From Skilled Hands

I have loved the form of a fan for a long time. It is complete by itself, and yet it is part of a larger whole, a circle.

This is how I see myself, and the rest of my family of man: we, too, are complete as individuals, and are also part of a larger whole.  Seeing the world from this perspective has been an interesting way to go through my life. I am so aware of the pain and the challenges; and this also gives me a chance to see the incredible beauty on this planet.  It enables me to be acutely aware of the connectedness we share.  We really do all live in the same town, you know.

And so Heart to Hands to Home, gifts to the women and children who are served by the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties, was born. We have supported the work of the shelter for many years by donating our good seconds. These items have been given as gifts for birthdays, holidays, Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ Day to the women and children who benefit from the shelter’s services.

This year, we, along with the Peninsula Art Academy, invite other artists to join us in supporting the shelter by donating our good seconds of functional, decorative and wearable art. Work from our hearts through our hands to their homes.

The mission of the Battered Women’s Shelter is to lead the community in the prevention of domestic abuse by providing emergency shelter, advocacy and education throughout Summit and Medina Counties, all in an effort to break the cycle of abuse and help promote peace in every family.

The agency is the only one in it’s service area providing protective shelter to families experiencing domestic violence. With a 90-bed capacity between Summit and Medina counties, it provides over 17,000 nights of shelter per year. Approximately 1000 women per year, seek a support group in their community to help point them in the right direction and let them know, they are not alone.

Items may be dropped off or mailed to Elements Gallery, 1619 W. Mill St, Peninsula, OH 44264, by December 16th.

This is an opportunity for all of us, in our towns, to give to others in our communities, because giving is receiving.  This is where We The People can demonstrate the Power. Of. One.  Where, when we make a difference in other folks’ lives, we make a difference in our own.

As always, my friends, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.   And take a moment to visit My Town Monday; you’ll see what our neighbors have to say about their necks of the woods.

When my brother-in-law died unexpectedly this summer, my husband and his sister lost a brother, my in-laws lost a son, my children lost an uncle, my niece and nephew lost a dad. Others lost a friend and neighbor. Then 33 days later, my niece and nephew lost their mom to cancer.

I am no stranger to the anguish of loss, and to the hard work of grief. These are great equalizers, and experiences no one wants, but everyone will share.

It is one thing to see that there is a need; it is another to actively respond to it and to generate a solution to the problem. One person with an idea plants the seed and nurtures it. And so the Bures-Wershing Memorial 5K Walk-Run was born.

One hundred-fifteen people, from 2-62 years of age,  from all walks of life, and assorted locations, shared their common ground. Eighty-six walkers and runners, twenty-three volunteers, and others who couldn’t come, but sent their support. One hundred-fifteen people sharing an experience. One hundred-fifteen people who, with their hearts, reached out.

We all do live in the same town, you know. We breathe the same air, look at the same blue sky and the same full moon.  Members, all, of the family of man. When we help each other, we all win. Common ground indeed.

As always, feel free to leave a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been here.

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My Town Monday is hosted by the lovely and talented Clair Dickson. For links to others who write about their towns, run—or walk–here.

On this most amazing day, I want to share a poem by ee cummings that is dear to me.

i thank you god
for this most amazing day
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
for the blue true dream of sky
for everything that is infinite
that is natural
that is YES

My good friend Lisa wrote about this day. I am passing it forward—-both the exuberance of youth and the wisdom of experience.

We have, to date, purchased 11,833.5 meals for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
The Power of One. We continue to do it, to share what we have, to pass it forward. Pretty cool stuff.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.

I had fully intended to write about Cups of Kindness and Christmas in Peninsula. And my Wordless Wednesday was just that: wordless.

We’ve been working hard preparing for Cups of Kindness. I am very excited about it—-when I’m not terrified. I have envisioned this for a very long time, and seeing it to fruition when the need is so great is an amazing thing. Kindness is all around us—we just need to take the time to open our hearts to receive it.

