Coat Drive 2011

Coat Drive

Ask your friends and family to clean out their closets. We will be collecting gently used coats, sweaters, jackets, gloves, hats for our local people in need, in conjunction with One Warm Coat.

Drop off by 12/21

• We will distribute them to local people in need on 12/22 at

Last year we collected 102!

Thanksgiving

We collected contributions for Harbor Interfaith Services to provide Thanksgiving baskets to local families in need.
4 large turkeys, stuffing and lots of canned goods were delivered in time for Thanksgiving.

November 2011

Upcoming Events

• December Dinner - Wednesday, December 14, 6:30 PM, Torrance, CA. Theme will be Warmth.
• Collect, sort and count coats, jackets, sweaters from the coat drive.  Prepare them for delivery and enjoy our success.
• Get an update on where our Shoe Boxes were delivered.

• Small Business Saturday - Saturday, November 26.  The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting locally-owned independent businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. We're asking millions of people to shop small at their favorite local stores and help fuel the economy.

• A vibrant small business community is critical to the health of the US economy and the cornerstone of the thousands of cities and towns.
• What really drives the U.S. economy? No, it is not war. It's small business.  Firms with fewer than 500 employees drive the U.S. economy by
• providing jobs for over half of the nation's private workforc
• paying 43 percent of total U.S. private payroll
• representing 99.7 percent of all firm
• creating more than half of the gross domestic product (private non-farm GDP)
• generating 65% of net new jobs
• producing 16.5 times more patents per employee than large firms
• Pledge your support for Small Business Saturday®
• www.smallbusinesssaturday.com
• Christmas Party and Gift Giving event - Wednesday, December 14, 4:00 PM, El Segundo, CA.  
• 50 children from the Boys and Girls Club of the South Bay have given a wishlist of a few things they want for Christmas.
• We choose a children, purchase items on their list and wrap them.
• Vivient hosts a Christmas Party where Santa hands out the gifts.

• Coat Drive - Ask your friends and family to clean out their closets.  We will be collecting gently used coats, sweaters, jackets, gloves, hats for our local people in need, in conjunction with One Warm Coat.

• We will distribute them to the homeless to at
  

Last year we collected 102!

Shoe Box Packing 2011

The Shoe Box Packing was a big success!

We packed 100 boxes,
over 1,000
toys, shoes, school supplies, toiletries and more!

 

And we had a lot of fun shopping and packing and hanging out with friends.

Your donations will be dropped of with Samaritan's Purse and distributed to needy children overseas.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ 

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world.

Fair Trade Shopping 2011

Fair Trade Shopping Trip

We had a great time on our trip to Ten Thousand Villages in Pasadena and brunch at Lamills. We got some Christmas shopping done, enjoyed brunch with friends and supported a good cause.

• LAMILL Coffee, a fresh, new culinary approach to coffee that goes far beyond standard coffeehouse fare, including delectable light meals presented in a high-style, modern setting.
  
  "Not just experts, we are zealots, solely focused on the bronzed bean."
  www.lamillcoffee.com

• Ten Thousand Villages is one of the world's largest fair trade organizations. Enjoyed browsing for Christmas presents through all the unique handmade gifts made by artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East while helping improve the livelihood of artisans in 38 countries. http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/

October 2011

Upcoming Events

• November Dinner - Wednesday, November 16, 6:30 PM, Torrance, CA. Theme will be Gifts. 
• Vivien will join us to talk about her fourth annual Christmas Party and Gift Giving event with the Boys and Girls Club of the South Bay. http://www.southbayclubs.org/

• Shoe Box Packing for Operation Christmas Child.  Packing party is Friday afternoon, 11/18 at DIRECTV.  Boxes will be delivered by 11/21.

• Turkeys for the Homeless - Collecting through November 17
• Each year, Harbor Interfaith Services provides Thanksgiving baskets for approximately 300 families. As of today, we still need about 100 turkeys and all of the trimmings to fill those baskets.
  
  Can you help?
  
