Service Projects for the Holidays

Since we were not able to discuss service projects or other information pertaining to each others organizations we could all work to set up an informal meeting either for lunch or maybe (more convenient) after work hours. I was thinking that we could all meet up in a central location that is convenient for everyone. Would North Park, Fashion Valley, or Downtown San Diego be a central location or is too far away from other people. Please let me know if there are locations we could meet in.

Please respond to let me know what everyone thinks.

Thanks,

Cynthia

Hi,

I would suggest meeting to plan at either Influx (on Broadway and 20th Street) or Krakatoa (25th Street) as central meeting places. Perhaps at around 2:30/3pm? On a Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday?

Maybe the 19th or 20th of next week?
What do you all think?

Tanya

I would be able ot meet on Wednesday of Friday of this week. I know that my organization is not participating in any service projects, but I would be happy to meet and discuss possible options. I am flexible as to where we meet.

Thanks!

Allie

Hello Guys and Dolls

I thought that it was the training committee that
would be meeting this week to discuss service
project ideas and that for the purpose of
disscusing what our sites are doing we would use
the forum... Cynthia, why do you say that we are
"not able to discuss service projects or other
information pertaining to each others
organizations"... are we not allowed to in the
forum?

Anyways, I'm not able to make it at those times on
the 19th or 20th, because I have a meeting and
training, respectively (and so do Crystal, Roberta,
Amanda and Maria).

After hours? I like the idea of meeting at a
coffeeshop like Krakatoa!

Hey Ari,

I meant to say that "Since we were not able to discuss service project" in the monthly meeting we should meet up sometime soon after work hrs to talk about the service projects that we can work on. Sorry for the confusion.

Hi Everyone,

As for the time and place, since people cannot meet up this week we should meet up next week. How about Tuesday the 24th, 6pm in Krakatoa?? Let me know what everyone thinks.


Cynthia

so can any one meet up, or is it just the committee?

Ditto to Roberto. I thought this was only for the organizers..?

but anyways:

IRC International Bazaar
Saturday Dec 5th 2009, from 9am -2pm
City Heights Farmer's (off Fairmont and Wightman)

like I said at the last meeting, I know IRC will be needing volunteers. I will be there regardless but I thought this would be a good thing for everyone if they were interested.

Also can we do something with a soup kitchen? sorry lol. I use to do soup kitchen volunteering all the time back home and loved it.

I like the idea of the IRC event.

If other people are in, I will cancel my optometrist appointment since its the same day.

I will not be able to meet next Tuesday evening the 24th. I can commit to either project, IRC on Dec. 5th or/and MAAC project on Dec. 18th.

-Allie

I could meet next Tuesday, but it might be a crazy
week for some, going out of town and preparing for
Thanksgiving... or maybe not... How many of you
are working next week?

If we end up finding it will be hard to coordinate
a day for most of us to meet I would suggest that
we bring up ideas either thru the forum for
service projects or emailing the committee (either
Amanda, Allie, Jana or myself) with other ideas.

So far we have:

-IRC International Bazaar
Saturday Dec 5th 2009, from 9am -2pm
City Heights Farmer's (off Fairmont and Wightman)

-MAAC Children's Party (Face painting booth)
Friday Dec 18th 2009, (what times again Cynthia?)

Also we could do both or even more, it can be
considered a service project if half of the members
participate... as long as we have 7-8 people in!

For moi, I'm in for both

Any other suggestions?

we could do both: meet in person, for those who can, talk about service projects and socialize before Thanksgiving AND we could also post on the forum.

How does that sound?

I could make Tuesday the 24th at 6pm work (@ Krakatoa). Who else can come, confirmed?

P.S. I'm totally down for the face painting with MAAC & a not sure yet about the IRC service project due to a prior committment. I hope to be posting another possibility for a service project soon, as well.

Tanya

I could also meet on the 24th at 6pm - I fly to AZ for Thanksgiving the following night. Krakatoa works for me! Like Tanya, the MAAC event works with my schedule - and sounds like a blast However, I could potentially re-arrange some things for the IRC event on the 5th.

Hi Everyone,

The event for MAAC is Dec. 18 from 5-8:30pm. If 7 or 8 ppl can make that would be great. Also, MAAC will provide the face painting paint and there is LOTS of parking.

I would gladly help out IRC on Dec. 5, I'm free that day. Seems some people can meet and talk about the services projects in person on Tuesday, Nov. 24 around 6pm @ Krakatoa, so lets do it. As for those who cannot attend Please post events that you need help with and we can all respond. Also, I will take notes at the service project meeting on Nov. 24 and post/email them out. How does that sound?

