Anyone with children living in Charlottesville, Virginia and the surrounding areas has become familiar with Here WEE Grow Again, a biannual children's consignment sale held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. The sale quickly became the "go-to" place for a plethora of gently used children's items. Consignors found a way to supplement their family income while shoppers discovered deals they otherwise could not afford, making the endeavor a true gift to the community. What is slightly less well-known is that the sale has added in a charity event to further its giving outreach.
This year's charity event will be held on March 4th from 3-7 PM. Shoppers are asked to donate $5 to one of three charities: the Carson Raymond Foundation, children's programs of Hospice of the Piedmont, or Piedmont CASA. Charities are always selected based upon their contribution to children and families in the local area, and those selected are rotated at each sale. This event is a fantastic way to purchase items for your children or grandchildren at affordable prices while supporting some great causes at the same time.
Here WEE Grow Again's Facebook page also has great information on the charity event and public sale, including photos of items currently available. Aldersgate United Methodist Church is located at 1500 E. Rio Rd (behind Fashion Square Mall.)
Monday, March 2, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Why racism could be gone ...
You may have already seen the Jimmy Kimmel episode where he sends someone on the streets to interview people on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The interviewer asked people what they thought of the speech Dr. King made this year in comparison to his 1963 oration. Amazingly, some of those folks answered as if they had heard a current speech from the eloquent Civil Rights leader.
As a former history professor, this made me shake my head in dismay. As a mother, it horrified me, and I rushed off to make sure my older two children at least knew something of Dr. King and his legacy. My oldest immediately listed the "I Have a Dream Speech" and using words instead of violence to solve problems. My eight-year-old responded with wanting to know of which country the man had been king. Thinking I really had my work cut out for me, I started telling him that Dr. King taught us we should judge people on the "content of their character rather than the color of their skin," meaning we should look at others' actions rather than how they look. As I prepared to explain further, my son looked at me and said, "You mean I am a color?"
I'll admit it - my eyes filled with tears. Here is Dr. King's dream come to reality ... my child had no idea he and others are a "color." As proud as I was of my son at that moment, I was also filled with an immense sadness, because I know other children are not given the same luxury of growing up without being constantly reminded of the color of their skin. Are there still racists out there? Of course, but the ones truly constantly reinforcing the focus on skin color are individuals like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, as well as the progressives who encourage such behavior. They constantly want to brandish the "r" word and bring up color at every chance. Perhaps if they would take a chance to look at the real world, they would realize there are many eight-year-olds that just want to play with their friends, even if the other kid is purple with green polka dots.
In just three generations, we've gone from my father, who started kindergarten in Birmingham, Alabama, and remembers the principal telling the football players to bar the doors because "we aren't letting any ni----s in here" to a child who never knew he was supposed to refer to people by the color of their skin. If the progressives in this country would acknowledge this amazing feat, perhaps we could say racism is well on its way to being gone ...
As a former history professor, this made me shake my head in dismay. As a mother, it horrified me, and I rushed off to make sure my older two children at least knew something of Dr. King and his legacy. My oldest immediately listed the "I Have a Dream Speech" and using words instead of violence to solve problems. My eight-year-old responded with wanting to know of which country the man had been king. Thinking I really had my work cut out for me, I started telling him that Dr. King taught us we should judge people on the "content of their character rather than the color of their skin," meaning we should look at others' actions rather than how they look. As I prepared to explain further, my son looked at me and said, "You mean I am a color?"
I'll admit it - my eyes filled with tears. Here is Dr. King's dream come to reality ... my child had no idea he and others are a "color." As proud as I was of my son at that moment, I was also filled with an immense sadness, because I know other children are not given the same luxury of growing up without being constantly reminded of the color of their skin. Are there still racists out there? Of course, but the ones truly constantly reinforcing the focus on skin color are individuals like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, as well as the progressives who encourage such behavior. They constantly want to brandish the "r" word and bring up color at every chance. Perhaps if they would take a chance to look at the real world, they would realize there are many eight-year-olds that just want to play with their friends, even if the other kid is purple with green polka dots.
In just three generations, we've gone from my father, who started kindergarten in Birmingham, Alabama, and remembers the principal telling the football players to bar the doors because "we aren't letting any ni----s in here" to a child who never knew he was supposed to refer to people by the color of their skin. If the progressives in this country would acknowledge this amazing feat, perhaps we could say racism is well on its way to being gone ...
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