Helping Others- The Real Meaning of the Holidays

With the holidays approaching there are so many organizations you can volunteer or even donate to, hopefully this blog will put you in the holiday spirit! 

Teach you children the true meaning of the holidays by donating or volunteering during the Christmas season.

SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army sponsors many programs to help out the less fortunate during the holiday season such as the Toy Shop, Sharing Trees, Christmas Bear Dressing, Christmas Stocking Program, and the Kettles Program. Visit their site by clicking the link above for more information on how you can help.

HOLIDAY HELPINGS AND HOPE

Palmetto Health's Cancer Center can use your help to bring a little holiday joy to cancer patients during the holiday season.

Through the Holiday Helpings and Hope project, volunteers and donors join to provide 200 food baskets for Thanksgiving and adopt over 100 families cared for by our Cancer Center. Adults and children with cancer and their families directly benefit from this program.

For information, call Holiday Helpings and Hope at 434-4752

THE GIVING TREE

The Giving Tree is a Christmas project sponsored by the James R. Clark Memorial Sickle Cell Foundation and Palmetto Health which serves children (and their siblings) who are affected by sickle cell. To participate, donate a new, unwrapped toy (appropriate for birth through 16 years of age) by December 4, 2002.

For more details on how you or your church, school or civic group can be involved, please call Regina Brown at             (803) 434-3107 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (803) 434-3107      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      .

CELEBRATE THE SEASON AT FRIARSGATE PARK

Bring your single serving snack items, and baby supplies to Friarsgate Park between Dec 1-15. Your donations will be delivered to the Children's Garden Day Care Center which serves homeless children. For more information, call 732-3220

OPERATION SANTA CLAUS

Help the Carolina Children's Home in providing gifts for the children at the home. For informaion, call Amanda O'Cain at             (803) 782-1421 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            (803) 782-1421      end_of_the_skype_highlighting       Ext 216.

HARVEST HOPE FOOD DRIVE- DECEMBER 4

Share with those less fortunate by donating food at First Baptist Church (1306 Hampton St.) from 6:30-8:00PM or at the Palmetto GBA (Farrow Rd) from 7:30AM-6:30PM.

-Denea Duran

Content Credit: http://www.columbia4kids.com/christmas/volunteer.php

Hurricane Sandy!

Just last year we were helping clean up the destruction that Hurricane Irene left! Now today our crew is in New Jersey cleaning up the mess that Hurricane Sandy has left. Please keep all emergency workers and crews in your prayers!

If you want to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy here are a few organizations to help donate to! 

The Salvation Army has dozens of mobile feeding units and shelters along the East Coast that are working to serve thousands in the most heavily hit areas. Visitwww.salvationarmyusa.org to donate.

Feeding America has thousands of pounds of emergency food, water and supplies in the disaster zone that it is working to distribute to the storm's victims. To donate, visit www.feedingamerica.org or call            800-910-5524      .

AmeriCares is providing medicine and other supplies to people affected by Hurricane Sandy. To donate, visitwww.americares.org.

World Vision is distributing flood clean-up kits, personal hygiene items and emergency food kits to people hit by the hurricane. To donate, visit www.worldvision.org.

Save the Children is also working to provide relief to families and their children. Visit www.savethechildren.orgto donate.

Samaritan's Purse is asking for volunteers to help storm victims. To volunteer, visit their website.

One way to help is by donating to the Red Cross. All donations will provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by the storm. To donate, visit www.redcross.org, call 800-Red-Cross or text the word "Redcross" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Nearly 100 Red Cross blood drives were canceled because of Sandy, so blood supplies are low in the areas affected the most. The Red Cross asks that those who can donate to schedule an appointment to give blood. The New York Blood Center is urging people to donate blood for those in the New York/New Jersey area. To donate, call             800-933-2566       or visitwww.nybloodcenter.org.

-Denea Duran

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

This morning I logged on Twitter and Facebook like I do every day (because I am addicted)  and learned that today is International Women's Day! I consider myself a very intuitive person and usually know what's going on in the world, yet I had no idea that women have another holiday besides Mother's Day!   Even Google is joining in on the fun.

Today is the day to celebrate women’s accomplishments and advocate for gender equality! Some countries recognize the day as a national holiday, closing all schools and businesses. In China only women get the day off! (Lets just be honest.. that would be pretty awesome.)



Flowers are a symbol of International Women’s Day. Many countries celebrate by decorating with flowers, or by giving them to women as presents. In Italy, yellow mimosas are popular. Russians give a variety of flowers, including red roses. In Hanoi, Vietnam, it’s not just boyfriends and husbands giving flowers to the women in their lives, but also bosses and colleagues.

Today, not only would your mother/wife/daughter/grandmother be tickled pink if you gave her flowers, your dear friend with the sympathetic ear would feel a great amount of love as well.

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."  ~ Voltaire

RED LIPSTICK.



A marketing agency is encouraging women across America to wear red lipstick in honor of International Women’s Day for the “Rock the Lips” campaign. Red lipstick symbolizes  femininity! So, you women who want to celebrate your femininity, submit photos of your pouts to the Rock the Lips Tumblr.

Again, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY from all of us at SERVPRO!

For more information please vist http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

-Denea Duran

Tornado Season: Be Prepared

Though the Midwest and Southern states have been rocked by 13 deaths and several injuries caused by devastating storms, the weather forecast unmercifully projects further destruction will occur.

Around 5 a.m. in Harrisburg, Illinois, hurricane force winds swept over the town, lifting buildings off their foundations and shredding homes into pieces. Of the 33 tornadoes that reportedly made landfall, the storm responsible for the most extensive damage was believed to hold the second highest ranking in destruction potential (Category EF 4).  Authorities continue to search for victims, but severe weather is getting in the way of search and rescue.

The states affected so far-- Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana.



Though the most extreme events have been isolated to pockets of the Midwest, over 300 counts of severe weather have been reported. Weather activity in the last 36 hours include golf ball size hail and damaging thunderstorm winds gusting over 80 mph. In order to remain safe, pay close attention to weather advisory stations and take further precautions to be ready for a major event (see our preparedness tips below).

To help the victims of the most recent storms, please visit the Red Cross disaster relief page.



Also, to see what Red Cross is doing to support the survivors of the tornado visit their media page.

Lets see how we can all become 'heroes' for those in need! Contact your local RED CROSS!  **Central SC Chapter, Regional Chapter 2751 Bull Street (P.O. Box 91) Columbia, S.C. 29201 (29202) 803-540-1200**

HOW TO PREPARE

During a Tornado

If you are under a tornado warning, seek a secure shelter immediately!

If you are in:	Then:
A structure (e.g. residence, small building, school, nursing home, hospital, factory, shopping center, high-rise building)	Go to a pre-designated shelter area such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar, or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. Get under a sturdy table and use your arms to protect your head and neck. In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. Do not open windows.
A vehicle, trailer,  or mobile home	Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter. Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes.
The outside with no shelter	Lie flat in a nearby ditch or depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Never try to outrun a tornado in urban or congested areas in a car or truck. Instead, leave the vehicle immediately for safe shelter. Watch out for flying debris. Flying debris from tornadoes causes most fatalities and injuries.

We will continue to pray for the victims and survivors of this horrible tragedy.

-Denea Duran

Drink Water to Give Water.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/29516327]

Commit to doing the 10 Days at 10days.cc

The 10 Days is a campaign where college students and communities across the nation will choose water as their only beverage for 10 Days. The money saved will go to provide 10 Rwandan communities with safe, clean water.

Join with us 10/10/11-10/19/11 and drink to give.

Sandy Hayden