Monday #40- Thank A Local Law Enforcement Officer!

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• Over 675,000 sworn officers and nearly 295,000 civilian officers protect and serve citizens.
• Over 14 million arrests occur annually for all offenses except traffic violations.
• Each year:

- Over 50,000 officers are assaulted while performing their duties.
- Over 100 are killed--their average age is 37.
- Over 23 million people are victimized by violent and property crimes

• There has been a 58% decline in violent crimes and a 52% decline in property crimes over the last 12 years.

Would you risk your life for a total stranger?

Take action today!

1. Walk up and thank a law enforcement officer for keeping you and your community safe.
2. Pull your car to your right and out of the way when you hear a siren or see a police car approaching with its lights on.
3. Organize your friends, co-workers, neighborhood, or child's classroom to create and deliver a thank-you card to your local law enforcement agency, police station, or town sheriff.
4. Ask your local police department which organizations support them...and donate.
5. Support or start a Neighborhood Watch program in your community.
6. Always report crime.

You matter!

Law enforcement officers make an incredible difference in your community. Every day they put their lives on the line to protect you, your neighbors, and your loved ones. Show appreciation, thank them for their valuable service, and tell them the impact they have on the lives of the people in your community.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #39- Have Fun w/ an Elderly Person

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• The fastest growing age group is 85 years and older.
• Every 7.5 seconds a baby boomer turns 60.
• 1 out of every 5 people, or 72 million, will be 65 years or older by 2030.
• Nearly 23% of people aged 75 and older live in nursing homes.
• Due to the increase in divorce rates, a decrease in the number of children, and more family members living farther away from one another, family support for the elderly is less available.

Take action today!

We'll all be there one day...

1. Offer the elderly you see today simple gestures of courtesy and respect--smile and say "hello," let them have the right of way while driving, or give up your seat in a crowded area.
2. Contact a local independent living, assisted living, or continued care facility and ask if they need volunteers.
3. Ask the facility if children or pets are allowed.
4. Organize your family or a group of friends to go with you.
5. Be prepared. Volunteering at a senior or elderly care home can involve many types of activities--playing games or cards, reading, doing art and craft projects, singing songs, teaching a class, or just being friendly.
6. Ask the seniors questions about their life. 
7. Have FUN!

You matter!

Our senior-citizen population is changing--and this group will grow by another 18 million people in the next 25 years. Today, seniors are living longer, are more full of life, have more expendable income, and have achieved higher levels of education. 

So, if you spend time with them, you might just find that a friendly game of gin rummy or bingo will teach you a thing or two...about life.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #38- Donate Blood

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• Every 2 seconds someone needs blood.
• 38,000 pints of blood are used every day.
• Demand for blood is rising faster than the rate of donations. In fact, donations are declining.
• 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives--maybe even the life of someone you know.
• 60% of the population is eligible to donate, but less than 5% do on a yearly basis.
• The #1 reason donors say they give is because they "want to help others."
• Anyone who is in good health, is at least 17 years old, and weigh at least 110lbs may donate blood once every 56 days.

Take action today!

1. Find a blood donor location near you and schedule an appointment today.
2. Donate blood. The blood donation process take approximately 30 minutes.
3. When you donate, you'll receive a donor card stating your blood type. Keep the card in your wallet.
4. Put yourself on a regular donating schedule of once every 56 days. If you have type O-negative blood, the universal donor type, your blood is especially needed because it can be used in emergencies.

You matter!

Human blood is precious and can't be manufactured outside of the body. If you gave blood 4 times a year for the next 10 years, you would save 120 lives. Think of how many lives you could save if you gave blood for the rest of your life! 

Saving just one life should be convincing enough. There is no substitute for human blood.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #37- Mentor A Child!

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• 3 million children are currently enrolled in a mentoring program. 
• Mentors help children develop self-confidence, relationship skills, and a positive attitude toward school.
• Nearly 70% of inner-city 4th graders are unable to read at a basic level.
• 1 out of 3 public high school students won't graduate.
• Nearly 3 million youth ages 12-15 are at risk of suicide annually, and over 35% will actually attempt suicide--approximately 2,700 attempts per day.
• 15 million youth are in need of mentoring. If they don't get it, they are more likely to not reach adulthood successfully. These youth are:

-73% more likely to begin using alcohol.
-63% more likely to skip a class.
-54% more likely to begin using illegal drugs.
-48% more likely to skip school.

Take action today!

1. Find a mentoring program near you and apply to become a mentor.
2. Most mentoring programs will pair you with a child based on your skill set and the child's needs. 
3. If you have your own children or know children who could use a mentor, be a self-starter and create your own mentoring program.
4. Once a week, spend an hour or two with your mentee doing everyday activities like homework, playing sports, and having simpler conversation.
5. Set goals with your mentee and share in the excitement of their achievement and growth.

