How Do you Choose ...

A while back, I spent a whopping $3.65 and took part in what I can only describe as a social experiment in charity with Penny For Your World. Each day I receive an email featuring two little-known or grassroots charities serving different causes. I then have to pick one to receive my penny that day.

It's hard to imagine how many people have to be taking part in order for our pennies to add up to something meaningful for any single charity. Sure, we collectively could give thousands of dollars over the course of the year, but isn't it spread so thin?

The more I thought, the more I wondered if it's about the money at all. Perhaps its more about awareness of the organizations, issues and solutions that surround me. I see organizations I never knew existed: helping people still impacted by the Chernobyl disaster was head-to-head with supporting entrepreneurship for women in third-world villages; pairing pets-in-need with the elderly competed for my penny against helping a food bank feed hungry children in Montana; serving the families of deployed soldiers squared off against keeping high-risk kids in school.

You get the idea. All worthy causes. All major issues to those effected.

For me, some are easy choices, but most aren't. I want to help both, but I only have 1 penny for the day. So, how does one decide?

I've started paying attention to the patterns that have emerged in my giving on the site. For me, it's life-sustaining first (food bank), then life-enhancing (entrepreneurship). It's also close-to-home (United States), then abroad. Human, then animal. I don't know if any of these decisions are right and I could make a good argument for why the other choice would be equally as wise. But it got me thinking about the choices I make in my giving of time and resources.

We're faced with the same choices everyday. There are so many worthwhile partners and people in our communities that could benefit from the work of your Active 20-30 club, but you only have so much manpower and money. How do you decide which to serve?

There are more and more service organizations that do good work. How, when you were considering joining Active 20-30, did you decide?

I really am curious: when faced with such important choices, how do you choose? Please share your thoughts in the comments.


via Active 20-30 Blog

Douglas Children Up For Pilot Food Program

A program to provide healthy food for low-income children who might not have enough to eat during the summer months will be piloted in Douglas, Lyon and Washoe counties, the Nevada State Health Division announced on Tuesday.

The division, in partnership with the Nevada Department of Education, Child Nutrition and School Health and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada was recently awarded over $478,000 to participate in the 2012 Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children Demonstration Program.

To be eligible children must be currently certified for free or reduced-price school meals. From the eligible pool of 25,000 families in the three counties, 5,000 will be randomly selected to receive a summer electronic benefit transfer card, which they can use to buy foods like milk, cheese, cereal, eggs, juice, whole grains, beans, peanut butter, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

The award are a result of requirements included by congress in the fiscal year 2010 appropriations. That act required the U.S. Department of Agriculture to test innovative ways to address the critical need of providing low-income children with access to healthy nutrition during the summer. This household-based project will provide important information about the impact of cutting-edge interventions on achieving real progress in the fight against hunger among our children during the summer months.

“Some children really depend on school lunch programs,” said Richard Whitley, Health Division Administrator. “When summer arrives, a substitute is not always readily available.”

The summer food benefit card becomes available for participants to use the day after the last day of school in the summer and expires on the first day of school in the fall. The program is 100 percent federally funded.

Top Five Holiday Movie Houses ...

Check this out ...

Really interesting article about the homes featured in
some of our favorite Holiday movies.

Top 5 Holiday Movie Houses (and 5 Honorable Mentions)

Date:December 9, 2011 | Author:Julia of Hooked on Houses | Category:Eye Candy

Response: (464) 24 comments Email this inShare49

I have an ongoing series on my blog Hooked on Houses where I feature houses from movies. So when Zillow asked me to guest blog and list the best holiday movie houses, I turned to my readers and asked for their faves. I took a (highly unscientific) poll on my blog and was astounded by the number of tweets, Facebook comments, and emails that came pouring in on the topic, too. People feel strongly about their Christmas movies!

Here’s how my readers rated the movie houses. See if you agree with them.

#5. A Christmas Story

Ralphie’s house in A Christmas Story was filmed in Cleveland, OH, and has since been turned into a museum that you can visit — and buy your own leg lamp!

#4. It’s a Wonderful Life

George Bailey’s “drafty old house” in It’s a Wonderful Life (above) was part of the sprawling Bedford Falls set covering 4 acres on RKO Studios’ back lot. Sadly, it was razed in the 1950s.

