CARING & CONNECTED
To sustain our community during uncertain times, let's share ways to
stay connected &
show compassion to others
photo: Paul Burnore making a delivery at the Free Clinic
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UUSP sends 240 masks
to Immokalee
Our sewing team has been busy. After making masks for many of us, Friday night picnic participants, neighbors and extended families, they turned to mask-making for the farmworkers harvesting produce in the Immokalee area. Let’s have a big round of applause for Sally Carville, Penny Craig, Jeri Huempfner-Gatz, Jill Oldenski and their leader Dani Skrzypek (in photo above).
Also want to thank hubby, Dave Coale, who braved the local post office where only half the staff and customers were masked. I want to also thank those who contacted Gov DeSantis asking for COVID-19 testing for the farm workers. The state sent 1,000 testing kits to Immokalee. Your voice was heard.
- Karen Coale
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HOW CAN I STAY CONNECTED?
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ONGOING ACTIVITIES:
For the latest, check out
our webpage
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this week's feature:
Contemplative Meditation Readings
Mondays & Thursdays at
5/18:
A Prayer in Spring
by Robert Frost (for National Bee Day, 5/20);
5/21:
The Pilgrims' Covenant
by Alice Blair Wesley (for Ascension Day, 5/21).
Guidance from the Unitarian Universalist Association:
UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray writes "b
ased on advice from experts, we continue to recommend that congregations not gather in person. We also recommend that congregations begin planning for
virtual operations
for the next year (through May 2021)."
Click
here
for details.
The
UUSP Board
has decided to follow the UUA guidelines; the church building remains closed until further notice.
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HOW CAN I GET HELP?
Fresh Produce
As of Friday "Helping Farmers Help the Hungry," initiated by Paul Burnore, has delivered nearly 4 tons of free, farm fresh produce to seven food aid organizations in St. Petersburg. There are no overhead or transportation costs.
Do you know of anyone in our UUSP family who could use some veggies?
Email Paul
who is happy to deliver directly to members in need.
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HOW ARE...
Dave Mapp and
Tony Buchter?
Dave writes:
We are grateful, happy, healthy and truly blessed. Tony has been learning Spanish online and he maintains the garden, ensuring flower beds and grassy areas stay neat and tidy. Dave loves news, poetry and short stories and is starting a new retirement career as a writer. Dave’s cast iron pots and wooden spoons are working overtime with home grown herbs. We take fun long drives to nowhere when we tire of the exercise bike. Despite challenging people and times, as UU's we know the interdependence of the universe, as we continue being grateful at home, and hopeful for a brighter day when we all will meet again.
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Kelli, our fab InfoNet editor, writes:
What have we been doing? What happens when you set a goal to step away from the computer and work on yourself? Of course, everything goes virtual, which is 100% of my anxiety. My job is virtual. We’ve helped hospitals, including Mount Sinai in NY, with retraining, helping incoming, retired and new grad nurses get familiar with critical care protocols at a fast pace. Emails saying “thank you” or “glad you are there” helps ease some anxiety.
My family and I are healthy with short outings to the store or helping those that fear leaving their home. Amazing that dropping off toilet paper or a few groceries to a friend’s driveway eases some anxiety, but it has. My daughter was furloughed, her partner is working less, and the grandkids are missing their classrooms. We see each other more, but carefully. With the extra time, we were able to put together a metal shed as the old one was dangerous; it took a few weekends, but it's done.
Anxiety and blessings, pluses and minuses, give and take – the ying yang of it all. I now have a computer desk riser to stand and work. I have a shed to get me to purge stuff.
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We must accept finite disappointment,
but we must never lose infinite hope.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
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Email
your announcements, photos and ideas on
"how I can help" and "how I can stay connected" to
Sharon Winters, editor & Communications Team lead
by NOON on Sundays
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