A friend and I talked recently about her 10 year-old daughter’s struggle to find an interest for her spare time. When mom said her daughter knows how to knit, an idea from the paper popped in my head. 
A local animal shelter advertised for recycled, clean dog blankets and jackets to help low-income pet owners keep their animals warm through the winter. Knitters stepped forward with yarn and finished sweater projects to help out.
Maybe the idea caught the girl’s attention, maybe not, but there’s always something to do. Sometimes, the hardest thing is knowing where to start?
Canadian blogger, Maria aka, “Poutine,” created an inspiring “Lens” on Squidoo all about young people making a difference. She’s gathered stories about kids and teens who have created cool and inspiring ways to give back, right the wrongs, ease another’s pain. Some are gentle souls, quietly doing what needs to be done. Some are mighty warriors, making big noises over big issues. Most don’t stand in the media spotlight, but all resonate in the hearts of those they touch.
The site has a list of idea books. Choose one idea or combine several. Or just drink in the power of inspiration and create your own, original project. UPDATE: 11-30-13, Maria’s Squidoo page link is no longer live. Sorry! An alternative book I recommend is Do Something: A Handbook for Young Activists by Nancy Lublin. A terrific step-by-step guide for kids (and adults!) to figure out their true passions and interests, then build them into action plans for giving, action, and caring.
Squidoo was co-founded by Corey Brown, Megan Casey, Seth Godin, and Gil Hildebrand as a “publishing platform and community that makes it easy for you to create ‘lenses’ online. Lenses are pages, kind of like flyers or signposts or overview articles, that gather everything you know about your topic of interest–and snap it all into focus. Like the lens of a camera, your perspective on something.”
Check out Squidoo’s set of lenses focused at non-profits where you can collect royalties for your favs.
Update from Comments:
Woodlands Wildlife uses 100% of your donations to support the animals and birds it rescues.P.O. Box 1336 Mendocino, CA 95460
Visit Mendocino Yarn Shop and pick up the bird nest knitting or crochet pattern.
Peace, do what you can, and have fun.
Can you find the wildlife in this photo? photo by Katy Pye
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Inspirational information, Katy, and an amazing picture.
Ns
Thanks for checking in! Yep, a lot of kids doing great stuff.
KNITTING for ANIMALS UPDATE
Our local wildlife rescue shelter (Woodlands Wildlife) has put out a call for “nest knitters.” I love that! 2 hrs., scrap yarn, 3″ tall, flat bottom. Looks like a little hat or firm basket. I’m heading to Mendocino Yarn Shop here for a pattern. Fabulous women there! Keepin’ it local. If you have other such great projects to share, leave them, or a link, for others.