Sure I could ask anyone to name ten charities or non profits, and most people could quickly tick off a list without much thought. United Way, Red Cross, Salvation Army and on down the list to ten with no difficulties at all...which begs the question, why would a few people start thinking we need another charity to donate money to? Perhaps because there is a need that is not being met?The concept of Green Helping Hands™ started to form a few weeks ago when Bill Thomas of Green Home Solutions called me and suggested we make a trip out to Kansas to a small town called Greensburg that had all but been blown away when a Tornado this past May destroyed everything in its path as it moved through this rural community in America's Heartland. Heading up onto the one year anniversary of this tragic event the town is struggling to rebuild, attempting to become America's greenest city in the process, and simply stated, "They need our help." Bill told me to use my internet skills to find out what was going on out there, find us someone on the ground to give us a birdseye view of progress made, and where they were at in their rebuilding green iniative.
As I looked at photographs, watched newsreels of the Greensburg Disaster I was reminded of my youth in South Western Ohio, and the Xenia Tornado that killed over 3o people, and wiped out almost the entire small city. I remember doing my own small part to help clean up after the event, remember driving down street after street of devastation...not quite 40 years later I feel I've come full circle, that same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach wishing that I could do more.
The miracle is, people like Bill Thomas, like myself can do more. I am no longer a teenager, neither is he, and we both have skill sets that perhaps could be put to some use in helping Greensburg, and helping other towns and cities in their time of need. His seed, our separate but similiar visions began to grow as a kernal of an idea was nurtured and plans began to take shape. He has been reaching out to people in the building industry, speaking with manufacturers about getting some product donated...in short, forming a movement being spearheaded by Green Home Solutions and the folks over at The Great Green Race.
On a separate track, but heading in the same direction Green Helping Hands™ as a vision was/is beginning to take shape as a budding charity aimed at helping the people of Greensburg and other communities recover and rebuild after a natural disaster comes into being. Ambitious undertakings that need the help of many to solidify into reality and move forward to the important task at hand, helping people in need. It is a daunting undertaking, one easily set aside for the weak of heart, but then reality sets in as you watch the evening news and see another Greensburg, this time in Prattsville Alabama where 200 homes were destroyed. There is a need, and with the help of others, Green Helping Hands™ will become a rich vibrant reality, and a charity pursuing a noble cause...helping towns and communities recover and rebuild after natural disasters.
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