We know that MacGyver was involved with, and supported various charities and organizations throughout the series as well as RDA doing the same in real life.

So this got me to wondering how many MacGyver fans we have who are also involved in charities and organizations and which ones they support and why?


For me, I've had a long time interest in WSPA: World Society for the Protection of Animals. I think the thing that really impressed me about these guys is that instead of jumping around with silly publicity gimmicks to tell everyone that "Someone needs to do something about this." WSPA actually go and do it. They have rescue teams who physically go in and rescue animals from abuse/disaster/neglect but they don't do it in a grandstanding "oh look at us we're protecting the animals" sort of way that other organizations seem to do. They just go in and get the animals out. The other thing that impresses me is that they seem to know how to work the politics. They don't resort to the gimmicky type tactics of some other better know groups which seem more about public acknowledgment than doing any real good.

The thing that really drew me in to them was that they are like a Red Cross for animals. When disaster strikes (such as the Haiti earthquake) they send rescue teams in with mobile veterinary clinics and everything else they need to save as many injured, homeless,distressed animals as they can find. You gotta love that.

I'm actually surprised that RDA hasn't gotten involved with WSPA for all the good work they are doing particularly with dog cruelty issues, but also in many other areas, including whaling. AND especially since they now have their [url=http://www.animalsmatter.org/]Animals Matter to Me" campaign running to try and get a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the UN - which seems to have a few celebs like Simon Cowell involved with it now.

I use to be a Greenpeace supporter back in the early 90's, when they actually seemed to be doing something. I even had some of their supporter clothing and stuff, but then I think I came to the conclusion that all they were really achieving was promoting themselves and didn't really seem to be doing anything great for any of the causes they were fighting. Funny how you never seem to hear anything about Greenpeace any more.

Anyway, that's my little rant about who I support and why how about the rest of you?

Does a youth house count? Actually it's a place where you can come and relax after school and for the elder work. It involves keeping the place clean, organize theme nights and so on. There are advantages and disadvantages to it. Mostly the last lately. Other peoples are not doing there assigned tasks and we're with twelve of us. If they're doing it, they're doing it wrong as well or simply not taking the responsibilities they signed up for. And it can make me nuts because sometimes I get the feeling I'm the only one trying to keep the place up and running.

In matters of charity, actually nothing. Though at some point last year, I was at the hospital for a blood test. The nurse drew blood, I was looking the other way. Didn't feel a thing. Not the sting but the needle in my arm made me go: 'hey it feels warm.' I figured maybe I should join the Red Cross and make blood donations. Upon till now, I haven't done it yet, but I can still change my mind. Making decisions was never easy for me. Just now I've just got made the decision to change my clothing style. Well more color than just black. But if I ever change my mind it would be making blood donations for the Red Cross.

I actually support several organizations and charities both local and national.

Locally, I contribute to the United Way fund and have helped with the at work activities during pledge week. I also am a regular contributor to the MN Zoo. My family loves the educational events that they do for members and the conservation message that they send. Plus it's a great place to visit with friends and family when they come to town.

I am actively involved with a non-profit childcare center. I was on the Board of Directors for 4 years and now have been doing grant writing for them for the past 6 years. I also volunteer there, working with the preschoolers. Science experiments with the kids are a lot of fun. My company gives the organization $500 each year for my volunteer time which in turn the organization calls the Geek Grant and uses those dollars to purchase math and science based curriculum for the toddlers and preschoolers. Two weeks ago, I spent a day spreading 90 cu yds. (one full semi truck load) of woodchips across the playground with a bunch of other volunteers. It's a lot of fun to work in places like this, especially when you see the kids having fun. Last year, my husband and I made outdoor chalkboards for the playground and everyday it seems that the kids are creating new works of art on them.

Nationally, my family supports the National Wildlife Federation and the American Cancer Society (too many friends and family have died from cancer). I like the NWF because it promotes a lot of the energy conservation goals that I have as well as the critical habitats of some amazing animals. It's a nice blend of political action and hands on actions. I also support the Waterkeeper Alliance, especially for the Great Lakes Region. I know that Richard Dean Anderson is a supporter of Waterkeepers.

I think any little thing we can do to help out fellow man out is a worthwhile cause, be it something as small as giving change to the red buckets of the Salvation Army to things as big as building homes with Habitat for Humanity. Everything little things has the potential for big impacts.

I've been doing volunteer work my entire life. It's such an essential part of me that I can't imagine not doing it.

I no longer give blood -- I have medications that disqualify me -- but I think I was between 3 and 4 gallons for my lifetime total when I had to stop. I gave platelets a few times, which was quite grueling, and I'm in the bone marrow registry.

