Saturday, October 18, 1997

Time again to make a difference

By Janet Ardoyno / Guest columnist

Once again Abilene is getting ready for Make a Difference Day next Saturday.

For many Abilenians, it's become a fall tradition. For some, they are just hearing about it for the first time. That's hard to believe when 50,000 volunteers in Abilene made an effort to somehow make a difference in our community on Make a Difference Day last year.

For those who are new to Abilene, let me fill you in about this wonderful community tradition.

Five years ago, 50 volunteers accepted the challenge put forth by USA Weekend to make a difference on this national day of doing good by picking up trash around town.

Since that humble yet determined beginning, volunteers have painted more than 50 houses, picked up acres of litter, planted 25,000 daffodils and collected more than 60,000 pounds of food, thousands of pieces of clothing, hundreds of books and what seems like a warehouse full of toilet paper, school supplies and other requested items that have stretched the donated dollars of our many nonprofit organizations.

For the last three years there have been more than 300 projects completed annually, touching the lives of thousands here in Abilene. The fact that many food pantries and clothes closets have been filled is just a small part of what has been accomplished.

Abilenians have developed a greater vision for seeing the needs of their neighbors and have come to believe that they can make a difference in meeting those needs. Volunteers of all ages, races and abilities have learned that it doesn't take a great amount of money or even talent, but simply the willingness to show you care enough to make a difference.

Through this citywide effort, the youth of Abilene are growing up with a rich heritage of volunteering and are excited. They chose as this year's theme "Closing the Gap: Generations Making a Difference Hand in Hand."

Their aim is to close the gap on hunger, illiteracy, litter, loneliness, age and racial differences through projects for the day.

It's very fitting that they included "generations working hand in hand," since just last spring at the Volunteer Summit in Pennsylvania, the leaders of our nation challenged our country to have two million mentors by 2000.

In September, Gov. George Bush, along with Gen. Colin Powell, put forth the Texas Challenge of mentoring, nurturing and providing our youth with opportunities to serve.

To me, Make a Difference Day is just that -- a way of working with the children of Abilene, showing them how to care for our community by getting out and actually doing the work with them instead of just saying "You need to go do something for others."

The youth in Abilene are often ahead of the adults when it comes to mentoring others, since many are already reading, teaching and tutoring children younger than themselves.

But there are still many children who need caring, interested adults in their lives, as witnessed by the closing of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization.

Yet, Make a Difference Day may prove to be the catalyst that helps in the resurrection of this valuable mentoring program for Abilene kids. Through the serendipity of "Myrtle Mania," several in Abilene have been concerned that more Abilenians expressed distress over "Myrtle" than the closing of Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

But a few who have seen the need for our children and in the past two weeks have already raised $50,000 (toward the $100,000 goal) to once again provide meaningful mentors for our children. Now that really is making a difference!

On Oct. 25, Mentoring Network of Abilene is having a workshop to train mentors to work with our youth. These projects will last long after the food is gone and the paint has faded on the houses.

But it doesn't take a special program or training to invite a child to come with you as you volunteer.

For me, the very best part of Make a Difference Day is seeing how much can be accomplished when we work together and have fun doing it!

What the nation has seen in Abilene is a community of neighbors helping neighbors by pooling their talents and resources for a short amount of time, yet making a tremendous difference. For we are learning that if everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot to make a big difference.

It's not too late to call the Volunteer Center of Abilene, 676-5683, to sign up for a project. Plan to join us with rakes, hoes and lawnmowers in hand next Saturday at 8:30 on Pine Street. We will begin our annual pep rally for volunteers by marching up Pine behind the HSU Cowboy Band to the tune of "Abilene, Abilene, Prettiest Place That I've Ever Seen."

Janet Ardoyno is local coordinator for Make a Difference Day activities.