At the end of each column you can read about Genie and I working on our degree in volunteering. Genie is working on her Doctor degree and I’m working on my Masters degree.
Tennessee is the volunteer state, so it just makes sense we’re working on our degrees through the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
We submit our volunteer activities yearly from June 1 through May 31 with a brief explanation of the activity. The volunteer department at the college rates our activities and sends back a summary including about how long it will take to get our degree. (I don’t think I can live long enough to get my degree.)
One of my better ratings was when I volunteered to catch, clean and ready for the frying pan eight sunnies and gave them to a lady whose sister was coming to Ellendale for a few days from England — after being gone for about 40 years. (The sister from England had requested a meal of fresh fish.)
My volunteer activities submitted for the year ended May 31 were: Salvation Army Bell ringer in Albert Lea, Albert Lea Medical Center recycling of magazines as an auxiliary member, member of Reader’s Theatre in Albert Lea, reading and acting stories to kindergarten through third-graders in Albert Lea schools, Adopt a Freeway Walker to keep two miles of I90 clean, writer of a newspaper column – Fact or Fiction, church greeter at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, choir member at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, Mission Outreach Co-Chair at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church promoting fun, food and fellowship to members and non-members, recycling of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church Recyclables to Recycling Center., go-pher for Vacation Bible School group held in a park in Albert Lea. (Genie is chair or the five Lutheran Church members of the group.)
Have you ever wondered how the retort, “get off my back,” got its start? The mother surname toad lays eggs, the male toad presses them one by one into the soft skin on the mother’s back. After a while, each egg sinks into a little pocket that forms on the mother’s back. Then a covering of skin grows over the pocket. The baby toads hatch and develop in these little pockets. A few weeks later, the mother rubs her back and the little toads swim free as mamma toad retorts, “get off my back.”
Go Twins, go. The Twins were the first of the 30 major league baseball teams to reach 40 losses. Oh my goodness!
As a registered Republican, I’m pleading the Fifth Amendment regarding Donald Trump.
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.