I am walking for Alzheimer's' on Saturday, October 24. Having been a 'worker-bee'/volunteer for several years, behind the scenes useful with activities like 'professionally-trained, helium-filled balloon expert tye-er' and 'commemorative T-shirt hander-outer', I decided to be a Real Contributor. I actually wrote my donation check and left it at the St. Luke Respite Care, when I stopped by to visit and got 'recruited' several weeks ago. Choppy attended their three-day-a-week group for several years, originally under great duress, though I think that she eventually began to interact, enjoy socializing with other participants and staff. I know they found her to be occasionally witty, and amusing, as they all laugh when reminiscing of her time in their presence.
Then it occurred to me, the first of this week, that I should offer friends and relatives of Choppy the opportunity to support Alz. programs and research. So sent out email to people I thought would be interested, and possibly respond. (Thanks again to all who have said 'the check is inthe mail!') It's not too late, though I would have to mail your donation to St. Luke UMC, for them to funnel into the local chapter office, (or you can send: http://www.alzheimersassociation.org/ in memory of 'Choppy' Fluker). I'm usually opposed to supporting corporate type fund-raisers, but my family has been so impacted by this, I can't not do something.
Thought I could look forward to a pleasant jaunt walking in the fall sunshine on Saturday morning, casually meandering along arm in arm with the St. Luke Strollers, then find I have the 'opportunity' to work a day at Publix. Martin (co-worker, full time guy) is taking what will likely be the last of his vacation days this weekend, so my skills are in demand in the Floral Shoppe. I rarely find myself on the Publix schedule: worked nearly twenty hours several weeks ago, one day in produce/floral, but most of that time as a 'bagger-geezer', which I find physically very difficult. "Why", you are wondering, "do you keep doing that?" I wish I knew...
If I do not work at least once a month (even as little as a couple of hours - just long enough to clock in and out) I will get dropped from their computer payroll system. So I am still an employee, though hanging on by the thinnest thread. Sorry - I wish I knew why I continue to dangle.... all I can say is that I really, really enjoy the floral work, and am reluctant to completely let go.
I believe, with time, the economy will begin to recover, and that some of the people who work there, part-timers, will start getting more hours. I also believe there are places that have been forced to cut back on employees and will not re-hire, after seeing the workers they have kept, when forced to double up/take up the slack have shouldered the extra burdens 'adequately' for some jobs to be left unfilled. You can mantra the quotes like: 'tough times don't last, tough people do', but I feel like our society is making some permanent changes, in the same way you 'eat an elephant' or 'turn around a battleship'... is it for the good? Hmmm.....
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