Life in the Loony Bin: A Two-fer: A field trip to Savannah, Missouri to see some Bob the Builders...

Given the tradgy in the South today, I figured we could take a "vacation from our problems" for a moment.
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I do not believe the day will ever arrive that I will grow weary of a good story.

A good true story.

Mel and Kathy said it best today when we watched Rotarian volunteers donate almost 2,000 pairs of collected children's shoes today in 30 minutes: all the good done in the world and there is no media here to share it.

That is where I come in.

I know, you are thinking, "But of course, Valsy, you ARE an all-powerful media type...clearly illustrating it is difficult to see the difference between you and Mogal Ted Turner..."

I saw the news this morning before we left.

My fellow Southerners (I bet you didn't know that I am a honorary GRITS: girl raised in the south--plus my ancestors are from Kentucky...the Kentucky that doesn't have pavement and that the local "convienence store" is someone's living room stocked with bags of stale pork rinds...Kentucky...seriously I have seen it)suffer. The town I served part of missionary work in Alabama was hit by a tornado last night. I cried when I saw it this morning. Those people are my friends. Wanna see what I looked like in 1990 when they met me?

I know there are many who suffer. As Dave says, I am "possessed" with charity for people who suffer. I carry them around in my mind everyday. My boy. Tom. Others. People I see on tv. People I don't know. People I never meet.

The dictionary says possessed is defined as having super-natural powers or madness. I think it could be a little of both.

Referencing back to Mel's comment today about no media covering the good we saw today, I am happy to do it.

Meet the head Bob the Builders for today: Larry and John. Both are super smart. Super talented. Super nice. Super compassionate. I would say they are "possessed" as well, but without the ratio of maddness that I have. These are some of my favorite folks.

Hi! We are rock stars in the Shoe World

Rotarians around the northwest part of Missouri collect money and/or shoes for orphans all year long. Larry said today that we have collected almost 200,000 pairs in the last few years. That is a lot, when the majority of the collectors live in towns without shoe stores or Walmarts. You do the math.

This is the inside of the semi truck...

this is only half of them so far

Rotarians are workers...no one stands idle

except the photographer...:)

My buddies Kathy and Mel rode along for the

field trip fun. Mel even dressed up!

As soon as he saw the box loading action, Mel jumped right in. They may not be Rotarians, but they have Rotarian hearts. That is why I brought them along. I knew they would love it...plus Mel could do my part of the heavy lifting!