Reaching out to the Community

One of the things that I am most grateful for from my childhood is that I learned the value and importance of community involvement. Mom made it a point in her life to volunteer at a variety of places - WITH her children! I love that. I have numerous fond memories of playing at the Historical Farm and the Sunshine Terrace. I also remember being involved in the March of Dimes, and the Daffodil drive for Cancer.

Whenever if was time to go to the Historical Farm, we would go choose the time-appropriate clothing that we wanted to wear that day (mom had a large collection of pioneer-type clothes from bonnets to shoes). I seem to remember it taking a while to get ready to go. Mom would put her hair in a bun, we would get braids. When we were ready we drove out there to the familiar faces of other volunteer friends like Connie and Sven. Connie was always making rugs and Sven looked after the animals (at least that's what I remember). I had so much fun on the farm. I liked walking from one building to the next. I liked when visitors asked to take my picture. I loved the smells of molasses cookies that came from the old fashioned kitchen where mom was. I LOVED climbing up to the straw bed and imaging sleeping there (I'd also sing John Denver's, "Grandma's Feather Bed"). I loved looking at the pigs, geese, and other animals there. It was amazing.

I learned a lot from our days at the Sunshine Terrace (there is such irony in that name). I learned tolerance. I never liked the smell of that place. It was always pretty strong at first, but I knew that if I just tried to ignore it, I would get used to it. When I did, I would be surrounded by wrinkly faces of other peoples grandparents. I think that the experiences were so valuable because as a young child, I didn't mind doing it. I learned to care for and feel sorry for the old and the lonely. Some of those old and lonely didn't like us very much. We knew which ones to avoid (Like the lade who told me to leave the piano alone if I didn't know what to do with it after I played my much-practiced recital piece for everyone... I think it was during a little Christmas performance that we put on with the Nativity and everything). But there were others who were glad to see us. I remember Luisa, a cheerful and kind woman. She would always tell me that she was 90, or 92, or whichever age she felt like being at that time. I knew she had lost track. When she died I was not traumatized. I knew it was coming - for all of them. But I missed her because I had grown to love her. I also remember Wally, and when he died. Alzheimer's is a terrible affliction. I'm glad that I had the chance to learn and grow there.

There was always that time of year when mom would become consumed with daffodils. She made many phone calls, kept logs of requests, sales, and whatever else. Then when they came, we would be smothered in almost-blooming flowers until we made the many deliveries to people who had purchased them. I know it was stressful for mom. I was always aware and impressed that she seemed to increase the sales and money for the cancer organization each year. I know she was good at what she did.