Another home briefly featured in It’s a Wonderful Life is the Martini House, which is located in the fictional Bailey Park where George (James Stewart) presents the Martini Family with their new home. The actual home is located in La Canada Flintridge, CA (above). The scene is memorable due to the quote that George’s wife, Mary (Donna Reed) recites to the family upon presenting the house and gift: “Bread… that this house may never know hunger. Salt… that life may always have flavor. And wine… that joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini Castle.”

#3. White Christmas

Okay, so technically, it’s an inn, not a house, and it was just a set at Paramount Studios, but a lot of us still dream of visiting Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont, over the holidays, and having a cup of buttermilk by the fire with Bing in the holiday classic, White Christmas.

#2. Christmas in Connecticut

The Connecticut farmhouse was just a set built at Warner Bros. in Burbank, CA, and we never even see the entire exterior — but the home used in Christmas in Connecticut is one of my favorites. I think it’s kind of a shame that Barbara Stanwyck’s character gives up her architect boyfriend in the end because the stone farmhouse goes with him.

#1. Home Alone

Home Alone was the clear winner with my readers, pulling in about 40% of the votes for best holiday house. The decorating may be a little dated 20-plus years later, but all that red and green wallpaper still looks like Christmas to most of us. The real Home Alone house in Winnetka, IL, went on the market for $2.4 million in May. (I compared the real rooms to how they looked in the movie here.)

Honorable Mentions

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Even though it didn’t make the Top 5, one of the most-searched-for holiday-movie houses on my site is Clark Griswold’s from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (above). How many lights covered Clark’s home? How about 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights?

Miracle on 34th Street

Susan’s (Natalie Wood) dream house from the original Miracle on 34th Street gets an honorable mention for getting the most write-in votes (real location: Port Washington, NY). One the movie’s most memorable scenes is when little Susan’s Christmas wish comes true when she sees the house of her dreams for the first time (above).

Elf

Who can forget Will Ferrell’s hilariously heartfelt journey as Buddy in the movie Elf? Buddy soon learns his father (James Caan) lives in a stately Upper West Side building in New York City at 55 Central Park West (above). Nicknamed the “Ghostbuster Building,” this was location to several scenes in the 1984’s “Ghostbusters” movie, too.

Bad Santa

The listing description simply says, “Location for 2003 Christmas movie,” but movie buffs will recognize it as the home Billy Bob Thornton‘s character took up residence in in the movie, Bad Santa. The 5-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom estate was recently listed on the West Hills real estate market and sold for the asking price of $950,000.

The Family Stone

This gorgeous home in Riverside, CT (above) was the home used in The Family Stone, a star-packed, romantic comedy featuring Sarah Jessica Parker. The 1860 colonial is the gathering place for the Stone family’s annual Christmas celebration. The 3,554 sq-ft house consists of 10 rooms — 5 of which are bedrooms — 3.5 bathrooms, and sits on 1.4 acres. With a classic, yet cluttered interior (see photos here), this house is the ultimate, well-worn home perfect for big holiday gatherings.

New Year's Party For Kids ...

The Douglas County Public Library in Minden is having a party for kids to celebrate the New Year. Join us on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 4 p.m. to learn how children celebrate the arrival of the New Year in other countries. Make a hat and wish on a penny or a grape. Ages four and up are welcome.

Please sign up by Dec. 27. Visit us on Facebook or Twitter, http://douglas.lib.nv.us, or call 782-9841.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays
to you and your
families from
Active 20-30 Club
Sierra Nevada #730

Active 20-30 International is a non-profit organization providing young adults with an opportunity to make a difference in the life of special needs children in their communities. The Sierra Nevada Women’s Active 20-30 Club #730 provides young women between the ages of 20 and 39 the forum and tools to positively affect underprivileged children in Douglas County. Sierra Nevada women support such agencies as Austin’s House, Backpack Buddies, the Boys & Girls Club of Carson Valley, the Family Support Council, Kids & Horses and other organizations with a priority in assisting special needs children. The local Active 20-30 chapter of Sierra Nevada #730 works on carrying out this mission for the children of Douglas County.

For information on the event or becoming a volunteer with Active 20-30, visit our website at www.sierranv2030.org or call 783.8676.

Help During The Holiday ...

Barbara Watson sorts presents at the Douglas County
Fairgrounds for Project Santa Claus on Friday.

Shannon Litz

Thousands of bags and boxes wrapped in Christmas-themed paper covered the fairgrounds pavilion floor Friday as more unwrapped presents continued to arrive.

Project Santa Claus volunteers were in full swing preparing the gifts for 350 families and more than 800 children. As of Thursday, all but 15 children had been adopted through the Angel Trees, and shoppers will buy for them using donations.

