The Generous December Group Writing Project
December 1, 2007 by kate baggott
Filed under Mental Health
Image source.
When all is dark, make light.
I am tired of hearing about humanity’s worst instincts.
I am tired of hearing how businesses cheat each other, their employees and consumers. I am tired of hearing about crime and criminals. Battle, war, armaments and violent, senseless deaths are not news anymore. It’s just information that makes us more cynical and causes despair.
There is no need to discuss shocking horrors that no longer shock while news of our best impulses remains silent under cloaks of humility, modesty and quiet generosity. The time has come to take off the cloak.
Let’s talk about our best impulses. Let’s talk about our efforts to see the better side of humanity. Let us talk of sharing, of help and of solutions to suffering and despair. Let us talk about the way we act when we choose to do the right thing.
This December, I am combining my charitable campaign with a group writing project.
On your own blog, write a new post about your favorite charity, social cause or helpful organization. While I may have a bias toward causes that address maternal health and children’s well-being, I do believe that all people on this planet have the right to freedom, food, shelter, safety and health care. Domestic, international, global and local interests are equally important. Tell me, and our readers, why you believe your special organizations are helping to make the world a better place. Tell us why you support them and why we should too.
If you don’t have a blog, write your entry in the comments form below and I will post it on Babylune.
In your own post, link back to this one to tell others about the existence of this project. To make sure I include your entry, leave a comment with the URL to your entry in the comments section below.
Write your post to inspire others to take an interest, make an effort, volunteer their time, show their support or to give. Naturally, you should also link to the organization’s web site and their contact information.
The entries must be written and posted between now and 11:58PM on December 19th. The link to the post must be submitted to the comments section below by December 19th at 11:59 PM. If the link submission is your first comment on Babylune, you will have to wait for me to moderate your comment, but this will happen the next morning.
The earlier you write, the more time you’ll have to send people toward your cause while they are feeling most generous during the build-up to the holidays.
The author of the winning post, the one that is most persuasive in convincing me of the organization’s effectiveness and importance of the need it addresses, will receive nothing. Instead, I will make a donation in their name to the charity or cause they have designated in their post. The amount of the donation depends on the number of participants.
If I receive between 1 and 19 entries, the donation will total $30.
If I receive between 20 and 50 links to participating posts, it will total $60.
If I receive more than 50 entries, the donation to the charity/cause of the winner’s choice will be $100.
I can’t wait to hear what you care about. I can’t wait to hear how you act to create hope for all of us.
Here you go, Kate. My vote is for the YWCA
Thanks Christina!
Great idea!
Thanks for participating in the December 3, 2007, edition of the Carnival of Family Life, hosted this week at http://www.imaginif.com.au!!
JHS- I hope to see an entry from your blog.
Ok, I’m sold, I will write a post later today. And then come back and tell you.
Hey Kate … check out my newest ent on Style Fix! (it’s not an entry, but still, check it out)
Hi Kate, here’s my entry:
http://www.tangledthread.com/generous-december/
Thank you so much for hosting this!
Sally- That’s very nice of you, but I still want an entry from your vegetarian blog.
Jennifer- I’ll be waiting.
Chloe- That made me feel warm any cosy just reading it.
Hello Kate
Thank you so much for this FABULOUS concept!
I had a hard time deciding which of our favorite charities would be in #1 position. I ended up voting for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. I guess because my family is the center of my universe, it really means the world to me that the Stephen Lewis Foundation is working so hard for the Grannies in Africa to raise their orphaned grandbabies. I LOVE babies and kids, and so I’m really grateful that these courageous grannies are getting help raising their grandbabies while grieving the death of their own babies because of AIDS.
My posting is:
http://www.hankeringforyarn.com/december-charities-heartfelt-gifting
Thanks again, Kate!
hugs
Noreen
Noreen- What a great post you’ve written and your comment will make others want to head over to HfY and read it.
