Out and About – Week of January 14th

Sometime this year, many of you will leave the workplace and begin the life of a retiree. This should mean that you’ll have more time on your hands. In most cases, this doesn’t work out, because once you retire, you find that you become busier with other activities and don’t have time to work. I am speaking from experience. Once you retire, you should be looking for ways to occupy some of that time, if you do have some spare time. Take my advice and volunteer. There are many civic organizations that are in need of people like yourself. They need people with a few extra hours to spare and have a strong desire to help others in need. If this sounds interesting to you, please drop me a line at the address at the bottom of this column and let’s talk.

Everyday you hear about veterans in need of some special attention. The Veterans Administration does what they can to help veterans, but sometimes what they provide is not enough. There are groups out there who will help fill the void that the VA cannot fill. These groups are made up of veterans who have a good idea as to what is needed. Here are just a few of the organizations that I’m familiar with:

American Legion – Anyone who has served in the Armed Forces may join.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) – Any veteran who has served in a combat area is welcome.
St. Joseph County Marine Corps League – Made up of Marines and any veteran of the Armed Forces. Non-Marines may serve as an Associate Member.
Forty and Eight – A French fraternity made up of any Armed Forces veterans.
Any one of these fine organizations will help a veteran or their family with personal problems. They will do so by putting you in contact with the right people with the right solution to a problem.

Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience. It’s amazing the feeling one can get when helping someone in need, whether it’s helping out at a soup kitchen or driving someone to the VA facility. I have a motto that I strongly believe in: “VOLUNTEER….THE WORLD IS RUN BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP”.

This Thursday, January 17, marks the eighteenth anniversary of the Persian Gulf War. It started on this date in 1991. I think it’s time for it to be over and time to bring our troops home where they belong.

Marriage Tip: Your wife won’t start an argument with you, if you’re cleaning.

You still have almost two weeks to purchase some “Forever” postage stamps for fifty cents a stamp. Beginning Sunday, January 27, the price of a single postage stamp will be fifty-five cents. I suggest you buy a couple of rolls. You’ll appreciate the savings eventually. I’m pretty sure that the United States still has the lowest price when it comes to postage. With the internet, fewer people are using the Postal Service. While on the subject of modern technology, when was the last time you saw a phone booth or a pay telephone?

If you have decided not to make any New Year’s resolutions, perhaps you might want to instead think seriously about these quotes and put them to good use:

“Life must be measured by thought and action, not by time.” – Sir John Lubbock
“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” – Flora Whittemore
“Don’t curse the darkness – light a candle.” – Chinese Proverb
“One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.” – John Wanamaker
I’ll include some more “Thoughtful Quotes” over the next several weeks. Please share them.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman