November 15

It's official - we are volunteering with Get About Columbia on Saturday. I know most of you have probably heard that nice little jingle on the radio - "when you get about Columbia.." Well, yes it is a real organization!

What are we going to do, you ask. We are going to help them evaluate sidewalks throughout downtown Columbia to help improve the safety of walking downtown. So many of us walk downtown all the time - Get About Columbia wants to make it safer for all of us to bike and walk there.

When should you show up? The event begins at 9 a.m. (Yes, I know this is a little early for a Saturday morning - but you can do it!) We'll go to the Get About Columbia office downtown for a little training and then hit the streets! The event should be over by noon or 1 p.m. - depending on how quickly you move!

Don't forget to dress for the weather as we'll be outside!

Can't wait to see you Saturday morning!

Meet - 8:45 AT DOWNSTAIRS BRADY, travel to Get About Columbia Office
The GetAbout office is 101 N 7th St. (7th at Walnut)

Training at 9 a.m. and then get out and do the evaluations!

Thanks in advance for helping out our community!

Beyond November 4

Today is Election Day, and we’re not the first to tell you to get out and vote. But we do want to encourage you to keep up that civic spirit on November 5 and 6 and 7, etc. Voting enables us to have a voice, to make a difference in our community and our country -- so does volunteering.

From the City of Columbia’s Office of Volunteer Services newsletter:

The results are in! In the city's 2008 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2007-Sept. 20, 2008), volunteers shared 43,228 hours with the City of Columbia valued at more than $843,000. More than 6,000 volunteers assisted the city in nearly every department. Thank you for sharing your most valuable resource - your time - to improve Columbia.

Vote!

"Volunteering for something is the ultimate experience in democracy. You vote in elections once a year. But when you volunteer, you're voting every day about the community you want to live in."

- submitted to GUIDEPOSTS