“Distribution day is very rewarding to see the expression on people's faces that get the gifts,” said Kiwanis President Gary Dove. “On the other hand though, it is very sad that due to the economic times they have to be here.”

The Kiwanis Club of Carson Valley collected used and new bicycles all year for distribution. They were able to give away 170 bicycles and helmets this year.

Minden Rotary member Peggy Frick smiled as she put the last touches of a curly red ribbon around one of her presents.

“I get satisfaction that the kids get presents to open. I am a definite Christmas person,” she said.

Frick estimated she would wrap about 100 gifts before day's end Friday.

For fellow Minden Rotary member Fred Wolin, wrapping jackets without boxes gave him the biggest fits.

“There's no shape to it. Trying to hold it all together you need three hands,” he said.

But, despite wrestling with unruly outerwear, he enjoyed being a part of it all.

“I enjoy giving back to the community, and I like to see children have a nice Christmas.”

Dave Bauer was in charge of ensuring the names on the gifts matched the Angel Tree tags. He was also responsible for organizing the unwrapped gifts by age and gender.

“The hardest part when you're 67 is what does a boy who's 8 want, because what I wanted when I was 8 is different. It forces us older folks to think younger,” he said.

Bauer travels a lot for work, but always takes two weeks off to devote to Project Santa Claus.

“I wish the families that were bringing these things in could see the unbelievable display of their generosity,” he added waving his hand over the rows of presents on the floor.

Since 1988, when Project Santa Claus began, 15,800 Douglas County children have been given a gift for Christmas.

Volunteers have until Tuesday to get all the gifts ready for distribution on Thursday, and more help is always needed.

For more information call Dave Nelson, 790-3502.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Active 20-30 US and Canada ...

Active 20-30 US & Canada turns 89 years old today. We've gone through enormous changes over those years and have evolved into an organization that, I hope, would make our founders proud.

I often wonder when they set out on those first days what their hopes were for the organization. Did they have hopes that their idea would spread from Washington state and Sacramento, CA across the country to Colorado, Kansas, Indiana and New York? Did they understand the power of a few impassioned men (and women) could spread that passion to friends and strangers, alike?

In my role, I get bogged down some days with the challenges of sustaining and growing Active 20-30, of giving our members everything they deserve in exchange for their dues and dedicated service. But when I step back and look at the evolution - from year-to-year and from 1922 to now - I am absolutely blown away that this was all created and shaped by people, by volunteers with a passion for serving.

As you blow out the candles on your Active 20-30 birthday cake, what's your wish for the future of the club?

Bonus question: how should we celebrate our 90th birthday next year?

via active 20-30 blog

Volunteers Needed ...

Volunteers are needed for sorting, piling and wrapping presents at the Douglas County Fairgrounds Pavilion Building. Project Santa Claus will go into full swing from Dec. 16 through 21. The pavilion will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week except Sunday. There is no schedule, no sign up sheet, just show up. There will be two evening “wrap sessions” on Dec. 19 and 20, and the pavilion will stay open until at least 8 p.m. on those nights.

“We provide the materials,” said head elf, Dave Nelson of the Carson Valley Kiwanis, “All you need is a cheerful spirit and we'll put you to work.”

Project Santa Claus is the collaborative effort of many civic organizations. Kiwanis assumed the mantle to orchestrate the project last year when the long-serving head of the Project, Marilyn Malkmus, went into retirement.

“Marilyn was and is the heart and soul of Project Santa Claus, her shoes are too big to fill, but we're sure going to try,” Nelson said. “The Rotarians, the Soroptomists, Sertoma, The Lions, The Masons, The Boy Scouts, The Girl Scouts, The honor society from the middle school, Kiwanis, they're all out here. Everyone is pitching in.”

The Project Santa Claus program helps provide Christmas gifts to Douglas County children in need, who are pre-qualified through Douglas Social Services, Washoe Tribal Services, The Family Support Council, CASA or the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Last year more than 800 children were helped by Project Santa Claus and this year sign ups are on track to hit the same figure. Anyone can sponsor a child by simply choosing a name from any of the Angel Trees that have been set up in the Valley.

Nelson said that elves are needed to sort and wrap and handle any number of other projects to get presents ready in time.

“You can help for an hour or a day, children 10 and up can help too. We preheat the building but there is always coffee, hot chocolate and hot cider available as well,” he said. “So grab your neighbors and come on down. It's really a wonderful, festive environment.”

