My mom introduced me to ZooToo, a free social networking site for animal lovers. She’s really passionate about it because ZooToo hosts contests where animal shelters can win makeovers. And one of our local Wisconsin animal shelters is in the top ten and could WIN a $25,000 makeover. Here’s the announcement from the Barron County ZooToo page:

Starting at noon on Monday, April 13th and running through Sunday, April 19th, you can vote 10 times a day. You MUST have a profile picture in order to vote!! We know we have YOUR vote, but will you help us spread the word?! The more people who log on and vote for HSBC, the better chance we have in winning AT LEAST $25,000. 70 clicks of a mouse (10 votes x 7 days) could gain us ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Please, help the animals of Barron County and spread the word to everyone you know to log onto ZooToo and vote!!!!

If you are an animal lover, I encourage you to support this excellent cause. It’s easy to vote if you’re a member.

1. Register for a free ZooToo membership, and validate your membership when the validation email comes through to your inbox.

2. Upload a profile photo - now you’re a full-fledged member.

3. Click on one of the top-10 animal shelters up to ten times per day for seven days – I’ll be giving all 70 votes to our local Humane Society of Barron County.

It’s like Facebook for lovers of dogs, cats, horses and turtles. If you’re an animal lover, I encourage you to check it out. And please consider voting for the Human Society of Barron County if you join!

This post was first published in March 2008.

On Easter Sunday, our family attended the church I belonged to for most of my youth. In the past few years, we’ve only gone to church a handful of times, unwilling to commit to a congregation during our family’s various moves. But on Easter, the tradition in the music is so moving, it envelopes me throughout the service — the familiarity of the songs I’ve sung for more than three decades.

I graduated with one of the musicians in this church, and in the past when I’ve come to listen to my mom sing in the choir, I’ve always been mesmerized by his inspirational trumpeting. This Sunday, as the congregation began to sing one of my traditional favorites — “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds” — it wasn’t our collective voice that inspired me. It wasn’t the power of the beautiful pipe organ. But rather, it was the majestic, yet humble and understated sound of his trumpet, barely audible during most of the hymn, but awesome in the few notes at the end of a verse. And by the final chorus, I was gripped by such overwhelming emotion that I had to stop singing, so my voice wouldn’t betray me and call attention to the tears streaming down my cheeks.

With my eyes, I searched for my musician friend throughout these songs, attempting to watch him work his inspirational magic over us. But, true to form, he remained hidden behind the choir, serving us only by sound. And when he stood up for communion, I noticed him and watched him set down his trumpet — and his handsome 12-year-old son did the same. You see, it’s no longer a single trumpet sounding. Now it’s two.

What a gift to stand beside your son and deliver the Holy Spirit to so many sinners like me.

And what a powerful way to pass the torch…

***GUEST SERIES BY SIXTH-GRADE DARLA***

Begin the “Start a Book Club” series here.

The most important factor which has contributed to the success of BookWorm Wednesday, is the team of friends that come every week to make it happen. Different friends bring different abilities and we all have an impact on the book club. We’re able to accomplish more, and manage the group better when several of us attend on a regular basis. Besides, it’s a lot more fun! For me, Wednesday is my favorite day of the week because it’s a social time with my friends too.

TEAMMATES
• A few friends to help you are great because they take a load off your back. Don’t recruit to many though! You don’t have that many jobs!

• I have two helpers, plus one that lives in another town that occasionally visits and sometimes we have a few other friends to help

• In my little group, Eliza checks out the books, and Cameron does attendance while I read. Then we all pitch in to do crafts

• Always mention that your friends are a major contribution to your book club. Honestly, BWW wouldn’t exist if they didn’t help me.

• To prove how badly you need helpers, imagine checking out books, taking attendance, supervising, reading and helping with the crafts in half in hour with seven 1st graders. YIKES!

How to Start a Kid’s Book Club series:
Read Across America – Youth Leader for Literacy Project
How to Start Your Own BookWorm Wednesday
Adult Mentor
Book Selection
Activities
Safety
Marketing
Management
Teamwork
Money

This series of articles is a part of Read Across America, sponsored by NEA and Youth Service America. Darla — named one of the 2009 Youth Leaders for Literacy — is sponsoring this campaign to help other youth start book clubs in their neighborhoods. Please come back next week for the continuation of this series, which will end the last week in April, in conjunction with Global Youth Service Day.

Dear 30-Year-Old Self,

Today we turn 40.

There are a lot of things I wish I could tell you.

For you, the next decade will be a roller-coaster ride, with exhilarating opportunity and success, coupled with stressful self-doubt and sadness.

I would encourage you to slow down, but that simply isn’t your personality right now. You’ll drive yourself at top speed, hitting the highway most of the time, but experiencing many dead ends and U-turns along the way.

