Project 25

While the year is fresh and positive change is on the minds of many, now seems like the time to start working on some of the local solutions which are being discussed more and more by many in recent days. As a step forward, I propose a firming up of the “Project 25” idea suggested in December. The concept is to start a tradition of marking the 25th day of each month (or somewhere thereabouts as we might do with the observance of Christmas activities in December) as a day to do something extra-nice for someone, give a gift to someone in need, to volunteer somewhere or otherwise make an effort to have a positive impact on the community. Here are a couple of ideas to start.

After reading the initial post, my friend Michelle Cox who is an educator said, “I am the sponsor for a (school-based) service organization. I will present to the students the idea of doing a service project every month around the 25th. Simple things but hopefully will make a difference.”

My friend Connie Schachel, originally from Wisconsin, now living in Pomona, Mo., offers another idea. “Back 'north' when I was still a (member of a particular service organization), our club, along with the local building trades organizations sponsored Christmas in July. Residents could contact the city's social services department and fill out a request form and from these forms, a dozen projects would be chosen.

“The tradesmen headed each crew and volunteers from my club and other service clubs would spend the day doing service. We built wheel chair ramps, fixed crumbling porches, painted entire homes, replaced windows, even patched roofs. (A local beverage) distributor sent delivery vans around to the project site with soft drinks and (local pizza) delivery drivers brought pizza to feed the crews. It was astonishing what we could accomplish in one day by working together. Eventually we changed the date to April – Christmas in April – simply because it was too hot in July to be out working all day.”

Connie said there is a national organization associated with the concept, originally called “Christmas in April,” now rebuildingtogether.org, and there are several towns across the country which take part in Christmas in April activities. Can our individual communities take on such projects, maybe on a small scale to start? There are certainly many homes in the community where I live which could use some rehab.

I know many of us are busy, but civic and service organizations, church groups, Sunday School classes, business owners, what do you say? Even if we're not part of a group which might take on a bigger project, individually let's challenge ourselves on January 25 to take a few minutes and do something mindfully kind above and beyond what we might ordinarily do for someone else or for the greater good. There are so many possibilities and ways to make a difference. Doesn't it seem like an ongoing way to keep alive the spirit of good will brought to the world by the birth of Jesus?