February 5, 2012

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The Spirit of the Season

December 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

“Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!” We say it all so readily as the early winter season approaches. But do we mean it? Are you helping make your part of the world better, are you volunteering your time to help others. There are so many organizations that need our help where you can directly help individuals in your community or around the world.

Here are some organizations that I feel are worthwhile, please let me know if you have any to add to the list. Organizations that truly know the Spirit of the Season all year long.

- Your local volunteer fire company, they depend so much on the generosity of other. Please help.

- Your local Rotary Club. These dedicated business persons help with community projects to international aid and do so much to help others around the world and around the corner.

- Your local food bank. As the economy slowly recovers from 2011 to 2012, please remember there are many in your community that may need help with the basic elements, such as their next meal, please remember to help all year long, as hunger isn’t just a seasonal problem.

- Helping someone that is down on his luck, cancer touches almost every family, and For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation helps families battling cancer so they can get break from cancer.

- Nothing says Christmas and Hanukkah like toys for children, no one does it better than the U.S. Marine Corps. and their Toys for Tots program. If you can help, please do.

Let me know who you help at this season, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Filed Under: Inspiration, Tim's Observations, Volunteering Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Logos created by RavenWood Creative Adorn Fire Apparatus

January 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I’m so proud. As a member of Flourtown Fire Company, I was asked to develop a logo for the 100th Anniversary of the company. They wanted something that fondly incorporated its proud history of serving the community of Springfield Township, Montgomery County, PA, but also looked to the future for the company. The logo combines a Maltese cross, common in the fire service, with a traditional ribbon treatment from the past with the theme of the anniversary “A Century of Service.” I updated the Maltese cross to include a modern hydraulic rescue tool on one side with the traditional, ladder, hydrant, and hook on the other. The center field includes a flame motif, adopted by the company many years ago with a super-imposed “6″ in transparent smoke color over top.

The logo also features a ribbon of gold, reminiscent of the gold leafing found on the trucks. The years of the anniversary 1910 and 2010 surround the traditional logo of the company a script “FFCo”, which took many hours in Illustrator to mimic as it’s only painted on the sides of the apparatus and any printed versions didn’t have the detail I was looking for. The logo was printed by Pierce Apparatus Manufacturers on reflective decal backing and sliced preciously to fit on the roll up doors on the rear of Ladder 6, Engine 6 and Squad 6 all of which are housed at Flourtown Fire Company, 1526 Bethlehem Pike.

Let me know what you think.

Tim

Filed Under: Design, Volunteering Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Learning to Just Ask

May 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Last night I spent the evening learning I’m not alone. Like me, there are a lot of people out there that feel uncomfortable asking others for money. I volunteer for two non-profits that depend on the kindness and support of others. The training I received yesterday explained how to listen to the donor and invite them to be a part of something bigger. I think I can do that. The two charities: Crossing the Finish Line which offers adult cancer patients a week-long respite from their treatments to reconnect with their families – they supply immeasurable joy to these families. The other, Flourtown Fire Company, the local volunteer fire company that I respond to emergencies with as a firefighter.

Do you have any tips for fundraising? I encourage you to check out these charities and let me know how you’d go about asking for help.

Until next time, Tim

Filed Under: Charity, Volunteering Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Volunteering – Making America Better

February 5, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Please forgive the dramatic, patriotic title – but it is Super Tueday afterall and in over 20 states everyday citizens are going to the polls and casting their votes. No matter which side of the fence you stand on, it should be an interesting election.

But why the volunteering message, Tim? I know that’s what you’re asking. Well, at the majority of those polling places they are staffed by volunteers. Without volunteers much of what we depend on would dry up. Elections for one count on volunteers, fire/rescue services is another, if you live outside a city, your firefighters are most likely unpaid volunteers. But think about all the community groups, historical societies, and business/trade organizations that depend on volunteers to keep the gears in motion.

I know this is a communication-based blog on a marketing/communication business’ web site, but this is the message I’m communicating today – go out and VOLUNTEER. I know I’ve found great personal fulfillment in my many volunteer efforts as a firefighter, graphic designer/marketing committee member for a charity, restorer of an historic mill, and help out for IABC Philadelphia. Seems much of my schedule is filled with volunteer efforts, but I love it, I love being busy and feeling I’m accomplishing something. Granted, it also helps with networking and getting to know people, but it’s the helping people that draws me in, the feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself that without your particular group would not happen. Volunteering is the life blood of the American Spirit, when disaster strikes or a community is in need, often it’s the volunteers that make things better and in the process make America better. We are lucky enough to have the means to volunteer and live in a country that encourages it. I’ve never seen any statistics, but I bet the USA is near the tops in volunteering. Does anyone know where I could find statistics to back up that statement?

So how do you volunteer? I’d love to know, please leave a comment and fill me in.

Until next time, please leave your thoughts below, Tim

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