Audio Books for the Family

I have been combing through Amazon.com today, trying to find new audio books for all of our car travels this summer. Our family has really enjoyed listening to books on car trips. I like them because I can get the kids to listen to books that I loved as a child but that they might not be interested in by cover alone.

We buy them on CD, although you can download them from places like audible.com. Our car is not really set up to play books off of our iPods, and we like to enjoy the books together.

I was wishing that someone had a (frequently updated) list of good audio books for kids. Then I remembered I had a blog where I could put ours! Here are some of our favorites, in no particular order.

• Beverly Cleary's books about Ramona Quimby. Read by Stockard Channing, these books are fun and very relatable. We were sorry when we were done with the series.
  
• Henry Huggins books by Beverly Cleary. Neil Patrick Harris does a GREAT job narrating these stories about a boy, his dog, and their misadventures. We love them!
• The Peter & the Starcatchers series, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. These are good for long trips, because they are long books. They are the stories of Peter Pan before Wendy & the boys came to visit. They are fantasy books, dark & mysterious, so not for small children. Jim Dale (who also narrates the Harry Potter series) narrates them and does an excellent job on all the distinctive voices. Dad and the kids are big fans of this series.
  
• The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden, read by Tony Shalhoub. Shalhoub does a great job with all of the voices and New York accents.
  
• The Pain and the Great One, by Judy Blume. This is a series of books about a 3rd grade sister and 1st grade brother. The chapters are told back and forth by one, then the other. I like the narrator, but I don't like when Judy Blume makes her guest appearances (once per book) to tell a tale from the point of view of the cat. Our children can definitely relate to the sibling rivalries and the secret fears (learning how to ride a bike, getting haircuts, losing a stuffed animal) of each child.
• The Saturdays, by Elizabeth Enright. This book is a bit dated now, but it is still fun to listen to the adventures of the children. We lost our place at one point and our kids were able to tell me right away where we had been in the tale, which is a sure sign that they are enjoying the book and not staring off into space! We have just ordered the next in the series, The Four-Story Mistake.
  
• No Talking, by Andrew Clements. The narrator (Keith Nobbs) gets the tone just right in this book about 5th graders who have a contest to see who can do the best job not talking in school, boys or girls.
  
• Jim Copp Will You Tell Me A Story? This is the weirdest little collection of tales, but our kids LOVE it. They were originally told in the 1950s. They are not PC, but they are funny.
• Farmer Boy and Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I don't see how I'm going to get my kids to read these books, sad to say, except through audio books. Cherry Jones is a beautiful narrator. My son's most notable observation: "They sure eat a lot in these books! Pies, turnovers, donuts..."
• Geronimo Stilton books narrated by Edward Herrmann. We got our first Geronimo Stilton audiobook from a fast-food kids' meal and became fans. I have read that the other narrator of the Geronimo Stilton books is not as good, but I do not know that personally. Herrmann reads the first 9 in the series.
• The Watsons Go to Birmingham (1963), by Christopher Paul Curtis and narrated by LeVar Burton. This book was the "All Trinity Reads" book when our son was in kindergarten, and he was definitely too young for it! However, he (and we) LOVED the first half of the book. Burton (of "Reading Rainbow" fame, not to mention Star Trek) is a beautiful narrator, and the first half is a great story about a family in Detroit in the early 1960s with some funny adventures. The second half is about the actual trip to Birmingham, and it can get a bit heavy in the segregated South, not to mention the church bombing that kills the four girls in Sunday school. Now that our children are 8 and 10, this would be a good family book.
  

Books that have met with mixed reviews:

• Mr. Popper's Penguins. Kids loved it, Dad gave it a thumbs' down.
• Magic Tree House series. Again, kids liked them, but the author's voice drove me bananas.
• Junior Classics about King Arthur, Greek mythology, etc. They don't sugarcoat those myths and legends--lots of beheadings and bloodiness, so be warned!
• Rabbit Ears collections. We have liked some more than others. These are a good way to introduce your children to classic stories like Paul Bunyan and Annie Oakley.

To Do: Stock up on some audiobooks for summer car trips.

Dine Out for Kids

Tuesday, June 15, is the 11th Annual Dine Out for Kids event to benefit the Charlotte chapter of Communities in Schools (CIS). 65 local restaurants will give a portion of the day's sales to Communities in Schools. Click here to see the list of restaurants, which includes everything from Bonterra to Brixx to the food service at the airport.

