportunity without the assistance of the charity.

    We are happy to be a part of this process, so that no family should have to bear the tragedy of an infant drowning.

    For more information on ISR Community of Caring, visit their website.

     

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    Christmas Jars!

    Friday, August 26th, 2011

    CTG OK chapter member Sharon recommended the Christmas Jars book to us earlier this year, and she encouraged us to take on the task of starting a Christmas jar of our own. The idea was inspired by the simple daily gesture of collecting spare change to give to someone in need; all in an effort to Change Through Giving member's Christmas jar with change and the Christmas Jars bookmake a difference in someone’s life. The effort is an opportunity to keep everyone in the house focused on donating on a regular basis to make an impact on an individual in need. The fact that it is encouraged to “pay it forward” is another benefit. All in all, it’s an opportunity to take action that will have an impact on someone else and hopefully spread the word about giving and compassion.

    So what is a Christmas Jar?

    Very simply, it’s any type of jar you want or have on hand that you can put your spare change in throughout the year. At the end of the year (at Christmas time), you anonymously give the jar to someone you know that is need. It can be a neighbor that lost his job, a co-worker with health issues, a friend that has fallen on hard times or a complete stranger. Hopefully when they are back on their feet, they will use your jar to start a Christmas jar of their own.

    CTG members recently pledged to start their own Christmas jars. Although we’re a little late in the year, we are excited about the challenge and opportunity!

    Will you pledge to give away a Christmas Jar this year? Leave a comment and let us know.

    We love the idea of the Christmas Jar! Not only is it a great opportunity to do something to make a difference in someone’s life, but it’s also an opportunity to get the rest of your family involved with making a difference. It’s a small commitment that can make a big impact, and it’s something the whole family can participate in.

    Join us by starting your Christmas jar today!

    To get a copy of the Christmas Jars book, or to learn more about the inspiration of Christmas Jars, visit the official web site.

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