I started this blog 8 years ago, right after President Obama’s
first inauguration. I remember clearly
how hopeful I felt watching him take the oath of office and listening to his inaugural
address. You can read my thoughts about
it at the time here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-era-of-responsibility.html
It’s hard to say I feel that same hope now. Whether it’s because our new President doesn’t
inspire it in me, or because I was just naïve at the time, I just don’t feel
that hopeful about the future of America or our planet. Whenever I start to feel depressed about the
state of our nation, I revert back to what comes natural, which for me is
service. Those of you who know me, know
I’m a big believer in giving back.
Whether it’s recycling, volunteering a local nonprofit, or helping
someone in need, my motto has always been to leave the world a little better
than I found it. I may just be one
person, but it’s a start.
So my question to you this week will be the same one that I
started the blog with all those years ago, “"What can you pledge in 2017
to help your community, your school, your nation or your planet?"
"How do you plan to carry this out?"
Answers are due no later than Wednesday, February 1st, 2017.
I believe the easiest way to help is to organize fundraisers for charities or help people in need. During January 2015, an estimate was shown that 564,708 people were homeless around that time. These were people who tried living the American dream but fell short. Helping people with these issues such as feeding them, giving them warmth and shelter, and just providing for them to help them succeed will be the best.
ReplyDeleteThis is Kaeli Villarreal
ReplyDeleteI'm not usually one to think of plans to help out in the community or what have you (I can't really think of any skills or interests I can apply to help like this). I can't make any promises that I can commit to anything, but I know there are a lot of opportunities in mission trips. So I may take the chances to help out those in need of shelter, food, and more. And maybe I'll have the chance to go outside the country and help, I know my family's interested in serving in Ecuador. So I'll see what's laid out for me in 2017 and I'll go from there.
My goal in 2017 is to re-enlist hopefully in the Reserves or back into active duty so I can finish my time and (fingers crossed) retire from the Navy. Another goal for 2017 is that I plan to become a "vetrepreneur" or the owner of my own small business. I believe that is my own way of achieving the "American Dream".
ReplyDeleteA way I plan to give back to my community is to volunteer more with the United Services Organization..the USO. It's my way of giving back to my brothers and sisters in arms the way they have given to me.
I think I can help the community, planet or nation by just trying to do good al over. Such as giving back and paying it forward here and there. No one is perfect and we can all be a little selfish at times. But I think even just the conscious effort of trying to be a better person is giving back in a small way. I personally plan on trying to better myself in being more positive and viewing the world that way too.
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ReplyDeleteIn 2017, I just hope to volunteer more, whether it be at a children's hospital, or just offering to help mentor someone younger than me. I would also like to maybe give homeless people a meal or at least something to eat whenever I pass them.
ReplyDeleteWith our new President putting environmental efforts on hold for who knows how long and me being in natural science currently & learning about ecological footprints and such, I really would like to just cut back on some of the basic things that are ruining our environment. I will watch my light usage, recycle and reuse more often, and hopefully just not be so wasteful, in general.
I don't have much time to do anything. I barely have time to do my homework. But I can at least help people I know but spotting a couple of bucks or giving advice. I also can help by picking up trash and keeping our earth clean. But I think the most important thing I can actually do everyday is be a good person. I can make people laugh and smile at either my jokes or my stupidity, but at least I can make peoples' days a little better by being nice and friendly when ever I can.
ReplyDeleteAs a student, I notice some students that struggle with various assignments that I've completed or know how to do. I have helped other students with their questions in the past, so I can try to do that more. Essentially, I want to see myself and others reach their potential with less issues or roadblocks.
ReplyDeleteFor 2017, I'd like to do more volunteering. I'v been doing since last year such as events, like doing face painting for children but thats just in my own town I'd like to go around other towns and do it and just put a smile on the younger ones. I try to do good as well, like helping one another out or giving advices and hear them out on what they have on their mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm honestly used to helping people with assignments more than anything else, however I guess I could do some community work picking up and throwing away all the litter that I come around.
ReplyDeleteIn 2017, I hope to increase my amount that I donate to PETA. I really enjoy traveling so I really want incorporate traveling and helping others while I am on these journeys. I currently work at Applied Behavior Center for Autism, and work in the early childhood center with kids from the age range of 1-6. With them being so young, we do so many craft but our center does not provide recycling tubs. I would like throughout this year maybe in these next couple months to encourage and promote recycling at the center.
ReplyDelete“"What can you pledge in 2017 to help your community, your school, your nation or your planet?" "How do you plan to carry this out?"
ReplyDeleteI can help my community by signing up for and donating to various charities that I can donate my time to. I'd also like to help pick up trash along roads and ponds, I see too much of it anymore. It's not good for our planet. I can't help in super big ways, but I really wish to.
I can donate my time to the local humane society. I normally adopt my pets from the humane society as it is, and I'm always hearing about how they are always looking for volunteers to help around the place, and donate to purchase food for these animals. It's a small start, but you've got to start somewhere right?
ReplyDeleteCharles Springman - The best /easiest way I think to help the community is to hold charity events like fairs, carnivals, concerts, etc. And have a majority of the money go to different charity groups.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I can be a major help but things I like doing the most is giving. I don't care about who give me this or when I'm going to get something from someone I just want to make sure that when I give to someone, that it changes their life. Like if I know something that the person seek help for I will share my wisdom to better him, and hopefully he do the same for the other then eventually everybody will be doing it.
ReplyDeleteAs people say; with every new year is a new opportunity. What I would love to pledge, not only to myself but to everyone else, is that I will hopefully become more active in my community. I want to start volunteering at shelters and helping those in need. I want to help make my world a cleaner place to live in and start recycling the plastic waste my house goes through in just under a week. I want to be a better person than i am and be nicer to others. If someone's hand is stretched out for help I want to be that type of person that the hand reaches for. Hopefully, this year i can make those changes.
ReplyDeleteWith the constant evolution of the world around us, I find it a very interesting time to be alive. With this being said, a myriad of options to better our world arise. Personally, I would love nothing more than to spread positivity through every artistic venture I plan to take on. The communities I am currently involved with are constantly progressing and always looking forward to a brighter future. This progressive and positive message is one that I would like to pass on to every individual that I encounter for the rest of my life
ReplyDeleteMy honest answer here is that I don't have much to offer in terms to give for the planet or nation, but instead what i'm capable of offering is kindness and offering a helping hand to the people around me. I can carry this out by maintaining a "positive" attitude towards the people i encounter and offer help i see its required.
ReplyDeleteThinking about it my actions are pretty bad for the environment. i use a lot of water bottles at home and i don't really recycle them i just kind of throw them away. A way i could help change that is i could refill the water bottles rather than throw them away and buy a new case.
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