Communities in Schools is "the nation's largest and most effective dropout prevention program." Its services include school-based drop-out prevention, college access and career exploration, support for teen mothers, and working with youthful offenders housed in Jail North. CIS has a philosophy of "5 basics," which include:

• a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult
• a safe place to learn and grow
• a healthy start--a healthy future
• a marketable skill to use upon graduation
• a chance to give back to peers and community

CIS in Charlotte currently serves 4,800 students in 44 selected Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

You may have seen some of the good press on members of the CIS community. The Charlotte Observer has been running a series called "The Graduates" which tells the stories of a handful of CMS high school graduates. One, called "Teen Mom: 'Everyone Told Me It Was The End,'" shared the story of Hawthorne High graduate Olivia Leverette, who was supported by a CIS teen-parenting program. She is off to UNCC with two multi-year scholarships. "Parents Deported, He Pushed On," told the tale of Bill Ngha, who was supported by CIS as he finished his high school education at Philip O. Berry Academy after his parents were deported to Cameroon. Ngha is headed to Georgetown College in Kentucky on a full scholarship.

To Do: Dine out on June 15 to support a program with a great success rate. 97% of the students in CIS Charlotte stay in school. 88% are promoted to the next grade. 94% of the seniors in CIS graduate.

Write to a Camper

Our son leaves for 3 weeks at sleepaway camp tomorrow. He'll only be two hours away, but psychologically (on both sides) it is a much longer and harder trip. I've been encouraging as many friends and family as possible to drop him a line. So my thought for the day is...

WRITE TO A CHILD AT CAMP.

I bet you can easily find one--a neighbor, your child's classmate, a child you teach in Sunday school, maybe even a child who your church or synagogue is sponsoring for camp. If you attended camp, you know the thrill when there is a piece of mail--any kind of mail!--for you. As I am telling everyone, it is truly the quantity, not the quality, that counts when it comes to camp mail.

There are a few thoughts floating out there about what a camp letter should and should not contain. Falling Creek Camp, where my son is headed, makes this suggestion:

"When you write to your son, it is helpful to center your attention on what the child is doing at camp rather than detailed accounts of what is happening at home. In all cases, be sure to set a positive and encouraging tone."

Don't dwell on "we miss you so much" or "the dog keeps looking in your room for you." Sharing a funny story from your memories of camp is probably much safer. You don't want the child crying after reading your letter, after all. If you see an interesting newspaper article or funny comic, be sure to tuck that in. That's a fun read during quiet time in the cabin.

Some camps, like Falling Creek, allow you to email campers. In our case, the email is printed out and delivered to the camper, so it really counts as actual mail. This is a great way to be in touch if you are a on-the-spot, cross-it-off-my-list kind of person. You may need to get permission from a parent to be on the email list for a camper. I purchased "e-stamps" from Falling Creek's online mail partner and I emailed one or two off to grandparents, aunts & uncles, and anyone who I thought might be interested in sending a note.

Happily, we aren't even allowed to send packages, so I don't have to worry about that. However, if you are in touch with a child who CAN receive packages, make sure you check with the camp to see what their policies are regarding them. Most camps forbid sending food these days, even though we all remember the pride when Mom send Rice Krispy treats for the whole cabin.

PS Also, don't forget The Summer Camp Fund, which provides scholarships for local children to attend outdoor day and overnight camps. Partners in Out-of-School Time (POST) administers the program, partnering with the Charlotte Observer.

To do: If you don't have a camper of your own, seek out a camper and send a random note. Mail is mail!

DonorsChoose.org

While reading the Charlotte Observer this morning, a letter to the editor caught my eye. It was from a teacher in a high-poverty school, wondering where her children would go to read books on the summer reading list if their libraries were closed. (As you surely know, the budget crisis in Mecklenburg County has brought about a proposed 50% cut in funds to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. The library board has said that if they do not get sufficient funding, they will close 12 branches. For those playing along at home, that leaves just the regional libraries.)

That kind of question is the kind that pulls at my heart. It's also the kind that starts a fantasy in my head where I show up at a school and benevolently distribute books to every child, and each one is grateful and clasps the book to their heart and immediately goes and sits in a corner to start reading.

So, fantasy still intact, I wandered over to the computer and started looking for how I could solve the literacy problems in Mecklenburg County. Not for the first time, I ended up at DonorsChoose.org. This charity allows you to donate to classroom projects all over the country. You can choose by type of project (for example, if you want to donate to a science classroom or project) or by location, and you can sort by population or poverty level or popularity.

There are 286 projects listed from Mecklenburg County, ranging from "ink for our printers" to "60 copies of The Secret Garden." You give any amount you choose. When enough people give to a project (the costs are all delineated for you, right down to shipping), the project is funded.

