Blogs

Finding the Helpers in Our Community 

Greetings, Subscribers! Thank you again for bearing with me as I journey through a busy time of year. Join me as I share how my visit to our local elementary school with Project Toby for Screen Free Week turned into a fun time at our fantastic local library, where I presented on plastics and sea life! I couldn't have done it without my community helpers. 

This past month was special. It was also very busy. But I try to remember that when life gets busy and chaotic, I try to keep my eyes peeled for the helpers. People who reach out to support you and help make you feel welcomed and loved.  

One day, I got an email from the school nurse at our local elementary school, who wears many hats. She asked me if I wanted to volunteer for their No Screen Week during lunch. I said absolutely and asked how she knew about me. She said she saw a blurb the library had posted on its website about me reading and doing a presentation in the children’s department on ocean conservation coming up. I had been thinking about putting together an upcycled art project called Project Toby, a large drawing of a sea turtle, to share with local schools to bring awareness about trash and sea life. Then, that little light bulb went off! I thought, what a wonderful opportunity for the kids to help take unrecyclable items and glue them onto an image of a sea turtle to raise awareness about helping all sea creatures by keeping these items out of the environment. We had lots of fun. Thank you, Colleen, for inviting me. 

This past month also gave me the opportunity to be a community reader at our local library and to give a PowerPoint presentation to kids and parents about ocean trash and how kids can help. They loved the Toby Project! One child commented, “You mean I can turn trash into art?” I said, “Of course you can.” I also explained to the kids how important it is to pick up trash and plastic when we find it to help keep our ocean friends safe. My helper at the library was the children’s librarian named Amy. She was AWESOME! Thank you, Amy. 

Who are the helpers in your life lately? Sometimes they show up when we least expect them, and maybe that’s how we need to respond to life anyway, without expectations.  

Please feel free to leave a comment about your thoughts! 

Kate