The generosity of our community is a wonderful thing. The cyber-community has opened its hearts and spread the word. Amy at Knit Think sent a lovely donation of a cup, some hot chocolate and 2 beautiful cloths with a cup in the middle of each that she knitted. (I apologize for the quality of the photo.)

Judy Merrill Larsen emailed me and offered to send a a couple of signed copies of her beautiful book, All the Numbers. My incredible community of bloggers has helped spread the word. I was trying to list everyone and link to their blogs, but I am too tired—-you know who you are and you have my gratitude and my love.

We now have 74 artists who have donated 164 pieces of artwork to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

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Yesterday, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad ran a special train of their popular Polar Express. Their passengers were kids with a variety of special needs. Volunteers elves and others came to greet the train and wave to the children as they entered the North Pole.

We constantly prove the Power of One. Keep your eyes open. You’ll see it all around you. And you can pass it forward.

Remember: every dollar raised provides 7 nutritious meals.


Friends and neighbors helping each other.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Cups of Kindness,our show and sale of small scale artwork. All proceeds from the sale of the artwork will go to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

Hunger does not discriminate; it affects people without regard to background or social status. In our land of plenty, people are hungry every day; they have to decide between paying rent or eating, between medication or food, between staying warm and buying groceries. Of this I am certain: having enough to eat is a right rather than a privilege.

So far, over 50 artists are donating artwork to benefit the Foodbank. The Cups of Kindness website has been donated by Carrick Enterprises; a professional photographer, Ron Wayton, is donating his services so that we have photos of the work on our site. The logo was donated by Teri Schott. Food for the opening is being donated by companies and by individuals who have offered to bake for us. People have walked into our gallery to ask if they can help.

Once again we demonstrate the Power of One. We the people who reach out to our friends and neighbors in a time of need.

If you live in the area, come on down for our opening celebration, Saturday, December 6, from 10-2, at our gallery, Elements Gallery, 1619 W.Mill Street, and at the Peninsula Art Academy across the street.

Enjoy light refreshments, music, and Christmas in Peninsula. You’ll be a part of a very important event. If you’re not close to our neck of the woods, you will be able to purchase artwork online on December 8th. The show will run through January 11, 2009.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.

It was shortly after September 11, 2001. The busy-ness of my day to day life left me feeling ungrounded. I rolled a small piece of porcelain into a lucky stone-shaped orb. And I wrote p-e-a-c-e on it. I inlaid a blue colorant into the carved letters and put it in the kiln. It worked. I had a stone with an important reminder. I kept it in my pocket and rolled it between my fingers. I began to make more of these “touchstones.” Reminders of things that seemed to get lost in the shuffle of life. They said things like dream, hope, believe, compassion, justice, peace, love and other words that touched a chord for me. We began to sell them—and give them away.

Right before the first anniversary of 9/11, a couple came into the gallery. We began to talk; the woman told me that they were in our area from New York City. They were planning on walking at dawn on the morning of the first anniversary from Battery Park to what we now know as Ground Zero, accompanied by a group of bagpipers. The woman wanted to buy a few Touchstones that said PEACE on them. We had just fired some of the stones. I selected the ones that said PEACE, and gave them to the couple, asking them to pass them on as they wished.

Several days later, I received an email from a man who had been in one of the buildings in the area on September 11. He wanted me to know how much it meant to him to receive a Touchstone.

It is important to remember that the power of One is immense, and that we can create change, one pebble at a time. Pass it forward.

The Power of One.

It wasn’t that long ago that courageous individuals stood up for their beliefs that all of us are created equally and that we all should have the right to vote. Folks like you and me were beaten, went to jail and even died because they would not waver in their absolute beliefs in freedom and in the right to vote.

After you’ve watched this video, send it to five friends. Ask them to do the same. Keep passing it forward. We CAN make a difference.

5 More Friends