A little help, please, folks…

(image source)

This evening I heard about a wonderful charity called Project Smile. Apparently donations of stuffed animals were being requested; the donated stuffed animals then go in the back of State Troopers’ patrol cars etc. so that when they come upon an accident involving a child, they can help the child feel a little better by giving them a stuffed animal, and take their mind off what’s happened.

From the charity’s website:

Project Smile is a federally tax exempt non-profit organization which donates new and previously owned stuffed animals, coloring books/crayons, small toys and children’s reading books for police officers, fire fighters and paramedics to give to children. The goal of Project Smile is to provide all emergency responders throughout New England and eventually throughout the nation, with a continual supply of comfort items to help ease the pain and fear of traumatized children.

I think that’s possibly the most awesome idea ever. Details are over on their website for the curious…

Only in Ireland… :)

I know, I know- cringing already from that title, right? Still- there are lovely quirky little things that go on here that I’ve never seen happen anywhere else, so…

This morning on the way to work I noticed a B&B in Ranelagh has a big “for sale” sign out front, which wouldn’t be remarkable… except for the smaller sign at the bottom, saying “owners retiring”. As if to say “The business is grand, it’s just that they’ve come to the stage in their lives now where they’d like to relax for themselves instead of running around all the time, see?”. Amused me mightily.

My brother’s awesome (Swedish) girlfriend told us another great story the other night at the Rock for Haiti gig (which, btw, was excellent). She had been walking down O’Connell Street just after Christmas, when it was freezing cold and there was all the snow. She passed two Gardaí (both of whom looked all of 19, bless them) standing outside the GPO, and noticed one of them was rubbing his ears with his hands. The second Garda asked what he was doing, and when Garda the First responded that he was trying to warm his ears up, Garda no. 2 covered no. 1’s ears with his hands, going “There, now”. Aww.

Just a couple of things that made me smile. Carry on…

The Big Freeze

Good lord, it’s been cold the last few weeks. And I know, we’ve all discussed the snow and cold until it’s been beaten into the ground (OHMYGODIT’SSNOWINGWE’REALLGONNADIE!, to quote the official appropriate response to the precipitation) but there have been some really lovely things that I noticed which should be noted. First of all, let me say that I think the Irish really shine in an emergency- like during the floods last month, when offers of help came pouring in from all corners of the country and charities received so many donations that they ran out of space for storage before distribution – and people volunteered more space for them, too.

Last Wednesday, as those of us in Dublin know, the buses were shut down at 3pm when the roads were too treacherous for them to continue. Hordes of people had to walk home, and the amount of times I saw people helping each other cross frighteningly icy streets was incredible. I walked from Ranelagh to Templeogue (about 3 miles) on ice (sheets of ice through Rathmines. Really scary) and snow, and it took me about 2 hours to get home. On the way, though, just as I got to Templeogue, a woman pulled over to offer me a lift. Another lovely thing I noticed that I thought was really considerate was that some motorists were using their hazard lights to indicate icy patches to fellow motorists.

There were some wonderful stories over the weekend, too. As the cold got worse, and the snow shockingly continued, tales came out of shopkeepers who were bringing supplies to snowbound members of their communities. The Drimnagh Community Network was going door-to-door offering to help people if they needed paths cleared or supplies brought in (with no charge, of course). At the Gap of Dunloe in Co. Kerry, the town was being kept open by the work of the residents gritting the roads themselves to keep them passable. The IFA offered to grit the roads in Cork (though unfortunately it seems they were turned down by the County Council). The town of Carrickfergus came to our aid when we were about to run out of grit, offering some of their supplies. And everywhere I went, people seemed to be keeping an eye out for each other, warning of slippy bits or jumping to help if someone took a tumble.

Lots of people used it as an excuse to get out with the camera, and of course I was one of many wandering around snapping shots of the snow. Photos are up on my flickr (link to the right). Loads of people were out sledding, too- any hill that was available, and on anything that could reasonably be used as a sled. Shrieks of joy and laughter rang out across Bushy Park, which was mobbed with people yesterday sledding. Wonderful.