Support Your Local (Part 3)

Local Schools Need Your Help!

Even if you don’t have children attending one of your local schools, why don’t you take the time to stop by the office of the local elementary or high school, introduce yourself as a tax-paying resident of the area, and ask what you can do to make the school a better success.

It’s a great way to meet people, exchange ideas, and do a good thing, just cuz!

Share Your English Skills

America is a melting pot. It was started that way, and continues to be that way. I think it’s wonderful. The blending of cultures and languages makes for a beautifully diverse garden of flowers.

There are some people that do not feel this way, but I don’t believe in one size fits all – which is why I prefer a bouquet of different flowers as opposed to a boring non-blend of one color or one style.

One of the challenges of people who have come to this country to realize their dreams is mastering the English language, which at times makes no sense whatsoever, with all the jargon, slang, double-meanings, homonyms, homophones, blah, blah, blah…

Just think if you were to go to Brazil and needed to learn Portuguese!? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a place you could go where native speakers helped you with your learning?

Why not do that for someone else?

Check your local high school, college, university, community college, or library for opportunities to help people with their English. If you can’t find anything, how about starting a group with friends, family members, or other members of your place of worship? Put an advertisement up at your local supermarket or community bulletin board offering free help with English.

I worked with Time Warner Cable for a while, and they had a program called “Time to Read” where we (the instructors) would have a group of three to five “students” ranging in age from junior high to advanced age. The students would take turns reading aloud from an article from one of Time Inc.’s magazines.

Your group could meet at a local library, or in a meeting space at your place of worship, and take turns reading stories from the magazines. Just make sure you have a dictionary available, and get ready for some great discussion and learning! Just cuz it’s a great learning experience – for everyone!

Support Your Local School, Theater Group, Fire House

Summer is here!

Next time you’re driving home from the supermarket, and you pass that gas station that is swarming with a bunch of teens with signs that read “Car Wash!” — why not stop and support them.

Many schools have gone through major budget cuts in the last several years, and one way to raise money for school activities is through bake sales, car washes, and other sales-type events.

Support a school in your area, even though you may not have kids going to that school.

Do it just cuz.