The overwhelming part, of course, is the sheer volume of need. How do I decide between that Secret Garden project and a project from the teacher in another high-poverty school who needs books that deal with building character and community? There are 183 literacy and language projects listed in Mecklenburg County.

To Do: My advice on how to pick: just do it. All of the projects on DonorsChoose.org have been vetted. All are worthy. Light a single candle.

Garden to Friendship Table Camp and other summer contributions

I was almost done writing this when I ran across this really cool camp at Friendship Farm, called "Garden to Friendship Table Camp," which teaches garden and culinary skills to children ages 6-13 at Friendship Trays Kitchen and Friendship Garden in South End Charlotte. What a great way to have a fun camp experience AND learn how to help others! Click here to get more information.

Summertime is almost here. Swim team practices have started. Most preschools are out, and the "big kid" schools are not far behind. I just booked my family's flights for the summer. It started me thinking about kids who won't be going on a family trip this summer.

My father still talks about the Bicknell family, who lived down the street from his family farm in New Hampshire. They took him with them on a week's vacation for a couple of summers--the only vacations he took as a child. They inspired him to make sure that we brought our friends with us on vacations when I was young. Does your child have a friend whose parents both work and can't take a vacation this year?

There are also many children who we don't know personally who would appreciate a summer treat. Programs like Thompson Child & Family Focus, Alexander Youth Network, The Relatives, A Child's Place make such a difference in the lives of so many children in Charlotte. Click on any of the links to find out how YOU can help them through donating needed items (juice boxes, beach towels, gift cards). What an easy way to give back--just pick up a couple of things when you are shopping for your own children at the grocery store or Wal-Mart.

Many children who rely on school meal programs will go hungry during the summer. Don't forget to support Loaves and Fishes, which provides groceries and support to people in crisis. Also, check out the Kids Cafe, a program of Second Harvest Foodbank of Metrolina. Several locations provide meals to children year-round in a safe, friendly environment. Dream small--$20 will provide food for one child for 4 days a week for 4 months; dream big--$5,000 will fully fund a Kids Cafe location for one year.

If you are ready to step up to a different level of giving, you might consider helping any of those organizations in a greater capacity. All of the above programs need volunteers, as do many other local programs; two suggestions are summer camp volunteers (A Child's Place) and sponsoring a dinner (suggested by The Relatives).

Sometimes writing a check is the best way to help. All nonprofits need financial support. You might also consider giving to the Charlotte Observer Summer Camp Fund, which awards grants to outdoor summer camp operators to provide summer camp scholarships for low-income students. Partners in Out-of-School Time (POST) administers the program.

To do: Consider how you will help a child this summer, and then do it.

No Child Left Inside

I saw this press release today. I am depressed about the cuts to the Mecklenburg County Park & Rec budget (click here to see the proposed 2011 budget from County Manager Harry Jones), but I was very glad to read about this fabulous new space. Click here for information about Reedy Creek Nature Center, and read below about the "Nature Play Area" opening on Saturday.

PARK AND RECREATION OPENS ITS FIRST ‘NATURE PLAY AREA’

AT REEDY CREEK NATURE CENTER MAY 22; PUBLIC INVITED!

Charlotte, NC-- Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department invites the public and media to the grand opening of the county’s first “nature play area” at Reedy Creek Nature Center, 2900 Rocky River Road, on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 10am. The event is promoted with the slogan “no child left inside. “

The new play area, called Nature Explorer Zone, is a special playground designed to encourage longer and richer play experiences in a natural setting. The playground is built in the woods near the nature center and features a custom-made play structure resembling bird houses, plus many other features to capture the imagination of children--stump jumps, log balance beams, a grapevine crawl and arbors, sand play area, fort building area, “messy materials” area, and a stage for dramatic play.

Nature playgrounds are a hot new concept to encourage children to spend more time in nature. Studies find that time in nature is essential to a child’s development – intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. Research shows that connecting children to nature improves their creativity, strengthens problem-solving skills, and supports healthy childhood development, including positive impacts to childhood obesity, stress, and attention deficit disorders.

Nature Explorer Zone was funded by $50,000 in donations and grants from REI, Sonitrol, the Foundation for the Carolinas, and Partners for Parks. Volunteers helped design and build the play area. The playground was designed by Robin Moore of NC State University (a leading authority on the nature playground trend), the Arbor Day Foundation, plus a focus group of parents, educators, and children. Planning began in early 2009, following a “Designing Natural Play Areas” professional workshop hosted by Park and recreation. Future nature play areas are envisioned for as funding becomes available.