I've talked here occasionally about working on trailbuilding; the main trail I worked on, the Lime Kiln Trail, has been open for some years now and is very popular. I also worked on the Wawona, an historical ship (now lost, alas).

I currently do volunteer work at a local community center. I've volunteered for Gay Pride several times and probably will again this year. This year, I'm also doing volunteer computer tutoring for adults; I'm partway through the application process to work with a local women's shelter. Unlike trailbuilding, where you just show up, there's a lot more paperwork involved with the volunteer teaching.

Oh, and I do support some groups as well with donations -- mostly Waterkeepers (one of RDA's charities) and a couple of AIDS groups.

I don't exactly give to any charities (I wish I could ) but I'm a hard-core advocate of supporting the arts (music, drama, art..etc.) in public schools.

I have been heavilly involved in music since a very young age. I volunteered in the elementary strings program in my school district when I was in junior high and high school. Being a recent high school graduate as well as a music major/teacher, I have had a front row seat on the frightening effects cutting arts programs can have on the public school system.

I still work with elementary string students and it's so rewarding and exciting to see the positive influence music has on their lives for years afterward.

Oh, I left out one really neat one -- for a couple of years, I taught sewing classes to women in the local Somali refugee community. Amazing people! They had survived so much, and they were so strong inside.

And they make the most incredible coffee.

That does sound like an amazingly fun way to volunteer. Love the idea!

And yes, they do make awesome coffee! I've been to some of the restaurants that we have locally and my god their coffee is WOW!

Beth, that sounds like a really awesome thing to volunteer for!

...I wouldn't know about the coffee...I don't drink it...

But that's great that you helped those people!

Thanks, DF!

Geekgirl, have you ever experienced the coffee ritual? That's when they start with the green beans, roast them over a spirit lamp, grind them on the spot and then brew them in a gourd. Each person drinks three tiny cups that are half sugar and half concentrated essence of caffeinated rapture.

And then you don't sleep for three days . . .

Unfortunately no It sounds great though and would be the perfect solution for helping me stay awake when I have schoolwork/regular work/kids activities/volunteer stuff going on .... the perfect replacement for sleep. I bet the caffine crash is pretty bad though.

I've just had the small cups of rich sweet coffee. I also am a fan of turkish coffee and indian chai tea (without the sugar). Believe it or not, but Mac's first season adventures and Indiana Jones movies inspired me to try these new foods as a teenager, since I knew I'd never actaully get to visit those countries (can't sit on a plane for more than 5 hrs without climbing the walls).

michelle

The last day of the first round of classes, we had a celebration; one of my students (an Eritrean, actually) brought her coffee set and did the whole thing. It's very different from the Japanese tea ritual in terms of atmosphere, although it carries a similar cultural weight. The Japanese tea ceremony is introspective, the coffee ceremony is social and communal.

Somewhere in the Library I have a drabble suite titled "Six Points of the Compass" -- it was written for a prompt challenge, the first time I ever tried one of those. For the challenge, a list of six specific beverages was given, and you had to write a drabble for each one. One of them was coffee -- so I envisioned Mac in Somalia, dealing with the coffee ceremony.

I volunteer with a local puppet theater, called In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater. Their specialty is the BIG puppets... like 10 feet tall. Every spring they put on the May Day Parade and Festival, which has become an institution here in south Minneapolis. They have a parade through the neighborhood, and it ends in the local park, where they put on a pageant, and other groups have information booths, and there's food from neighborhood vendors, and music and dance performances from bands and dance troupes. I help set up on Saturday and then take everything down the next evening. Hard work, but seriously fun.

I also give money to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is a civil rights law firm in Alabama. They design tolerance curriculums for schools, keep tabs on hate groups, and prosecute hate crime cases. (They never take money from their legal clients... they're totally supported by donations.)

I'd love to volunteer with the Red Cross, but am extremely short on time at the moment.

I volunteer at my church when I can: I'm on the board of trustees, which essentially takes care of the building (a challenge when your church was built in 1909!), and I also help out with the rummage sales and our Sunday services (doing the reading, bringing bread and juice for communion, getting out and putting away the songbooks, etc.) I'd really love to help out with the once-a-month free community suppers, but my schedule doesn't allow for it right now.

I sometimes give money to the Center for Victims of Torture, which is based right here in Minneapolis. Survivors of torture come to them from all over the world, and receive medical treatment (including plastic surgery), intensive counseling, and help adjusting to a new country and culture. All at no charge to the clients, of course.

During our local elections, I make donations to the Democratic (liberal) candidates when I can, and I do a bit of work for the campaigns if I can, too.

I support anything with animals.

I've been supporting Wonder woman day, this year is the last year until they do something else, I've been donateing a drawing or two ever since 2006.

Wonder woman day