MITZVAH MOMENTS - Donate Shoes, Electronics…Life!

Donate Shoes, Electronics…Life!
Save WATER and MORE!

A Mitzvah is a good deed
By Tish Levee

Let Your Old Sports Shoes Do a Mitzvah
Sponsored locally by Coddingtown Mall, Congregation Shomrei Torah, and several community partners, the Great Shoe-in collects used athletic shoes––tennis, gym, cross-trainers, running, walking––to be refurbished and given to those who need them. They also take that odd shoe lying around ‘cause the dog ate its mate or the pair you’re sure aren’t any use––they’ll be sent to Nike and the rubber bottoms shredded to make safe playground turf. Last year nearly 2,500 pairs of donated shoes helped people locally and in Africa. Drop off shoes, tied together, at Coddingtown from 10-4 on April 11, 12, 25, and 26, or at the Santa Rosa High School tennis courts from 3-5 Tuesdays through Fridays in April. Find out more at http://www.kzst.com/clubz/SHOES2009color.pdf.

Earth Day is April 22nd
Recycle your electronic waste at Santa Rosa Community Market’s Earth Day Celebration from 10-4 on Saturday, April 18th. Bring broken computer equipment, TV’s, VCR’s and DVD players, cell phones, stereos, cables, fax machines, copiers, and small kitchen and household appliances. No large appliances like washers or refrigerators. Local food vendors will have free samples, and local manufacturers, non-profits, massage, music, and fun are all part of an Eco-Fair from 12-3. Call 707-545-1806 for more information.

April is National Donate Life Month.
If you’re not already registered as an organ donor, do so now at http://www.ctdn.org/. It only takes a minute. Register regardless of your age or health, because more people are eligible than think they are. And let your family know you’ve registered.

Save Lives and Taxpayer Dollars.
The National Kidney Foundation says one in nine Americans has chronic kidney disease (CKD). Millions more have an increased risk of CKD, which can lead to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a transplant. The growing incidence of CKD has increased the demand for transplanted kidneys, far outstripping the supply.

In the last decade, the number of people waiting for a kidney has grown 86%, but there have only been 31% more transplants. Currently 78,209 people––77% of those waiting for an organ transplant––are waiting for a kidney. The average wait for a kidney is 7 1/2 years; 4,500 people die each year while waiting for a transplant.

Everyone waiting for a kidney could have one from a living donor. One barrier preventing that is the cost of travel and lost wages for living donors. A donor’s medical expenses are covered by the recipient’s insurance, but it can cost a donor thousands of dollars to donate, especially if the recipient lives at a distance. H.R. 218, the Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act of 2009, introduced in January, provides a non-refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 to offset those expenses. This would make it possible for some people, who could not otherwise afford to do so, to donate a “qualified life-saving organ,” e.g. a kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, intestine, bone marrow, or part of one.

Members of Congress pay the most attention to phone calls, so call Lynn Woolsey at 707-542-7182 or 202-225-5161 and ask her to support and co-sponsor H.R. 218. You can also go to http://capwiz.com/kidney/issues/bills/?bill=12731371 to request her support and for more information on the bill.

It’s Still a Dry Year!
Even with all the rain we’ve gotten, this is another dry year; water conservation remains critical. The toilet is the biggest water user in your home. SelectAFlush can save water without replacing your toilet; it even works with low-flush toilets. This unique dual flush adapter you can easily install is available at http://www.dualflushkit.com/ for $39.95 (4 for $129.95), shipping included. Use the $10 off coupon during April. The website’s water savings’ calculator shows how much you can save, e.g. 49 gal/day for a family of four, that’s 18,000 gal/year––enough to fill a large swimming pool.

Do a Mitzvah Clicking
As readers know, I really like Greater Good Networks’ sites––the hunger site, breast
cancer site, etc. Now you can join their Take Action Today! Campaign. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/takeaction.faces?siteId=2 to find petitions for several causes, e.g. ending commercial seal hunts and keeping humanitarian workers in Sudan. You can add your personal comments and encourage your friends to join you. As petitions meet their goals, new ones, sponsored by various organizations, will replace them.

A Mitzvah is a good deed
Tish Levee
ivrit@sonic.net
© Copyright Tish Levee, 2009. All rights reserved