The grand opening ceremony will feature brief remarks by elected officials, Park and Recreation leaders and fund providers, followed by a “twine” cutting and formal opening of the area. For more information, call Reedy Creek Nature Center at 704 598-8857.

To do: Bring the family to Reedy Creek Nature Center on Saturday and support our fabulous Park and Recreation Department while you enjoy springtime in the Carolinas.

Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra

The Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra (CSYO), founded in 1961, is hosting a reunion on May 15-16. If you are a former member of the youth orchestra, contact Meg Whalen (megw@charlottesymphony.org) to participate. If you are "just" a music buff or have a budding musician in your family, read on.

At noon on Saturday, May 15, there will be a "Hidden Freedom Festival" at St. Luke's Lutheran Church (3200 Park Road in Sedgefield). The famous Symphony Guild of Charlotte Musical Petting Zoo will be there, along with face painters, storytellers and more. At 4 o'clock, the CSYO will partner with CONNECTIONS Underground Railroad Project to present "Toward a Life of Liberty: Chronicling the Paths from Slavery to Freedom," a program about freedom fighters such as Harriet Jacobs. This prepares you for Sunday's program, which features...

"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," by CSYO alumnus Ted Gellar-Goad, based on the 1861 slave narrative by Harriet Jacobs of Edenton, NC. There will also be a side-by-side performance of Saint-Saens "Danse Bacchanale" with CSYO alumni. The performance will be at Halton Theater at CPCC (a great theater!) at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for kids and seniors. Click here for more information.

The CSYO consists of 185 musicians from over 60 schools in the Charlotte region. 300 students auditioned for a seat in one of the two youth orchestras this year. Participants attend a sleepaway orchestra camp in August and are coached by members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. If you know of a young musician who would benefit from this program, click here for the audition information.

To do: Expand your musical horizons and learn a little about North Carolina history with the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra on May 15 and 16.

Be a part of the solution

There are so many things to write about that I am almost overwhelmed. However, there is a certain theme running through the subjects I am interested in today, and that is--get involved. I don't care how or why, but don't wait for someone else to do it.

First, I DID pick up "How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist" (by Nicole Bouchard Boles) (click here to read an excerpt) and I highly recommend it. It is full of easy ways to make a difference and has some good ideas for kids, too.

Second, I attended the "A Community Responds: Cuts, Closures and Access" program sponsored by Crossroads Charlotte last week. I was very impressed by the amount of structure that Crossroads Charlotte provides--there was a slam poet (Q) to kick us off, great speakers, discussion time and wrap-up. I was distinctly UN-impressed by the turnout. A lot of the usual suspects were there, and I think I was the only one in my group who was there to learn more who didn't have a clue--my group included a County Commissioner, a well-known social services activist, a person who works for BofA in community relations, a co-president of the PTA of a CMS high school, and a woman who works for the county directing "non-essential" services like veterans affairs and domestic abuse services. Where was everyone else? Where were all of the other people who don't know what's going on?

I encourage you to click here to view the Powerpoint presentations given by Hyong Yi, Mecklenburg County Budget Director; Ann Clark, Chief Academic Officer of CMS; and Charles Brown, Director of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. I found Mr. Yi's presentation particularly powerful--call me naive, but I had not realized quite how dramatically the county's revenue has fallen over the past 18 months. Take a look at those graphs.

Third, I am once again impressed by the clever folks at Pat's Place. This nonprofit was founded in 2004 and is a Child Advocacy Center for child abuse--one of only 700 in the country. In just six short years, they have done a brilliant job getting the word out to the community--at least my community of Myers Park. After all, Pat's Place is right on East Boulevard--it's part of our community, too. Every fall I see the signs up in yards for the annual BBQ and Blue Jeans fundraiser. The list of underwriters for the fundraiser is long and includes many, many familiar names of young-ish Myers Park couples.

Last year, I asked a friend who was an underwriter if she had a particular passion for child abuse prevention. She said, "No, a friend asked me to give." I think that this is the real secret of Pat's Place's fundraising. They have tapped the right people to make the ask, and have made it easy (and dare I say popular?) to participate in this event. Once they get people in the door, they can work on getting people more involved in the programs themselves. It's the old Matthew 6: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

So it did not surprise me in the least to get a personal letter asking me and my husband to give $300 towards the 2010 BBQ and Blue Jeans fundraiser. We have never even attended the event, but somebody involved with Pat's Place knew us well enough to put our names on the list for the ask. And it is a concrete, manageable sum. And everyone will know we gave because our names go on the invitation. Brilliant. It arrived on the same weekend as a very attractive, simple, informative mailing piece about Pat's Place, which included lots of helpful information on what Pat's Place does AND included pictures of people we know enjoying the fundraiser last year.

