Week of November 30th, 2020
"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” 
– Charles M. Schulz
So-- last Tuesday was November 24th-- which is our friend, Marcia's actual birthday. It is great to see you again after such a long time! Happy Birthday Marcia (finally)!
The volunteers at the Huron County
Non-Food Bank are still more important than ever! Don't forget your neighbors as we head into the winter season.
"I don't think Christmas is necessarily about things. It's about being good to one another." 
— Carrie Fisher
John's Usual Excuses & Apologies--

Welcome back. I hope that everyone enjoyed a rejuvenating respite from the hamster wheel that passes for normal life these days.

As you can tell from the quotes this week, we're all very excited for Christmas this year. Since we're all stuck indoors with the same people, it seems like a great year to be crafty and decorate. We're getting our popsicle sticks and hot glue guns ready!

Seriously, we're constantly looking for meaningful things to do inside the same 4 walls, so if you have something you'd like to do or learn-- make sure that we know!
It dawned on me last week that we now only have 3 weeks left before Christmas break. The passage of time this year has swung wildly between not moving at all and all-of-the-sudden-here-and-gone. 2020 has been quite a year. I hope that 2021 might to be a little bit calmer and a little bit more predictable. I need less excitement-- or at least very different excitement.

CLI will be closed for a little bit longer break than normal this holiday season. We expect COVID cases to keep spreading over the holidays and we want to make sure that we're all safe to gather in our small groups in 2021. Also, there are a lot fewer CLI staff than there used to be; it's been almost impossible for anyone to take time off. This holiday shut down will allow a break for all of us at CLI to reset so that we can hit the ground running next year.
John
 "I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing."
-- Socrates
Tammy, Chandra & Alan took advantage of last warm weather in November to clean out the patio flower beds. Tommy supervised from the captain's swing on the side porch . . .
And we're not sure exactly why Tammy found Jimmy's lunch box so hilarious, but we was looking for lunchbox models last week.
"Love the giver more than the gift."
– Brigham Young
Mark, Deanna & Sarah are volunteering remotely-- picking up donated bulk dogfood from the Humane Society, bagging it, then delivering those smaller bundles to the Huron County Non-Food Bank.
CLI has other able volunteers looking to give back to our community, so please leit us know if we can help your charitable cause!
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
-- Robert Brault





Speaking of Masks & other PPE-- We haven't gotten any new pictures of YOUR COVID Leisure Wear! Send Pics!
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
-- Albert Einstein
Firelands Local LLC Update:
James Johnson
419-921-6400
This week's picture is a re-run. Think you know where it is? Call, text, or email me with your answer!
From GM James Johnson--
Welcome back to everyone. 

I hope you enjoyed your time off. 

Now it is time to get back to work to get rid of all those extra calories we consumed last week!
“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.”
-- Henri Frederic Amiel
Who says there's NO FREE LUNCH? We know people--
How is CLI able to afford giving away free food when we (and everybody else is hustling to break-even)?

It's a good question. The answer is that CLI invested a (very) small amount of seed money in April to open up a new checking account just for the Good Works Cafe. After that, it's been 100% funded by donations.

Our on-going investment now is just time. CLI is always looking to help people give to their local community. Got an idea of something that a small group can to do to help? Let us know!
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
-- William Arthur Ward
The FREE Good Works Cafe will runs every Friday at 11:30 am until they run out of meals.
If you or a friend want a delicious meal but cannot get transportation, we can deliver to you for a $20 donation!

*Donations are accepted & 100% go to future Fridays.*
DODD has some decent online content these days.

Click the video on the left to see a clip of Director Davis and Dr. Sorg with an update about the pandemic and the holidays.

You can find more videos by clicking on either the youtube or the DODD website buttons below.

Spread the word!