  Please let us know by Thursday, Nov. 17 if we can count on you to drop off a turkey or a grocery store gift card. Our food pantry is located at 623 W. Ninth Street. You can call us at (310) 831-9123 or simply reply to this email. We will be distributing baskets on Nov. 22. Let us know if you'd like to lend a hand.

• Or bring to Counterpoint dinner Wed or to Sandi Thurs and I will deliver it.

September 2011

Upcoming Events

• October Dinner - Sunday, October 16, 5:30 PM, Torrance, CA. Theme will be Fair Trade.
• BiaJú - Organic, Fair Trade from the Amazon.  Unique, beautifully handcrafted jewelry, accessories and home décor from Brazil.  www.biaju.com

• LAGA - exquisite handbags with a heart.   Providing a secure future for those who lost their livelihood in the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia.
  www.laga-handbags.com

• Fair Trade Shopping:  Saturday, October 22. Leave from Torrance 10:30 AM.  Join us on a trip to Ten Thousand Villages in Pasadena and brunch at Lamills.  Get some Christmas shopping done, enjoy brunch with friends and support a good cause.

Food Drive 2011

The Food Drive was a big success!

We collected 4 large boxes,

over 500 pounds of food!

Your donations will be distributed to food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens throughout Los Angeles County.

Special Thanks to LA Regional Food Bank who provided the boxes, posters, pick up and delivery.  http://www.LAFoodBank.org/

Over one million people in Los Angeles County are at risk of going hungry.  This year appears as though it may be the toughest the Food Bank has ever seen.  The skyrocketing cost of living and record poor economy has sent many working families into food pantries for the first time.  Most of the charitable agency sites in the Food Bank's network of over 600 agencies have seen record increases in the number of new, first time clients looking for emergency food assistance. 

August 2011

Upcoming Events

• September Dinner - Sunday, September 18, 5:30 PM, Torrance, CA. 
• Moonlight Hike - Friday, September 9, 7:30 PM, in Palos Verdes Estates.  Travel trails along the coastal bluffs. Meet 7:30 pm at intersection of PV Dr W, Yarmoth, & Via Anacapa, across from Lunada Bay Fountain. Sturdy shoes required. Rain cancels.   http://angeles.sierraclub.org/outingsDB/index.aspx.
• Fair Trade Shopping:  join us on a trip to Ten Thousand Villages and lunch in Pasadena.  Date TBD.  Get some Christmas shopping done, enjoy dinner with friends and support a good cause.

• Shoebox Packing Party: for Operation Christmas Child in November, date TBD.  Start gathering now (toys, school supplies, toiletries).  Spend lunch with friends while helping spread the joy to needy children throughout the world.

August Topics

• Nature:  We shared experiences about how nature enriches our lives.  Some of our favorites that have made a difference in our lives include:
• Runyan Canyon in Hollywood:  http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=122 

• Yosemite National Park:  http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm 
• Santiago Oaks Park in Orange County:  http://www.ocparks.com/santiagooaks/ 

July 2011

Upcoming Events

• August Dinner - New Time! Sunday, August 21, 5:30 PM, Torrance, CA.  The theme will be Nature.

• Food Drive: Food banks are low this time of year but are struggling more than ever this year.  Clean out your cupboards and pick up a few extras when you find good coupons or sales.  More details to come.
• Canned food, especially proteins like tuna
• Crackers
• Nutrition bars
• Peanut butter
• Condiment
Dry cereal

• Kitchen Drive: Kitchen Drive has been postponed until after the Food Drive.

July Topics

• BBQ and Open House:  We had a blast!  Lots of new people came to learn about us.
• Information:  Tons of information was posted and layed out around the house so people could browse and learn about all the great organizations doing good works.  We also had information about our past, upcoming and annual events.
• Guess Your Back:  Each guest got the name and information of an organization that we have supported pinned to their back, then had to guess what it was by asking Yes or No questions.  Prizes went to the first 3 people to guess (all eco-friendly gifts of course!).  It helped people mingle and learn about all the great organizations we support.
• Tequila Tasting:  Filtering won again!  Most people chose the cheap tequila that had been filtered over the expensive tequila.  Mmmmm....what shall we filter next?
• Toss the Bottles:  Much has been debated about plastic bottles.  Most serious environmentalist say avoid them altogether and stick to reusable bottles.  So we competed to see who could toss the most reclyclable plastic water bottles in the reclycling bin.  The winner received a Britta water filter and the 2 runner ups won reusable water bottles.

Open House

BBQ & Open House

See what we’re all about.

And have fun!  Bring a friend!

• Good Conversation
• A look at our accomplishments and the fun we’ve had in the past year
• Tequila Tasting (check out the effects of filtering)
• Pool and Jacuzzi
• Access to Mona’s wine room (don’t tell her I said that)

When:

Sunday, July 10, 2011  4:00 pm to 8:00 pm (or whenever)

Where:

Mona’s House (email me at sandi@counterpointgroup.org for details)

June 2011

Upcoming Events

• BBQ and Open House - Sunday, July 10, 4:00 PM, Torrance, CA.  Everyone is welcome to come see what we are all about.  We would like to introduce you to Counterpoint and show you what we're up to.
• Swag Drive from Programmer's Fair: It's that time of year when DIRECTV has its annual Programmer's Fair and all our programmers bring swag/chotchkies promoting their channel or TV show to give as gifts to employees.  We will be collecting unused promotional items for local transition center for the homeless and for shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child in November. 
• School Supplies
• Clothing and Accessories
• Toys and Games
• Toiletries
• Bags and other useful item
• Kitchen Drive: Kitchen Drive has been postponed until after the Swag Drive.

June Dinner Topics

• New Sponsored Child:  I am sponsoring a new child through Save the Children.  I received my package with his photo and information.  His name is Gerald and he is 10 years old.  He lives lives in the Philippines in a house made of palm leaves.  He is shy and likes to read.  Save the Children is working in his community to improve school facilities, libraries and youth resource centers.  I am looking forward to exchanging letters and photos with him.  Isn't he adorable?

Quote: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
                                                                 ~Anne Frank

• Buying Local Produce:  We have pledged to buy more local produce.  Many of us have signed up with Farm Fresh To You, http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/.  They deliver fresh, organic produce from local Community Supported Agriculture farms to your door.  I got my first box.  Wow, I never knew carrots and lettuce could taste so good!  Incredibly delicious tomatos and green beans, plus peppers, blackberries, melons and more.
• 150 Messanger Bags:  Word has gotten around and now the marketing department calls me when they have out-dated promotional items.  Instead of throwing them in the trash, I deliver them to the needy as appropriate.  This time I got 3 boxes of messanger bags which were delivered to the homeless at Harbor Interfaith Services and Shared Bread.
• Phuket, Thailand:  Mona and Cynthia returned from their fantastic vacation in Phuket and shared pictures with us.  The region seems to be well recovered from the disastrous tsunami that struck in 2004.  They had a great time kayaking, riding elephants and relaxing.

1 Year Anniversary

Counterpoint Celebrates its 1 Year Anniversary!
View a 15-minute presentation about our activities and accomplishments in our first year!

http://www.counterpointgroup.org/uploads/MyVideos/1_Year_H.wmv

May 2011

Upcoming Events

• Counterpoint Dinner Party - Tuesday, June 21, 6:30 PM, Torrance, CA 
• Kitchen Drive: We will be collecting kitchenware of all kinds for local transition center for the homeless.
• Pots and Pans
• Plates, Bowls
• Cups, Glassware, Coffee Mugs
• Utensils, Knives, Spoons, Forks
• Gadgets

Things You Can Do

• Rummage through your kitchen and see what you can find that you can spare. 
• Bring them to our next dinner
• Email us for a pick up
• Drop them off at a shelter or transition center near yo

