Happy Monday, folks! Did you all have a great weekend? I had a great Saturday with a not-so-great Sunday thanks to a nagging cold and an agonizing Bears loss. But, it’s all good today. It’s a sunny 40 degrees in Chicago, which we will definitely take considering that it’s the middle of December! On Saturday, I participated in two service projects which I discovered on the Chicago Cares website. The first was Birthday Bingo at [...]

During the holidays, it seems like there is an abundance of good cheer almost everywhere you look. With the exception of a few crazies who get into fights at shopping malls and refinance their homes for Christmas presents, I believe that most of us really look to this season as a demonstration of goodwill. This holiday season, I’m committing myself to do 30 acts of kindness so I sat down and brainstormed a list of [...]

Summertime always turns me into one happy camper, especially after surviving the long Chicago winter. With the warmer weather comes plenty of opportunities to have fun outdoors, but it’s also a good time to look into volunteer opportunities off the beaten path. Here are four fun volunteer projects to help you have a “Summer of Service.” 1. Tend to a community garden. Even if you can’t keep a houseplant alive, you can redeem yourself tending [...]

All of my life, my #1 cause has been multiple sclerosis. I watched my mother fight the disease for almost 30 years, and learned to hate every single thing that this disease is capable of doing to an individual and their families. I volunteered for the MS Society, learned about the disease and took every opportunity to educate others about MS. When I started The Red Pump Project in 2009, I picked up another flag [...]

This morning while researching new 2011 volunteer opps for me, I came across this quiz on Oprah.com asking “What Kind of Volunteer Are You?” The goal is to tell you which types of volunteer opportunities you would be most suited for. Intrigued, I went through the questions eager to find out where I would end up. After five brief questions, I found myself tied between two categories: New-Breed Volunteer and Untapped Volunteer. Loved the titles…But, [...]

I hate dating. If you ask me what about dating specifically grinds my gears, I will say everything. So, a few people were more than shocked when I agreed to participate in the Venus vs. Mars Speed Dating Party hosted by The BOSS Network this past Saturday. I participated in the event for three reasons: I was asked… I need to break out of my comfort zone… It seemed more about fun than actual love [...]

I love, love, LOVE watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I usually just like to watch the beginning where they discuss the family and then the end when they reveal the new home. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the demolition and the interior design…It’s just that I’d rather immerse myself in the stories of the families. I can’t think of a single episode that hasn’t drawn a few tears out of me. I’m not even [...]

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I thought I’d share one of my favorite quotes of his, particularly related to service. “Everybody can be great.  Because anybody can serve.  You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.  You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve…. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.  You only need a heart full [...]

Disclaimer: I think the University of Illinois is the best school in the nation. And, I’m def saying that because I went there For all of my Illinois alumni, the University is asking students and alum to show our orange and blue pride by volunteering during the weekend of October 2-4. Even if you aren’t on campus, there are plenty of volunteer opps available. All you have to do is visit www.uiaa.org/ihelp and learn about [...]

For all of you who want to add some meaningful service to your vacation, the Ritz-Carlton is going to give you a (swanky) hand with that. The Ritz-Carlton Give Back Getaways volunteer program allows guests to serve alongside R-C employees as they support local programs and initiatives. Not only will guests get to lend their time, but the Ritz will donate the profits of each excursion to the sponsoring organization. Here are some of the [...]