You matter!

Children are just as capable of doing great things as any other person, but many times they are not equipped with the right foundation, knowledge, encouragement, and tools to make the right choices. The decisions they make can change the entire course of their futures. 

You may not know what to say or do, but you will quickly realize that what matters most is that you care.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #36- Be Neighborly

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• The average dual-career couple works away from their home a combined 18.2 hours a day.
• Urban sprawl is creating longer commutes--approximately 25 minutes per day.
• People spend less than 15 minutes per day doing outside chores and gardening compared to over 3 hours watching TV or movies and surfing on the Internet.
• The average person or family has friends over for dinner about 45% less often than they did in the 1970's.
• In 1926, the first electric automated garage door opener was invented by C.G. Johnson, beginning the drive-in-and-shut-the-door method of entering your home.
• The increased number of fenced backyards, coupled with the disappearance of front porches and verandas, has privatized residences more than ever.

Remember, you have to be a good neighbor to have a good neighbor.

Take action today!

1. Meet a neighbor you've never met before. Simply knock on the door and introduce yourself. Take over something you've baked or grown in your garden, or invite them to your house for a beverage or a snack.
2. Make yourself more available to your neighbors.
3. Mow your front lawn, wash your car, go for a walk, or play outside. Or, if you see neighbors doing the same, go out and visit.
4. Plan a neighborhood yard sale or block party.
5. Write a quarterly neighborhood newsletter.

You matter! 

Does your mailman know your neighbors better than you do?

It's not enough to just drive by and wave to neighbors from your car window. To get to know your neighbors, you need to have personal interaction with them. But these days, people spend more time indoors watching TV and surfing the Internet than they do outside playing catch, taking walks, and talking to their neighbors.

Change that patterns...be counterculture.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #35- Go Exercise!

Make Today Matter...

Facts:

• More than 50% of adults do not get enough physical activity and 24% are not physically active at all.
• 1 death occurs every 36 seconds from heart disease and strokes.
• Over 18% of children and 66% of adults are overweight, with 32,9% being obese.
• Over 100 million adults have above normal or high cholesterol levels.
• Roughly 20 million people have depressive disorders.
• 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure.

Take action today!

1. Set a goal for yourself. Think about what types of benefits you want to achieve. Weight loss? Increased muscle mass? Improved general health?
2. Figure out what type of exercise you like most and best suits your desired goal.
3. Create a plan. Start with 3 days a week, 30 minutes a day. Try to build up to 4 or 5 days a week, 45 minutes per day.
4. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercising.
5. Don't buy into excuses like "I don't have enough time" and "I can't afford a gym membership."
6. Incorporate exercise into your workday by taking the stairs, walking during your lunch break, and stretching while at your desk.
7. Always consult your physician or exercise specialist for safety and guidance.

You matter!

Do you really want to have heart disease, high blood pressure, a stroke, lung disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, depression, arthritis, or unwanted pounds?

If not, start incorporating regular physical activity into your day. By doing so, you'll increase your overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Physical activity does not need to be painful in order to be beneficial, so make it happen!

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)

Monday #34- Pick Up Litter!

Make Today Matter... 

Facts:

• 180 million tons of trash is generated every year. 
• Common litter includes cigarette butts, plastic bags, paper, candy wrappers, fast-food packaging, bottle caps, 6-pack can holders, glass bottles, and plastic straws.
• Men and women are equally likely to litter.
• People under age 15 are least likely to litter; people under the age of 25 are most likely to litter when in a group; and people over the age of 25 are most likely to litter when alone.
• In one single day nearly 7 million pounds of litter were removed from beaches, lakes, and streams. 
• Animals from nearly 300 species die from ingesting or getting entangled in marine debris annually. 
• People litter because they:

- Don't think of the item as litter.
- View litter removal as someone else's responsibility.
- Lack knowledge about the environmental effects of their littering.

Take action today!

1. Spend 1 hour today picking up litter. Or decide that every time you see a piece of litter today, you'll pick it up and throw it away.
2. If you see someone litter, politely ask them to pick it up. Or pick it up yourself and maybe the person who dropped it will see you and get the hint.
3. Organize a team of neighbors, friends, co-workers, or family members to pick up litter in a specific neighborhood for an hour. Bring rubber gloves and garbage bags and make it more fun by turning the cleanup effort into a game/contest.
4. Enjoy making a difference, getting exercise, getting to know people better, and having cleaner surroundings.

You matter!

It's not community service, it's serving your community.

If every person picked up just 1 piece of litter today, there would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter. If every person picked up 10 pieces of litter, there would be 3 billion fewer pieces damaging our environment. If you and your friends spend just 1 hour today picking up litter in your own neighborhood, you will not only pick up thousands of pieces of trash, you will also make a tremendous impact on your community.

(Adapted from Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza)