<p>If it’s not too late (meaning if she or sis are doing more shifts) I HIGHLY recommend these:
[ThermaCare</a> HeatWraps?Lower Back & Hip](<a href=“http://www.thermacare.com/products-back-hip.aspx]ThermaCare”>http://www.thermacare.com/products-back-hip.aspx) </p>
<p>A 2 pack is under $7 at Target (or any drug store). Wear on top of first layer (not directly on the skin). These are AMAZING.</p>
<p>Love the story and applaud both girls for doing their part.</p>
<p>THanks Just a mom and everyone. They have several more shifts yet, right through Christmas Eve. I will try the thermacare wraps. I did buy some hand toasties, those little packet you shake and tuck in your gloves, socks. They were only nominally successful but I remember how warm the thermacares were. It will be interesting to see if anything changes as we get closer to the holidays: will people get more generous or less, more hassled or not, traffic increase or decrease? I find time at the kettles a fasinating study in humankind. Course I am the person who could sit on a bench and people watch for hours.</p>
<p>There was a very funny episode of Friends where Phoebe rang the bell at the kettle. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it.
5th season, episode 10 - The One With The Inappropriate Sister</p>
<p>I once found a $20 bill on the sidewalk. Twenty feet later, there was a SA kettle. I popped the bill into it.</p>
<p>My company volunteers at the SA warehouse in Baltimore for a night during this the busiest time of the year. Each family that the SA provides for is given a box, with the children’s names, ages and wish list. Our job this year was to make sure that at least some of those items are given. If a coat is on the list for a child, I would try to make sure that gloves and a hat were also added. Boots would be a bonus. Last year, we were able to provide ample clothing to each family. This year, the supply available was a lot less. It was sad. The toy supply was about the same, but there also seemed to be less bikes and scooters too.
Large corporations are not able to give this year and the companies like SA who rely on those donations are hit hard.
So keep put those dollars in the bucket, when you see the SA volunteer ringing their bells.</p>
<p>Salvation Army does have paid ringers, but there was a recent community article that said with the economy where it is, there is a huge deficit in the volunteer level. The girls hockey team at our school does it every year for a weekend, and I think the boys might as well. Lacrosse team picked up a school in an impoverished area and are having a big used equipment drive. </p>
<p>And one family we know are forgoing the typical Christmas, gave their kids a nice chunk of money but that they have to pick a charity to donate it to… but more than that, on Christmas they have to share why they picked that charity. I am sure there will still be Christmas at their house, but I thought this was a lovely idea as well.</p>