Cradles to Crayons Mini-Drive Update PLUS Bentley and City Year Connection

My original plans to attend a volunteer day at the Cradles to Crayon Giving Factory have changed. I had been going to attend with students and alums from my alma mater, Bentley College, but learned they have exceeded their number of volunteers! Those Bentley kids are getting a well-rounded education, business and otherwise, to be sure ~ not that I’m biased or anything! On a side note, when I went to the Bentley site to grab the url (website name for those non-computer folks), I was pleased and not at all surprised to see news of an initiative Bentley is announcing in partnership with City Year. I saw City Year co-founder Michael Brown speak at Bentley last year. City Year provided the model for Americorps, if I’m not mistaken. I also saw Brown speak at Echoing Green Luncheon over the summer. Next time, I will have to make a point of introducing myself to this amazing role model. I strongly encourage all readers to go to Bentley’s page all about this wonderful and exciting new program “that bridges the worlds of higher education and community service.”

Anyway, back to the donation drive, I’ll be going to Quincy to drop off the donations next Tuesday and learning a bit about their organization while I’m there. I estimate that I will still have room in my car if anyone didn’t make it to my drop-off day who has donations they would like to make.

If you want to learn more about Cradles to Crayons, read my post or just visit their site. I am particularly impressed by the way the organization makes the best use of time and resources, getting donated items directly to where there is a need, eliminating time spent by donors and recipients in the search process.

Feeling Like a Winner ~ Quoted in EchoingGreen contest announcement

Well, I’m still showing how green, as in new, I am… I’m quite excited to share that I lost a music play list contest… That’s right. I lost! It’s all good though for several reasons.

1. It got me to relax and listen to and reconnect with some great music.

2. Anthony Showalter from Echoing Green chose to quote me in his summary about the winner and the true purpose of the contest.

Sometimes I wonder how well I’m connecting… And, I’m sure sometimes I connect better than others. (Last week, one e-newsletter recipient said she really enjoyed keeping up with my efforts and reading about them in particular. Another blog reader told me via email he had no clue what I was talking about, though he applauded my enthusiasm…) Alas, Rome wasn’t built in a day… Anthony’s comments were just the boost of energy to get through the next day ~ There’s inspiration all around if we look in the right places…

and 3. Now there’s a whole bunch of playlists of inspirational music to refer to should one need an extra boost of inspiration/kick in the pants!

Check out the winning playlist and some of the 40 submissions on the Echoing Green Blog.

Happy Singing/Dancing/Listening, any combo thereof… N.

Cradles to Crayons Donation Drive – A Mini Event

I’m starting with baby steps as I work on a living prototype of my concept. I’ve blogged and written in emails about the intent of the Declutter For Good Donation Weekends…You can read the details by clicking here.

This weekend’s event will be just one day (Sunday, Sept 21) and I’m not currently able to accept larger items.

I am however working to schedule a date in the spring with Cradles to Crayons for a full-blown event. So, if you see larger items listed on their needs list that you have, hang onto them until the spring or consider bringing them into the Giving Factory sometime. I think it would be a neat opportunity to see their volunteer-driven warehouse where they organize donations for delivery locally dependent on specific needs. They have established contacts at the local shelters and other service facilities, so it is a great way to get the items where needed without tying up anyone’s time (yours or those who you are seeking to help) with emails and phone calls. I’m planning to go there on Sept 27 with the women’s alumnae chapter and will take a camera along to share photos here after.

Regarding Sunday, read on for the complete list of Cradles to Crayons accepted items.

greenUPGRADER shares lots of great finds on their site everyday – worth checking out!

