This has been a quiet day. I did go out to lunch after I deposited a check at the bank. Other than that, I have stayed home and enjoyed the quiet. Our neighbors are having a big metal shop built and the workers have played loud music. I will be happy when they get done.
I got 60 stamps and a check for $50 for Love in Action in the mail today. Always a good day when donations come in. I also got another request from a Detainee that wants a Pen Pal. This Detainee is being held for the US Marshall Service on a drug charge.
I think I am ready for Saturday. I have everything stacked up and ready to load into the car Saturday morning. Tomorrow I will go to Emporia in the morning and pick up the cake and cupcakes. My favorite Colorado peaches are to be in town tomorrow so will stop and get a box of those while I am in town.
I will drop the cupcakes off at the Detention Center and bring the birthday cake inside for the day. I’m afraid it will melt in the heat if I leave it in the car overnight.
I will load up the stuff that the heat won’t bother tomorrow and then Saturday I only have to do the cake, ice cream and ice.
Sure hope I have enough food. People do not RSVP these days so have no idea how many to expect. We will serve how ever many we can and then the rest can have lots of cake!
I’ll be glad when the party is over. It feels like it has taken lots of my time and attention. Not sure that is true but it has taken up brain space. The older I get the more I need brain space that is free! Ha!
Made contact with the lady that rents the space we are using Saturday. She is going to have the tables out and set up so all I have to do is add chairs and rearrange the tables. That will make set-up easier. Last time I held an event there, clean up went fast as the guests that came helped!
Next week I have to be in Wichita by 8:50 Tuesday morning. That is early for me these days. I think I will plan on going to Costco afterwards. I don’t have a long list of things I need but I will be close and it will save me another trip another day.
I ordered the popcorn I want for the 19th for the Detainees to be shipped directly to me. Not sure the store carried it and if they would have had five cases of it. This way I know I will have it and it will be one less thing to think about. I will have to buy Cokes late next week.
This has been another busy month for Love in Action. June seemed busy too. I am thinking things will slow down after the July 19 event as I don’t have any other events planned yet. We will come up with something for Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas later.
When things slow down I want to schedule a meeting with the Captain. I haven’t met with him for a bit. I want to find out how families learn about how to email and call Detainees and how they learn how to put funds in Commissary accounts. I am exploring the possibilities of developing a website that has that information but I would need him to share it with the families. We haven’t done any outreach to the families and this would open the door to that possibility.
I also want to explore the possibility of adding funds to Commissary accounts, especially for those that are there for extended times and their families can’t afford to do so. No funds means no phone contact with children left behind. Not sure we can afford to fund everyone though so will have to figure out a way to help those that really need it. This stuff can get complicated!
It is expensive for the families left behind to communicate with their loved one that is detained. Phone calls, emails, zoom meetings all cost the families. When a family is down to one income sometimes that means those means of communication can’t be funded.
Oh the possibilities of expanding our program. I think the funding will come in if we can do more things. I always am aware that we are 100% funded with donations and the generosity of strangers (to me) and I don’t want to always be asking for funds and over extend myself.
This little project keeps trucking along. I get frustrated with our limitations and need to stop and be grateful for all the things we have been able to do.
I am out of touch with my group of friends. It has been too long since we have gathered. Maybe after my doctor’s appointment next week I can get something pulled together so we can gather. I’m sure others have been busy too and have lots to share.
Grateful for a quiet day at home, grateful for my air conditioning on this hot and humid summer day, and grateful for on-line ordering.