From Skilled Hands » Passing it on

Cups of Kindness: A Benefit

fromskilledhands — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:16:04 +0000

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.

The mission of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank is simple: Ending Hunger.

We believe that no one should have to go hungry in our “land of plenty.” Children shouldn’t have to go to bed hungry; families shouldn’t have to decide between buying food and paying rent; and seniors shouldn’t have to choose between paying for medication and having a warm meal to eat.

Ending hunger is more than just our mission; it’s something we strive to do everyday. It’s a pledge we have made to our community to end hunger in Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina, Wayne, Holmes, Tuscarawas and Carroll counties. In 1982, based on a commitment by community leaders to help the increasing number of families requesting food assistance, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank was formed. In 2007, the Foodbank distributed over 12 million pounds of food and provided meals for over 163,000 people in need in Northeast Ohio.

The Foodbank uses its resources well: each dollar that is donated purchases 7 nutritious meals. Meals that provide sustenance to people who are already stressed. No questions asked. When I recently toured the facility, I was amazed by the quantity of food that was ready to distribute to agencies large and small. The facility was immaculate; the people, both volunteers and paid staff, passionate about their purpose.

We are reaching out to others by giving hope. There is, I think, joy and intrinsic satisfaction in helping people who will never know who we are. As members of a world community, we have a moral and ethical responsibility to share our resources and to preserve dignity.

Cups of Kindness has been on my mind for a long time. This year, we are pleased to join with the Peninsula Art Academy, the Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce, local. regional and national artists and a group of dedicated volunteers to support the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

This show and sale of small scale art will showcase artists’ interpretations of a Cup of Kindness, and will include both 2 and 3 dimensional artwork. All proceeds from the show will benefit the Foodbank. For information about this event, please go to http://www.cupsofkindness.net. If you would like to donate directly to the Akron- Canton Regional Foodbank, please click here.

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Rock On, Little Blue Guy!

fromskilledhands — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 02:40:06 +0000

I have written about one of my own true loves, the Little Blue Santa, and how he has touched so many people. I have written about making him, and how he has changed our lives.

We continue to hear from people whose lives have been blessed by the Little Blue Guy. Relationships that have been rekindled, family histories that have been recalled. Memories, the tapestries of family history; the delicious, sweet fabric of our lives have been made richer.

Our little business, located in the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, has been touched by the lovely and gentle Blue Santa. He has enabled us to share the process with others whose skills and natures have enriched our lives.

Making Santa Molds

These skilled hands are still making Little Blue Santas, and we are working on a glaze for a Little Green Santa.

Santas Waiting to be Glazed

Little Blue Santas in the Kiln

****We will be giving away a Little Blue Santa. To be entered into our high tech drawing (in which I draw a number from a hat), post a comment.

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A Year in the Life…..

fromskilledhands — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:30:45 +0000

My life has changed immeasurably during the past year. One year ago today, my Dad had a massive stroke. My life changed forever with that phone call.

The rawness of the time has softened; the need to speak for my Dad when he was unable to speak for himself has passed. The juxtaposition between the richness of the moment and the pain of it has been replaced with pensiveness, bittersweet replays and oh-so-sweet memories.

I have learned a lot: stuff happens; most things are inconveniences rather than tragedies; the Universe continues; love is.

We spend a lot of time in our lives collecting things; what truly matters is what we have inside: the values and love we share. As I continue to wade through papers, I discover little things about my Dad; things that are the warp and weft of the tapestry of his rich, long life. Photos and notes he saved; the deed for the first house they purchased for $14,000, drawings and cards my sister and I had made when we were children; loving notes he and my Mom had shared 60 years ago. I am grateful for these snapshots into his life.

My Dad was sweet and strong; sensitive and unconditional in his support of us. There is a special place in my heart that just gets fuller and fuller each time I think of him. And it is truly ok.

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It’s Good Luck to Be Nice

fromskilledhands — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:40:26 +0000

I had stopped at the Cleveland Food Coop on Saturday to pick up a few things. As I walked toward the building, I was approached by a smiling woman. She spoke little English; and started to talk to me in what I figured was Russian. I know one Russian phrase: lubov nyick o toschka. (When my father was courting my mother, he asked my grandfather for his daughter’s hand in marriage. My grandfather, ever the practical man, asked, “How will you support her” My dad, ever the romantic, responded, “I love her.” My grandfather’s question,: ” Yes, but how will you support her?”
“But I love her,” my dad repeated. “Lubov nyick o toschka—love is not a potato.” Evidently my grandfather and my dad worked it out.)

I used my one Russian phrase, and the woman laughed heartily and responded with a litany of Russian (none of which I understood). After a while, I figured out that she was looking for cucumber plants, and that she had walked about 6 miles to get them. The Coop didn’t have any cukes left, but the garden shop just up the road did. The woman walked away and I proceeded to pick up the items I needed.

