Page 7 - 201006 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - June 2010

June 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 30/06/2010 11:46 PM Page 7 Empowering Your Kids : Ways To Help 7 Empowering Your Kids: Pet and Human Hair become an ornithologist. I know a few species Helping out with the oil spill that Ways to Help With The occurred in the Gulf may be as simple as of birds. I also acknowledge that this is breeding time for plovers, terns, etc. will do all in my strength to earn money. BP Oil Spill donating some hair. When you groom your pet, I All I need is your okay. save all that hair that you get. It can be used to www.more4kids.info help clean up the oil spill. Both pet hair and Olivia Bouler, 11 years old and willing human hair can be used to help keep the spills to help More than likely you have heard a whole lot in contained. The way it works is that hair from So began Olivia’s "Save the Gulf" the news lately about the oil spill that took place dogs and humans will be combined together, campaign. The fifth grader from Islip, N.Y., in the Gulf of Mexico. Chances are that your then put into nylons, which makes booms that loves birds and the gulf region, where her children have heard about it as well. This is the are very absorbent so the spill can be contained. grandparents live. She told AOL News she was perfect time for you to teach your children about Check with pet salons and hair salons in your "really upset" when she learned about the oil the importance of taking care of their area, since they may be sending hair to the area spill and the attendant threat to birds. environment. Most kids that hear about the BP affected. Matter of Trust is one organization that "I really needed to do something," oil spill are concerned about this problem. is collecting hair and you can find out more Olivia said. Instead of just allowing them to stand by and about them and this program by visiting Inspiration arrived quickly. "I’m no hear the bad news all the time, maybe it is time http://www.matteroftrust.org/programs/hairmat James Audubon, but I can draw," she said. And that you allow your kids to get involved. Sure, it sinfo.html. so Olivia sat down and wrote her letter to the is important that they learn as much as possible Audubon Society, including a painting. about this disaster, but giving kids a chance to Volunteering Opportunities It responded. In addition to purchasing do something about this problem teaches them There are many volunteering one of Olivia’s drawings for their New York about helping in a crisis as well as empowers opportunities out there, especially if you live headquarters, the organization contacted her to them to feel that there is something that they are near areas that are being affected by the BP oil discuss fund-raising tactics. able to do to help out. spill. For those in Florida, there are many The society and Olivia’s family -- The great news is that even if you don't volunteer opportunities available and events architect dad James, English teacher and writer even live near the areas that have been affected that will require volunteers in this cleanup mom Nadine, and little brother Jackson -- by this BP oil spill, you still can help out. You effort. VolunteerFlorida.org is the place to go to created a program whereby Olivia sends an don't have to be right there to take measures to find out about local opportunities. Many other original painting to anyone who donates to any help. Recent news reports are telling us that this organizations can use volunteers as well, so if of several organizations helping wildlife in the spill is covering miles and the cost of cleanup you live in the area, check with local gulf. Donors e-mail Nadine, and Olivia takes will be in the billions. Still, there are small organizations to find out if there is a way that pen to paper, creating a unique work of art for things that you and your kids can do to make a you and your kids can volunteer to help out with each donor. difference. When many parents and kids start this crisis. Pencil, rather. All of Olivia’s bird works helping, it will make a huge difference in the begin with an ebony pencil and thick watercolor way this oil spill gets cleaned up. Fundraising paper. Olivia then brushes watercolor over the Another idea is start a top. Donors can request specific birds; Collect Items for the Suncoast Seabird fundraising effort. Have your kids contact their otherwise, Olivia chooses birds she knows are Sanctuary friends, and work with other parents, or your suffering in the Gulf of Mexico right now. local schools, churches and organizations. The entire creative process takes about a You will find that the Suncoast Seabird The great thing is that a difference can half-hour. Initially, this wasn’t a lot of time, but Sanctuary, which is in Indian Shores, is in need be made if everyone works together to clean up now that she’s up to 50 requests, she and her of some items. They need more cash than they this oil spill. It is a huge disaster and is family are brainstorming more time-efficient do volunteers at this point, and there are some threatening more of the Gulf and may spread options such a poster prints of her paintings. particular items that they need. You may want to further to affect even more areas. If there was Olivia is traveling to the gulf region encourage your kids to work on collecting items ever a time to work together, it is definitely now. today, a trip planned before the spill. She that are needed by this sanctuary. Perhaps Sure, the government is doing some work on understands how dire the situation has become organize a local drive at school or in your this spill and BP has people working on the and is prepared for what she might see. neighborhood to collect items need. Some of the cleanup effort, but this is a big disaster that will She needs to be. Audubon staffers are items that Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary needs take a lot of work and money to cleanup. Instead finding ever-greater numbers of birds covered include paper towels, bottled water, of sitting around hearing the gloomy news with oil and worry about future effects on the toothbrushes, Gatorade, moving boxes, bleach, reports on the spill in the Gulf, why not take birds and gulf coast marine life in general. gas gift cards, shovels, trash bags that are heavy action. Let your kids learn more about taking "Even if BP managed to plug the leak duty, and kennels of all sizes. You can find out action and helping when there is a problem. today, many species in Audubon Important Bird more about what they need and how to get these With all of these opportunities to help, you can Areas will still be in trouble because of the huge items to the sanctuary by visiting their site at get your kids involved, and when everyone is amount of oil already coming onshore and http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com/. working together, a huge difference can be already present in the ocean water where they made. derive their food," Delta Willis, senior Donate to the National Audubon Society communications director for the National Audubon Society, told AOL News. Bird Lover, 11, Painting to "The timing is terrible; brown pelicans Another group that is working to help cleanup the spill, especially focusing on helping birds Save the Gulf are nesting, plus they were only delisted as an that are victims of this spill, is the National endangered species last November." Audubon Society. They are not only help to SUSANNA BAIRD As a result of what society staffers are clean up, but trying to preserve habitats that seeing, and what they fear for the future, have been affected too. Kids and adults can help As you all are aware of, the oil spill in they’ve urged Congress to authorize emergency volunteer with this society by filling out their the Gulf is devistating (sic). My mom has funding to address the crisis. volunteer forms for more information. Even if already donated a lot of money to help, but I Olivia, who has been passionate about you are too far away to volunteer, you can have an idea that may also help. I am a decent birds since she was 6, believes witnessing the always help by donating. Maybe hold a bake drawer, and I was wondering if I could sell birds’ plight firsthand will motivate her to work sale or have your kids pool their allowances some bird paintings and give the profits to your even harder. together to make a dontation to the Audubon organization. "I want to see how bad it is. I am society to help out, which you can do by going My mom is in touch with an art gallery where I completely determined," she told AOL. "I don’t to their website at http://www.audubon.org. live. She is going to sell them there. I also am care what I see. It will encourage me to go even hoping to go to Cornell in the future. I want to further with this."