Curiousity: Community service?

[ammre]

There's many groups that get catalogged into a miscreat status... as far as i can tell.. while a little "kink" is generally accepted (been to spencers lately?) often there's grumbling about the lifestyle. (someone actually said "What? you like to be hurt? that's really weird... are you sure you're not mentally deranged... are you going to wind up like the guy from silence of the lambs")


so while some look down upon people who are really into it ***, or get huffy about it or think we're freaks... I'd like to think that image is disproved... so my question...

have you ever done community service or found a way to give back to your community? (willfully not forced and community as in immediate surrounding area.. not like this forum community)

I've been an alterserver, a girl scout, i give blood whenever i can, and i helped refurbish a storeroom and got people to donate goods for the emmanuel cancer foundation (they give food and sometimes toys to familes who can't afford them becasue of medical expenses)

SO besides sharing you're knowlage here, how have you benefitted society?

***(ok none of that "players" vs "lifestylers" i mean the difference between using fuzzy handcuffs "kink" once as a joke to using non plastic ones every so often "perversion" like the difference between a feather and the chicken... but whatever... i'm rambling.. back to topic)

 

[niteshade]

Well, I give blood every three months (the blood bank comes to where I work) and I donate platlettes ( I know I spelled that wrong) when ever they call and ask me too. This is actually a really big deal for me, because I HATE needles.... I am really afraid of them... sometimes I pass out. But I live in a military town, and many of the main hospitals for the region are located here (san antonio) so I feel like it is something I need to do. I also participate in a children's reading activity... I go to an elementary school once every two weeks and read to a child. If the teachers only knew......


Niteshade

 

[MissTaken]

Yep.

Oddly enough, even as a group, I find that BDSMers can surprise one with the depth of their community service. Some munch groups fund raise for different organizations and that sort of thing.

For me, I have always been community oriented from the time I was in high school. Some things I have done have been to volunteer my weekends to the amateur hockey association, assist in building the school playground, am a member of a local professional women's service organization, volunteer at the children's school, volunteer on a committee for adoloscent pregnancy prevention and hell, I even used to work out my local church's bingo night!

I would be the gal paying out the money. It was too dangerous to call the numbers !

 

[D's mariposa]

Hockey? Miss T was a hockey volunteer? Way super cool..

I do the blood donor thing, as well as volunteering at Goodwill pretty often. I also like to chaperone my god daughter's field trips when her mum has to work. And my job does the adopt a highway thing. That ones kind of a yucky job, but when you're doing it with a horde of your work buddies and there's lots of joking and contests and prizes and things its not so bad. I also do the Komen races, too.

 

[Etoile]

I was a girl scout for a number of years, and after that I volunteered for the Red Cross. (I'm not eligible to donate, myself.)

 

[niteshade]

I forgot about the Susan G. Koman thing... I do that every year too. I am also kinda bummed cause I am getting a piericing, and I wont be able to donate for a year.

Niteshade

 

[niteshade]

Hey..... do any of the dom's or even guys for that matter, do community service?

Niteshade

 

[Croctden]

Yes, niteshade, there is a Santa Claus

I keep telling myself to give blood, but almost never do. I have worked with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, written for Amenesty International, cleaned up rivers (that is pick up trash), worked of a political campaign, among other activities. Now I volunteer at a museum, I like to switch what I do often to prevent from getting boring.

 

[Master_Vassago]

NOt so much community service but I am a camp counselor and director during the year of kids in a before and after school program.

I have run in certain marathons that benefitted charities. Also I volunteer time to help coach soccer for kids.

I used to do a summercamp for handicap children, handicaps ranged from wheelchair bound to mental disorders and physical ones as well. A lot of ADD and ADHD kids involved there. I spent the week camping with these kids for years as a camp director. This is one week out of the year that the kid's parents don't have to supervise them or tend to all their needs and the children can focus on being children. No one is labled here and they are all made to feel special and as equals to everyone else.

 

[catalina_francisco]

Interesting thread. The ones I can recall doing at this point are tutoring children with learning difficulties; tutoring migrants in English, helping them learn their new community, and advocating for their rights on a community and personal level; raised awareness amongst migrant women workers in relation to domestic violence, childcare options, community services, medical and legal options which also provided some similar support to male migrants; raising money for AIDS research and sufferers, children from disadvantaged backgrounds, environmental issues, women's shelters and also cancer research; developing, running, and enabling GLBT support group; environmental clean ups on regular basis; rescue and care of injured wildlife; raising awareness of violence against women with women, community, police, government and industry organisations; working professionally and personally at the coalface of the domestic violence field; assisting abused children and also abused women personally and legally; facillitating men's support group; working with abused men; friend and support to AIDS sufferers; writing articles for publications about lesbian and GLBT violence, domestic violence, multicultural issues, legalising prostitution and providing safe environments for sex workers, and censorship; Toy Run (annual Salvo motorcycle run to donate toys to underprivileged children for Christmas); volunteer grief counselling for families of youth suicide victims; court volunteer advocate for DV survivors; volunteer visitor and friend to elderley; financial support to prevent the loss of opalised dinosaur skeleton......think that is it.

Catalina

 

[emer]

I tried to do the soup kitchen thing ... got pissed when guys complained ... wanted three boiled eggs, not just two.

I tried, realized my limits ... so now I stick with kids. Read to them, listen to them read, volunteer to chaperone at dances, ball games, and camping trips. (as a parent, the thought mode of the adolescent is mind boggling!)

