Over the years I've done a variety of things, helped with community clean up days in my town, gave time in political campaigns, crocheted bandages for people with leoprasy (sp?) in other countries, helped make quilts, toys, etc., I've given money to various causes, donated books and such to libraries and prisoners, and gave odds and ends to thrift shops that support various charities ... it sounds like lots, but the time and energy has been contributed in bits and pieces for the most part, donation of funds and time have been something I've done all my life, it was part of my upbringing ... I literally remember doing it before I was even in school.

Many of these activities and donations have been sponsored by the church I belong to, so it's often been as much of a social event with people I love spending time with anyway. But for a number of years, I donated 1-5 Saturdays a month for a cause I hold very close to my heart ... between the traveling to and from and the time spent in the effort, it was usually 10-12 hours per Saturday that I was involved. My schedule ultimately changed and so I no longer do that, but it was a wonderful time, and I can honestly say that I got so much more out of it then I could have ever put into it!