Volunteering locally or globally

A rather dreary morning, I was up early to take my stepson to football camp.  He volunteers his time to coach younger children football.  He’s been involved with our local minor football league first as a player and now as a coach.   I really admire him for volunteering several hours a week to teach and coach younger kids.  Not many 19-year-old guys would do that, more should!

 

And not just 19-year-old boys either.  Anyone who has an interest could really help out in their own community by volunteering a little time.  If you are a reader/book lover, there are many programs which could use some help.

 

 

Literacy programs are always looking for volunteers to help people of all ages learn to read, as are programs to read to seniors or house bound people. 

 

 

 

 

If you’re a foodie, there are meal programs for children, seniors, and the homeless.  Local food banks need food donations year round, which requires no time, just the cost of a can of food.

 

Animal programs are also in desperate need of help.  Want a dog but don’t have the space, or can’t have one where you live?  Volunteer a few hours of your time at a local ASPSA and walk some of the dogs.  You’ll have a nice walk, with dogs who will love you to pieces.  You get the joy of spending time with an animal and know that you are making things better for them.

 

 

Don’t like dogs but love cats?  They might not like to go for walks, but they certainly like to have a little attention, some grooming and some love.  And if none of these interest you, all you have to do is look on the internet and you’ll be able to find something that is right for you.  Remember all it takes is a little time!

 

 

Want something farther from home?  There are several global volunteer services that are always looking for new people.  There again, there is something for everyone.  Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself “What does volunteering have to do with books?”  Well not much, unless, as I say, you use your love of reading and books to help out.

Now I’m off to our local Literacy Book Sale here in Nanaimo to volunteer some of my time to help people find some good reading material.  I’m sure I’ll also be “volunteering” some of my cash for some new reading material as well…LOL…Have a great day all, and please remember, when you volunteer your time, you’re helping everyone to have a better life!

Stiletto Safari Review

Stiletto Safari  by  Kate Metz

 

Zara Hamilton has a life many only dream of.  An Aussie girl, she lives in New York and works as a lawyer for Harvey and Rose, one of New York’s premier law firms. Her boyfriend, Nick Hansen, is a handsome, wealthy, good-looking man whom she adores.  She shops on 5th Avenue, wearing gorgeous cashmere Ralph Lauren dresses, carries Jimmy Choo totes, and wears Prada sunglasses. With her best friends Emi and Sal, at her side to take yoga classes, hash out a bad day and have brunch every weekend, Zara’s life is almost picture perfect. Then one day it all comes crashing down!

 
In one fell swoop, Zara goes from happily thinking of her future with Nick, in a job she’s good at, in a city she loves, with expensive clothes she covets, and best friends who love her to an unemployed (temporarily they tell her) lawyer, with a boyfriend arrested for insider trading who isn’t answering her calls, and crying for 2 weeks over The Bold and the Beautiful reruns. Could life get any worse?

 
Emi decides that Zara needs to get away, perhaps do some volunteer work involving animals or people, preferably far away, Africa would be good. Severely depressed, with her job in limbo for 6 months, and her boyfriend dumping her for her “own good”, Zara decides that doing volunteer work in Africa would be just the right thing for her. She can get a beautiful tan, take care of cute and cuddly baby lions, and heal from her wounds. If only she could fit all the clothes and accessories she will need in the one mid size suitcase she’s allowed.

 
With her ego still severely bruised by the treatment of the firm she works for, and Nick’s rejection, not to mention the brutally insulting way Nick’s father treated her, she is woefully unprepared to deal with life as a volunteer in Namibia.

 
Excerpt
In the end it came down to a choice between my snake-skin stilettos, a travel guide to Namibia, or a $100 penalty for excess luggage.  Needless to say, the travel guide didn’t make the flight.  Namibia would have to remain a mystery for a bit longer.  You just never know when a pair of snake-skin stilettos will come in handy!

 
Meeting handsome Hamish, she can’t believe how incredibly rude he is to her. She overhears him calling her a bimbo, which on top of everything else that has happened to her just seems to be the icing on the cake. When he approaches her to apologize, she blows him off, never dreaming that he will show up later in a most embarrassing way. Getting to the volunteer camp she finds out that she’s the new teacher and even worse, she’s the new dorm monitor for 60 little girls!

 
With her beautiful snake-skin stilettos, her Prada sunglasses, her over the top expensive silk dresses and horror of germs and dirt, she’ll just have to dig down deep to make this volunteer experience work.

 
Kate Metz’s debut novel Stiletto Safari, is filled with humor, fashion, friendships and self-realization. At times the wording was a little stiff, which had a small impact on the flow of the story. But overall a great chick lit book for anyone who likes a humorous, well told story reminiscent of a Beth Harbison novel.