The reason for heading North during the winter months was based upon one event that just so happened to be in the Twin Cities on December 19th. My cousin Greg was getting married and I wasn't going to miss it. So I spent the Saturday with my family celebrating this joyous occasion.

I left Sunday morning to head even farther north to stay with my friend, Bryant, who works up in Cook, MN. He offered me a place to stay and also wanted to join in on the volunteering. We headed for Duluth on Monday morning looking for people to serve. Without finding people out and about (a lesson I thought I learned a few states back about cold weather and people staying indoors), we used Google to find out where some of the local charities.

We stopped by and simply asked if there was anything they needed help with. We were informed they could use some help later in the afternoon to do dinner prep and serve the meal and clean up. Four o'clock rolled around and so did we...back to the Union Mission. Wiping down and setting up tables, prepping food, preparing plates, serving meals (Sloppy Joes), packing leftovers, washing dishes, sweeping and mopping the floor, taking the garbage out, and a handful of other common tasks were the focus of our service.

It's a great feeling volunteering next to a friend and I heavily recommend serving others in groups. It allows for encouragement, creativity, and way to break down what you experienced. I'm very thankful for the people who are willing to take a risk to join me in my endeavors.

After spending a few nights in the Northern Minnesota, the weather in the South decided to make things more interesting. A mega-storm was heading for the state and was forecasted to bring up to forty inches of snow in some areas. The system was slow moving and was going to be in Worthington (my hometown and Christmas destination) by Wednesday night, so I headed for Hibbing, Minnesota on Tuesday to help the Salvation Army with their annual toy handout and Adopt-a-Family event.

I arrived at the Irongate Plaza by 9am where the event was taking place. I met the kind folks who were helping out and was given my instructions. The responsibilities of the morning and afternoon were relatively similar: loading a cart with the pre-registered bags, pushing the cart through the mall to the loading area, and packing the persons vehicle with the presents, coats, and food. This is a great program to be involved with and I implore you help out in some capacity with your local Salvation Army branch. The Northern Minnesota branch really is living up to their slogan, “Doing the most good.” Keep it up!

When all the containers were handed out, I asked if there was anything else I could do for them; having nothing more for me to do, I gassed up the Mazda and headed for the Twin Cities. I stayed the night with a long time friend (thanks Keith!) and planned my Wednesday in light of the approaching colossal storm. I had made plans with Open Arms of Minnesota to deliver meals on Wednesday during the noon hour and figured I could still make it to my final destination before sitting in a ditch for the holidays.

Open Arms of Minnesota “offers a unique model of care for people in our community who are sick, need nutritious food, and have no where else to turn for assistance. We are the only nonprofit organization in the state that prepares and delivers free meals specifically tailored to meet the nutrition needs of individuals living with serious and life-threatening diseases.”

After driving around in a circle for fifteen minutes, I finally found the distribution annex. There was so much energy coming from this place. People hauling over-sized dufflebags in and out of the main entrance, cars positioning for a parking spot, directions being given to the drivers, along with the delicious aroma of freshly prepared steak coming from the kitchen...what a great place!

I let the director know that it was my first time serving and was excited to get my orders. Pete (volunteer coordinator) kind of hesitated when he handed me the directions to the three homes. He asked if I was familiar with the St. Paul area. (If you've ever been to St. Paul, MN before, you would know how messed up the streets are.) I told him I'd make it...and I did. Loaded the car up and drove to my stops, handed out the meals, and then headed back to the main building.

While I was on my last run, I had a little trouble finding the right apartment on a very strange building. I ended up asking some of the local residence if they had any idea. I was quite fortunate one gentleman was able to speak English and informed me there were more residences in the back. Success! Also, while I was out searching for the last meal stop, I got a call from Pete who said that WCCO was there. I told them I'd be back within the next hour (let's just say that a GPS would have really come in handy).

I handed back the insulated cooler and then was shown how the kitchen operated. They make all the meals in their own kitchen and really do a good job. I still had about an hour to help out and they handed me a peeler and knife to dice up carrots for a soup later in the week. I got my pile done and had to say goodbye. (Click here to see the WCCO news story.)

The drive to Worthington is normally about three and a half hours from Minneapolis...I made good time and was slammed by the snow and wind about a thirty minutes away from my hometown. Thank goodness for being in a state where most of the people have a good amount of winter driving experience!

I spent Christmas with family and was safely inside while thirty inches of snow fell over two days. (A new record for the 24-25 of December!) This gave way for me to volunteer spontaneously by scooping and scooping and scooping snow. A very simple way to help others, especially the elderly or disabled and you get a great workout in the process.

With all the excitement from the weather, it was hard to leave. Couple that with it being a state I lived in for more than twenty-one years...it was nearly impossible...but I must press on.

Trekking through the snow to Iowa!

I left Idaho in a snow storm, hit the mountain passes packed with ice, met fierce winds in the high country, drove in heavy rain along the Columbia River, was hailed on outside Portland, and arrived in warm sunshine at Eugene. Oregon's weather is as diverse as its landscape. A beautiful state with something for everyone.

