Kicking off Tuck In Your Neighbor

Tuck In Your Neighbor is just two days away from kicking off this Saturday morning March 30 from 9 to 11 am at Eighteenth Street Orientals in Downtown Homewood! Everyone is invited to stop by! We will have crafts for younger children and wishlist items to buy on site to donate directly to Tuck In Your Neighbor. And just in case you cannot make it to the kick off party, here is a list of drop off locations that will collect any wish list items from March 30 to April 6.

Southminster Presbyterian Church
1124 Montgomery Highway
Vestavia Hills, Alabama  35216

First Baptist Church of Birmingham
2209 Lakeshore Drive
Homewood, AL 35209

Iz Bakery and Cafe
2514 Rocky Ridge Rd
Vestavia Hills, Alabama  35216

Eighteenth Street Orientals
1808 29th Avenue South - Homewood, Alabama 35209
http://www.eighteenthstreetorientals.com/

Kidz Closet
640 Montgomery Hwy
Birmingham, AL 35216
http://kidzclosetonline.com/index.php

Also, there is an online and in store registry for Glenwood Tuck In Your Neighbor at Bed, Bath, and Beyond that will ship directly to Glenwood. All Birmingham locations of Books A Million will be selling books at their stores that will be sent to Glenwood.

Books A Million
757 Brookwood Vlg, Birmingham, AL
5287 Highway 280 Ste 221, Birmingham, AL
1615 Montgomery Hwy Ste 120, Birmingham, AL



Thanks!

Great Groups Across Birmingham

Tuck In Your Neighbor has been jumping from one event to another. The organizations and groups we've talked about Tuck In Your Neighbor to are:

 Girl Scout Leaders' Meeting











 First Baptist Church of Birmingham Senior Adults




Vestavia Hills Lions Club


















St. Peters Catholic Church Adult Religious Education Class














Vestavia Hills Sunrise Rotary Club

picture courtesy of http://vestaviasunriserotary.com/blog/













Southminster Presbyterian Minute for Mission 830 and 11


















First Baptist Church's 6:00 Worship Service









And First Baptist Children's Mission Group






 Not to mention from February 11-22, St. Marks Kindergarten sponsored a Tuck In Your Neighbor drive for their "Compassion" focus.















In Addition, Southminster Day School will also be hosting a Tuck In Your Neighbor drive.







Thanks to all of these groups for their willingness to listen and enthusiam for Tuck In Your Neighbor!

 

Don't forget about the Kick Off Party! We would love for you to stop by from 9 to 11 AM at Eighteenth Street Orientals in Downtown Homewood to kick off Tuck In Your Neighbor!

St. Mark's Kindergarten "Compassion"

St. Mark's Kindergarten classes began donating blankets, teddy bears, and bedtime stories to Tuck In Your Neighbor this week, falling under their February character focus of "Compassion" in relation to the approaching Valentine's Day. A huge thanks to all the children and staff at St. Mark's for their compassion for giving to Tuck In Your Neighbor!

Thank you Books A Million

Thank you

Books-A-Million

A huge thank you to our newest sponsor, Books-A-Million,  Brookwood Mall in Homewood, Alabama!  This picture is of the upstairs entrance and just through the doors is a HUGE children's area.

The week of the event  (March 30-April 6)  Books-A-Million will have a special display for Tuck In Your Neighbor  including books and stuffed animals that will be perfect for the residents of Glenwood.

Map

We have created a map of the Birmingham area with dots where drop off locations (where you can drop off items once the drive begins) that have already been confirmed. Drop off locations include: Iz bakery and cafe, Southminster Presbyterian Church, and Eighteenth Street Orientals. As more locations are confirmed we will post them onto the blog and facebook page.

Faces: Philip Richards

NOTE:  For this edition of "Faces" I have asked my Dad, Kent Howard, to write about his friend, Philip Richards.    Philip is helping coordinate speaking engagements to promote Tuck In Your Neighbor.

The third in this series introduces....

Philip Richards

  Shown here with his wife, Gina and their daughter, Elizabeth Anne.  My Dad also with them Tailgating at University of Alabama before a home game in Tuscaloosa. 

Philip Richards lives a life of service.  
I met Philip in 8^th grade and we became fast friends with similar interests. Sunday School classmates,  cross-country teammates, double dating and eventually college room mates and groomsmen in each other’s wedding.   Philip lives a life of service.  He was introduced to the United Way by his employer, Alagasco (29 years), over 20 years ago and continues to faithfully serve as a volunteer and speaker. Philip’s passion for service is most visible as an advocate for ARC and the programs they provide to help families living with disabilities.  His leadership as President of Alabama Arc and as a National Arc Board Member gives him an opportunity to share his personal story and make a difference in the lives of others.

Just for Fun:

Cat or Dog?  Reluctantly....dog

If you could have a superpower what would it be?  the power to heal disabilities and illness

Favorite bedtime book or story?  The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado.  A book about a disabled lamb who finds he has a special purpose and place in this world.  A lamb who has always felt different and sad because of his black spots and his limp, feels his true worth when he is called upon to help keep the baby Jesus warm.

Bedtime Stories

Bedtime books were part of my daily bedtime routine as a child.  Now as a teenager, before I turn off the light, I read.

Words on a page, especially when coming alive to create a story can be truly enchanting.  Fairytales or modern day realism, bedtime stories transcend generations.  Everyone should have the opportunity to remember a favorite bedtime story.  I know my favorite stories include The Very Hungry Catepillar by Eric Carle and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. 

Some other favorites of many include:

Tuck In Your Neighbor will be asking for new donated books in March of 2013.  

Being tucked in with bedtime stories is an important way to connect to those that we love and to the huge world around us. 
Please comment below about your favorites.  I will use this to help make our wish list in March!