Today my company arranged for employees to volunteer, on company time, at a variety of local non-profit organizations. Several of us chose a local battered women’s shelter. And there was plenty to do. Half of our group went to sort out the donated foods. The expired goods needed to be thrown out, including a box of jello mix from the 70s. I kid you not. The rest of us took on the more pleasant task of sorting and organizing holiday gift donations. Which, for the most part, were wonderful and plentiful. The shelter requests that any donated toys be of a non-violent nature, so instead of little soldiers with guns and whatnot there were fleets of hot wheels cars and trucks. And more unisex toys like building blocks, puzzles, art supply kits, stuffed animals, card and board games, discmans, DVDs and videos, and more. I could have done without all the vapid looking Barbies and their ilk, but what can you do. And I had no idea that those creepy cabbage patch kids were still being produced. But hopefully they will bring the little ones a little happiness.