Bike donations are also needed, good quality used bikes that can be cleaned and repaired. If you have a bike to donate, drop them off at the Gardnervile Ranchos General Improvement District office on Mitch Drive or at the Town of Gardnerville Maintenance Yard at 1369 Highway 395. For more information call Gary Dove 265-9443. All the bikes that are received for Project Santa Claus are cleaned up and repaired by the young people at the China Springs and Aurora Pines Youth Facilities.

Project Santa Claus also accepts cash donations, the money is used to buy books or last minute gift items that need to be purchased.

“We have official Project Santa Claus shoppers that go out during the final week to purchase items for us,” Nelson said. “It's really amazing the number of people in the Valley that help with this project, but then it is a huge project.”

Contributions are tax deductible as Project Santa Claus is an IRS 501 (c)(3) organization ID No. 88-0258742. Mail donations to PSC, PO Box 3031, Gardnerville, NV, 89410.

Angel Tree locations Topaz Lodge & Casino - 1979 Highway 395 Carson Valley Medical Center - 1107 Highway 395

R & T Cleaners - 1389 Lampe Drive

Scolari's Food & Drug - 1335 Highway 395

Raley's Supermarket - 1363 Highway 395

Sharkey's - 1440 Highway 395

Tumblewind - 1600 Esmeralda

Taylor-York Salon - 1662 Highway 395

Bently Biofuels Outpost - 1350 Buckeye Road

Pulse Gym - 885 Mahogany Drive

CV Computer -1402 Unit A Highway 395

Wrapped gifts need to be returned by Thursday.

For more information, Nancy Hollenbach, 783-1821.

Video About Active 20-30 US and Canada!

This is an amazing video all about Active 20-30.

Click Here

See www.active20-30.com for more information. Thanks for watching!

Future 20-30 Member ...

Douglas Disposal Food Drive Begins 12.5.2011

Douglas Disposal's 17th annual food drive is the week of Dec. 5-9. Donations of nonperishable food items in plastic bags should be placed beside trash cans to be picked up by a Douglas Disposal employee.

The collected food is weighed and delivered to the Carson Valley Community Food Closet.

Donations may also be delivered to the Douglas Disposal office at 1653 Lucerne Street Suite A in the Minden Village.

In 2010, Douglas Disposal collected 9,660 pounds of food from their customers. Carson Valley Community Food Closet is located at 1255 Waterloo Lane, Gardnerville. For more information call, 782-3711.

Upcoming Parks and Recreation Classes ...

Winter Wonderland

Children ages 5–12 will enjoy the day with arts and crafts, games, and movies. To be held 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Carson Valley Middle School. Cost is $15.

North Pole Calling

Children ages 3 to 6 can receive a personal phone call from the North Pole. Santa Hotline forms are available at the Recreation Department. Class will be 4:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 8. Volunteer Santa's wanted. Call 782-9828.

Lil Ninjas

Ages 4 to 9 will learn in a disciplined but fun environment the martial arts, performing arts, gymnastics, grappling and self defense. Class will be Tuesdays or Fridays from 3:45–4:30pm. Cost is $59 per month.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Ages 5-11 can learn the popular and challenging art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Classes are taught in controlled, professional and friendly environment. Class will be Fridays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Cost is $59 per month.

Scrap Booking – All Day Crop

Enjoy a day to work on your scrap booking projects. Instructor Jackie Gordon will share ideas, and have tools available for use. Class will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Senior Center. Cost is $10 which includes a snack and water.

Latin Dancing Lessons

All levels welcome in this fun and exciting Latin Dance class. Class held on Thursdays from 5:30–7 p.m. at the recreation annex building Dec. 8-29. Cost is $75 per couple or $40 for individual.

Concealed Weapon Certification

This course will cover the requirements for Nevada State CCW and can be taken by CCW applicants or anyone wanting to learn to shoot handguns. Class will be taught 6-9:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and Dec. 16 at the Recreation Annex building and 8-11 a.m. Dec. 17 at Douglas County Shooting Range. Cost is $90 plus an additional $10 insurance fee payable to the instructor. Spouses are half price.

Beginner's Tai Chi

Learn this soft martial arts form that will include warm ups, exercises and repetitions. Class is on Saturdays and is ongoing. Cost is $5 per month.

Pre-registration is required for all classes. For more information on Douglas County Parks & Recreation Department's classes call the Recreation Division at 782-9828.