January 2011

We began our January 2011 event in Baltimore City at the Baltimore Free Store.

The Baltimore Free Store collects unwanted goods and redistributes them to people who want them. They are simply trying to change the way people view their relationship to their goods, their community and their earth. Though they target low-income neighborhoods to distribute goods, there are no requirements for shoppers; the Free Store is open to anyone who wishes to come.

Their motto: give what you can, take what you need.

Their Mission: Promoting recycling and reuse to help alleviate the traumas of poverty and to involved communities in working together to meet their needs.

The Baltimore Free Store is in the process of changing locations because their lease is up at the end of January.  They needed help clearing out the store and we were on the job!

Adventure Service Club brought 15 volunteers to assist the Baltimore Free Store volunteers in their task.

We emptied out the basement...

...carried lots and lots of stuff...

...sorted loads of bins...

...stacked and moved out more bins than we could count...

...got the kids involved...

...cleaned out the office...

...set things out on the sidewalk for people to take...

...packed a trailer...

...and got really dirty!

 A couple of days later Bonnie, our host at the Free Store, sent this email:

I wanted to let you know first how glad I am that you guys came and helped a few weeks ago.  As it turned out, we were really short on volunteers that day.  If you guys hadn't been there, I really don't think we would have been able to move out on time (or at least we would have been working into the wee hours to make it happen!).  My fellow BFS volunteers were pleasantly surprised and very impressed with the positive, hard-working group you guys are.  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Then we went to Joe Squared for lunch. It was very tasty.

Last but not least a bunch of us went to Ski Liberty for some snow tubing fun.

Everybody had a blast!

Snow tube races are the best.

The contest this month was to see who could go down the hill the most times.  Michael won with 27 times in two hours.  Way to go Michael!

Looking forward to seeing you all in February for some MiniGolf fun and volunteering at the Howard County Cold Weather Shelter.  Click here for more information and to register.