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

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Well it's that time of the year again!With Thanksgiving around the corner here are some safety tips to keep your holidays disaster free! 


THANKSGIVING SAFETY 

The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Kids love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and people at home.

Safety tips

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit a candle.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

Turkey fryersNFPA discourages the use of outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers.

Content Credit: http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=2117&itemID=49664&URL=Safety%20Information/For%20consumers/Holidays/Thanksgiving%20safety

-Denea Duran