Please Help.... I need your input

[Gossamer_2701]

Hey All,
Being the kind generous guy that I am /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I\'ve always

given to charities very generously every month, but never really had any spare time to do any volunteer work

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Well, I\'ve recently hired an assistant to take a lot of the

load off me (the joys of starting your own business /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) so I\'ve

noticed a lot more free time lately. I\'ve always wanted to do some volunteer work and meet some new people while

helping people out.
I have to admit that I\'m a little stumped at where to start looking. So, great members

of this forum... I humbly turn to you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Please give me any and all

ideas that you may have on where I can offer my help. Keep in mind that I would love to experiment with \'mones

while doing this and possibly meet that special woman, but my main goal is to do some good for those less

fortunate.
I don\'t live in a big city, so there aren\'t as many opportunities as many of you may have

available, but any and all advice would be most appreciated

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Thanks in advance,
Goss

[belgareth]

The first question is what you want to do. Helping others is a good thing to do but you will stay with it a lot

longer if it something you really believe. A few examples off the top of my head are organizing a coat drive, get

involved in some kind of church or school group (I like working with kids myself), helping out at any of the local

mission groups. Most likely anything you find will be associated with one church or the other. If you are involved

with a church now, talk to the leadership and see where they need you.

Schools in impoverished areas are always

looking for people to provide role models, there are the boys and girls clubs and scout groups and big

brother/sisters. Something we did that was a lot of fun was hosting an exchange student.

[Sacogoo]

Goss writes:
</font><blockquote><font class=\"small\">Quote:</font><hr />
Please give me any and all ideas

that you may have on where I can offer my help. Keep in mind that I would love to experiment with \'mones while

doing this and possibly meet that special woman, but my main goal is to do some good for those less fortunate.



<hr /></blockquote><font class=\"post\">

My car needs a wash.

BTW - I love your idea about hitting the

soup kitchen loaded up on mones to pick up the homeless chicks. They are probably tired of fighting off potential

rapists trolls who stink like the festered ass of a menstruating skunk while they barely scratch out a living under

the viaduct, and a nice guy that smells good might just be something that they would appreciate.

[Sexyredhead]

Well Sac, I see you\'re in a cheery mood today. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Goss,

I agree with Belgarth about churches being a great place to find volunteer work/projects. You might also check out

the local homeless shelter or battered women\'s shelter and see what they\'ve got going on. Another place you

might try is the local chamber of commerce. They\'ve probably got a listing of, or at least contact numbers for,

local volunteer groups.

Another thing you might do, since I see you\'re in NE, is go to older

neighborhoods and ask elderly people if you can shovel their drives/walks--for free.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Gossamer_2701]

Thanks for the ideas Belgareth &amp; SRH...
I had considered the church option, but as I don\'t

belong to one, I wasn\'t really sure how that might work. I never thought about the Chamber of Commerce.
SRH, its

funny you should mention the shoveling for elderly people, as I did just that very thing (well, I used the

snowblower) for two elderly people down the street, but I never really considered that charity work... just being a

good neighbor /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I find it interesting that after I posted this

thread, I read my local paper and watched some football, and in the paper was a two page list of all the local

charities that need donations an volunteers. Ask and ye shall receive... I\'ve just never received that fast

before /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Thnaks again,
Goss

[CJ01]

Are men

allowed into battered womens shelters?

I´ve often thought about the same thing myself but my circumstances are

very different than yours unfortunately. Homeless and elderly always need some help I guess. Anything to do with

church has always put me off though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Really cool of you I think

and it´s also a way of meeting new people.

CJ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[belgareth]

</font><blockquote><font class=\"small\">Quote:</font><hr />
Are men allowed into battered womens

shelters?

Anything to do with church has always put me off though

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

CJ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

<hr

/></blockquote><font class=\"post\">

That\'s part of the reason I am involved with schools. I can help kids

without all the mumbo jumbo associated with churches.

[Gossamer_2701]

Thanks CJ,
I don\'t know if men are allowed in battered womens shelters, but I don\'t really

want to find out... it could certainly do more harm than good.
I\'m not really big on organized religion

either, but I guess they do a lot of good. I have a few very worthy causes to choose from... who knows, maybe I can

work two into my schedule /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Goss

[CJ01]

Just

thought of something, a different angle on church activities. Get in there and tell everyone how senseless it all

really is. In other words convert them into `non-believers´ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[koolking1]

If you do help out at a battered women\'s shelter, make sure you really load up with heavy -none. That

aggressive feeling may come in handy and you might have to \"fight them off\", so to speak. Well, I guess I

shouldn\'t joke about this kind of stuff. Another good place to try out heavy -none applications might be your

state\'s women\'s penitentiary. All joking aside, shoveling snow for your elderly neighbors is a really nice

thing for you to be doing. If you want to also be near a lot of women your age, your local hospital might have

something.

[Pancho1188]

If you want to meet younger women, get involved, and help people, you could always look for philanthropies at the

local university. I know there are plenty of opportunities here at my college, and SO many women participate in

them... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[koolking1]

something I used to do and is also very rewarding (Yes, you even get to meet women doing it) is to teach English as

a second language (ESL programs). It\'s actually a lot of fun and you don\'t need to have a degree to do it.

[Gossamer_2701]

mmmmmm colege chicks rule /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wow... thanks guys, these

are all GREAT ideas!!!
Goss