Something Small Can Change The World
The other night I got to participate in Paragon Pals after our Club’s meeting. Paragon Pals collects personal items, mostly for women, that we bag and then donate to various shelters, or those in need. I really feel this is a cool project our club does because it helps people in a different way outside of the normal food, money, educational and so on donations. Then it made me wonder why did I think ‘normal’ just then? And I realized that the kind of products we’ve put together tend can fall into ‘vanity.’ Vanity can be viewed as bad because it’s not needed to survive. It’s vane or superficial. However, vanity can also provide good. For example, I’m one of those women who colors their hair. Every time the hairdresser finishes, and I look in the mirror I feel like a million bucks. I feel like I can take on the world and achieve anything, and the only change was a ¼ of an inch of hair color… Do I need to color my hair to survive? No, but that little bit of vanity changed my outlook on the world and of myself.
As I was stuffing the bag for these women it got me to think about if that little change in hair color affects me emotionally the way it does, how would I be if I didn’t have the day-to-day personal care items that I take for granted. Sure, these women don’t need these items to survive, but if by getting them it allows them to change how they feel about themselves and that change helps them get out of a tricky situation I think vanity is good and can lead to positive changes in the world. I love when my hair is clean, and I feel good knowing that someone else can have clean hair because of me and the Paragon Pals! Clean hair can help when that person goes on a job interview as well. So maybe these items are necessary.
The bags we put together will be donated to Haven House Emergency Shelter in Hamilton, Ohio. Haven House provides temporary emergency shelter and food to single fathers with children, single mothers with children, married couples and families, entirely without government funding of any kind.An added bonus this year besides donating these bags to Haven House was that the donations members collected throughout the year had some excess of certain items, and we were able to donate those to female veterans!
Being part of an organization that helps others is a win-win situation for all! It makes you feel good to be part of something bigger than yourself, knowing that you helped someone, even if it was in a small way. It then helps those who receive the donation. Personal items may not seem like much, but to those who have none, it may mean the world.
Sally L & Jessica R
PARAGON PALS
Paragon Pals is one of our Club's newest programs. The Club collects personal items, mostly for women, that we bag and then donate to various shelters, or those in need.
We collect shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, Kleenex, soap, hand sanitizer, deodorant, lotion, combs, razors, and other miscellaneous items.
At one of the meetings before we divide up the items collected, the Club, under the expert guidance of our in-house seamstress Pat Boehm, bags are hand-made of assorted materials, and finished with a draw string. This way, when the necessities are gone, there is a bag for them to keep and use as they like.
The idea for Paragon Pals actually started when I was assisting Governor Cherie Gentry in Columbus. I had to come up with an idea to entertain those not attending the OI Ohio District training sessions. I decided on a project to help others. I sent a letter to all members of the Ohio District asking for the personal items and small purses or bags to be brought to the next quarter meeting. I was overwhelmed by the response! We made close to 300 bags that were donated to a local homeless shelter.
The program was so well received, I thought it would be great to continue it on a club level.
So far, we have donated to Hope Gospel Mission, New Life Mission, and Haven House.
We continue collecting all year long, and fill bags twice a year. We also include a card in each bag with a little message for the donee. I hope we continue this for many years, as there is always someone who needs a little help now and then.
With gratitude,
Sally Schmidt, Paragon Pals Committee Chair
Good things come in small packages!
Tonight, some pals got together to assemble personal care packages with all our hope and dreams for those at Juliette’s Hope. Juliette’s Hope Acute Recovery House focuses on creating a culture of compassion, dignity and accountability. Each resident will develop skills necessary for a life of recovery. These bags contained lotion, soap, hair care products, tooth care and other physical care need items, as well as a note from one of the Paragon Pals. We are truly blessed that we are able to come together as a group and give back and make a difference in someone’s life!
On Our Way to Heaven
This post's title is a bit of an inside joke because of everything else we've done this month, but we are so happy to donate to a local women's shelter, Hope House! Tonight was the beginning of our newest committee, Paragon Pals, where we assembled 100 care bags for the women's shelter. The bags included toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, razors, combs, tissues, and other miscellaneous items. We also enclosed a little note of encouragement for each bag. Everyone needs a kind thought to make their day!