May Dinner Topics

• Counterpoint had its 1 Year Anniversary!:  We had a wonderful evening reminiscing the past year and looking at all our accomplishments as individuals and as a group.  Hear's to another year!
• Filtered Vodka Tasting:  The results are in!  In a blind taste test it was unanimous - the cheap vodka filtered through a water filter tasted better than the expensive vodka out of the bottle.
• How is this relevant?  In out April dinner we were discussing how bad plastic bottles were to the environment.  One alternative is to filter your own water instead of buying bottled water.  Then it was mentioned that filtering could make cheap vodka taste as good or better than expensive vodka, so we had to try it.  (You had to have been there...
• Lend A Hand for Japan George McMullen conducted his Los Angeles Harbor College Studio Jazz Orchestra at this Charity Fund raising event with Live Jazz Music and Art in Long Beach, CA on May 15. 
• Check out the details on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lend-A-Hand-for-Japan/109629222455031?sk=wall&filter=12

April 2011

Upcoming Events

• Counterpoint Dinner Party - Tuesday, May 17, 6:30 PM, Torrance, CA 
• Join us in celebrating our One Year Anniversary!
• Lend A Hand for Japan - Sunday, May 15, 3:30 PM
• George McMullen will be conducting his Los Angeles Harbor College Studio Jazz Orchestra at this Charity Fund raising event with Live Jazz Music and Art
• EXPO Building, 4321 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA
  

Things You Can Do

• Swap out incandescent lights bulbs for CFL.
• You’ll save $30-40 in electric bills for the life of EACH light bulb.
• Calculate how much money and energy you will save: http://www.calculatewhat.com/miscellaneous/light-bulb-savings-calculator
• Set printer settings to double-sided.  The average person can save 1 tree a year.
• See how this will help: http://ecology.com/features/paperchase
• Stop throwing batteries in the trash.  Put them in the recycling or take them to a hazardous waste center.
• Unplug electronics when not in use.
• Learn more: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/explore/turnoff-pc.aspx
• Bring your own reusable shopping bags to the store.
• Learn more about what plastic bags do to the environment: http://www.reuseit.com/learn-more/top-facts/plastic-bag-facts
• Switch of the tap while brushing.
• Lower my use of bottled water/ beverages.
• Use a clothesline whenever possible.
• Eat organic and local foods.
• We love Farm Fresh to You
• Take a Footprint quiz and read about ways you can help the planet by making minor changes in your habits:  http://files.earthday.net/footprint/flash.html 

April Dinner Topics

• Earth Day:  We had fun bantering about the environment and learning myths and facts about our impact on the planet.  We were inspired to each take a pledge to change one simple thing.  Our pledges included:
• Unplugging our chargers when not in use.
• Using re-usable bags at the grocery store.
• Swapping out incandescent lights bulbs for CFL.
• Eat more organic and local foods.

Did you know?

• About Batteries:
• Rechargeable batteries contain more toxic metals such as mercury, silver, cadmium, lithium. When not disposed of properly, discarded batteries can harm wildlife, pollute groundwater and soil.  This includes the batteries in your electronics such as cell phone, laptop, digital camera.
• Since Congress passed the Mercury-Containing Battery Management Act in 1996, most disposable alkaline batteries contain little or no mercury.  (We still recommend proper disposal by taking it to a recycling center or hazardous waste center.) 
• About Plastic Bags:

• 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year, worldwide. About 1 million every minute. 
• The U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually at an estimated cost to retailers of $4 billion
• Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistaken them for food.
• A single plastic bag can take 25 to 1,000 years to degrade depending on circumstances, but remain toxic even after they break down.
• About Paper:
• The average person uses about 2.5 trees per year in printer paper.
• Printing double-sided can save about 1 tree per year per person.
• World consumption of paper has grown 400% in the last 40 years.http://ecology.com/features/paperchase
• Average per capita paper use in the USA is 700% of the average use worldwide.
• 3 cubic yards of landfill space can be saved by one ton of recycled paper.
• Learn more about paper:

