Donations and Volunteerism

There's no better feeling of achievement then volunteering. This past year alone I joined my local chapter of The Lions Club International.

We make strides to improve the hearing and vision of our most vulnerable fellow citizens by raising funds to provide eyeglasses and hearing aids to children and senior citizens.

Since joining the Lions club, I have helped my club wash thousands of used eyeglasses that have been sent overseas to developing countries. I have volunteered at local blood drives. I have helped organize fundraisers.

I encourage you find a local Lions Club near you and find out more about the programs and services we provide to our communities. 2017 marks the Lions International Clubs 100th year anniversary. Every club has some special projects in the works for this historic period in our organizations history.

If you can't volunteer your time with an organization like the International Lions Clubs, you can always donate to your local service centers. This past week alone I tried to donate several bags of non-perishable food to my local service center. Unfortunately they were closed and did not have an after hours drop box for food. Thinking outside the box I took the bags to a well known motel that houses low income individuals and families. They have a laundry room that doubles as a walk in food pantry for the residents.

Every town has a well known motel or two that has the same situation. You probably have a local shelter too that could benefit from your food donations.

Very often we forget or just overlook completely, because we are to afraid to stand up and do something. Sure there are some of these less fortunate people who are taking advantage of our poverty assistance programs, and make us not want to do the charitable thing. Then there are also some that are too proud to ask for help publicly.

You always see the donation boxes on the side of the road asking you to donate clothes, books, and shoes. Most of us clean out our closets and throw our garments in those boxes. Sure that helps out others but we need to also remember that the human body needs food to survive. Most pantries are non-profit with no government funding and rely on food donations.

As we say in my club no donation is too small. One small act of kindness goes a long way.

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day (Monday, May 29, 2017) I have found a new meaning to Patriotism. Yesterday driving home from New Hampshire I was greeted with the vision of the American Flag hanging from a construction rig's crane flying high over highway I-93 South followed by a quarter mile of parked construction rigs flying the American Flag full mast on the vehicles' antennae.

Today while I was dropping a friend off at their home, I passed the every business in the town of Bourne, Massachusetts, along Route 28 South (MacArthur's Blvd) decorate their lawns with 100's even 1000's of American Flags. The vision brought tears to my eyes because even when we are living in somewhat chaotic times, my fellow Americans still thank the men and women of the military for their service. They also haven't forgotten the soldiers who died protecting our right of freedom.

So today as I prepare to go to work on Memorial Day, I thank each man and woman in the Service for their daily sacrifices. I remember their Brothers and Sisters-in-Arms who lost their lives in the Line of Duty. I thank the Veterans of the Military for their time served.

I also keep their families in my thoughts as they too have to make sacrifices. It's not a secure feeling wondering if you are ever going to see a loved one again, because they are going out to do their dangerous but selfless job.

So I ask that if you are reading this please remember while you are barbecuing why you are celebrating this holiday. This holiday isn't about getting drunk it's about remembering our fallen.heroes so please celebrate responsibly.

Favorite Hang Outs

Everyone has their favorite hang-out whether it be a movie theater, arcade, bowling alley or restaurant. You visit friends they take you to "the best" place you will love.

If you are like me and my family you love hang-outs that are off the beaten path, These are the ones that are only spread through word of mouth and locals keep a heavily guarded secret. 

I live on Cape Cod which has several heavily guarded secret locations. There's The Knob, Paul's Pizza and Seafood, the Sliding Rock of BeeBee Woods, Coonamessett Lake, and many more.

I also like to go to popular restaurants that aren't advertised on mainstream media.

For example:

When I vacation in New Hampshire I love going to Hart's Turkey Farm Restaurant. Hart's Turkey Farm is famous for celebrating Thanksgiving everyday of the year. Located in Meredith, NH. What's unique about this restaurant is that almost every entree has turkey incorporated in someway. Their gravy is out of this world as well as their stuffing.

If your in the Meredith/Laconia area you have to stop at Hart's Turkey Farm. An interesting fact: the restaurant is so famous that really the only advertising they need is word of mouth and on a busy day they serve over one ton (in the literal meaning) of turkey, 40 gallons of gravy, 1,000 pounds of potatoes, 4,000 dinner rolls, and over 100 pies.

#hartsturkeyfarm #deliciousfood #gobblegobble

To check out their menu and a little more about their history go to their website:
Hart's Turkey Farm


Another great restaurant is Walter's Basin Restaurant Pub in Holderness, NH. It's this quirky out of the way restaurant situated on Squam Lake. They serve great fish dishes as well as steak platters. Sitting in the bar area you also have great views of Squam Lake and water fowl.

Walter's Basin Restaurant Pub


#waltersbasin #greatfood #scenicviews

New Beginnings

I'm reworking this blog to share my adventures my lifestyle change. I hope you hop along in this adventure with me.

Two years ago I made a drastic lifestyle change. It's actually becoming more and more common in today's American society. I have a Dairy Allergy. I'm not lactose intolerant, believe it or not they are two completely different allergies extremes.

The common misconception of the dairy free lifestyle is that we are all Vegan. That is not entirely true. There are those of us who still eat meat, fish and chicken. We have to alter our meal ingredients and use tofu based cheeses and butter/margarine alternatives.

I personally do not care for tofu and I have to melt the cheese to tolerate the test but I love soy milk, soybean ice cream and baked treats. For the most part I use oil based spreads for my butter/margarine.

I'm always reading labels to make sure that there is no casein, whey, lactose and other mammal-based milk ingredients which makes a simple stop to the grocery or convenience store not so simple. You'd really be surprised at what's in the food you're eating if you had to read every label.

I sometimes dread going out to restaurants because mostly all sides and sauces have milk and/or butter in them. If I have warning about going out to a restaurant I will generally bring my butter, sour cream, and milk with me, Most restaurants won't care if you tell them up front that you have a dairy allergy and are usually willing to work with you to make your meal as safe as possible.

More and more companies are coming out with allergy friendly products.

Two years ago I thought my world was going to end, the adjustment period was extremely hard. Just like a young child learning had to eat solids, I experimented with my food and quickly found that I love SILK, Daiya, Udi's, Annie's Homegrown Food, and Amy's Kitchen products.

There's this start up company based out of Worcester, MA called Alicia's Homemade that makes vegan (dairy-free) and gluten free spices and sauces. I met the founder Alicia at an Arts and Crafts fair in Hyannis, MA a couple of summers ago. It was refreshing to meet someone with the same allergies as me. So every chance I get I pitch her products to friends, family and people with similar allergies I just met. I'm an advocate for small business owners and word of mouth is one's biggest form of advertisement.

I love Alicia's spices I make almost all my meals at home with them and she has relatively reasonable pricing. She has several types and they are all ready to mix with your favorite oils, and dips. They also make very good marinades. I have supplied their website link on my favorites list. Please check out her website.

Another company I really indulge in is Divvies I love their cookies and they are very allergy friendly. If you live in New England they just partnered with DeMoula's Market Basket to sell in  Market Basket's bakery department. They taste as if there is butter and milk in them (which they don't) and it makes for a guilty free snack for me. It's a win.

To wrap up this relaunch of my blog., I would just like to say everyone has a past and a present but it takes a brave person to launch a new beginning.  Here's to many new adventurous stories to be shared.

#silk #daiya #udisglutenfree #annieshomegrownfood #aliciashomemade #tofutti #divvies #amyskitchen