Of course, like many of the Northwestern States, I am told that they have too many people already. So, if you believe this is true, go there to vacation only and leave the area to the incumbent residents. The only problem is that once you get there, I think you will find it hard to leave. It really is that enchanting.

A large part of the charm is the people, and with the people, the things that they are interested in. One area of interest is their love for the environment. Not to say that everyone in the state is a tree-hugger, but I can see why so many are. If your neck of the woods looked like the Oregon Territory, I have a feeling you would be more inclined to take an active roll in preserving nature. With that said, I made it a point to try and volunteer with an environmental group while being in the state.

I found exactly what I was looking for when I came across the Friends of Buford Park & Mount Pisgah. The park and peak combine for almost 2,400 acres and is the largest recreational area in the county attracting over 100,000 visitors annually. Friends of Buford Park & Mount Pisgah have been instrumental in:

• propagating over 80 native species in our native plant nursery;

• restoring flows to floodplain side channels that had been blocked by human obstructions, such as road fill and an Army Corps of Engineers levee;

• creating seasonal backwater habitat to benefit salmonids and other aquatic species;

• planting 70 floodplain acres with native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers; and

• facilitating prescribed burns and native seeding on 30 acres of prairie and oak savanna. (All stats from Friends of Buford Park & Mount Pisgah's website.)

I showed up to the park on a foggy Wednesday morning and was introduced to Hal and Val. Hal is one of the stewardship assistants and Val is the volunteer coordinator. Both do a lot of hands on work in the park and are instructors and cheerleaders to the groups and individuals who give of their time. They are passionate people who love the land and both have an infectious optimistic spirit.

The first task I was assigned to was creating starter trays of grass seedlings in the greenhouse. I mixed the mulch and soils in 3/2 proportions, packed the mix into the individual trays, made indentations in the soil, planted the seeds, and then covered and stacked the trays. I made it through a dozen forty-count trays before being asked to do some work in the nursery. I handed over the remainder of my mulch mix to another volunteer (who, by the way, was terrific to work with) and headed outside to organize the Native Species Nursery where I spent the remainder of the morning.

I went back to my residence to shower and prep for my evening volunteer work but told Hal that I would be happy to come back on Friday to help out in any capacity. We exchanged info, talked about Thanksgiving Day plans, and then said goodbye.

I came back on Friday after lunch and suited up with boots, gloves, and gutter-style clothes. The weather on Thanksgiving Day and on Friday morning was a mixture of varying rain conditions. This, of course, made the ground nice and muddy which is tons of fun to work in. Hal and I headed for the floodplain where they just finished digging the trenches for the river to back flow into, creating a habitat for a variety of native species like turtles and frogs. There were some fence lines and drift fences that needed to be pulled up, so we loaded up the ATV and spent the remainder of the day pulling posts

I was able to gain a valuable perspective from those I worked with. I love the idea that they partner with the county to help manage the area and are set on having that beautiful environment for generations to come. Think about a place in your community where you can partner up with businesses or the local government to help preserve your community's resources. If you live around the Eugene area, why not visit the Friends of Buford Park & Mount Pisgah's website to see where you can get involved. Then contact with Val to get connected.

Another great charity I was introduced to was the Family Bridge Day Shelter which is located in Hillsboro, a suburb of Portland. They “serve homeless families with children by providing them shelter, meals, help and hope so that they may achieve stability and self-sufficiency.” They have an excellent resource on their website to help you get a better idea of what homelessness looks like in the Portland area.

One of the areas where people can get involved is by serving a meal to the families who use the shelter. I was asked to bring a bottle of apple juice and a jar of apple sauce for everyone to enjoy. I picked up my items at the local grocery store and headed for Portland. I left around 2:00pm with intentions of stopping for a cup of coffee and then running a few errands before serving dinner at the shelter at 6:00pm, unfortunately, what was suppose to be an hour and a half trip stretched itself into a four hour marathon thanks to a series of car accidents on the interstate. (three in a sixty mile stretch + inadequate traffic lanes = disaster)

I arrived at the house a few minutes after six and was greeted by the friendly smiles of a kitchen full of volunteers. They were making a huge feast for the residence which consisted of ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, cupcakes, and of course...apple sauce! I found out about the shelters inner workings and differences between them and rescue missions.

A day shelter is a place where the families can go to get off the street during the daytime. The house is fully furnished and accommodates up to three families. At night, the families go to one of many churches who provide them with a place to stay for the week. A family can stay for up to six weeks while they find employment, housing, and other help to get them back on their feet.

The plan was to have three families there for dinner, but since it was the day before Thanksgiving, two of the families were out of the house. I really enjoyed hearing the stories of the volunteers, about their involvement in the ministry, and hearing from the family about their struggles and triumphs. There are a lot of good people out there who are going through some very tough times right now. Whether their circumstances where a result of a bad choice or by natural catastrophe, they all need people who will come alongside them give them a helping hand. Find a way to serve families in your area. The benefits far outweigh any burden you might have to carry.

