Blog - Feed Your Good Dog

TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

October 30, 2009 by Rose Caplan

HALLOWEEN BRINGS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, AND DONATE TO, OUR COMMUNITIES. HERE’S HOW UNIVERSITY OF UTAH STUDENTS AND BALTIMORE RAVENS ARE DOING IT.

In an article posted Thursday, October 29, onThe Daily Utah Chronicle’s website, University of Utah student Brandon Beifuss calls on his community this Halloween to donate cans of food or money to benefit the Utah Food Bank during the Trick-or-Can drive and the Black Pumpkin Affair.

The Bennion Community Service Center is planning a door-to-door Trick-or-Can drive today at 5:30 p.m. from the southwest corner of the Rice-Eccles Stadium parking lot. This volunteer-based can drive, which ends at 8:30 p.m., is a simple way to put a few hours toward community service. Volunteers can even come in costume.

Becca Van Maren, the coordinator of this event, said the economic downturn has forced people to opt out of eating.

“People are forced to choose between paying medical bills, rent, heat and many other expenses,” she said. “Food is the one thing in people’s budgets that they have more wiggle room with.”

Another opportunity exists for students at the U through the Black Pumpkin Affair, an annual Crimson Nights event. Students usually get into Crimson Nights with just their UCard, but the Black Pumpkin Affair is asking that students also bring two cans of food to donate.

With 5,000 students expected to attend the Black Pumpkin Affair by the Union Programming Council, this is a good chance to enjoy a sizeable party while supporting the community around you.

“Demand is on the rise,” Maren said. “Donations are also on the rise but are still not able to cover the amount of demand.”

“If a student donates money instead of canned goods, we will make sure it gets where it is supposed to be: the Utah Food Bank,” said Rachel Sellers, UPC director of Crimson Nights.

There are plenty of incentives to enjoy both the Black Pumpkin Affair and the Trick-or-Can drive by giving during the holiday weekend.

Volunteers, as well as cans, for either of these organizations are happily accepted.

Also, check out Baltimore Ravens’ tight end Todd Heap as he chats with WNST.net’s Nestor Aparicio annual team Halloween party to benefit Goodwill Industries.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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Wednesday Wide Smile

October 28, 2009 by Rose Caplan

COLLEGE STUDENTS COMMUNITY SERVICE EXTENDS BEYOND DAY OF SERVICE

The mission of the new Office of Civic Engagement and Scholarship (OCES) at College of William & Mary results in William & Mary students and alumni serving local community and learning about the community they serve.

According to Erin Zagursky’s article Students make a difference, learn about the community posted on October 20, 2009 to the College of William & Mary’s website…

Approximately 200 William & Mary students and alumni ignored the gray weather and spent Saturday, October 17, 2009, serving the local community as part of the annual “Make a Difference Day.”

This year, approximately 15 student groups and organizations signed up to participate in Make a Difference Day. Additionally, two alumni groups volunteered to help out.

“With over 200 students, two groups of alumni, and 13 different community partners, Make a Difference Day was a huge success,” Anoll said. “Helping it line up with the mission of the new Office of Civic Engagement and Scholarship, Make a Difference day for the first time combined students’ day of service with issue education and reflection on topics ranging from poverty to biodiversity.”

Shannon Michel ‘12 and Stephanie McGuire ‘12 served as co-leaders for the group that volunteered with the Community Action Agency. Though the group had originally planned on doing yard work, the weather forced them inside where they ended up cleaning and organizing offices and compiling a student directory. The group also learned a lot of about the agency’s programs and how they could help out in the future.

“It was very successful and I feel like we accomplished a lot and really helped out the agency staff,” said Michel.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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Monday Motivational Quote

October 26, 2009 by Rose Caplan

The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there. ~Robert M. Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values)

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

October 23, 2009 by Rose Caplan

WAYS TO FEED YOUR GOOD DOG THIS WEEKEND

The Queen of Hearts Foundation’s Cardio Kids’ program is back at the Green Market at Piedmont Park, and invites you and your kids to “a day for Awareness and Heart Health Education dedicated to Children. The Cardio Kids is all about an ECO Play Day to share fun outside. Games and activities to get their hearts pumping and to share information as to why it is so very important for them.”

The Cardio Kids’ tent is set up as a drop by in a market setting at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. Activities on the hour.

Destination: Atlanta, GA – Queen of Hearts Foundation’s Cardio Kids tent at the Green Market.

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009

Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm

Location: Piedmont Park’s Green Market

Address: 1071 Piedmont Ave NE

Atlanta, GA 30309

If you are looking of ways to make a difference this weekend (or any other day in the future for that matter) and affect the lives of others in a positive way, check out the following:

This Saturday, October 24th is World Polio Day. Find out what is happening in your community by contacting your local Rotary Club and make a donation to the End Polio Now Campaign., posted by Mary McManus on DarynKagan.com (link no longer available), and

the new All for Good website.

All for Good lets you browse activities and find events based on your location or interests. It is the “Craigslist for Service”.All for Good makes finding a good deed project in your community easy as pie. Check out volunteer activities and events on All for Good’s website.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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Wednesday Wide Smile

October 21, 2009 by Rose Caplan

HERE’S A GUIDE TO HELP YOU, YOUR FAMILY, AND/OR YOUR COMMUNITY RECONNECT WITH NATURE…THE CHILDREN & NATURE NETWORK MAKE IT AS EASY AS…WELL…A WALK IN THE PARK

In the United States and internationally, a vibrant children-and-nature movement is helping parents, grandparents and caregivers reconnect children with nature. The Children & Nature Network (C&NN) was created to encourage and support this movement.

One way your family can get directly involved and reconnect children with nature is to create a family nature club. C&NN created a resource to make it incredibly easy for anyone to do so….the C&NN Nature Clubs for Families Tool Kit. Do It Yourself! Do It Now!

C&NN Nature Clubs for Families Tool Kit. Do It Yourself! Do It Now!

The purpose of the Tool Kit is to provide inspiration, information, tips and resources for those who are—or who might be—interested in creating a Nature Club for Families. In creating the Tool Kit, C&NN has drawn on what many other families have done and learned.

The Tool Kit contains a Quick Start Guide which lists five steps to start your own club and it provides templates for each step. The five steps to get started are: (a) Create a plan; (b) Check it out; (c) Invite as many people as you like; (d) Make it Easy; and (e) Ready, set, go! It doesn’t get much easier than that. And…if you have your own ideas all the better. C&NN encourages you to think outside the box.

A few key benefits from creating your own Nature Club are listed in the Tool Kit. Here is a summary. Nature Clubs for Families can be created in any neighborhood and in any economic setting. They can be joined or created by any family. The Nature Clubs for Families approach can break down key barriers, including fear of strangers, since there is safety in numbers. There is the group motivation factor within Nature Clubs for Families. Nature Clubs for Families shared knowledge. And, importantly, there is no need to wait for funding.

The Tool Kit includes a list of testimonials from people who have started their own Nature Clubs for Families and you can view them starting on page 6 of the Tool Kit. It may be that you find inspiration to start your own Nature Club for Families there.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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Monday Motivational Quote

October 19, 2009 by Rose Caplan

EARTH’S AGELESSNESS AND RENEWABILITY INSPIRE HOPE

Earth never really ages. Sure, she adds years just like the rest of us, but she never slips into decrepitude, but is constantly renewing herself into better, more and new…thus, the seasons of renewal…enjoy the show that Nature puts on for us and realize your own agelessness and timelessness – your own Eternality. ~ Kathy Kirk Autumn Color in Medina: Eternality October 18, 2009

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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