make a difference

Compassion, it’s a Game Changer

Posted on 06/28/2011 by Leigh Anne Tuohy | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringNow that I am “almost” grown, many days I look back and ask myself, “what if…” There are “would have,” “should have,” “could have” moments in everyday of life. So many things get lost in the shuffle of our everyday lives. I know that most of my days are so full that sometimes I just want to pull the covers over my head and never get up. Then at the end of the day as I drag myself back to …

There Were Moments: a Snapshot of My Volunteering Experience

Posted on 06/25/2011 by Jen Martin | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringThis is a guest post by Gwendolyn Hudson. Hudson was the winner of AARP’s 2010 Create the Good raffle for a one week volunteer program in Costa Rica through Cross Cultural Solutions. She volunteered in a home for 30 children cared for by the foster parents, Doña Melba and Don Victor. In addition to her volunteer work, she visited local attractions such as the Irazu volcano. She also learned local dance, cooking, and was even able to learn some Spanish, …

How to Live Our Best Life

Posted on 06/21/2011 by Leigh Anne Tuohy | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringThere is a member of the Tuohy household who has gotten her feelings hurt because I apparently neglected to mention her in any of my AARP blogs. The exact quote to me was,” I have shown her no love!” “Wow!” was my immediate response. So after giving that comment an assessment, I decided that we all could actually learn a lot from my daughter Collins. Collins is definitely the entire family’s go to girl: she’s the vacation planner and fashion …

Celebrating Father’s Day

Posted on 06/14/2011 by Leigh Anne Tuohy | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringWith Father’s day quickly approaching, I want to take a moment and discuss family. I believe there is nothing more powerful on Earth than family and home. Home is not just our physical address. It’s who we are and where we belong; there are different elements that can make up a family and a home. I can tell you from this unexpected journey last year that how The Tuohy’s have historically thought of “family” has changed and continues to become …

AARP, Creating a Caring Community

Posted on 06/7/2011 by Leigh Anne Tuohy | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringThis past week, my son SJ proclaimed he needed someone to shag baseballs for him. I’m not sure what that means, but his father Sean, happily agreed to go along on this outing. That evening Sean expressed that he hadn’t lost his old form (he was drafted by some baseball team), and he exclaimed with great pride it felt good to get out there and toss the ball around with SJ. However, the next morning, the story was a little …

One Small Act Can Make a Big Difference

Posted on 05/17/2011 by Leigh Anne Tuohy | Volunteering | Comments

Volunteering“I wish I was, what I was, when I wished I was, what I am now……” My father had this quote attached to a file cabinet in his office. I remember reading it time and time again and thinking, what does that mean? One day I asked him to explain it to me. He said, “Well, when you become an adult, it means you will look back to the time when you were a child and go wow now that …