Tag Archives: volunteering

I found a mission

Posted on by
27

Find a need and fill it. Find a hurt and heal it…

The Phoenix Dream Center

Screen shot from the Phoenix Dream Center.

Although I’m not the most social person, I said yes to attend a women’s group nearby with two of my neighbors. I’m saying yes to things like this to get to know more people in my community.

This women’s group selected one charity that fits their mission of helping women and children in need. The nonprofit they are helping is called The Phoenix Dream Center.

“We’re on a mission to stop human trafficking, end childhood hunger and educate tomorrows leaders.” –Brian D. Steele, Executive Director, The Phoenix Dream Center

Stephanie Lang, MSW, Development Manager of the Phoenix Dream Center, gave an eye opening presentation about human trafficking. To be honest, it wasn’t a subject that I’ve thought much about. The Dream Center takes people off the streets who are being human trafficked. They have a four-year residential treatment center to help heal and get these people back on their feet — whether it’s back in school or in a career.

Some of the scary facts I learned:

Phoenix is a human trafficking hub. That’s because of the freeway system. Phoenix is an easy place to access from California, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, etc.

The average age of women who are trafficked is 13. For boys, it’s age 11.

They have 67 beds and said there is a need for hundreds more.

The people being trafficked are not illegals crossing the border. 90% of them are Arizona residents from all walks of life.

Human traffickers prey on vulnerable people who want to be loved.

Unlike someone trafficking drugs or guns — who have to find a new supply each time to make money — the human trafficker can sell their human being up to 16 or more times per day.

Yes, I’m joining this woman’s group. I believe in their mission.

In addition to raising funds for the Phoenix Dream Center, we will take a tour of the facility in January. They are also working ways to volunteer in person there.

Have you found a mission that you can get behind and support through volunteering or fundraising? What is it?

Views from last week

Posted on by
20
Sunset in Arizona desert
Sunset from our driveway last week.

I am going to have a busy week writing and hosting my dad and friends for Thanksgiving. I get anxious thinking about it. I’m in the thick of getting the house ready. This will be the first time my dad will see our new home and stay with us. Tonight we have friends from our Palm Springs swim team coming over. We agreed to go out for a casual dinner, since I have the big feast ahead of me. I’m excited to see them, because it’s been years since we were swim parents volunteering together. We’re going to the ASU vs. UA football game together on Saturday, too.

For Thanksgiving, I am cooking the whole works for me, my husband and dad. That’s seem a bit much doesn’t it? I called our friends who moved from Palm Springs to one mile away and asked if they had plans. I’m excited to say our ex-pat Californians will be joining us.

Here are some of the highlights from last week, when I thought I was busy — but compared to this week, not really.

Sundial Center in Carefree with a Christmas tree
I spotted a Christmas tree across from the post office on Easy Street in Carefree. I love the name.
Christmas tree in Carefree city center.
cat sitting on fireplace hearth
Olive found a new place to hang out. My daughter absolutely hates the stacked stone fireplace in our new house. I can live with it and Olive seems to like it.
Sonoran desert sunset
Another night, another sunset

What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Are you getting together with friends and family this year? Are you cooking?

I honestly can’t remember what we did last year because we were in escrow to sell one house and buy another and I was packing for my first move in 28 years.

FYI, today I hit this milestone:

NaNoWriMo update. Badge for 40,000 words!

To be or not to be….

Posted on by
14

The Newsletter Editor

flagpole in HOA
Flagpole at the entrance to our neighborhood.

Our community has a newsletter. In each issue it features an article about the latest homeowner’s association meeting, updates on city utility news like trash days are changing or when bulk pick up is scheduled. There’s always a recipe, an article about wildlife or plants and a welcome to new neighbors. It’s interesting and done by a husband and wife. ‘

For the past six months they’ve asked for a volunteer to take over the newsletter. The couple in charge have done it for more than ten years, since its inception. They are done. This current newsletter stated that if nobody volunteers — then the newsletter is over.

I thought, do I want to do this? Should I do this? I’m not a newbie to newsletters. My first job in PR, I wrote at least seven newsletters a month for various clients including a city, a realtor, a hotel and three or four for a medical center (staff, physicians, research, and a couple medical specialties.) After that job, I worked for a developer and I was in charge of newsletters for several country club developments for the members. That was before “desk top publishing.” I had to type my copy, drive it to a typesetter. I would work on a layout with a pencil on paper! I took numerous trips by car to the printer with corrections to the typesetting and real live photographs. Once I had a “blueline” I was relieved.

In my free time, I did the newsletter for the Desert Advertising Club. I was a board member and volunteered my time. While raising kids, I volunteered to do newsletters for their swim team and a charitable organization I was in.

I know I can do this newsletter, it’s in my “wheel house,” but do I want to?

I thought yes and no. The pros are it’s quarterly. Not monthly. And — this is the biggie — I moved less than a year ago and I don’t know anyone except for the realtor up the street who sold us our house and an occasional hello to next door neighbor Brad. The newsletter might help me be less isolated and more engaged in my new surroundings.

Our neighborhood has five clubs, book club, coffee club, wine club, etc. But they haven’t met because of COVID. They were supposed to start up this month, but they are holding off until 2022.

The downsides — do I want to do the newsletter? Do I want to have a deadline? Do I want to be more active in the community or do I like my quiet life more?

I texted the kids, talked it over with hubby. They all think I should do it. My kids especially think I should because they know I’m happy when I’m working in my field — even if I whine about it.

I decided to sleep on it. Two days later, I decided YES. I called the number in the newsletter of the current husband and wife editors. I got the “disconnected and no longer in service” message.

I checked the neighborhood directory and noticed there was a typo on the phone number. I dialed the correct number and once again — “disconnected and no longer in service.”

I looked up their cell phone and it went straight to voice mail. I left a message and emailed them.

That was Friday. It’s Sunday and I haven’t received a call back or an email.

So to be or not to be — Newsletter Editor? We’ll wait and see.

What are your thoughts about volunteering? Do you think it benefits the people volunteering as well as those who receive service? What do you think of people volunteering because of their own agenda or motives? Can you think of any examples?