Day of “Karing”

Her birthday was really hard for me… So was the six month mark… Like all of us, some days have been harder than others. I’m already imagining that day next January when it will be the one year mark — I am thinking that is going to be the worst. So I came up with an idea that I’ve shared with the Hoods that I’d like to share with you all to see if there is widespread interest. On the day (or during the week) when we will all be very sad about the PHYSICAL loss of Kara, it will be helpful to lean on her SPIRIT which is still with each of us. To show that spirit, I propose a day where we all take what we have been blessed with, and help Kara continue on her mission to make the world a little more open-minded, loving, and spiritual. A day of “Karing.” I’ve been collecting ideas from EVERYWHERE of volunteer opportunities that someone could do if they were alone in a city, or if they had a community to organize a larger group effort. These range from fund raisers, to traditional volunteering, to giving to charity, to shoveling someone else’s driveway. I’ve gotten a little excited about this effort and have a flyer with well over 100 ideas I’d like to email or mail out to people to get you thinking of what YOU can do that day or that week in January. Consider it a way to put some of that grief to good use. I know that my heart will be warmed that day in January, knowing that across the country (and beyond?) there were scores of people who joined together — maybe even recruiting people who never knew her and have only heard our stories — to make a difference in their community. I’ve never been one to be brief, so sorry about the length of this… If you are interested in that flyer of ideas, or if you would like to be an organizer of an event for a certain city, please feel free to email me at mikeandmaura@hotmail.com. Finally, I will give the first of what I hope are many creative ideas that stem from this. Mike Versluys had the idea of a benefit concert in Kara’s honor, which we’re talking about holding at the Common Grounds Coffee House in Cazenovia. With so many musically talented and acoustic friends and family, this could be a great chance to share these gifts as a community. If you would like more details on that, you can email Mike at the same address above. My prayers go out to each of you every night. God bless.