I mention all of this to point out that if you are involved with another organization and you are looking to increase your giver base, there are some lessons to be learned here... Also, as we all manage our philanthropic dollars more carefully, think about why you are giving to certain organizations.

To do: Get involved. Don't wait to be asked.

Dilworth's Biggest Garage Sale

Did you catch the article in the Charlotte Observer about "Dilworth's Biggest Garage Sale," which will benefit Pat's Place? What a great idea! On Saturday, April 17, you can rent a table (under cover!) at Southborough in Dilworth and get rid of all of your junk--er, stuff. The money from the table rentals goes to Pat's Place, which is the beneficiary of Dilworth Cares, a neighborhood group. Pat's Place will also have a table and will accept donations if you just want to get unload your "stuff."

For more information, contact the Conformity Corporation (which developed Southborough and has graciously donated space for this event) at 704.374.1252.

Each year, Dilworth Cares selects an organization to support through fundraising and volunteer efforts. Pat's Place "provides a child-friendly setting where a skilled team of professionals work together under one roof to evaluate child sexual abuse allegations by offering forensic interviews, medical exams, multidisciplinary team consultation and family support." It is the only child advocacy center in Mecklenburg County and is located on East Boulevard in Dilworth, making it a natural partner for Dilworth Cares.

If you live in Dilworth and are interested in learning more about Dilworth Cares, contact Nancy Kramer at nancy1981@mindspring.com or Arlene Fenlon at afenlon@carolina.rr.com.

To do: Get some friends together, rent a table, get rid of your stuff, help Pat's Place.

A Community Responds: Cuts, Closures and Access

I was out of town when the announcement was made that the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library would be closing 12 of its 24 branches in response to budget cuts from the county. My immediate reaction was to write a check of some amount, much as my response to the earthquake in Haiti was to write a check to the American Red Cross. A friend posted on Facebook, "Glad to see that so many people are concerned about this. What are we going to do about it?" I emailed back immediately, "Should we have a fundraiser at my house next week?"

However, in the cold light of the next morning, I had had time to contemplate my response (and my hasty offer to host an event which would involve me actually organizing my house). First, I wondered how much of a difference my check (which would not be big) would really make. At best, it was helping to apply a band-aid to a problem that would re-raise its ugly head in July with the new fiscal year. Second, I started to wonder: what other budget cuts are going to prompt drastic cuts in services in other areas of the community that I care about? Sure enough, within days there was more commentary about parks and rec programs and facilities being reduced, not to mention the CMS budget shortfalls and cuts in social services. It was like writing a check to help the Haitians only to hear about another earthquake in Chile.

In February, Mary Newsom wrote a column in the Charlotte Observer about the Facebook page "Save Charlotte's Historic Fire Station #2." Her point was that just joining a Facebook group was not, in fact, going to save the fire station. Only politics and policy changes would do that. Now, you could make the point that similar "digital activitism" did, in fact, save the libraries, since now all 24 branches will remain open. However, the basic budget issue has not gone away. "We were trying to maintain the highest quality of service, at a limited number of sites," [library director] Brown said of the original plan. "But the public has asked for locations, rather than level of service." What do you suppose cuts to "level of service" will mean?

Crossroads Charlotte, which is, more and more, becoming my source for all things community-related, is hosting an evening called "A Community Responds: Cuts, Closures and Access" at First Presbyterian Church (uptown) on Tuesday, March 30, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Mecklenburg County Budget Director, Hyong Yi, will make a presentation. Then there will be discussion about the impact of budget cuts and suggestions of WAYS TO HELP. I think that this is a "must-attend" event for me before I write another band-aid check.

To Do: Attend the Crossroads Charlotte event "A Community Responds: Cuts, Closures and Access" on Tuesday evening, March 30, to get the whole story.

Everyday Philanthropist

Wow, I wish I'd come up with THAT as the title of this blog!

I have been using a website called "Alltop." Alltop's purpose "is to help you answer the question, 'What’s happening?' in 'all the topics' that interest you...We do this by collecting the headlines of the latest stories from the best sites and blogs that cover a topic. We group these collections — “aggregations” — into individual web pages. Then we display the five most recent headlines of the information sources as well as their first paragraph. Our topics run from adoption to zoology with photography, food, science, religion, celebrities, fashion, gaming, sports, politics, automobiles, Macintosh, and hundreds of other subjects along the way. You can think of Alltop as the 'online magazine rack' of the web."

