Featured Friends
This page is dedicated to highlighting the good work of others. Some give back time within organized volunteer organizations and others find their own way to give back to their communities. E-mail GiveBackGirlsCT@gmail.com with any questions or comments for our highlighted friends.
Mary Kay With Shelley
Chemo Care Kits
Meet Shelley
Every time we meet someone new that has a way to give back, we feel better for knowing the new friend. With Shelley's introduction to us, it was no different! Shelley is a nurse on a labor and birth floor. She is also a transition coach for new nurses where she follows them for a full year as a resource and offers them support. Shelley has shared with us two other ways that she offers support to others that we would like to tell you about.
Chemo Care Kits
Three years ago, as a Mary Kay representative, she learned that she could share comforting products to patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Shelley explained that many Mary Kay representatives participate in this type of giving back. So she Reached out to her family and friends, offering them the opportunity to send a chemo care kit to a patient for $20 each. With the money collected, she purchased products at wholesale cost including creams and lip balms. She would supplement the kits with socks, tissues, mints, chocolates, and inspirational messages. Shelley contributes some kits at her own expense as well. She said, "I know that the patients really appreciate these kits." Her first year she collected enough to give out 50 kits, the following year was increased to 70 kits, and this year she gave out over 80 kits! Shelley explained that her most supportive friends for this cause tend to be cancer survivors. This project gives these special friends a way to give back after completing their own treatments. It's not surprising that Shelley increased her goal for next year ,where she hopes to give 100 chemo care kits to 100 oncology patients. If you would like to donate a kit next year, you can find Shelley at:
Mary Kay with Shelley group on facebook.
(QR code will take you there)
If you would like to visit her Mary Kay site the link is listed below:
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Connecticut Nurses Honor Guard
Shelley has an amazing way to give back to the profession that she belongs to. She belongs to the CT Nurses Honor Guard that serves the state of CT. She, along with 200 men and women, donate their time to participate in a meaningful way at the funerals of fellow nurses. When asked, the guard attends the funeral donned in traditional capes and caps carrying lit lanterns. The men and women participate in the service as much or as little as the family requests. After the service, a member of the guard reads the Nightingale Tribute that ends with an official release of nursing duties for the deceased. The lamp is extinguished and given to a family member quietly. Shelley explained that this gesture is greatly appreciated by the family. One family summed it up nicely in a thank-you to the guard where they said, "The 'Nightingale Tribute' left all of us humbled as it reminded us of the sacrifices nurses make every day." Shelley participates regularly as a member of the guard and travels all over the state of Connecticut to do so. She has found two wonderful ways to give back to her community. Thank you Shelley!
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See it, Dream it, Do it!
I am so excited to introduce Sue C. to you, and to have the pleasure of sharing her story. Many years ago, Sue had participated at Connecticut Hospice in a celebration of a very special friend's life. She was enamored with the facility and all it had to offer its patients, family, and friends. She thought, "One day, I'd love to be part of this".
Some years later, she found herself back at the facility again when one of her cousins was admitted there. Again, Sue was impressed with the services provided to her cousin and the compassion extended to the loved ones that surrounded her. Not only did she want to volunteer here one day, she told me, "This is where I want to be when the time comes."
Sue's residence, logistically, afforded her a constant reminder of her dream to volunteer at Connecticut Hospice. It just seemed that the time was never "just right". It was when Give Back Girl, Michelle, shared our volunteer initiative idea with Sue that she said, "I'm going to do it!". She made the call and started her journey to volunteering and fulfilling a personal dream.
Sue volunteers at least one day per week at Connecticut Hospice and offers extra days when she can. She works at the front desk where she greets visitors. She shared the connection that she has with the staff as she has become a familiar and friendly face. Sue said she could be the first and only face that someone sees as they come in just to be close to a resident. She enjoys sharing a kind word and offering a hug when the situation requires sincere compassion.
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Michelle and Sue have been friends for a very long time as they worked as kindergarten teachers for 30 years together at the same school. Sue taught for 38 years! She is full of energy and ready for any task sent her way. We are thrilled that our initiative encouraged Sue to call Connecticut Hospice and start her volunteer service.
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Sue did explain that ther are many different volunteer opportunities at the facility. For example, whisperers who sit and talk with patients and sometimes write things down for them. There are volunteers that come in with therapy dogs. Some come in to play games, read, or play cards with patients.
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Michelle and I are also happy to announce that Sue C. is a new official Give Back Girl! She joined Michelle and I for two volunteer opportunities and received her GBG shirt. Congrats Sue and welcome!
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If you would like to join Sue and have any interest in helping at Connecticut Hospice, the link below will get you started.
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Meet Susan
Love in a Shoebox
Operation Christmas Child
Susan is no stranger to giving back. Susan participated in Operation Christmas Child, which is a wonderful project through an organization called "Samaritan’s Purse" that provides shoeboxes filled with “love” to children in need. The shoeboxes are distributed to local churches in over 100 countries.
Susan decided to be an “elf” and made approximately 100 teddy bears out of beige hand towels that she purchased through Amazon. She enjoyed watching a “how to” video and thought it would be a fun and rewarding challenge. The more bears she made, the more skilled she became.
Susan gave these adorable bears to Barbara Mourer at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven. Barbara headed this project and added the teddy bears to the shoeboxes. Other items in the shoeboxes were toiletries, school supplies, and small toys. Each box also contained a prayer. Susan was asked about her efforts and responded, “It’s both a joyful and humbling experience to think that many young children from somewhere around the world will be holding and cuddling my labor of true love on Christmas morning. The Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes contain so many fun and useful things for children to enjoy. I feel blessed to be a small part of this incredible mission”.
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To find out more about this project visit Samaritan’s Purse website.
Great job, Susan! It is heartwarming to see how your act of kindness brings so much joy to others. Thank you for introducing us to this wonderful program.
Meet Lorraine
Socks & Snacks Bring Smiles to the Homeless
Lorraine's story begins with recoginition of the homeless individuals within her community of abundance. In some way, she wanted to help those less fortunate than herself. Socks! Lorraine felt that everyone should have clean, dry socks. This past year was her third year of putting together her goodie bags to pass out to the homeless. Inside the bag, along with a pair of socks, she packs some water and snacks. She said that each bag contains an inspirational message too. Each year she increases her giving, and last year she handed out 50 bags! Her trunk is stocked with goodie bags to warm the feet of a fortunate soul that meets Lorraine's warm heart! Lorraine expressed that giving these bags is a way to share her gratitude for all that she has. This gesture is exactly what the GiveBackGirls love to see. Small acts of giving or sharing can make a big impact in our community. Thank you Lorraine for sharing your story and giving back to others. If you would like to send a message to Lorraine, you can put it in our comment section below and we will pass it on to her or you can visit her site at www.ParadiseMentor.com. Just click her picture!
