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Charity spotlight

A Natural Selection

What are your plans for Earth Day 2011? When you think of charities to help out, think trees and grass and critters, and the organizations working every day to protect them.

We love nature, so it's only natural that we love The Nature Conservancy too. This organization works around the world to save lands and waters for nature and people.

The Nature Conservancy has preserved more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide — and they operate more than 100 marine conservation projects globally. With a foot in all 50 states and more than 30 countries, they protect habitats from grasslands to coral reefs in places all the way from Alaska to Zambia. Check Nature Conservancy out today.

 

 

Great idea

Earth Day is April 22, but you can celebrate all year long with clever craft activities!

One of our favorites is planting a simple herb garden. Just grab a grownup and a small planter. Decide on your three favorite herbs -- we recommend pizza toppers like basil and oregano, and mint for summer lemonade. Use a long rectangular planter and cluster the seeds in three areas so they grow together.

Start the seeds indoors now, and before you know it, you'll have a garden full of good taste. When the seedlings are sturdy in a few weeks, move the planter outside and enjoy your delicious greens!
The GOOD FUN! Book
What are you up to?

We'd love to hear what you and your friends are doing to help out. Let us know, so we can share your story with other readers. And you might win a check from our publisher for the charity of your choice!

And read some of our recent press coverage, including a Chicago Sun-Times article on how The Good Fun! Book helps parents throw parties that give back.
 
And the winner is . . .

Congratulations to our essay winner, Teresa, for creating Heart to Hand! We're excited to hear all about what she's doing and to share it here. Teresa wins a $100 check from our publisher, Blue Marlin, to go to the charity of her choice.

Teresa has been collecting donations to give to local homeless shelters where she lives for the past few years. Her mom picked up a copy of The Good Fun! Book, and Teresa tells us an idea blossomed! Here's what she wrote:

"I decided to start my own community service group and hold monthly parties/meetings with my friends – just like the book suggested. I named my group Heart to Hand because the donations come from our hearts to their hands. My partner and I come up with a monthly theme as suggested in the book (our first month was socks and toiletry baskets), and spend the entire month gathering donations. Then, we gather as many friends as we can and meet my house to spend the evening putting together and decorating the baskets or donations. We have drinks and snacks to make the night more fun. This month we are collecting hats, gloves and scarves. We even received our first money donations to buy items. It was so exciting."

One of Teresa's best friends, Sophia, works as her partner/organizer. And they recently had help from two other buddies, Leanne and Danielle. They were able to help 10 different families in two local homeless shelters.

"There were 14 children in one shelter, and 11 in the other. We learned that being homeless isn’t what most people think. The homeless families are just like you and I, with kids and parents. The residents of the shelters actually made us a handmade thank you card and everybody signed it. It feels so good to give things to people who need it, and all it took was a little planning (which we got from the book) and a lot of talking. Most people want to donate and help, but they just don’t know how.  So, by talking it up and getting our monthly theme out there, we are helping lots of families in need."

She certainly is. Hooray for Teresa and Heart to Hand! And a big thank you to everyone else who submitted their essays.

Spread the word to friends and classmates, and teachers too. And you might be able to win $100 for the charity of your choice!

 
 

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