Enjoying Life.... for FREE!!

With our move across the country, we are limited on funds for entertainment, probably more than ever. I am not sad about this in the slightest. This gives our family the opportunity to explore the world using our imagination! Here are some suggestions as to how you can do the same- saving some extra pennies to put into that dream vacation fund along the way.

Did you know that each major city has an information center? At these locations, you can usually find maps and brochures free of charge. Much of the time, the maps and brochures have many activities listed around your town.... for free! As we traveled across the states, we collected many of these maps for our own home education purposes. How fun would it be to get a map from each state?

Utilize your local library! Today, I picked up a library events calendar (found online as well). Here are just a few items of business on it:

- Services for students: tutoring, reference library, subject guides, etc.

- Adult events: Scrabble club, knitter club, coloring club, creative writers alliance, writers' guild, etc.

- Children and Family events: Chess for kids, Lego club, Family pajama story time, Movie night, etc.

- Book clubs

- East TN History Center events: Genealogy, history discussions, TN reunions, etc

There are also events listed on the library bulletin board.

Local colleges will have free movie nights, author readings, as well as other community activities.

The Chamber of Commerce is also another great place to gain valuable information to the happenings around town.

When there are lack of funds, it may be time to get creative, but this can be a great blessing. One of these outings may inspire a passion in your child or yourself in finding and enjoying your light!

Living freely,
Mama Dragon

Living a Superhero Legacy

Often, people will ask: What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? Instead of focusing on the legacy we will leave, what if we concentrate on just living that legacy right now? It has been a ray of light in this world to see one such group doing that. The Legacy Initiative is a community enrichment organization that was founded by a group of nine friends that wanted to make a difference in the world not just one day, but here and now.

Travis Hysell heads up the group, overseeing the areas that have been created branch by branch. He jumps in feet first everyday, not just supervising but leading others into this great community effort. In asking how Legacy got started, he shared, "We began as a community enrichment group and have tried to maintain that direction. Our first work was in providing food for less fortunate people. From there, it was a natural progression into homeless outreach, then crime prevention, the (community) garden, and then the Causeplay Team [which is a costume team that focuses on superheroes and princesses, bringing joy to children effected by homelessness and/or life-threatening illnesses." Their goal is (in his words) "to empower and motivate the people of our communities to participate in making positive changes. We have narrowed in on poverty and hunger as our primary causes because they have so much impact on our society."

The first Saturday of each month, a group of volunteers involved in this non-profit organization get together at a local restaurant and make hundreds of bean burritos. The food is all donated by local citizens and companies. The night before, Travis spends hours at home soaking and prepping the beans. On Saturday morning, the beans are cooked and the burritos are made.

The food is then taken to the meeting point in downtown SLC where other food items, such as cookies, oranges, and water bottles, are divided up between street teams, with all ages included.

The teams then head out all over downtown Salt Lake. You can see the team here, along with a homeless community member that has just received the gift of food. (front left)

Come rain, snow, or shine, the teams keep their commitments. 

Each team has a leader and is assigned a walking area in the downtown district, where the homeless spread out throughout the day. These members of the community are treated with the utmost respect as they are approached by our teams and kindly asked if they would like something to eat or drink. Most of the time, they are in need and they are ever so grateful for the kindness extended to them. I have personally walked the streets with these fine people, offering food and clothing to the folks of Salt Lake City. It is incredibly humbling to see the gratitude from the recipients and the compassion on the face of friends and strangers who have come together to reach out and lift others in need. 

What began as a small group of friends wanting to make a difference in this world has now turned into an extended group of 600 community volunteers. The members of the Legacy Initiative are changing the world, one kindness at a time.   

If you are along the Wasatch Front and would like to get involved, please check out their Facebook Page. For those of you outside the Wasatch Front who wish to join efforts in your own communities, there is always someone who needs you. [Photos are of the Legacy Initiative Group and used with permission.]

Joyfully Serving-
Mama Dragon