When you enter the shop, you walk into their art gallery.  Hundreds of pieces of art,  in every medium imaginable are their for you to enjoy or perhaps, purchase for yourself. The artwork is donated by local and regional artists, and purchasing the pieces may allow a homeless person the chance to receive medical attention.

Next, you will want to peruse the “upscale thrift shop.” A dozen plus racks offer truly nice and often name brand items for men, women and children. For those accustomed to spending hours rummaging through the racks at your local Goodwill store, you will find this is a much more manageable selection.  But if you are lucky, you will find some gems for a steal.

Finally, you must re-fuel from your shopping at the quaint cafe.  This was my favorite spot, which wouldn’t surprise those who know me.  The cafe offers breakfast, lunch and desserts.  I’m talking GOOD stuff.  The numerous sandwiches are served with bagel chips–a pleasant departure from the norm. They also have gourmet hot dogs and other more healthy options as well.  All of the food comes from local distributors and vendors, like Homestead Dairy, and H&C coffee.  My own pick this week was the “clinic’s choice” wrap. This tasty sandwich included black forest ham, cheddar cheese, apple slices and honey mustard dressing wrapped neatly in a whole wheat pita…YUM!

As someone who prefers to save money and brown bag it most days, I feel a little better eating at 2nd Helpings. If you are going to eat out anyway, PLEASE consider 2nd Helpings, it’s great to know that the money you are spending helps support such a  worthwhile organization.

For more information on 2nd helpings including hours of operation, please go to their website. http://rescuemission.net/category/2nd_helpings/

Childrens Castle on Challenger Ave.

Food Lion @ 460 and Laymantown Rd.

Botetourt Athletic Club

Any Honeytree ELC

Most Independent and Assisted Living communities throughout the valley

If you aren’t sure what to donate, check out the RVSPCA website for a complete listing, but here are a few surprising suggestions:

* latex gloves

*rabbit cages

*cleaning supplies

*canned pumpkin

*dish scrubbers

*any size ziploc bags

*non-chain leashes

*can openers

Go to www.rvspca.org for more info! Thanks in advance for your support!

I have continued to make regular progress through the thousands of years covered in the bible, and appreciate the perspective it’s given me on my own life, more than I thought I would.  As I recently reached the halfway point in my bible regimen, however, I began longing for something a bit lighter and faster-paced than the Good Book,  something I could read without having to think quite so hard to comprehend. I was excited to note that the directors for the Roanoke Valley Reads foundation were to be speaking at my Rotary club lunch.

Roanoke’s Downtown Rotary was fortunate enough to hear all about the Roanoke Valley Reads program and be given the title and author of the book chosen for 2011′s big read.  Outcasts United by Warren St. John,  tells the story of a refugee soccer team, their remarkable coach and the small town where they found each other.  Upon receiving this new challenge, I decided to check Outcasts United out from my local library, with the hope that it would be a slightly happier piece of non-fiction than the old testament, at least.

Happier isn’t quite the word I would use to describe St. John’s book, although to be fair, I am only about one-third of the way through it. Ironically, many of the atrocities described in the old testament have happened and are still happening in many parts of our world today. Outcasts United gives detailed accounts of the sometimes horrific lives of these refugees before they are relocated to a small town outside of Atlanta.  I sought a lighter read, but what I got was more a present day version of biblical themes.  I am expecting that Luma, the woman who sacrifices any kind of normalcy in her own life, to coach these needy tweens and teens, to be the closest thing to Jesus many will have encountered.

I am looking forward to  completing both my church’s challenge to read the entire Bible, and Roanoke Valley Reads challenge to read Outcasts United.  I feel certain I’ll finish the latter a little more quickly, but am interested to see more parallels between both “books,” as they emerge.  I am recommending both to anyone who happens to take the time to read this blog.  I believe you will find both applicable to our lives today.  The Bible warrants reading by all, as it IS the infallible,  inspired word of God.  While I can’t say as much of St. John’s work, I can tell you it is a worthwhile read as it will prompt a great deal of thought about how we deal with and accept (or don’t), those in our community who are from places we’ve only read about.

If you are not aware of this program, let me tell you about it.  During the month of July, local community members, especially many in the area’s senior care community, will be distributing donation boxes, where all sorts of pet supplies can be dropped off.  This drive is designed to collect the much need pet care supplies used at the no-kill Dalhouse Adoption and Education Center, in Roanoke, VA.

I will be posting a number of exact donation locations in an update post to come.  So keep your eyes open for the donation boxes which will begin appearing in local businesses in the coming weeks. When you think about it, stick an extra can of dog food, bag of kitty litter, or box of treats on your grocery list.  Once you have some area locations you can drop off the items and help the RVSPCA take care of the many forgotten about animals who end up in their care.

“Let’s Do Lunch” is an annual fundraiser to benefit the local LOA-run Meals on Wheels program.  You purchase tickets for $15.00 then you can choose to have your lunch delivered to you, pick it up curbside at the Kazim Shriner’s Temple, or you can actually have lunch in the Kazim ballroom, like me.

