Roll Up Your Sleeves

The world is moving along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.

Helen Keller
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Hello Athens Georgia
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There was a time years ago when I was doing alright financially and had some free time. I read an ad in the paper that a big, world wide philanthropic organization (which I won't name) was looking for volunteers on a part time basis. So I went to the address listed in the ad. When I walked in I found a neat, clean office and three people sitting at desks not doing anything. I went up to the first desk and said I was applying for the volunteer work listed in the paper. She smiled and took out from her desk a 4 page application, handed it to me with a pencil and told me to have a seat at a table in the corner to fill it out.

It took about 20 minutes. While I was filling it out no one spoke and when I brought it back to her she said I had to take it to the personnel director, and pointed to the man in a brown suit sitting a few feet away. I stepped over to him , handed it to him along with the pencil. He smiled, put the application in a basket on his desk without looking at it and said that if they needed me they would call. I left. I never heard from them.

A couple of days later I got a call from a friend saying he was involved in a civil rights program and that they needed more volunteers was I interested. I joined up and after filling out a one page application I was up to my ears in work: stuffing envelops, washing dishes, changing light bulbs. Within 2 days I was interviewing other volunteers, reading their applications and urging them in directions that best matched their talents, experience and interests.

In short I was doing exactly what the suit in the big, fancy, international organization was not doing. And I know I and my buddies in our shirt-sleeves-rolled-up manner had some positive results for other people's rights.

DB - The Vagabond
(never give up)
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SPRING QUESTION
(This is not a contest)

Come on. Picked up two more answers. Where's yours?

NASA has planned to send a two man mission on an 18 month trip to the planet Mars. It would take 6 months for the astronauts to get there and after 6 months of exploration another 6 months to return.

Should they do it and why, and if not, why not?

dbdacoba@aol.com

Only 9 responers so far

I eagerly await your answer.

DB
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