Toy Drive

Toy Drive
December 23, 2009
Sandra Bryan-Grier
Mrs. Mid-State US 2010

I had a toy drive at work and was able to collect about 40 toys and from my girl’s night party collection of cosmetics, personal and toiletry products to be donated to Shepherd Cove Shelter. The shelter helps to provide assistance to women and children who need a safe place to stay. I went over today to play Santa Claus and have the kids come up and select a toy. I also created gift bags with the items for the moms and treated them to something special as well. They were really happy and loved their bags. One of the little girls wanted to know how she could be in a pageant so she could be like me and I told her I would love to be her mentor and help her achieve her goal. It was really heart warming to see how excited the children were when we started to put the toys under the tree. In times of need it’s great to see people give of themselves to help others and to make a difference.

Wow……... Today was great and felt gratifying being able to be of service to others. My girlfriend went with me to help and we just couldn’t stop talking about how good we felt after we finished. I am looking forward to the next opportunity to help the shelter to provide service. Tis the season for giving not just a gift but also of yourself and your time.

Adopt A Family

I participated with Family Crisis Center a local shelter to collect gifts from their “Adopt a Family” program they had with different companies and sponsors for the holiday. The families ranged from one to nine children in each family. I adopted a family with a little girl 2 years old and dropped off the gifts when I went to the shelter. It was really heart warming to see how many employees with Fannie Mae participated in adopting families and purchasing gifts for them depending on what was on their list. The large office used as a drop off point was filled from floor to ceiling with pampers, bicycles, stroller, car seat, DVD’s, pillows and much more. Gifts were wrapped with tags and packaged by family name and placed in large oversized bags with name tags. There were also household and other items specifically for the shelter that ranged from a flat screen TV, to paper towels, cleaning liquids and detergent. We loaded the U-Haul truck and just had enough space to fit everything. With all of the families that are now homeless and in need it was really great to see how people really gave from their hearts knowing the need had been increased. These gifts of love will in fact make so many families have a blessed and Merry Christmas this year where without the gifts they may not have had gifts for their children. Its great to be able to make a difference in peoples lives and to see how in times of great need in our society even with our current economic situation we had so many people giving not just for the holidays but everyday. I truly felt humbled and blessed to take part in collecting and distributing the gifts collected.

WPGC-Coat Drive – December 5, 2009

I spoke with the Public Relations Director at WPGC and found out about their Annual Coat Drive on December 5th that would benefit the Salvation Army. This had a special place in my heart because my daughter and I have been collecting coats and clothes for the homeless and needy families over the past 4 years and donating them to local shelters and organization. I eagerly started sending our emails and posting on my Facebook to get donations for coats. I had friends dropping off coats at my home and meeting me in parking lots to drop off donations. When I went to bed on Friday, December 4th I heard that there was a slight chance of rain and maybe snow. When I woke up on Saturday morning the forecast changed to definite snow. All I could think of was where is my ski pants, jacket and socks? I layered up, packed up the car with the 90 coats and scarves I collected and then headed out with snow coming down the size of popcorn and it just keep snowing and snowing. When I arrived at the drop off location, I saw the promotions team already outside bundled up and all I kept saying to myself was, this is going to go by really quickly. I bundled up, got out the car, said hello to them and started to help collect coats. As people kept coming over, we would walk to the cars, get the bags, put them in cart and roll them under an area that was covered from the snow. My girlfriend Yvette and her daughter Deja collected 15 coats and dropped them off for us. After about 2 hours we took a break and had pizza and then I really saw how funny the promotions team and the DJ’s were. I was freezing, laughing and crying at the same time. We went back to collecting coats and for the people who were just stopping by to see why the WPGC truck was in the parking lot, I suggested that they could donate a coat by going to the department store in the shopping center to purchase a coat, blanket or scarf and if it was easier they could make a donation in the Salvation Army Kettle. We finished up about 5 pm and by then my hands, feet and face was freezing. By the time I got to the car, I could not feel anything on my body and all I could think was how I am going to hold the steering wheel to drive home. Then I came back to reality and thought how blessed I was to be able to be in a car and to go to a home with warmth when there were people who have to deal with the elements like season in and season out who have no choice but to adjust. I am still collecting coats from friends and family and will donate them through out the winter season to the Salvation Army.

Feast of Sharing Event November 25, 2009

Posting Mrs. Mid-State US 2010
Sandra Bryan Grier

Feast of Sharing Event November 25, 2009

I had the great pleasure of participating in the Feast of Sharing at the Washington D.C. Convention Center. The event was sponsored by my church Metropolitan Baptist Church, Safeway, Sun Trust Bank, Salvation Army, CBS Radio (WPGC) and other local organizations to provide food and clothes to over 5,000 participants. WPGC – Donnie Simpson, Justine Love and other radio personalities were in attendance and walked through the audience, greeted the guest and kept them entertained. My nice Kendra Lewis who attends Livingstone College in North Carolina was home visiting for the holidays and volunteered to serve with me. We were assigned a table of guest and were responsible to serve them through out the event. The entire guests at our table were elderly and said they felt special to be served by Mrs. Mid-State. I humbly replied and explained that the honor was mine to be able to give back to them and serve their meal. As it got busier, my niece and I started helping the other tables that were next to ours. We served the main course and then went back in line to pick up desserts and drinks. We were two of the last servers to leave because as I was helping to take down the centerpieces that were to be taken and donated to the sick, shut-ins and hospital we had three groups of guest arrive who had to be seated and served. We quickly set up the tables and then I went to get their meal while my niece went to get their drinks, silverware and dessert. When we signed out and left the banquet hall we really felt like we accomplished what we set out to do, which was to take the day to be of service to others and give of ourselves. Our guest were very happy and we pampered them and made them feel like they were the only ones there and that made us feel like we accomplished what we set out to do. Everyone at our tables was from different situations and circumstances. Some were homeless, from nursing homes, elderly living alone or others just in need of assistance. I am ready for the event again next year and will make it a family event with other family members and friends.