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Make a Difference

© Sharon Tabor Warren

Here in the United States, on the fourth Saturday of each October, we have Make A Difference Day. It isn't a national or state holiday, it's a day devoted to people helping others through various projects. It can be an individual acting entirely alone or it can be a group of friends, family, employees, or an organization. This year millions of Americans are expected to roll up their sleeves to help those who are hungry, homeless, ill or illiterate; or to refurbish, clean, rejuvenate parks, schools, community centers. No job is too small.

The day is a partnership venture between Points of Light and USA Weekend . They maintain a wonderful website which gives ideas for projects, tools and planning guides, offers merchandise and answers questions.

Points of Light is a foundation whose mission "is to engage more people more effectively in volunteer community service to help solve serious social problems."

USA Weekend is a Sunday magazine supplement for newspapers, published by the Gannet organization, the people who own USA Today.

Wal-Mart is also a sponsor and each store across America (there are more than 2,500) has $1,000 to donate to Make A Difference Day projects that are involved with charities that have 501(c)(3) status. (Translation: 501(c)(3) status is given to not-for-profit organizations who are recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as operating for a charitable purpose and to whom our gifts are tax-deductible.)

Additionally, Paul Newman and Newman's Own makes additional donations to those chosen as recipients of national awards as judged by Paul himself and Justin Timberlake.

So that's what many Americans do on the fourth Saturday of October. Other countries may have similar days and if so, I'd like to hear about them, perhaps feature them in future columns.

What about the other days of the year? Should we only make a difference on a single Saturday? No, of course not. I can hear you all say that as you read. An efriend, Mary King of Oregon, shared some of the following ideas with me. I've added some of my own and each of you will be able to do likewise. The important thing is to remember the things we can do every day and make a conscious effort to do at least one of them each day.

• Hold the door open for someone behind you. Man, woman, child, young, old, it doesn't matter. Hold the door and smile. It will make a difference!

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