Nashville newsletter for April

By Sharon Felton March 24, 2015 Uncategorized

April Newsletter Image Header

Spring has Sprung!

Now that the days are beginning to get longer, the effects of Spring are apparent. It renews our minds, wakes us out of the winter slumber and gets us all in the mood to clean, plan and purge. I found myself packing the trunk full of gently used items for my favorite charitable organization.What if you don’t have time to drop off items or its something large you cannot manage on your own? If you are looking for organizations to pick-up used clothing, knick-knacks and furniture, I can tell you that there are plenty of options! This is just a mere sampling of some of the wonderful, charitable organizations in Middle Tennessee that will come to your door to accept clothing, household items and furniture.The ARC of Davidson County – please check the website to schedule a pick-up

Habitat ReStore accepts building materials and household goods, but not clothes. In fact, their website has a list of items they do and do not accept.

Samaritan Center Thrift Shop will pick up large and household items in the greater Hendersonville area.

ThriftSmart – home pick-up available in the greater Metro area and Williamson County including Mt Juliet, Bellevue and Smyrna.

The Garden Patch – this shop supports Greenhouse Ministries in Murfreesboro and offers furniture and large-item pick up (not clothes) in Rutherford County.

I cannot stress enough that this is just a snapshot list of all the many organizations in Middle Tennessee that need your gently used items. Most charitable organizations will work with you to schedule a pick up. Keep in mind that most will not accept broken pieces, older computers or televisions.

Hands on Nashville has a looooong list of needed items from books to pet food, coffee and wood. If your Spring cleaning and purging moves to you donate your time and energy as well, Hands on Nashville is a great place to start!

April Fools Day!

Sometimes this day just sneaks up on me and other times I sit prepared for any kind of joke to come my way. I did not realize that there are folks out there who look forward to this day all year! It would seem the idea of harmless pranks is a popular, longstanding custom in several countries around the world. We all know google will do something unexpected and now, there are dedicated Pinterest pages on creative April Fool’s Day pranks. Some are admittedly clever:

Putting baking soda on cake donuts. It looks like powdered sugar but tastes awful!
If someone has a bowl of M&M’s on their desk, switch the M&M’s with Skittles.
Replace toilet paper with a belt sander roll of sand paper. (ouch)
Paint a bar of soap with clear fingernail polish, let it dry and place it in the shower. It won’t lather!

If you are looking for some funny ideas, check out Pinterest!

All I really need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. ~ Lucy Van Pelt, Peanuts

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. ~ Audrey Hepburn

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. ~Stephen Covey

As a corporate sponsor of Make-A-Wish since the Middle Tennessee Chapter’s inception in 2000, we are so grateful to have the MAW team supporting us as we educate our clients, friends and families about this wonderful organization.

Through our Ambassador Program, our agents are committed to raising at least $22,500 among all Parks offices in 2015. The Chapter hopes to grant 142 wishes this year and we want to be a part of that! At the end of February, we are off to a great start at just over $3400! If you are interested in helping us, please let me know, or if you would like to contribute financially or as a volunteer, visit the Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee website for more information.

Noah, Make-A-Wish kid Let me introduce Noah, a 12 year old boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Noah’s wish was to go to Hawaii – he went with his family last October.

His favorite part of his wish was swimming with dolphins, since he is typically in a wheelchair, and the smile on his face shows how much he enjoyed it!

While in Hawaii, Noah also got to see Pearl Harbor and go for a helicopter ride – truly a dream come true!

WALK FOR WISHES
The 2nd annual Walk for Wishes will be held on Saturday, June 20 at Judge Fulton Greer Park in Franklin. Please visit the website for more information. Come out and join us!

PARKS is a corporate sponsor for Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee and supports this organization with our agent’s donations of time and money and a company match program.

EGGcellent Science

April 4
Adventure Science Center
All about eggs! Test your egg engineering with our egg drop challenge, discover how strong egg shells really are, and learn about different animal eggs. 10 am until 3 pm

The Magical World of Tchaikovsky

April 11
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Vividly imaginative and instantly memorable, Tchaikovsky’s music for ballet has captivated audiences for generations. Three of the Russian composer’s best-known works, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, will be joined by dancers from the Nashville School of the Arts. Pre-concert activities begin at 10 am.

Herb Society Plant Sale

April 18
Tennessee State Fairgrounds
The Herb Society of Nashville will host its annual plant sale at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in the Sports Arena off Wedgewood Avenue. You can look through 15,000 herbs, including hard-to-find varieties as well as the Society’s Herb of the Year.

Smoke on the Water

April 26
General Jackson Showboat
The finest cigars, complimentary wine, a delicious meal and live auction – all benefitting the mission of Hope Clinic, so sit back and enjoy the cruise.
Smoke on the Water