Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Hi Friends :)
I hope everyone is well! I am terrible at communicating with people so I apologize for not doing so. I think about everyone often though and keep everyone in my thoughts and prayers so even if you haven’t heard a peep from me personally I think about you often.

I can’t believe that it is April already and that March is over, it just flew right by. Time is such a crazy concept. I can’t even remember the beginning of March because it feels like so long ago and here April is. March was a busy month though. Early in March we had our volunteer appreciation party and that was a lot of fun. There was lots of good food and great people. Tommie, one of the volunteers who I work with about 3 days out of the week got the volunteer of the year award and that was great! He is such a great guy and has had a very interesting life. I had the pleasure of driving with him to go and get a food pick up on the west side which is about 35-40 minutes away from our West site and he was telling me a little but about himself and his family. I have gotten to know the volunteers that make everything at the pantry happen so well, it is hard to think that I will be leaving soon. Another volunteer, Leanne, is amazing woman. She has been volunteering at the pantry for years her son and daughter have both helped too. She suffered 4 strokes a few years ago and was diagnosed with bone cancer too but she is there everyday to volunteer. Some stories I hear are just amazing. Another volunteer, Era, this cute little Russian lady who helps in the clothing room at our main pantry was just diagnosed with cancer too. She is always so happy and optimistic about everything she is an inspiration and a breath of fresh air every time I see her it brings me pure joy. These people are becoming such a large part of my life and like family that it is going to be so hard to let go. I know that they are rooting for me though and they know that I am temporary but they are just so giving, loving and caring. I have learned so much from them.

They are a lot of the reason why I love working at the pantry. I am still loving my job very much. I have been getting more and more one on one contact with our clients and it has been fabulous. One of my April goals is to do a “solo day” at either the East site or West site. I have taken over for Greg (the supervisor for the east site) by myself before and I do intake every Tuesday night at the west site so it should not be too difficult. A full day solo consists of doing all of the pick-ups to Starbucks, Trader Joes, Borders, Whole Foods, 7-11, White Hen and Red Hen. All of these places donate things from pastries, bagels and muffins to frozen meat, produce and fresh flowers. It is so nice to have fresh flowers our clients love it, who wouldn’t! So I have to do pick ups and then get back where hopefully volunteer will be waiting or will be arriving shortly to set up for distribution. Set up consists of stocking the shelves with whatever needs to be filled up, bringing the frozen items out of the freezer at setting them up on the shelves and making sure the waiting areas are tidy and ready for the guests to arrive. It is definitely doable and I can’t wait until I have the chance to do it myself, it will be a great time!

I feel like there is just so much to share. I finally have some time off of work today so I can finish this entry that I have been meaning to finish for some time now!

HAPPY EASTER!! What an amazing season Easter is, it is for sure one of my favorites. My brother Joe came out to visit over Easter weekend and we had a fabulous time. I have found a new Church that I love. I had been going to St. Ignatius which is not too far from our apartment but I was not fulfilled going there. There is this feeling that was missing so I decided to do something about it because I felt so much that I was just going through the motions and nothing was meaningful so I went to another Church a few weeks ago, St. Ita. It is so multi cultural and so welcoming and alive, I am so happy there. Joe went there with me to celebrate the Triddum and he liked it too. It is great! I was bummed that it took me so long into the year to find this place to worship and celebrate Mass. On the up side I know what I want and need in a Church and that is what I have learned about finding St. Ita. Easter was a big celebration at our apartment. Stacey’s whole family was in town so we had a big feast and invited our upstairs neighbors, the Lost Boys of Sudan, and some of Stacey’s friends who are doing another volunteer program in Chicago called Mission Year (very cool) came too. We had about 14 people all together; it was a lot of fun!

We had our big fundraiser for the Pantry at the very end of March, it was a blast. It was called Swing into Spring. We had a live Swing band and swing dance lessons were given and there was a silent auction, food, beverages and a great time! After taking out all of the expenses we made around $17,000 which is fabulous and all of this money gos directly to food services for the pantry. I tell you, this place is amazing. So many people donate and support the pantry it is awesome. I know that some people do it b/c they feel like they have to or they want to give back to their community or they are just generous. Very little people give because they are so aware of the problem or poverty and hunger that they want to have a hand in alleviating it directly. This I do not understand but it is another questions that JVC brings to mind to add to the many that have arisen or been renewed in my mind this year. I just hope that I never become someone who feels obligated with no feeling to give.

I could write forever about everything but I wanted to get something posted before another month went by without me putting anything...Gaile, don’t kill me! I have good intentions, I promise! I think about doing it all the time but finding time is a challenge!

I miss you all too much to even express…oh and ps. I will be returning to CA in August. San Diego to be precise…be excited because I am!!!!!

Love to everyone xoxoxoxoxo