• About Energy and CO2 Emissions:
• A Desktop PC consumes 5 times more energy than a Laptop.
• Screen savers are not energy savers. Using a screen saver may in fact use more energy than not using one, and the power-down feature may not work if you have a screen saver activated.
• You save as much as $90 a year in power costs compared to a PC left on with a screen saver running
• Most electricity is generated from oil or gas powered generators which create a colossal amount of C02.
• Saving electricity means reducing CO2 emissions.  Swapping out 1 incandescent light bulb that is used for 4 hours a day for a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulb will save 100kg in C02 emissions each year which is the equivalent of
• 1 plane ride from London to Edinburgh
• 330 mile drive in a Ford Focus
• 1000 mile train ride
• Increased CO2 emissions increase greenhouse gases which trap heat in our atmosphere.  It also means plants use less water which reduces the cooling effect plants have.  (On a hot day, a tree can release tens of gallons of water into the air, acting as a natural air conditioner for its surroundings.)
• Learn some serious science about CO2 emissions: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100503161435.htm


March 2011

Upcoming Events

• Counterpoint Dinner Party - Tuesday, April 19, 6:30 PM, Torrance, CA 
• The theme is Earth.  Let’s take care of this planet – it’s the only one with chocolate!
• Earth Day 2011 - http://www.earthday.org
• Earth Day Festival at SEA Lab in Redondo Beach April 16
• Earth Day in Torrance at Madrona Marsh April 16
• Errand Volunteer training - in the late spring for Beach Cities Health District Community Care Services helping local seniors.  http://www.bchd.org/

Things You Can Do

• Drop off your old gently worn shoes at the nearest Sports Chalet.  They have partnered with Soles 4 Souls to distribute shoes to people in need.  Read more about it and find a drop off location at http://www.soles4souls.org/ 
• Follow this link to select from a variety of organizations and send money (just $10) by phone, email or text: Japan Relief Donations
• Look for the best place to donate your unwanted items where they will do the most good (or discard where they will do the least harm).  Check out http://www.stuffyadontwant.com/
• Save canned food, toiletries or coupons for the needy.
• Take a Footprint quiz and read about ways you can help the planet by making minor changes in your habits.  http://files.earthday.net/footprint/flash.html 

March Dinner Topics

• Preparedness:  In light of recent events in Japan, we took the opportunity to get educated about earthquakes and disaster preparedness.
• Did you know?
• The recent earthquake in Japan was 100 time greater than the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
• Scientist predict that there is a 60% chance of a major earthquake occuring in Southern California in the next 30 years, but the greatest it could be would be a magnitude of 8.0.
• California is not going to fall into the ocean because the plates are moving horizontally not vertically.
• Evidence abounds of animals, fish, birds, reptiles, and insects exhibiting strange behavior anywhere from weeks to seconds before an earthquake.  The first record of his behavior is from Greece in 373 BC
• What should you if you experience an earthquake while at home or in the office?
• In modern homes doorways are no stronger than any other parts of the house and usually have doors that will swing and can injure you. YOU ARE SAFER PRACTICING THE DUCK, COVER, AND HOLD under a sturdy piece of furniture.
• What should you do immediately after an earthquake
• Turn the gas off and DO NOT turn on the gas again - let the gas company do it.
• DO NOT use matches, lighters, camp stoves or barbecues, electrical equipment, appliances UNTIL you are sure there are no gas leaks. They may create a spark that could ignite leaking gas and cause an explosion and fire.
• DO NOT use your telephone, EXCEPT for a medical or fire emergency. You could tie up the lines needed for emergency response.
• Check out the U.S. Geological Survey for lots of information.  http://www.usgs.gov
• Earthquake preparedness information
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Fun Facts 
• Clipping coupons for the needy.  I hear segments on the news about people who clip coupons and walk out with $400 worth of groceries for $37.  Wouldn't it be great to take $400 worth of groceries to a homeless shelter or food bank when it only cost you $37 and a few minutes of your time?  
• We'd like to learn tips and tricks for using coupons while we're at the store to pick up a few extra things for the needy for almost free.
• Secret Millionaire.  I saw a new show on TV where a wealthy person goes under cover and selects charities to donate to.  I think it's a great premise for a reality show and I hope it inspires people.  http://abc.go.com/SecretMillionaire