Food Drive Totals...

First off, thanks to all who donated and supported me through the second annual food drive.

Big thanks to Mom for the kick-butt sign again this year!

Food Totals: 65lbs!

Money Total: $95.00!

We didn't cure hunger, but we made a dent!

Thanks again!

Chris

Food Drive: Update, LAST DAY!

Today is the last day of the food drive and as of today 65 pounds of food have been donated.

Last night someone dropped off a box with 30-plus pounds of food in it!

So a bit "thank you!" to them!

Today is also the last day to donate financially as well, so if you'd like to help that way, please do, just click on the link at the right!

Thanks!

Chris

Me and God don't see eye to eye...

True enough, most times, most days, God and I aren't on the same page.  I think I want the same thing as God wants, but then soon enough I realize that I only wanted him to want what I did.

Most times, I'm looking for outward signs, while God primarily is concerned with what's on the inside...

Case in point - the food drive.

Now, yes, I believe that I am supposed to host the food drive...So far God and I agree there.  Where we might part ways is our view of success.

I would see the success of the food drive as the boxes being over flowing with food and other donations - boy wouldn't that make me feel great!

However, what God's view of a successful food drive might be different, deeper than that, and just because I can't see it, might never see it, doesn't mean I didn't do what I was supposed to do - just means I don't have the right eyes to see it...or it wasn't meant for me to see, at least not yet.

Very hard to do...since we are such an externally measuring society...but God doesn't care what society thinks, or how society measures success - for that we should be thankful!

Last thing I would want, is a God that bows to popular opinion, or measure success the way we do.

Food Drive Scoreboard

As the website is posted on the sign, I thought I'd post this information, in case any of the parkers decided to check it out.

29th Ave S. Parkers:  Food (lbs): 0
                                  $$$$: 0.00

Friends and Family:  Food (lbs): 12
                                $$$$: 95.00

So there you have it.

Week Two Food Drive Results...

Again, there's isn't much to update after the second week of the food drive.  Just a box with leaves in it.  Thankfully, there are three weeks left, so I'm more than positive that the folks will come through in the clutch!

Food Drive Week Two!

Well, the box is out again today.

While we have gotten some greatly appreciated donations, we have yet to get any from the target audience.  Perhaps today will be different, we shall see!

Just One Can...Food Drive Update.

As to be expected, there isn't much to update you with regarding the food drive.

For one, it was the first Friday of the drive - and folks were only given one day notice.

This year, we have both this blog and Second Harvest's web address on the sign, so people can check up on me, make sure I'm legit! lol

It's Food Drive Time!

Today is the first Friday of not only October, but of the 2nd Annual Just One Can... Food Drive.

We did this last year with modest results and hope to do better this year.

If you care to make a finacial donation, please do so HERE!

I'll keep you posted as the drive progresses.

Food and Fund Drive Finals Numbers!

Here are the final numbers for the Food and Fund Drive sponsored by Second Harvest.

Financial Donations: $166.00

Food Donations: 133lbs!

I would say a success!

“Thank you!” to everyone who helped out:

Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Jenn and Marty, Meghan, Noah and Addy!
Sharon,
Shaun, and Mike, the anonymous donors
And Garage Logic!

And....CUT!

Okay, well, what did we expect?

Rain has plagued us from the beginning, why should it have changed...

So, for the final day of the Just One...Food Drive there were no donations.

Yes, I had my hopes up that people would come through in the last minute, but things do not always work out that way...

BUT we are not empty handed as I keep reminding myself. Thanks to the generosity of friends and family we will be able to drop a BUNCH of food! AND $141.00 in donations!

Of course, there will be another one...have to rethink some things, but there will be another one!

Grand total for pounds of food, I have yet to determin, but we will be taking 2 boxes when we drop them off!

Thanks again to everyone!

All Good Things Come To An End...

Last day of the food drive is tomorrow.

I want to complain, so I will.

For one, we have been plagued by poor weather. Rain on almost every day of the drive.
And it sounds like rain tomorrow too.

Also, there has been rain so dang much that the signs keep getting ruined or detachting from the posts.

NOW, I find that work rears it’s ugly head, and I won’t be able to do ANYTHING for the drive tomorrow outside of putting out the box and the sign (which I have to fix, AGAIN).

So, forget the donuts, and the coffee…all I get to do is leave out the box and the sign.

And, at last check, all that has been put in the box is leaves from the trees.