But you don't have to be a Parent! Just show up at the closest elementary school and say you want to help.

 

[emer]

Another need I forgot to mention!

Interpreters!

Do you speak another language? Most hospitals are in need of folks who can speak something other than English. Must be discreet (this was the reason I thought to post a reply, cause if you BDSM'ers aren't discreet, who is).

Can't count the number of times I needed a Spanish speaker to help with patient care and NO One was available. (yes, I have two semesters but it's not enough).

So ... a Jerry Lewis Challenge ... if you can help ... do something.

emer

 

[niteshade]

Re: Yes, niteshade, there is a Santa Claus

I keep telling myself to give blood, but almost never do. I have worked with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, written for Amenesty International, cleaned up rivers (that is pick up trash), worked of a political campaign, among other activities. Now I volunteer at a museum, I like to switch what I do often to prevent from getting boring.

YOU are Santa Claus? Wow... so the bad boys and girls don't just get coal, after all...lol.

Niteshade

 

[Justina123]

Also, I know of one area near me where they do stuff like collect toys at the munches to give to the local Christmas Bureau, took up a collection (VERY successful) for a community member whose child died in a car accident, and much more (most of this stuff organized by a very active Dom in the area and supported by just about everyone in the community, in one way or other). I also know of an active married Domme/sub couple who have a foster teenager living with them- teens being the most difficult foster kids to place. Just in general, most BDSM folks I know are very giving and active.

- justina

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

Hey..... do any of the dom's or even guys for that matter, do community service?

Niteshade

No, we don't give blood, we draw blood.

 

[niteshade]

No, we don't give blood, we draw blood.

Somehow I don't think you mean you are working for the bloodbank......

Niteshade

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

Somehow I don't think you mean you are working for the bloodbank......

Niteshade

Ummmm...yeah, ok.

 

[D's mariposa]

and of course, I missed the most obvious, allbeit self-centered volunteering I do.

I also DM at the local bdsm club, a well as help with the newsletter and I've worked on the maintenence committee.

 

[Mr Blonde]

Not sure if these are truly community service, but my three biggest volunteer activities are:

I compose "propaganda" for an activist cause I support. Basically I write the key position pieces and carefully compose responses to the difficult/negative situations (yes, I am their spin-doctor, lol). My thoughts are very much inline with the group's official positions, so basically it is just writing my own opinions 90%+ of the time.

I do public speaking and the inspirational-style speaches or standup comedy stuff probably fits into the "community service" category. There is a network and groups can contact the group if they need a speaker. It can be anything from a senior citizen center to a prison. There are also periodic comedy contests that benefit local charities, and I have competed (and won) several times and recently organized my first competition.

I support and mentor high school students who are about to attend my alma mater. I usually deal with the bright but undisciplined students. Basically I just share my point of view and answer their questions. I typically get referred 2-5 students and work with them until they finish the first semester. Then a new year starts and I get the next batch.

These three things are my current activities. Combined they consume 5-15 hours/week of my time. I can keep writing propaganda for another couple years but eventually they will have all of my responses and can just recycle them. I will be moving soon so I would basically need to find a new network for public speaking. And I am getting a little old and sometimes wonder if someone a few years younger wouldn't be more effective for interacting with the high school students.

Seems like Mr Blonde will need to pick some new volunteer activities soon...

 

[BlondGirl]

I have done various activities over the years from formal volunteering to informal "need help since nobody else showed up?" kind of stuff.

Here in Houston, there is a guy named Travis who has an elist that he puts out. There is no telling how many people are on that list. But it is rather comprehensive and covers everything from parties and meetings to who needs an extra pickup to help move to who needs clothes after her house burned down to the most recent one of an offer of shelter for those of us affected by the hurricane. Travis probably does more to keep the SM community unified than any one else could. And his openness and sincerity cause others to respond in same.

 

[snowy ciara]

BUMP

I coach Munchkin Amazon Soccer, and I'm relearning how to knit and making an afghan for our local crisis nursery.

 

[arctic-stranger]

Hey..... do any of the dom's or even guys for that matter, do community service?

Niteshade

I cannot give blood since i have been in third countries and the vaccinations i got mask certain diseases. But....

I am on our local shakespeare theatre board, i volunteer for our local public radio and television, as well as the local college station.

I spend a lot of time with jr and sr highs in our community. i have gotten active in a few local political issues, mostly centered around education issues.

And i try to smile at the people who wait on me at stores and restaurants.

 

[Neomagalie]

........

 

[graceanne]

I don't do as much as I used to, cause of the kids, but I was a girlscout for 10 years. During that time I:

Kept a hiking trail clean.

Worked the recycling center.

Helped the brownie troops.

Worked homeless shelters.

Read to the elderly.

Then after I graduated I started working weekly at a homeless shelter. I don't anymore, cause the kids are too young to take with me. I quit when A was about 9 mo old, and wasn't willing to stay in her snugly for hours on end. And last year I volunteered at the READ program at A's school. As soon as D gets old enough to know not to leave with strangers I will begin volunteering again at homeless shelters. And yes, I will take my kids. For now, I mostly help out at church, doing printouts and stuff like that for the childrens program.

Beyond that, I'm polite to sales reps and waitress'. I'm also polite to telemarketers. And I didn't rip the head off the lady at the movie store when the machine messed up my account AGAIN!

Oh, K reminded me. I go over to a friend of mines, and clean hre house once or twice a week. (She has rhemetoid arthritis, really bad.)