Please respond to confirm if you are attending the meeting 11/24 @ 6pm.

Tks,

Cynthia

So for IRC we only need 6-8 anymore than that looks like it will be too much...just thought i'd throw that out there.

Hi everybody!

I will be at Krakatoa next Tuesday the 24th at 6pm.

I look forward to seeing you.

My phone number in case you're lost/can't make it, etc. is 858-692-3459.

Tanya

Like I had said, you can count on me for Tuesday!

I won't be able to make it on Tuesday. I will be in Escondido teaching the video class. I'll be waiting for the update on the forum though!

Ok REALLY Sorry for all the mix up...but the person in charge of the event just let me know that maybe this event wouldn't be good to make a volunteering event out of because we have been flooded with volunteers...but you can still come if you want to! i'll be there!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to everyone who responded or attended the meeting Here are the updates for the service projects to be done these holidays:

Event 1
On Saturday, December 12 from 9:00 – 11:00am El Cajon CDC is having a monthly clean-up day. The event will consist of helping clean up a neighborhood on the corner of Palm and Richardson Avenue, Zip Code 92020 in El Cajon.

The person in charged of this event is Erica. (P.S. Erica if I missed some information please feel free to add it)

Event 2
On Friday, December 18 from 5:00pm – 8:30pm MAAC Project will be hosting a Children’s Christmas Party. The event will consist of setting up a booth to do face painting for the children at the party. You are welcomed to dress up (I will be dressing up as an elf along with another of my co-workers). So far Erica, Jana, Allie, Tiffanie, Crystal, Cynthia, Tanya, Roberta, Ari, and Roberto will be attending. If I missed anyone please let me know.

The person in charged of this event is Cynthia.

Event 3 (this is event has been APPROVED):

Tanya will be organizing a Garden Workday/Rummage Sale. The event will consist of organizing the donation shed into boxes that will be donated, go towards rummage sale, or placed on a Craigslist ad. The date is still tentative, but it looks like it will be on Saturday, December 19th around 9:30am or so.

The person in charged of this event is Tanya. (P.S. Tanya if I missed some information please feel free to add it)

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If you or your organization is working on similar or different projects that you think might serve as service projects please let Jana know. Note: Service projects can be any project or event that does not charge money for people to attend or be part of.

If anyone has any questions/concersn/ideas feel free to respond or email anyone of us back.

Thanks, and have a great Thanksgiving Holiday.

Cynthia

I like all the proposed projects. I am free to do all the projects.

Can we begin to decide which projects we are going to be undertaking by the beginning of next month?

Thanks so much Cynthia for organizing us!

I am free to do the MAAC project on December 18th. Count me in!

Thanks,
Allie

Hi Everyone!

Just to clarify, we are doing both the MAAC project service project and the El Cajon CDC clean-up?

on another note, to continue building our relationships as fellow AmeriCorps, I wanted to propose a "white elephant" gift exchange. I was thinking we can do it at the MAAC service project since it will be the last day that we see each other before the end of the year.

I was thinking it can be very simple, a $1 maximum gift that we can exchange, with the possibility of steal. It can be fun!

just a suggestion. What do you think?

$1??? could we increase the spending just a bit?
maybe like $1 min.-$5 max.?

I just can't think of anything cool or cute that I
can purchase for a dollar... I guess that's the
challenge

Also I wanted to suggest... to do the exchange in
a non-work related event... maybe organize a dinner or
outing for the holidays? Just because not all of the
AmeriCorps will be at the MAAC Party.

Hey Guys,

From the meeting that we had before Thanksgiving Holiday all the 3 service projects mentioned above would be done for the month of December. The dates include Dec. 12, Dec. 18, and Dec. 19.

We have enough people for MAAC's event and some for the other 2 events, but if you are willing to participate in the other events PLEASE REPLY to the emails.

Also, Carpooling to these events would come in handy. Does anyone want to volunteer to be a driver? I believe we need 2-3 cars per event.

I agree with Aris idea of increasing the white elephant to up to $5 and also having a separate event for all of us to meet outside of work time.



Thanks Everyone,

Cynthia

I like the white elephant idea. I was also thinking it would be fun to do a cookie swap. Basically, everybody each brings a plate of cookies (either homemade or store bought) or bars or something that can be served individually, and everybody leaves with a plate of variety cookies. We could combine at the same party as the white elephant one?