Your core values will guide you, so you’ll never get too far off track.

I would tell you to reach out for help when you need it — but you probably won’t understand that’s what you need. Some of your friends may be less stressed than you are, because they choose to live in the same community as the rest of their family, or in a neighborhood, rather than in the country. Your friends depend on other people to help them raise their family. They understand that “it takes a village”. You’ll spend many years trying to do too much, too well, on your own.

But you’ll figure it out eventually.

I would tell you to be patient, but you will tell yourself that for ten years, and only be moderately successful at it. Instead I’ll tell you to keep the faith. The husband you chose is exactly the outstanding man you still want to spend the rest of your life with. And your children, who are little more than babies and mess-makers in your current life, will create the most fulfilling experience you’ve ever had.

You’ve invested your time wisely.

You think a perfectionist is someone with a neatly arranged home, who wears full makeup every day. But not all perfectionists identify with these traits. You’ll come to learn sometimes they have a messy house, but constantly expect more from themselves, no matter what’s happening in their life. They’re rarely completely satisfied with their achievements, and fail to celebrate their small successes.

Some day you’ll discover the happiness that can exist in lower expectations.

You’ll be surprised to discover your 30’s will take you in a wandering full-circle. So don’t burn your bridges.

Old connections will help you begin new journeys.

But the happy rights and regrettable wrongs of your 30’s will all mix to make you the imperfect – but improving – woman that writes this letter.

And I’m proud of that woman.

So forgive yourself more quickly than you think you should.

And smile more often.

And remember that process far outweighs product in every single breath you take.

Oh, and when you wonder about selling your tech stocks?

Just do it.

Love,
Your 40-Year-Old Self

***GUEST SERIES BY SIXTH-GRADE DARLA***

Begin the “Start a Book Club” series here.

When you first start your book club, don’t expect numbers like the seven or more that I get. Our book club has been going for two years and the word has gotten around. Some of the first few BookWorm Wednesdays only had 3 or 4 kids, but it grew.

Our typical BWW follows a schedule: The kids come, check out books, sit and eat a snack while we read to them. Then we do a craft. On warm days, my friends and I walk around the neighborhood and go door to door, picking up the kids, then walking them home again. In the winter, the kids need a ride from their parents or bundle up and walk here, and then my mom will give them a ride home.

A lot goes into the management of a book club, and here are some tips to help you avoid the pitfalls of disorganization.

CALENDAR
• Work out a calendar, so you’re planning ahead for holiday events and canceled meetings.

• Memorize your schedule, eventually the kids know and do it on their own

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help-you are a kid being a teacher. I needed help with discipline when we got more kids.

INCENTIVES
• I use incentives to reward attendance. Every time a participant comes three times, they get a ticket. They may spend the ticket on a sucker, or save it for a more “expensive” item.

• Whenever you hand out fliers or are reminding kids on the school bus, mention you have cookies or another kind of snack. It is more likely they will come if you have food

• Don’t spend too much money on snacks. I use the cheap $.99 boxes of cookies at the grocery store, unless it is a party and then we usually get little cupcakes.

BOOK CHECKOUT
There are three ways to check out books that I can think of:

• Go on the computer and click into Excel. Alphabetize the books and assign each participant a color. For instance, Sara has the color blue. The cell with her book changes blue until she returns it.

• You can also use Microsoft Word and do the same thing but writing the letter. (Sara’s name gets written in a bright color after the book is checked out)

• Write everything down on paper. (I have never tried this, but I suggest you give them all shapes and draw the shapes in something erasable)

• Put the children’s books and the chapter books on separate pages.

• Don’t let kids check out books when you’re reading.

TRANSPORTATION

• On warm days, my friends and I walk around the neighborhood and go door to door, picking up the kids, them walking them home again.

• On cold days, the kids may need a ride.

• Depending upon logistics, it may make sense to shut down the book club during the coldest months, then host a grand opening party again when you start up with warmer weather.

• Book clubs naturally work better when the parents are sending their kids to a friends house, so if you have lived in the neighborhood your whole life, it will be much easier.
How to Start a Kid’s Book Club series:
Read Across America – Youth Leader for Literacy Project
How to Start Your Own BookWorm Wednesday
Adult Mentor
Book Selection
Activities
Safety
Marketing
Management
Teamwork
Money

This series of articles is a part of Read Across America, sponsored by NEA and Youth Service America. Darla — named one of the 2009 Youth Leaders for Literacy — is sponsoring this campaign to help other youth start book clubs in their neighborhoods. Please come back next week for the continuation of this series, which will end the last week in April, in conjunction with Global Youth Service Day.