Making community count

 

There’s nothing like thoughtful, committed citizens working together to change the world, and no volunteering opportunity is too small. I love making a difference, whether it’s locally with a bunch of fun kids and adults, or here, with you at Your Lighter Side, helping you to love your food more. How will I do good this spring?

1. Globally: support healthy eating through cheesecake. And mushrooms. And pizza. And bacon. I love what I do here, helping moms feed picky kids, families grow healthier together, and college kids making a fresh start for themselves inside of dorm rooms across the world. I love being able to help, not only through positivity and uplifting words, but through my own successes with the recipes I create for you.

Because so many of you write to tell me you are gluten intolerant or can’t have soy, or are diabetic. Or your kids are allergic to peanuts. Or your husband is picky and hated vegetables until you made the cauliflower pizza crust. And that is why I do what I do. I look forward to continuing my efforts to make the world a healthier place, one bite at a time. And preferably with bacon.

What’s cool? I love knowing I’m making a difference, so your letters and comments mean a lot!

2. More locally: Support safe youth activities. More specifically, a small, enthusiastic group of local boys and girls who are working towards badge ranks and safety-oriented activities, aged 14-21 and who seek opportunities to role play World War I, climb mountains, go spelunking, co-pilot airplanes, learn to sail, shoot, hike, white water raft, camp, rock climb, or even go on a ham radio fox hunt. And what’s more, the kids call the shots and are quickly becoming responsible, quick-thinking leaders who can handle almost any situation.

I am an adult female adviser helping with activities, ensuring fun and safety, and providing opportunities for meaningful high-adventure outings, training, and rank advancement. Thankfully, we don’t camp that much. I like bathrooms. And bears make me sneeze.

What’s cool? Our crew just returned from Florida, and they did see a shark while ocean kayaking at night.

3. Super-local: Continue to be nice to my neighbor. You know the one? He’s the guy who has nothing better to do than patrol the neighborhood, and then he calls the city on all perceived offenders. This, of course, while his dog runs free and terrorizes other neighbor dogs. He also leaves (he thinks) anonymous notes on my car because he thinks I should poison the environment with a perky, green, over-watered lawn like his. I haven’t called the city on him yet for trespassing, messing with my car, or for his dog.

What’s cool? Being a nice neighbor raises the neighborhood’s property value more than a green, pristine lawn.

Regardless how you work to improve your part of the world, each of us together can take small steps to make sweeping, positive changes in our world, both in and out of kayaks and the kitchen. And away from bears. And sharks.

How do you give back to your community? Do you volunteer? Share below in comments!

 

 

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Aveeno via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Aveeno.