A few service ideas from www.greatdeeds.org

A local non-profit organization has a wonderful flyer full of ways you can help others.

Take a moment to read through these and see how you might be able to perform a great deed to others.

You can find out more information about this organization at www.greatdeeds.org

Cans Film Festival

Save the date for Saturday, December 1st

Help The Salvation Army and Channel One Food Bank gather 20,000 cans this year!  Spread the word and join Wehrenberg Theaters in feeding our friends in need.

How you can help:

• Donate 5 cans of food and see a movie before 5pm for FREE!
• Bring an additional 10 cans of food (15 total) per person and receive an additional pass to come back another day (this is limited to 1per person).
• All proceeds fill The Salvation Army and Channel One Food Bank food shelves.
• The individual who donates the most cans (from all U.S. Wehrendberg Theater locations) will receive a year-long personal pass for unlimited movies!
• Check the newspaper for show times, call 1-800-FANDANGO or visit www.wehrenberg.com

There are no rain checks for this event.  Seating is limited to theatre capacity and there may be shows that are sold out...you may want to plan ahead and come early.  

The Sharing Tree

The Sharing Tree will once again be located at the Apache Mall starting November 16th.  

How can you help?

• save your pennies, collect money you find in your couches, in your cars or even money that you have saved up.
• go shopping with your family and purchase a toy that you know another child would enjoy.
• go to the Apache Mall and look for the large Christmas tree.
• as you walk by the large Christmas tree you will notice a large fence around it.  All items inside the fence are donations for The Salvation Army's Toy and Joy Shop.  This shop helps area families that could use the help so their own kids can have something to open on Christmas day.
• record the hours you went shopping and the time it took to drop off your item to The Sharing Tree.
• remember to pray for the child that will be receiving the gift that you picked out.

Here is a special event just for The Sharing Tree.

Lighting of the Sharing Tree at Apache Mall (Friday, November 16^th at 5:00 pm)

Join KTTC/FOX47/The CW and KROC AM/FM in kicking off the Christmas Season with the annual lighting of the Sharing Tree.  Come out and donate one of the first gifts of the year at the Sharing Tree, listen to The Salvation Army’s Band, and catch the live television and radio broadcasts.  Special thanks to Apache Mall for hosting the tree again.  All donations benefit The Salvation Army’s Toy and Joy Shop, helping area families provide gifts to their children this Christmas.

Fall Service Opportunity

The leaves are falling...and some are already down and off the trees.  This makes the ground look beautiful!

Raking leaves can be a very hard task for some of those in our neighborhoods and this is a great opportunity to serve those that live near you.

Here are a few steps to take if you know of a family or see a yard that might need some maintenance this fall:

• this is a parent/child activity

• ask the owner first if it is ok to help them out with some raking.

• be sure to identify yourself and wear your AHG uniform or one of your AHG t-shirts.

• bring your rake and some trash bags

• ask the owner where the bags of leaves can be placed

• be sure to let the owner know when you are down and wish them a great day.

• remember to pray for the family you helped.  You could even make a card for them and send it in the mail letting them know how much you appreciate the opportunity to help them out with their leaves.

• record the service time you spent raking leaves and praying for the family and staying in contact with them.

 

Salvation Army Bell Ringing

Did you know that an average amount of money that is brought in through the ringing the red kettle bells is over $50/hour?  This money helps residents in our area that are in need.  

Sign-ups have started to pick a time when you can help raise money for The Salvation Army!  Look for the sign-ups at the registration tables at the next meeting.

Here are the details on The Salvation Army Bell Ringing:

• Find a date and time frame that works for you and your family
• You can sign up as a parent/child (2 people), a parent/child pair or trio (3 people max) or a group that is a maximum of 5 people.
• Time to ring bells is 30 minutes.  
• The location that we have is for Hobby Lobby.  This location is in their lobby, between the inside doors and the outside doors.  You won't be standing out in the cold but you may get a little breeze every now and then as the doors open.
• Uniforms should be worn...and bring gloves or a long sleeve shirt/sweat just in case you get a little chilly.

Dates and Times Available:

• November 10th - 30 minute slots from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm
• December 1st - 30 minute slots from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm
• December 15th - 30 minute slots from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm

November 5th Service Night

November 5th is our semi-annual Service Night at American Heritage Girls!

The details are coming together and here are a few things to look forward to and plan:

• Operation Hometown Gratitude
• making cookies for the troops!  Plan on bringing to the meeting on November 5th cookies that are made at home.   Package the cookies in a plastic GLAD containers, or equivalent, no larger than 10" X 5"X 8". In each container place a slice or piece of bread to retain moisture, then securely tape lid on.  We will have extra supplies that night if they are needed.
• we will also have a questionnaire that you can fill out too that is a nice note for the troops to read as they are enjoying your freshly baked cookies.
• Check out this link to see how you can get involved with this program with your family.
•  Project Linus
• National nonprofit organization that provides handmade blankets to seriously ill and traumatized children. Based in Rochester, we're looking for volunteers, or "blanketeers," to make quilted, knitted, crocheted, or no-sew fleece blankets. 
• AHG will be making no-sew blankets at our Service Night that will be donated to this group.  Blankets made that night will be given to the following organizations:  Olmsted County Medical Hospital  Salvation Army Transitional Housing, Women's Shelter, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Crisis Nursery, Ronald McDonald House, Rochester Methodist Hospital, Birthright of Rochester, Rochester Schools' Students -in-Transition Program, St. Marys Hospital, New Life Family Services and Gift of Life Transplant House.
• How can you help this organization outside of Service Night?  If you have time and would like to make a blanket before November 5th, just bring it with to the meeting and we will make sure it is delivered for you.  You can also check out their website here for more information on how your family can get involved.
•   Holiday Mail for Heros
• the Christmas season is almost here and we get the joy of delivering holiday cards to veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world.  The American Red Cross will be collecting the cards made from Americans and sending them on for us.  
• What can you do at home?  Make cards at home!  The deadline to get the cards to the address collecting is December 7th...so you still have time after Service Night to make cards on your own or with your family and send them on your own.  Before you decide to make them at home though please be sure to check out the card guidelines.  The address details and card guidelines can be found here.  
• AHG will collect cards at Service Night and will also collect cards made from home at the November 19th meeting.  Anything made after that will need to be mailed by your family.
•   Diaper Bundles
• a local non-profit called Teen MOPS provides a bundle of diapers to each mom that attends their meetings.  15 to 30 bundles of diapers go to moms each meeting and help is needed getting those diapers ready for the moms to take home.  
•   Placemats for Season's Hospice
• we have had the privilege of decorating placemats in the past and this organization is excited for your help again!  Get your creative juices flowing, think of some designs you could create to help brighten up a meal.

A few other ideas are in the works and may be presented at Service Night.