Veterans Residence at home, Snow Leopards in Afghanistan

I've always done my charity thing --one step removed. I write checks annually to Habitat for Humanity (I am from a family of carpenters, so I like the idea of building homes). I write a check to the Salvation Army because they are the only organized religion that doesn't bombard you with dogma, they just go around doing good (well, maybe except for the band playing). I send money to buy mosequito nets to keep malaria away from African children. But earlier this year my own darling Nicole went to Africa. While there she spent her personal money to buy diapers for AIDS babies and loved on them all in posted pictures. It changed her, that first hands-on trip. She has formed a non-profit called WOW, Wells of Worship to get clean water to the babies. So I thought I'd get my hands into some personal movement. I cannot convey how wonderful this season has been for me because of a couple of things I've done personally. My friend, Lt Colonel Melinda Morgan and her Snow Leopards group in Afghanistan needed a bunch of stuff to make the conditions better. Shopping for them was better than going to Tiffany's for myself. Then there is the Veterans Residence Hall for military women. They have fourteen beds and nine residents at the moment. Going through my closet and taking out dozens of coats, sweaters, hats, shoes, scarves felt good, but nothing prepared me for the look on the face of the young veteran to came out to my car to help get the stuff from the car when she said, "You know they forget about us." My vow was "I won't." And I never will. Circumstances have changed for me in the last few years. I don't live in Bel Air anymore, I live in the hood of Jefferson Park, I don't have the kind of money I used to have, but right here, right now, I have way more than any of these people who made it safer here in America. I'm the grateful Ruth Adkins Robinson