Thursday, June 09, 2016

Nerdify-ing charity.

Well, back home from Seaside.  Sorry, no pictures, we were there for a much shorter time, and I kept forgetting to get my camera out.  Besides, it was HOT, even at the coast (which is unusual), and the beach-people.  The stores-people.  Lewis and Clark-more people!  I don't know if I could have taken a picture without it looking as if they were in a flash mob! Yoiks and a half!

So, the charity part?  I have been reading through the journals of Lewis and Clark, and there was a part where they talk about Christmas gifts.  (In fact, it's where I got the idea of socks to show by the statue, they commented about giving socks as presents.)  Well, my inner Nerd started going into overdrive.  So, how many actually were there... I first thought it was 59, (60 if you count the dog), but the folks that actually came to the ocean (O, the joy!), were 32 or so, if I read correctly.

I like to do something charitable for Christmas, and this just made me think.  I should do a present for each member of the crew.  NOT handmade, necessarily, but I was thinking, something...  Oh, like, if one was a hunter, a warm hat.  One did scouting, socks.  Then we have the baby, I will have to see how old he was during the winter at the coast, but a coat or bunting.  A nice scarf for York.  A blanket, or shawl for Sacagawea.  And, for the pup, some dog food?

So, after putting this all together, then what?  Well, a donation, or maybe more than one.  I know that there are several local charities that could use these kind of donations, even my local vet accepts dog food, for low income folks that have pets.

Therefore, I think I will put up a Corps of Charity widget on the side of my blog, and see if I can fill it by Christmas.  Or even before.  But, it will be kind of neat to read up on some of the folks. I've trod in some of the same places they have, and now I can see if I can repay them, in a manner of speaking, for opening history to me.

(But, reality is reality, not all the Corps are getting hand made goodies...  A few, but not all.  All will get gifts, however.  More in future blogs.  Yes, I am crazy, why do you keep asking that?)

6 comments:

Cperz said...

I am so ignorant. I am sure that is not surprising to a lot of people. I wasn't familiar with the Corps of Discovery so I had to jump over to Google. What I didn't realize is that the Corp met up with Lewis in St. Charles, Mo and came over to Kansas City as they traveled west. I have spent so much time in St. Charles that I actually know it much better than Kansas City which is odd since I live in KC. (I lived 13 years outside of St. Charles)

I do follow a lot of trails through Missouri and Kansas though because I am a huge history nerd. I currently live about 3/4 of a mile off of the Santa Fe Trail. Once you are outside of the city there are places where the wagon wheels left ruts so deep that you can actually still see the trail through the prairie grasses.

I am thankful that there were people that had the tenacity and the sense of adventure that grew our country westward. I wonder what they would think of how things have evolved? I hope would excuse the nonsense and be proud of how many wonderful people are now living in territories that they helped discover.

As we drive around town there are markers for the Lewis and Clark expedition as well as the Santa Fe, Oregon and California Trails.

Sharon said...

A good idea. I have trouble thinking Christmas on the 10th of June, I know, a person needs an early start ... It's something to think about.

stephen Hayes said...

You're already thinking about Christmas? You're far more organized than I am.

Cat said...

History is really interesting, if you can work on things as an interest, not having it made dry as dust and graded. I found that reading the markers has taught me as much as anything for learning about the trails and doings... As for how it's evolved. Oh, my, could be happy we've advanced so far, mortified with how we have changed, maybe even wondering if we are still the same species!
Cat

Cat said...

I suppose I was thinking about Christmas, mostly because it was where I was reading in the journals of Lewis and Clark, hence the idea. But when I do hand knits of any size, I have to plan ahead! I am slow knitter!

Cat

Cat said...

Not really... Like I mentioned above, just got the idea from the journals...
Cat