WREATH CLEAN UP AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY

You might remember the volunteer outing in December where we joined work colleagues at Arlington Memorial Cemetery to help place 90,000 holiday wreaths on the headstones of fallen troops.

Well, someone had to help the good folks at Wreaths Across America clean up the place, so we put together another group to collect and appropriately dispose of said wreaths.

Dragging old wreaths to the waste receptacle. 

Throwing the wreaths into the container.

Helping compact the old wreaths into the container.

Happy team of volunteers.

To join the next wreath placement or clean up for next year, check out the Wreaths Across America website. 

SHIPMENTS TO MARINES IN AFGHANISTAN

When it comes to a motto for you and your colleagues at work, "Hell in a helmet" is one that grabs your attention and strangles it lovingly. 

For the 2D battalion of the 9th Marines, that phrase represents more than just words on an emblem. It reflects a way of life, particularly when said Marines are deployed in harms way. 

Last holiday season, Marines from 2D--like thousands of U.S. troops--were stationed far from friends and families. We decided to help organize colleagues from work and start a collection drive, with the end goal of mailing care packages to Marines in Afghanistan. 

Turned out, lots of folks want to support our troops serving abroad. Together, we collected more than 20 boxes full of items such as books, magazines, snacks, and candy. Colleagues joined to prep the care packages and ship them off to Afghanistan, via the U.S. Postal Service.

If you're interested in shipping a care package to troops overseas, check with the USPS on guidelines, or the non-profit Marine Parents has a page with details about mailing items to Marines.

WREATHS FOR 90,000 HEADSTONES

The holidays bring with them lots of opportunities to do something for others. Food drives, toy donations, all those red-suited guys standing in front of stores ringing their bells. But last month a friend told us about what has to be one of the most unique volunteer activities around DC. 

Liz places a wreath on a headstone at Arlington Cemetery.

On the second Saturday of each December, hundreds of people gather at Arlington National Cemetery to recognize fallen troops by placing wreaths at their headstones. The folks at Wreaths Across America, a non-profit started 20 years ago by a swell guy named Morrill Worcester, host the event together with individual sponsors like you and me, corporate donors (not like you and me) and volunteer truck drivers to haul the wreaths. 

Good start, but more work to be done.

This year, we gathered up a few co-workers and, together with thousands of others, helped make 2011 a record breaking year by laying more than 90,000 wreaths on grave markers throughout the Cemetery. It's an amazing sight to see, those thousands of headstones decorated with wreaths and a red bow to mark the holidays. It's even more impressive for the families of those who paid the ultimate price for their country. 


To learn more, join the annual January clean up, or volunteer at the 2012 wreath laying next December, check out Wreaths Across America.

GARBAGE IN THE EVERGLADES

Santa Garbage and his helpers deliver goodies to a nearby dump.

Thanksgiving always seems like the right time to do something good (besides eating, drinking and watching TV). Sure, it's fun to enjoy the holiday and spend some quality time with family...but volunteering...it's so selfless...so benevolent, so...good an excuse to get out of the house and away from the relatives for a while (just kidding, Mom!)

Of course, try explaining that to two elementary school girls on break. Not surprisingly, they'd rather be playing in the pool, hanging with their friends, or throwing crazy DJ-hosted VIP parties in their rooms, than to hang out with their aunt and uncle doing something as "weird" as picking up trash in a local park. Even if said park is the friggin' Everglades, which is about 200 yards from my brother's house in Florida where we were.

So we made a deal with two of the cutest nieces in the world--we all take a bike trip with Tío Kip and Aunt Buzzie (that's us) to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge to clean up the beach, and we'd agree to play in the pool all afternoon, help them with their homework, and attend a "VIP party" they were hosting at their house (hard bargainers, they are).

Deal.

Nieces Isabele and Chelsea clean up with Tio Kippy.

An airboat passes as Aunt Liz cleans the beach.

The best part of the day, better than all the quality family time and even the fishing later, had to be helping my first grade niece, Chelsea, write an essay about her time volunteering. 

"I wanted to help the birds and the fish that live in the park by my house. My sister, my uncle and I rode our bikes to the park, and they helped me clean up trash on the ground by the water. We put bottles and broken glass in trash bags. A piece of broken glass in a trash bag cut my leg. It hurt a lot, but I didn't quit picking up trash. I kept doing it because I wanted to help the animals that live in the park."

Not bad for a six-year-old. Homework and volunteering over, then it was time for the VIP party with special guest performers Izzy P on the guitar and DJ Chels spinnin' the frisbees. 

Izzy rockin out.

DJ Chels on the frisbees.

Post party, we even managed to squeeze in some bird watching and bass fishing. You gotta love Florida.

Red-shouldered hawk

Turkey vulture 

Nice largemouth bass during Kip's first fishing trip in the Everglades.

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE

If it's Thanksgiving and you're looking for an easy option to help others, a solid bet is to turn to Google. Search "food bank" and your city's name, and you'll likely turn up an organization or two working to feed and clothe people in need. The websites of the various orgs can tell you the rest. 

Miriam's Kitchen in DC is one such place, providing meals and clothing for thousands of homeless men, women, and children each year.  A few work colleagues decided to organize a food drive for Miriam's just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. We collected and delivered more than 300 pounds of items, such as beans, tuna, soup and canned fruit. 

Miriam's Kitchen staff help unload donations. 

To donate or learn more about Miriam's Kitchen, visit http://www.miriamskitchen.org/.