Anyway, by setting up my own Alltop, I've been able to keep an eye on lots of philanthropy blogs and articles that interest me and are useful.

Today, I discovered that a new book is out called--wait for it--"How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist," by Nicole Boles and published by Workman Publishing. I am about to call Park Road Books to order a copy.

Click here to read the book description. It sounds right up my alley. Easy ways to make a difference without drastically changing my lifestyle! I'll let you know...

To do: Become an Everyday Philanthropist.

Are Special Events Too Special?

A quick follow-up on my earlier post referencing Chris McLeod's great article on donor engagement in Charlotte Viewpoint... here is a study by Charity Navigator on the efficacy of special events for nonprofits. I am not surprised that special events (like galas, luncheons, etc.) are not cost-efficient; however, they do serve the function of getting the nonprofit's name out and about. How can that be done more effectively? How can social media serve an role? I personally enjoy the posts on nonprofit Facebook pages that keep them in my mind.

To do: Click here to read the Charity Navigator 2007 study of special events. How do you prefer to give? How do you learn about nonprofits and their work?

Summer camps

Charlotte Culture Guide has a list of some cool "culture camps" in the Charlotte area this summer. Besides the Children's Theatre and North Carolina Dance Theatre camps, I was intrigued to see camps from Opera Carolina, the Charlotte Museum of History, Carolina Raptor Center and more. Click here for the link to the camp list.

My children have both loved Camp Whip-Poor-Will, which is a decidedly traditional day camp located out past Charlotte Latin School. As a parent, I love the bus that picks them up at 8:15 at Providence United Methodist and returns them there at 3:30. The camp serves ages 4-12, but you have to be 5 to ride the bus. Pony rides, creek walking, arts and crafts and snow cones--you have to love it.

To Do: It's not too early to start planning summer activities!

Connecting Meaningfully with Donors

I am linking you to a great article in Charlotte Viewpoint about nonprofits' need to, well, connect meaningfully with donors. Chris McLeod of the Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust makes the point that organizations need to connect with donors beyond just inviting them to black-tie "galas" (or the now-popular blue-jeans events) and chasing the same "500" during every capital campaign. To quote Janet Jackson, what have they done for you lately, to capture your interest and your engagement?

One organization in town seems to have an amazing ability to garner support from lots of people who run in my circles, so I asked one friend why she supported them. "Because a friend asked me," she said. Doesn't that say something? It isn't that she has a particular affinity for THAT cause--she has an affinity for that friend that translates into a donation to that cause which--following Matthew 6 "where your treasure is there will your heart be also"--increases her commitment to that cause.

But, when you are done giving to everyone else's causes, whether you sponsor their run or sit at their table or dance at their gala, how do you decide what to do with your philanthropic dollars and your volunteer hours? Are there organizations that reach out to you as an individual? What about organizations that do work that you believe in but who don't engage you at all?

Which brings us back to Chris' great article. What gets you involved? What fresh approach is needed by the nonprofits you support to bring more people into the fold? Are you one of the known 500, or one of the 250,000 newcomers to Charlotte who are overlooked?

To Do: Read Chris McLeod's article in Charlotte Viewpoint. What should nonprofits be doing to engage you that they currently aren't doing?

Charlotte Magazine BOB Awards

It's awards season, and not just in Hollywood. Take a moment to visit the Charlotte Magazine Best of the Best (BOB) ballot page and vote for your favorite Charlotte restaurants, salons, entertainers, etc. Click here for the ballot. Voting ends March 1. The results will be published in the May 2010 issue of Charlotte Magazine.

Click here to see the results in 2009.

To Do: Reward your favorite local providers with a vote that boosts their public image.

Black History Month in Charlotte

This Saturday at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at the main library, filmmaker Steve Crump presents his film "9-4-57." Here is how the PLCMC sums up the event:

"In September 1957, a 15-year-old African-American girl named Dorothy Counts was admitted to the all-white Harry Harding High School, in Charlotte, N.C. After a week of harassment that threatened her safety, her parents withdrew her from the school. This film documents the historic, incendiary events of that week and its aftermath. Meet the award-winning WTVI/WBTV filmmaker Steve Crump with an introduction by Levine Museum staff historian, Dr. Tom Hanchett."

Click here for information about the event.