I take solace though, in the fact that I have such a caring family that they have made this food drive a success! We will be able to deliver a box and a half of food! And have some donations as well!

It’s easy to get down, but I won’t. But I will vent my frustration. Especially at the people who park on our street for work…sometimes I think of standing on my stoop and yelling at them.

Alas, I will thank God for the opportunity and thought to do it…because if anything came out of it, the knowledge that more of this sort of thing needs to be done. And that more of us need to encourage more and more people to do the same.

A sad lesson, though. Yet a very hopeful one, too.

It’s up to God, and those who park out there, now…

(Just like God said, and Ortberg points out – how true your post Mom)

A Belated thanks!

I got to get better at thanking people, and responding as well.

Thanks to Sharon for her donation to the food drive!

At least on box is full!

There have been times, during this, that I have gotten down and felt a bit miffed at the "Parkers" and people in general, but then I realized something...

I'm pretty sure that God urged me to do this...now, of course I am "measuring" it's success, which I shouldn't really be doing, because the outcome (I believe) was less important than my DOING IT.

Sounds a bit weird and self-centered, I know, and that's another part...this whole time I try to refrain from saying "my" food drive, as it truly has turned into an "our" food drive - at least for the family - and that's pretty cool!

Quick Food Drive Update

Another quick update here…

On Saturday, we got home to hear a message on our machine (that wasn’t a bill collector – jk) from some guy at a market research deal with Second Harvest saying that they would like me to participate (and get paid!).

I have yet to decide.

I have emailed my contact over at Second Harvest to see if this is on the up and up. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be, but these days one never can be too sure.

We shall see.

Food Drive Update...(as mentioned on Garage Logic)

No donations this morning...but as it happens to be, some folks seem to just drop off food whenever, so I'll check the box again when I get home from work.

I didn't set out coffee today, or stand out there. I didn't think water and electric coffee maker would be the best mix.

This rain, however, is not being too kind to the signs. I had to do a quick repair on the main sign as yesterday it fell off it's stake. Hopefully it'll hold until I get home tonight, when I can fix it a bit better.

I updated the info on the Just One...donation site as well.

One Friday left, and I'm thinking I would try and make it an ALL WEEK event, but will need new signs for that...

Well, let's hope that these fine folks are just waiting until the last minute to donate...

Thanks again to everyone for their support!

Big Thanks!

I would like to say a big THANKS to the The Schires Five for their donation yesterday!

The boxes are filling!

We had a great visit, bespite a "casualty" stepping on a pug landmine...those things happen I guess.

Thanks again!

Chris

Food Drive Day 3!

Chilly day...I think I drank all the coffee...well, me and Shaun - my neighbor.

Trying to warm back up.

No donations, but A LOT of looks! Maybe they'll drop something in the box on the way back...

Shaun kept me company, which helped me not think of the cold (what am I going to do when winter comes!).

And a squirrel fell out of the tree - that was funny!

Thinking of posting a sign, doing a countdown: i.e. "10 days left of the food drive!" or something like that - that was Shaun's idea.

Okay, I'm a bit warmer now...time to go to my "real" job.

Take care everyone!

Garage Logic Approved!

Okay, so, we've been blessed with a little publicity.

Garage Logic, Joe S(won't try and spell it)ray I guess read, at least, one email I sent him about the food drive.

Someone at Second Harvest heard the show, and got my email, which they are going to post on their site.

Sooo...

I figured, crap, now I got to put a BIT more effort into the deal, so right now, at this moment I have coffee sitting out, with a change donation box, and a food donation box, and BALLOONS!

It's a bit chilly, but I got all the coffee I want as it's a big church type maker!

So far, at 7:37 only two people have passed by without a "hiya."

Pretty soon I'm gonna start shaking my box of nails and commenting on their tires...Just Kidding (Maybe).

A Donation!!

Okay, so while family and friends have donated, which I truly appreciate, we finally got a donation from someone we DIDN'T know!

My Mom had a great idea to leave my sign and box out front the whole week (just in case). Well, little did I know that the sign WAS out there all week. However, not the box.

Today, for whatever reason, I looked out and saw a paper bag with this inside!

It's a hefty bag, 6-7 cans and a box of food!

I am going to work up a thank you sign for whoever dropped this off.

Now I am not feeling so down on the folks who park out front!

(I was getting worried there for a moment)

So thanks to everyone who has, and continues to donate, and thanks to the anonymous donor of this bag of food!