Ok miss Kate, I worked really hard on my entry. Hope it’s good enough
http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/one-small-step-the-generous-december-group-writing-project/
Here’s mine:
http://www.stampingmad.com/cherished-memories-fat-book-charity-auction
http://bosshatch.com/give-young-entrepreneurs-a-future/
http://www.thegoldenpencil.com/2007/12/03/ok-i-will-play-but-differently/
great project!
Here’s my article:
http://www.ironicgamer.com/2007/12/03/childs-play/
I’m volunteering for the The Stop, Toronto. It is a food bank but so much more – it tries to address the root causes of poverty in Toronto.
http://www.thestop.org/index.php
Oh that’s so awesome. I definitely wanna give this a shot. And it’s so nice that you are donating to charity. Everyone could use a little help this year.
This is a wonderful project to make people aware some of these charities are out there.
Here’s my entry:
http://www.motherearthsgarden.com/my-favorite-charity
I posted twice – want to get the most coverage for my charity — it’s the cold winters that worry me most about the poor critters.
http://www.supernannyrules.com/tis-the-season-for-giving/
http://momgadget.com/tis-the-season-for-giving/
Thanks for being so thoughtful with this project Kate.
Thanks for putting this together, what a great idea for a writing project.
My entry will be posted on my blog today, if it is not too late. Cheers to your inspiring attitude of hope and love!
Okay Kate,
Here’s my post about Compassion International: http://www.writingthoughts.com/?p=291
here it is, my friend!
Great idea for a GWP! http://www.marriageactually.com/2007/12/05/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-a-goat-that-nays/
Great idea, Kate. Here’s my post on The Blue Card.
See the posting at http://nonprofiteer.typepad.com/the_nonprofiteer/2007/12/dear-nonprofite.html
Submitted for your consideration, Kate: http://501cfiles.com/making-lemonade-out-of-something-far-worse-than-lemons/
Thanks!
Hi Kate!
I’m sorry about the delay. I just posted my submission for the Generous December Project. It is on my blog http://www.kadiprescott.blogspot.com
I hope that it suffices! Peace be with you! ~Kadi
Mine is up!
http://www.slacker-moms-r-us.com/2007/12/generous-december-writing-project.html
My post may not be eligible for the contest (old story, new post). Still, maybe I can send a few people your way. Thank you for doing this project. It’s a truly lovely idea.
http://thezenofmotherhood.blogspot.com/2007/12/generous-december-and-christmas-miracle.html
hi and what a nice idea.I am getting ready to get off tonight but will post my entry tomorrow.i enjoy volunteering in disasters through Christian Disaster Response(c.d.r.) so mine will lean toward that. thanks for the opp.!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
http://frogparenting.blogspot.com/2007/12/generous-december-group-writing-project.html
I jut finished posting mine entry for this writing project, and now I need to dry my eyes !
What a great way to talk about the Merry Christmas Season in a postive way,
Pay it forward !
I have seen other writing projects, but this was near and dear to me–I hope it is for others’ also!
Great idea! My vote is for Compassion Interneational! Check out the blog at http://christian-child-sponsorship.blogspot.com/ about my child sponsorship experience with Compassion.
Every Breath You Take — Compassion International
If you are average you will take about thirty-thousand breaths today; or about one breath every three seconds. I figure I am more in the one-breath-per-five-second range, which has me coming in at about eighteen thousand breaths a day, but then again I am below average in many an area.
Ironically, and again if today is an average day, thirty thousand children living in extreme poverty around the world will take their last breaths. That works out to about ten million kids dying each year; or one child-death for every breath you take.
As very sad and disturbing the statistic, it is even more sad and disturbing that the vast majority of these deaths could have been prevented. Did you know that malaria and diarrhea are among the leading causes of these deaths? It breaks my heart to think of a children dying in this horrible fashion when medicines are both cheap and abundant
What can we do?
I know the problem seems overwhelming when we consider the numbers, but I suggest there is a proper response—to abandon the idea of changing the world and adopt the premise that we can change the world for one child.
Have you ever heard the story of the ‘Boy and the Starfish?’ There are many variations, but I usually share this version:
A father and son were walking along a stretch of beach where the water meets the sand, when increasingly many starfish began washing up in the surf. At first nothing is said or done, but then the young boy of perhaps seven years of age, bends over and picks up one of the starfish.