Driving over to the garden shop, I saw the woman carrying a flat of plants. I asked her if she would like a ride home.
During our ride up the hill, I learned that the woman has a son and daughter here, and that she like being in the US. She lives in an apartment building that houses many immigrants, as well as senior citizens, and she gardens in a community garden across from her building. We walked to the garden and she showed me her plot. Tomatoes, dill, beets, potatoes, mints (“the tea will help you sleep”), and a plant I didn’t recognize were flourishing. The cucumbers would go in the pace that had been prepared for them.
We embraced as I walked toward my car. “You will come back to see me?” she asked, knowing that I will.

I thought about this woman who walked 6 miles for cucumber plants, and asked a stranger for help in a language she barely knew. I thought about the courage it takes to leave a place where you have always lived to travel to a new land, a new home. I thought about my own grandparents, who, like this woman, left their homes, for the promise of a better life.

The next time I am in Cleveland, I will go to the community garden and see if my new friend is there. I will bring her flowers, for she has given me more than she knows.

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Over the Backyard Fence

fromskilledhands — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:50:10 +0000

It seems to me that blogging is another incarnation of the backyard fence: we chat, share thoughts, ideas and stories, even have a cup of coffee or tea.

The high tech has become the high touch—interesting stuff. This international community supports and challenges ideas, encouraging the writer to expand his or her thinking. Pats on the back are freely given in a world that is generally less willing to do so. We recognize and encourage creativity, and share what we’ve discovered. We may not borrow a cup of sugar, but we certainly help those in need. Isabel Hoskins, has asked us to come together as a community to help. Bella writes:

In the past weeks I’ve been sharing with you some of my friend, Jen’s, story.

She is a single mom and has a six year old son, Jack. She has stage four colon cancer. She is funny and wise, honest and real, beautiful in every way. She is one of my real life heroes and I love her.

Jeni forever changed my heart and life in asking what I would do if I knew I only had one year to live.

And she is living this, not as idea, but a daily reality. Her honesty and courage and love have sent out ripples of change in people’s lives, as she continues to share her journey on her blog.

And now we are coming together to offer her a tangible expression of our care and love.

The power in this is that, as Bella says, “We are not a non-profit. We are just a group of women coming together to support one of our own. We are rallying behind Jen because the reality is it could be one of us and we strongly believe that this is what community does.” Bella and others are planning an auction on eBay to raise money for Jeni’s needs that are not covered by insurance and to set up a trust fund for her 6 year old son. To find out more, please visit Bella’s post. We have donated a Little Blue Santa to the auction.

Jeni asks a challenging question: What would you do if you had only one year to live?
Important question, one on which I am working. I’ll post my thoughts as they become more clear. I pose the question to you: What would you do if you had 12 months left to live on this planet?

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Late Winter: Frozen in Grand Central Station

fromskilledhands — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:36:22 +0000

The sun is shining in NE Ohio. The birds sing their promises of Spring. The chickens beg for their coop to be cleaned. Maybe later….. Dust bunnies in the house are relegated to the trash and the laundry is working its way through the process. We alternately work and nap, sipping coffee in between. A late winter Sunday afternoon.

As I checked my computer, I came across this. Thanks to Sherry for brightening my day.

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One World, One Heart

fromskilledhands — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:17:30 +0000

I came across the One World, One Heart site kind of by accident. Lisa Oceandreamer, the creator of this event, describes it:

The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way.

For me, it is another manifestation of the power of this medium. It is a way that we can embrace our humanity, and share it freely. It is interesting to me that it is the high tech that is providing the high touch in this high tech world.

On February 14, Valentine’s Day, I will be joining bloggers from all over this amazing planet as we choose a name from those who comment on this post by midnight February 13. The person whose name is drawn will win a Little Blue Santa. Please make sure we have a way to contact you–either by your blog site or email address. From these hearts and hands to yours. THE DRAWING HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE WINNER NOTIFIED.

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From These Skilled Hands

fromskilledhands — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:32:35 +0000

We have been making Little Blue Santas as fast as these 12 skilled hands are able. We are incredibly gratified by the response to this little guy. The history and courage of the people who come to this country unfamiliar with the language and the culture continues to amaze me.

We have heard from people who live all over this wonderful planet. The Blue Santa’s story has appeared in newspapers in many cities; his story was told on NPR’s WKSU 89.7FM.

To thank you for sharing this process with us, we will be giving away one Little Blue Santa to one reader; leave a comment in the comment section of this post and I will draw one name from a hat (a blue Santa hat) on Christmas Eve, and another on New Year’s Day.
We wish you happy, healthy, peaceful and loving days.

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One Snowflake at a Time

fromskilledhands — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:21:25 +0000

Thank you to Kris for writing about Robert’s Snow.

Robert’s Snow was founded by Grace Lin, an artist who illustrates children’s books, and her husband Robert, as a fund-raiser to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. With their hearts and hands, artists have created snowflakes to be auctioned to raise money for cancer research. With their hearts and hands, artists have honored Robert’s life. With their hearts and hands, artists have honored the lives of those touched by cancer.

As artists, we have the opportunity to share what is in our hearts; to let that which is in our hearts flow through our hands. And to pass it on. One snowflake at a time.

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