Learning What's Important From Our Children

From the early days of this blog, I have been internally debating whether or not to put ads on the site to try to make some revenue out of this hobby.

If only to balance the lack of sleep it is responsible for.

More recently, I've seen the use of paypal "tip jars" and started to lean that way as well.

However, readers who are paying a bit of attention (and with my subject matter selections, that isn't something I can always count on) will notice a new link in the upper right hand corner that isn't either of those things.

I was inspired by my daughter's Silver Award project for Girl Scouts, which reminded me that I knew some far more important things than tip jars to encourage people to donate money (and time) to.

For their Girl Scouts Silver Award, Anabelle, Kristen and Mimi, are driving a project to raise Suicide Prevention Awareness.  The North Jersey Chapter director said they were the first teenagers to address this issue, and she plans to use them as an example of how to promote awareness now and once they get their award.  She said:
"They are incredible young women and should be so proud of the work that they have done and are doing; they are truly making a difference!"

They assembled a series of quotes such as:

"All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you are."

"You are worth more than your darkness."

"Everybody has a chapter they don't read out loud."

"Sometimes you don't realize you're actually drowning when you're trying to be everyone else's anchor."


Then they set up a presentation of all of them.

Included on the slides were starting point questions to initiate discussions.

1.How does this quote relate to suicide/depression?

2.What does this quote mean to you?

3.How can this affect your daily life?

Contact information for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's hotline and other counseling choices were included as well.

This was part of a Suicide Prevention Awareness day in the school coordinated through the Vice Principal.  (Who said they were the first scouts to come with a full plan of what they wanted to do.)  It was a huge success with most of the student body wearing teal and purple.


Beyond their school they will also be setting up tables at lunch in my, and other parent's places of business, as well as grocery stores and other venues.

There they will distribute the informative flyers they've designed. 

(Flyer at end of the post after some spaces so its fully visible)

They've also taken the flyers  (in English and Spanish) to as many of the local municipal buildings and police stations (and anywhere else they could think of) they could get to, and have received many warm welcomes.

Besides their individual activities, they've done some direct volunteering with AFSP to provide walk support, and will be helping in other ways.

I have a strong feeling their involvement will last far beyond their years as scouts.  And the benefits they receive from working on this will go far beyond those of selling cookies.

I'm incredibly proud of what my daughter and her friends have accomplished, and will follow her example concerning the importance of this cause.

Anyone who would have used a paypal "tip jar," please donate via the upper right link.

Anyone who wouldn't have use a paypal "tip jar," please donate as well. Don't let such a worthy cause suffer for my bad jokes.

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