He examines it a few seconds, but then tosses it back into the water. He watches the splash before bending over and picking up another. Again, he examines it briefly and throws it back in the wash. One after another he continues, until his dad, realizing what the boy is doing speaks some sympathetic words.
“Son,” he begins, “You do know that you can’t save all of em?”
“Yes daddy,” he responds as he bends over to pick up another starfish, “but I can save this one.”
Jesus would say in Matthew 18:3, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Ah, the faith of a child; so quick to believe and so quick to react.
It is my deepest desire that you would consider reaching out for one child. You can do so for about $1 a day—a dollar that you will likely never miss. Oh I suppose for some of you a $1 a day might be a sacrifice, but when you consider the sacrifice and why you are doing it, is it not worth it? After all, you are saving a life.
By sponsoring a child through Compassion International, you are assuring that the physical, economic, social, and spiritual needs of a child are being met. My wife and I are child sponsors and I can attest to the fact that the ministry does exactly what they say they do — and they do it in the precious name of Jesus Christ.
Picture in your minds eye children living in wretched conditions; coming upon one you lift her into a loving embrace, and say beneath a breath, “I can save this one.”
You can.
Compassion dave
Please visit this site today and submit your blog…
http://www.babylune.com/the-generous-december-group-writing-project/
Great to see so many people support great causes. Mine’s posted at: http://www.bcsfrenzy.com/tis-the-season-for-college-bowls-wrapping-paperand-charity/
Merry Christmas, everyone!
A little late, but nevertheless:
http://madamemeow.typepad.com/daily_dose/2007/12/doing-the-most.html
Thank you for this
)
Kate,
What fun! My whole blog is about Compassion International, but to make sure I play by the rules, I wrote a brand new post for you. I look forward to more of your contests.
You can read my post at:
http://www.compassion.com/child-advocacy/speak-up/materials/letter-to-the-editor.htm
Sorry, Chris, you haven’t followed the rules. Could you read the post and link back here in your post?
Kate,
I just pasted the wrong link in my comment. Sorry. This is the correct link (http://lovelaidbare.blogspot.com/2007/12/generous-december-group-writing-project.html). There are two links to my post that point back to your post.
Sorry.
Chris
Hi Kate,
What a great idea! Here’s the link to my posting: http://liberaloutofwater.blogspot.com/
Kate,
This is a fabulous idea! My charity can be read about at the following link: http://liberaloutofwater.blogspot.com/
Kate,
Thanks for this great group writing project. My post is at http://lillieammann.com/blog/2007/12/14/supporting-our-troops-through-the-chaplains-who-serve-them/
Kate, here you go Giving Time: http://www.blogfabulous.com/giving-time/
Thanks for allowing me to participate.
I am so glad this was included in our December edition of the BLOG CARNIVAL AGAINST CHILD ABUSE. What a wonderful idea! I maintain this particular carnival and I appreciate this type of positive advocacy participation! I hope to write a post for this myself.
I just wrote a post for this.
http://wiredfornoise.blogspot.com/2007/12/can-you-resist.html
Hi Kate,
Mine is Medecins Sans Frontier for the work they do in all the dangerous places. For a while I felt sore that they’d pulled out of nothern Uganda because one of their personnel had been shot and killed, but I got over it. The quality and the quantity of work they do in the places that no one else will go make them my number one support group.
http://www.msf.org/
p.s kisses to the boys.
My entry is To Kiss My Son Goodnight at
http://runningwithbooks.com/2007/12/15/to-kiss-my-son-goodnight/
Thank you for alerting me to this contest. I hope these posts ultimately generate donations for all of these charities and inspire readers to donate to their own favorite causes as well.
Hi Kate, here is my submission…now I’ll go put it on my blog, too. Thanks for this change of pace…
CASA’s…Crazy About Kids
CASA’s are volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children. There aren’t enough of them for many reasons, but here are a few:
· CASA’s have to care enough about children to be strong in the presence of the effects of abuse and neglect, and not give in to the luxury of venting their own anger and grief over the abominations committed against children, so often inflicted by their so-called caretakers.