I am increasingly interested in the history of race relations in Charlotte. Coming from a small, overwhelmingly white suburb in Connecticut, I have no experience with these issues. In fact, I have lived here for over ten years and I think it is still possible to know little-to-nothing about Charlotte's history unless you actively seek it out. I have become a big fan of Tom Hanchett at the Levine Museum of the New South, who works tirelessly to bring attention to the hidden pockets of Charlotte in a nonconfrontational, nonjudgmental way. I strongly encourage you to attend one of his lectures--on anything! He'll be leading walking tours in May--keep checking the Levine Museum website for details.

Dr. Hanchett also wrote a great book, called "Sorting Out the New South City: Race, Class, and Urban Development in Charlotte, 1875-1975" that is well worth a read. You can find it in the Levine Museum gift shop. And don't miss the tour he leads with the Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education (MeckEd), "History, Geography and CMS." If you, too, are from "away" and don't know the history, this is well worth your time.

Finally, I encourage you to check out QCityMetro.com, which is an online news source dedicated to "news, opinion and other information relevant to Charlotte's thriving African-American community." Even if you aren't African-American, there are some interesting articles and viewpoints that you won't see elsewhere.

To do: Visit the Levine Museum of the New South (and check out the new exhibit, "Changing Places: from Black and White to Technicolor"). Learn about Charlotte's history. Visit a new-to-you neighborhood.

A Steak in Our Community Philanthropy Week

Morton's Steakhouse in Uptown Charlotte is having its annual "A Steak in Our Community Philanthropy Week" from Monday, February 22, through Saturday, February 27. For $75 per person, you can enjoy a prix fixe 3-course meal. $25 of your contribution will be donated to the charity being honored and 10% of the evening's wine sales will also be donated. Here is the schedule of beneficiaries:

• Monday, February 22, Hope House Foundation
• Tuesday, February 23, Young Affiliates of the Mint Museum
• Wednesday, February 24, Time Out Youth
• Thursday, February 25, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
• Friday, February 26, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
• Saturday, February 27, Ace & TJ's Grin Kids

For details, the menu, or to make a reservation, click here. All the details are on the "special events" page.

To do: Enjoy a great meal at Morton's and help the community at the same time.

Plant Sale

Place your orders now with the Mecklenburg County 4-H (who knew Mecklenburg County HAD 4-H?) for a whole variety of berry plants, fruit trees, flowering trees, flowering shrubs and shade trees. Order by February 24, pick up from the Cooperative Extension/4-H office on March 4 and 5. The office is located at 1418 Armory Drive (in Elizabeth at Independence Park).

Your purchase will support youth and teens attending summer camp and leadership programs.

Click here for the details on the plant sale.

Click here for information on the Mecklenburg County 4-H program--again, who knew?

To Do: Take inventory in your yard. Now that the drought appears to be over, what do you need to plant this year?

Donate your crutches, canes and walkers to Haiti

Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools are sponsoring a drive for crutches, canes and walkers. These will be brought to Haiti earthquake victims. You can drop off your donations at Holy Catholic Middle School, or contact Amy Carroll at amyhcarroll@gmail.com for more information.

I was thrilled to see this drive--we actually have a child's wheelchair to donate!

To do: Expect the best and give away your used crutches, canes and walkers. Deadline is February 18!

Boys Book Club and new museums

If you know a boy ages 9-12, grab them and head on over to Imaginon on Saturday, February 6, at 3 p.m. The Boys Book & Movie Club will watch "The Absent-Minded Professor," then pick up copies of N.E.R.D.S., by Michael Buckley. Come back on Saturday, February 27, for a book club discussion.

Check out the calendar at the Imaginon website to learn more about this program and other programs. Also--become a fan of Imaginon on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the offerings at this great cultural resource.

Speaking of great cultural resources, have you visited the new Bechtler Museum of Modern Art yet? Or the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture? They are on my to-do list. Both museums are located in the new Wells Fargo Cultural Center on South Tryon, and they are gorgeous buildings. I can't wait to get a closer look at their collections and programs! Right now, I'm in love with The Firebird sculpture out in front of the Bechtler.

And remember: The NASCAR Hall of Fame opens in May...

To Do: Get thee to a museum.

It's a Small World AND a Big Big World

On Saturday, I attended the Charlotte Observer Social Media Conference at Queens University. I saw the sign-up information in the paper on Monday, December 21, and for $30 decided I could take a chance that I would be free and signed up. I'm glad I did--the conference was designed for 200 people--they had OVER 200 in attendance and another 180 on the waiting list. The conference filled up on the first day!

Just to give you a quick summary, the conference went from 9:30-3:30 and was designed for everyone from beginners to regulars users of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. However, I spoke with Jen Rothacker, the organizer (and also the manager and writer for MomsCharlotte.com, owned by the Observer), and she said that the vast majority of people in attendance were newbies to social media. Frankly, if they are reading about the event in a true newsPAPER, that's not a big surprise. I thought the conference was great and well worth attending; I spotted locally famous journalists in the audience along with the rest of us plebians.