The most incredible part of this fundraiser is that the purchase price of a single ticket, provides 3 DAYS OF MEALS for one of the nearly 700 local seniors, Meals on Wheels serves! As a Meals on Wheels volunteer, I know first-hand how grateful the recipients are to receive a hot and nutritious meal each day. Rounding out the fundraiser is a Chinese auction.  All of the auction items can be viewed the day of the “Let’s Do Lunch” event.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to the LOA website: www.loaa.org

So, what do ya say, “Let’s Do Lunch” next Friday!

Anyone can visit our website at www.helpfulhands.net and click on vote link under the “Charity Begins At Home” icon.  Then you will be asked to enter some information including the name of any Roanoke area charity or non-profit organization that you would like to support.  At the end of each month, beginning June 2011, the organization that receives the most votes will be awarded $250 from Helpful Hands Home Care.  You, your family, friends, etc. may vote for your organization as many times as you desire, but an organization may only win the $250 prize once in a 12 month period.

Please contact our office at 540-342-3434 for more information or check out our website.  Again, we appreciate the individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations in the Roanoke area for all of the support they have provided over the past five years.  We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to help us give back to the Roanoke Community.

SPREAD THE WORD…CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME!!

Ginny will be awarded 4-1 week passes to the Roanoke Athletic Club to take part in senior-focused activites with 3 friends.  She will also be awarded 4 coupons for FREE Chik-fil-A grilled chicken sandwiches to share with friends, and best of all she will receive a $25 gift card to the Roanoker Restaurant to enjoy with whomever she chooses.  Way to go Ginny…you will be the talk of the Elm Park community.  For more information on the Elm Park independent living community, visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Special thanks go to Angela Arrington, of Chik-Fil-A Roanoke, Brian Minter, of Roanoke Athletic Club and The Roanoker Restaurant, for their donation of prizes.

“Food for Thought: A Recipe for Life”

by Ginny Habeck

Elm Park Estates

What a glorious time of our lives.  Planning carefully and staying healthy with enough sleep, proper food and exercise, we now have time to prepare our own concoction which we can consume for the rest of our long lives–it’s called ‘Just Dessert,’ and we do fully deserve it.  We have a well-stocked pantry full of the proper ingredients to bake it now.

Take equal parts of prayer, laughter, imagination, curiosity, compassion, joy, meditation and generosity.  Sprinkle with the “Spice of Life,” and stir in a little “Milk of Human Kindness.” Bake at a moderate temperature, “viola” a perfect recipe of your “Just Desserts;”  well-mixed and well-deserved.  It can be our diet for the rest of our healthy, happy years.

Thanks for the wisdom Ms. Ginny!

Weekend Diner is a brief segment featuring a simple recipe each week.  On this week’s segment, I will be preparing a healthy, yet tasty,  summer salad that will work great as a Memorial Day side-dish. I will also be announcing the winner of Helpful Hands “Recipe for Healthy Living” Contest.

As a aspiring cook and Food Network star, I am super-excited to be a part of this show.  So tune in to show some love and get that fresh new recipe to use at your family cookout during the upcoming holiday weekend. Oh, and by the way, make sure you do something kind to honor our older Americans before the month is out!

Rotary’s motto is “service above self.”  So simple, yet so rare.  When is the last time you used that as your personal motto? I would venture a guess that the majority of us would say, “uh,  I can’t remember.”  In a nation, that encourages us to “take ‘me’ time”,  “indulge our senses”  and “do what feels good,” we put ourselves first, more often than not.  I’m certainly not judging, as this was often the place I defaulted to, as well.  But thanks to a number of life-altering (and often unfortunate) events that my family and I have gone through in the past few years, my perspective on the way I live my life has changed a great deal.  I like to think that the changes are for the better.

So I’ve said all of this to tell encourage you to take a look at your life, and the impact you are having in your community.  Three years ago I would have read the statement above and thought, ” I take care of my kids and my family,  what more can anyone expect?”  Unfortunately, in this time where there are SO MANY NEEDS in our community, we no longer have the luxury of only taking care of what’s ours.  I hope you will take a look at your calendar and find one hour in your month, that you can cut out lunch with a friend, or that Sunday afternoon nap, and use that time to make a difference to someone else.  It may seem trite, but it is so true.  I guarantee once you find a place that you feel passionate about serving, finding that one hour per month will be a breeze.

In an age where an average of 10,000 baby-boomers per day are celebrating their 65th birthday, these little cottages are going to be more and more important to the aging American population.

Created as a backyard home for our older loved ones, MedCottage allows us to bring Mom or Dad home, while allowing them to continue to live in their own space.  The home  is designed with both safety and comfort in mind.  Some of the many “senior friendly”  features include:

*shock absorbing flooring (created by Boeing, no less)

*floor level rope lighting that cuts on anytime the resident gets up at night

*electroinc medication dispenser

*intercom connected to the main house

*the ability to monitor your loved one from anywhere by computer or “smart” device.

Definitely worth a look if you or someone you know can no longer remain completely independent, or manage the upkeep of their own larger home.  It is a comparable alternative to assisted living communities, as there are both lease and purchase options.

The MedCottage is a great partner for us in the home care business.  We can be the extra set of hands to stop by and check on Mom or Dad, when the rest of the family is away at work or other activities. Mom or Dad lives in their own place, but that place is right outside the back door.