· CASA’s have to care enough to enter homes where they aren’t welcome, and sometimes would rather not be, ask personal questions that are resented, seek information about the home that people would rather never have known, sometimes risk physical danger, and all the while remain polite and attempt to establish a trust relationship with children and adults who often have no reason to trust anyone.
· CASA’s have to care enough to spend hours waiting around courtrooms to be there with and for the children for whom they advocate, only to have the case postponed so they can do it again. They have to make innumerable calls to attorneys and others who won’t return calls, and are uncooperative when reached.
· CASA’s have to care enough to spend hours pouring over ill-kept records in unfriendly agencies, seeking information that can help a judge decide in the best interest of a child, rather than follow recommendations that may be carelessly suggested by over-worked child welfare staffers, or worse, may be profit or politically motivated.
· CASA’s have to show up at odd times and odd places to serve as advocates. They attend conferences at schools, joint-conferences at agencies, discussions in hospital rooms, clandestine meetings in dark cars on side streets, and anywhere else that might contribute an essential piece of information. Sometimes they even act as squatters for long hours, refusing to leave situations where danger to a child could be imminent without their continued presence.
CASA’s have to do many things, like these and more not mentioned, to fulfill their legal commitment to serve the court. They do many more things to fulfill their heart-commitment to the children they serve. Many of those things you will never learn about because most CASA’s do for children, not for recognition. Some things CASA’s do take time, some money, some energy. CASA’s volunteers donate it all, because they want to, not ever because they have to.
One other thing CASA’s don’t have to do, but the one thing all CASA’s do, is care so much about abused and neglected children being protected from the worst sides of mankind that no matter what else they may have to do CASA’s remain committed to finding and bringing out the best side of mankind in every one connected to the children for whom they advocate.
Courts can appoint many people from various professions to advocate for abused and neglected children. However, what can’t be appointed is the part of every CASA volunteer that makes them truly a CASA. When all is said and done CASA’S are indeed Special.
So!…friends and family who read this will demand! So!… if CASA’s are so special, if they are so needed, if they make such an important difference for abused and neglected children, and if, as you claim, you choose to devote yourself to children’s welfare, WHY did you resign as a CASA?
The answer is simple. One reason I resigned is something everyone can do something about to keep other CASA’s from resigning for the same reason. I am disabled and live on a below-poverty income. Gas and automobile expenses have skyrocketed in the past year. CASA’s are on the go a lot. As is so often the case for organizations that depend on volunteers as workers, the CASA I belonged to cannot afford to reimburse volunteers for gas…or anything else besides some phone calls. In my experience, there isn’t enough money in the world to hire someone to do what CASA’s do…but there might be enough to at least keep them able to do it.
The other reason I resigned you may, or may not, be able to do anything about, but I will share the reason anyway. CASA’s, as I’ve said and believe, are Special people. Perhaps I simply was not special enough. Perhaps the cause is otherwise. In any case, I wasn’t special enough inside myself to stand strong against the continual onslaught of public and professional opinions proffered on every possible occasion that CASA’s cause trouble for other agencies involved in children’s welfare (they surely try!), that CASA’s act like nothing else is as important as the best interests of the children (they surely do!), and that CASA’s act like they know more about the children they represent than anyone else working for them does (that’s true, too!) and that CASA’s act like being a volunteer is as important a job as being paid to do whatever they do, and more valuable from the individual child’s perspective. (Maybe?) Actually, I think CASA’s ARE usually better on both counts.
What a brilliant idea. I think this is the best of all competitions I’ve seen this season, with the best of all prizes. Thank you!
Terrific idea, Kate – I posted my blog entry about this at http://www.bripblap.com/2007/russian-childrens-welfare-society/
Hi Kate! So glad you chose this group writing project this year. I’ve featured the charity La Leche League International (probably no surprise to you!):
http://www.breastfeeding123.com/include-la-leche-league-in-your-holiday-giving/