For visual learners, lovers of new gadgets and all things eco-friendly, may I suggest a website:

I get lots of blog posts sent directly to my email (this because I am over 40 and therefore statistically less inclined to check RSS feeds and rather choose to stick with my trusty email inbox ~ I just made that up, seeing if you’re paying attention out there!) Well, I get a greenUPGRADER update pretty much every day and often it includes more than one post… Busy folks there at greenUPGRADER and, in my opinion, their posts don’t disappoint… Once I figure out how to use “Morning Coffee” ~ what looks like a cool tool on Firefox ~ greenUPGRADER is sure to be on my list of websites that opens in my tabs automatically a couple of times a week…

While you’re “DeCluttering for Good” for Cradles to Crayons, Check out the updated Small Things and Big Things lists (above) for items we could put to good use at Time Well Spent.

If you are planning to participate in the Donation Opportunity Weekend, now might be the time to declutter even more of your stuff, clearing up your own home, and turning in needed items to TIme Well Spent for Clutter Credits. Be sure to check out the updated Small Things and Big Things pages…

From an earlier post describing “The Workshop” area at Time Well Spent, “A Clutter Credit system is being devised so that whenever someone donates their usable clutter to The Workspace, they will earn credits that can be used toward using any of the donated clutter in their own creations…”

Questions about stuff you have or want to arrange a drop off? Post right here or just send me an email at nancy.gallantATcomcastDOTnet . Soon, I’ll be sharing set days and times when I will make it a point to be at my temporary office, but know that I’m always willing to work with you to schedule a drop off time and to discuss your possible donations… Thanks in advance! N.

Announcing our First Donation Opportunity – Help Fellow Man and Mother Earth – “DeClutter For Good” and give to Cradles to Crayons

On the third weekend of each and every month, we will be conducting a donation drive… Count on it! A chance to “DeClutter for Good” in an easy-to-do manner… I blogged about the concept back in June and I encourage you to read the post. Too busy? That’s understandable… In fact, that’s the reality – folks are pretty busy but want to do good for others whenever possible. The monthly donation drive, which I prefer to refer to as a donation opportunity, will allow those of us with extra stuff to Declutter For Good and get our unused, but perfectly fine, “stuff” directly to those in need, compounding the positive effect by pooling our collective clutter.

Without any further ado, here are the details of the Inaugural DeClutter For Good Weekend:

Who? Via Cradles to Crayons, children in need locally will be the recipients of the donated items.

Read on for more from the About Cradles to Crayons page:

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome! Expanding my e-newsletter contact list

After a summer of networking, sharing, learning and researching, both in person and via the internet, I’ve accumulated a growing list of contacts. So, this month’s e-newsletter update goes out to a growing group of like-minded people from a varied assortment of categories… Goodness knows that long e-newsletters do not make good business sense. So here, on my blog, is my extended welcome to the many, many fine people whom I am honored to add to my list. 

[An Aside: Rest assured that Constant Contact has an excellent reputation and does not re-use or share email lists, and neither do I.  Of course, you can unsubscribe anytime, but why would you do that? I'd feel badly (still working on growing a thicker skin, though my sensitive side is likely a large part of WHY I do what I do...) Besides, you might just miss some really worthwhile opportunities to benefit from or offer your assistance to Time Well Spent.]

So, read on for my extended WELCOME…

Happy New Year!

No, it’s not January, It’s not Chinese New Year, but every parent of a school-going child knows what I mean… In fact, kids or no kids, September gives us all an opportunity to regroup, rededicate, revisit, return to those prioirities and to-do list items that somehow weren’t addressed over the summer, rainy though it may have been (which should have just maybe provided a chance to get some things done).

Let me take this post to say, “Welcome Back” to my blog if you haven’t visited in a while or missed the August update…Oh, that’s right, I missed writing the August update…Really, I was just trying to give all my friends and family, readers and supporters a break, it being summer and all! You buying that? In all honesty and with all joking aside, I was working on the pre-launch and research of my new concept more days than not over the summer. For me, the fall will be an important time to increase my forward-moving efforts to get this idea off the ground… The take-off may not be textbook, but it’s sure to be a great ride and the sky’s the limit. You on board? Read on…