I was very fortunate to have such great care while in Oregon. I stayed with a friend who I met a few years back while working in Iowa and now I consider her to be my Northwestern grandmother. A warm house, lots of food, a great hiking partner, and one of the best conversationalist around – Keif is one-of-a-kind! Thanks Keif!!

Off to Washington!

Click here to read Update: Nevada pt.1

On Thursday morning, I set my alarm for 5:00am to get up in time to make it to the Las Vegas Catholic Worker's Soup Line in North Las Vegas. I had to be at the kitchen by 6:00am to help get the items ready and to load the trailer. The part of town the Las Vegas Catholic Worker (LVCW) has centered on is in the shadow of the glitzy lights north of “the Strip”. They do a variety of compassion ministries, with one of those being a morning soup line and serve up to three hundred men, women, and children Wednesday through Saturday mornings.

I fought my way through traffic to the Washington Avenue exist, (Amazing how many people are on the road at 5:30am.) where I was greeted by a detour which rapped me around the elevated interstate. The first right that I took brought me by one of the reasons for the LVCW to exist – at least twenty-five people were buried by blankets and coats, sleeping around the construction site and on the sidewalks. Even more people were shuffling along the street, moving toward the well-known shelters, work centers, and soup kitchens in the area. LVCW prepares the food in a house and then takes it to an empty lot about a half mile away. They make about fifty gallons of soup, stew, or spaghetti (depending on the day) in huge metal pots. Along with the main course, they serve donated breads, coffee, and “cold” tea.

I took some of the utensils and crates in my car along with Chris, another new volunteer, and drove to the lot. When we came closer to the distribution area, the sight made me do a double take. Here were hundreds of people, already lined up, in three makeshift columns waiting for a morning meal. The place was incredibly dusty, which made for a very surreal picture as the individuals mulled around. They looked like shadowy figures who were engulfed in a grayish-brown cloud; and with the sun rising, it made it the haze electrified. I've never seen anything like it in my life.

We all worked hard to get everything set up. I was told to take a ladle and fill the bowls handed to me by each person. All ages seemed to be represented. The young and the old, all who were hungry and where happy to get something hot into their stomachs and were each thankful. On Friday, I chose to do a different job – I poured “cold” tea. Each person brought their own cup or plastic water bottle or even an empty flask to have it filled. I wasn't as efficient as I was suppose to be so I one of the regular workers came over to help me get the job done.

After the food and drink were gone, we cleaned up the lot, re-packed the trailer, and headed back to wash the dishes. You couldn't help but wonder how everyone got to the point of needed to show up and the crack of dawn to eat a mass produced meal. (By the way, it was excellent tasting. Kudos to the chefs!) I was able to gain incredible amounts of wisdom from the workers as they informed me that most people don't know how to define the word “homeless”. I had to think about my definition and quickly realized it was lacking. What I gleaned from my time there was the need to do good to all people, no matter their situation or where they are in life, it's not fair to group people into one category since everyone's situation is unique and important.

Definitely get involved with the Las Vegas Catholic Workers when in the area. You'll be glad you did.

Also, on Thursday and Friday, I hustled over from working at Opportunity Village to work with the fine folks of Club Christ Ministries.

Club Christ helps Las Vegas' urban youth “by offering a safe after school environment students are able to reach their potential. Every week kids interact with caring adult as they experience academic enrichment exercises, leadership development programs, community service and opportunities to participate in a faith community.” My contact was Kendra Perry, the director at Landsman Learning Center in Henderson, Nevada (one of their three campuses). She is a native to the city and has a huge desire to see the community transformed. Her plan includes providing resources to families by offering educational helps, entrepreneurial exercises, and community awareness events.

In the center of a government housing block, there's a community building that was originally set up as a medical clinic. After they ended their stay, the Club Christ team was able to lease the building if it was used to provide a social service to the people directly around it. Monday and Wednesday, elementary students and Tuesday and Thursday, middle school students use the center for a safe place to have fun and games along with a time to do homework and get help with their studies. On Friday, there is an optional Bible Club time which provides moral guidance and allows the students to connect with the adults in smaller group environment.

They are doing really great things in their community and you should be involved with it. Even if you're unable to work hands on with the tutoring, you can use your resources to provide encouragement to the kids by donating gift cards to their organization. The cards are great incentives and the boost in studies helps supplement the local schools in their efforts to provide quality instruction.

From my few days there, I was able to see the heart that this ministry has for the community and it is really good! Just contact them and ask them what they need or tell them what you can offer...everything helps.

Three states have gone by so fast and I have made so many good connections already, it makes me sad to leave but excited to see what's around the next corner. Every state and every charity seems to motivate me more and is one of those crazy lessons you learn about volunteering: helping others brings joy to you. Funny how that works – see you in Utah!