I was primarily interested in learning how nonprofits can use social media to reach more people. This was not specifically addressed. However, I had several takeaways, including websites that enhance your use of the internet (ning.com, slideshare.net, bit.ly... I thought foursquare was cool, but sadly, people will always be able to find ME one of three places: at home, at the kids' school, at the grocery store). (If you are also interested in using social media for nonprofits, I recommend following Beth Kanter on as many social media platforms as possible.)

My most valuable takeaway, however, was the awareness of many communities that are represented in the form of community blogs and websites, and the opportunities to learn about the world around us through different lenses. Thanks to a grant from the innovative Knight Foundation, the Observer has partnered with 5 "hyperlocal" online community partners to expand its neighborhood coverage. Click here to link to the Observer article with all the details about the partnership.

I plan to visit these partner websites often this year, checking out what's making the headlines in the suburbs and the African-American community in Charlotte. It's just possible that the headlines won't be the same as they are in my Facebook community.

To Do: Stretch the boundaries of your world without moving a muscle. Look into hyperlocal blogs and websites that don't address your specific concerns. Visit this website for some inspiration.

Twittering Charlotte

Even though I wish this was some shoestring outfit in Plaza-Midwood, I am still enjoying my Twitter link to "YOLONE," or "Your Local News," which I think is some national site that subdivides into smaller, local sites (does that even make sense?). Somehow this site aggregates information about your city from sources around the web. On the Charlotte YOLONE page right now are links to articles from the Observer, Charlotte Business Journal, Davidson News, and Charlotte Creative Loafing.

I joined Twitter to see what all the fuss was about, and I'm still not quite sure. Maybe I'm just not hip enough. I suppose if I had an "app phone" that let me see tweets right away I'd be more interested. Most tweets that are interesting are links to a web page, not the freestanding ones. Very few people are as witty as they think they are (yours truly included).

YOLONE and Natalie English, the senior vice-president of public policy at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce (and therefore, Charlotte's lobbyist in Raleigh)--she Twitters as cltlobbyist--are the ones I have found who provide the most interesting local news. I also follow Tommy Tomlinson and Jeff Elder, two names who should be familiar to you from the Charlotte Observer (although Elder is no longer there), and the usual suspects like WFAE. If anyone can recommend other good local sources, I 'd love to hear them.

To Do: Share your Twitter sources, and other lesser-known ways to find out information about Charlotte and the surrounding region.

Whatever It Takes

One of the most challenging issues facing Charlotte (and the rest of the United States) is the vast disparity between the "haves" and the "have-nots." Here are a few organizations and people who are trying new and different approaches.

• I had never heard of the Harlem Children's Zone, but I recently had lunch with someone who had attended the HCZ conference and now it pops up everywhere I turn. Click here to visit the HCZ web site. The HCZ has a cradle-to-graduation approach to education, including "Baby College" for new mothers, a charter school, after school programs, paying for grades, and outreach counselors who literally go door-to-door to get everyone involved. The overarching principle is that if the majority of the neighborhood buys into the program, everyone will benefit. I am curious to read more about it, especially with 50% of CMS students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. What DOES it take to bring a person out of poverty? I have just started reading a book about the Harlem Children's Zone and its founder, Geoffrey Canada. Whatever It Takes is written by Paul Tough, a writer for the New York Times. Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education (MeckEd) will be hosting a book discussion on this book on January 15. Email Spierce@mecked.org for more information and to RSVP. You can also go to the MeckEd website events page and scroll down to the last book discussion on "Whatever It Takes"; related reading matter is listed.
• On a related topic, I also recommend "Class Matters," a program from the Urban Ministry Center, to anyone interested in making a difference. Led by Paul Hanneman and Wanda Anderson, this class helps you understand how your viewpoint may not be the same as someone from a different background. You can contact Paul Hanneman at the Urban Ministry Center to find out how to schedule the class for your organization (or to find out if there is an upcoming class that you can join).
• I also recently read an article in the New York Times about microfinancing. In addition to the well-known Kiva, the piece referenced a nonprofit called Modest Needs that helps you provide one-time grants to people in the United States who need help paying a bill, getting training to return to work, etc. It also allows you to help a small non-profit pay a bill and get a solid footing so it can prove itself to bigger funders.
  

To Do: Read Whatever It Takes. Attend "Class Matters." What do YOU think it takes?