Easy Compassion Card Project

I had a great experience tonight! A friend at a retirement community wanted to enhance her personal quality of life - something you will find that most people are interested in. Since she had been a nurse, we discussed the possibilities, and came up with the idea of doing a "Compassion Card Project." As a result, my friend and some of her "neighbors" worked throughout this evening to produce a dozen get well cards for St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN. The turn-around time from idea to completion? A mere 48 hours.

This is a quick and easy project for any student's resume! How did I go about developing the idea?

• First, I identified a need.

• Second, my friend and I together discussed options and arrived at one that I knew was do-able, despite various physical limitations on the parts of the elderly participants. In other words, I was reasonably sure that the project would be a success.

• Third, I spoke with the facility's Activity Director to obtain permission. I also got her OK for the time and place, and that she would provide the necessary craft supplies (already available in her supplies cabinet).

• Fourth, I phoned St. Jude Children's Hospital to obtain their OK, since the cards wouldn't be addressed to any particular person, as well as their mailing address and whom to address the package of cards to.

• Fifth, I invited my friend's neighbors to join in and we did the project. A good time was had by all!

In summary, this was one of the win-win scenarios that we discuss in our Open Doors curriculum. Both card maker and card recipient will benefit. Compassion enhances any endeavor, and this is a simple idea you can copy to do good for others, as well as for yourself!