“We all have a capacity to make a difference somewhere. We just have to decide if we have the will to do it.” – Mark Grashow, co-founder of U.S.-Africa Children’s Fellowship 

Mr. Grashow’s quote comes from Bill Clinton’s new book, “Giving,” which is subtitled “How each of us can change the world.”

I’ll be the first to admit that many times in my life I have felt helpless in the face of seemingly overwhelming problems – poverty and homelessness, broken families, death and destruction caused by natural disasters and war and global warming, just to name a few.

But my perspective has changed over the past few years in several ways:

– By watching my young children turn their attention – if only briefly – from their own Christmas lists to being excited about my wife’s idea of buying a gift “for the baby Jesus” (which she has them turn around and place in a Toys for Tots donation box).

– By assigning and editing stories about people in southeast Wyoming who do wonderful community service work, including all 10 of the WTE’s Community Spirit Award winners.

– By volunteering for groups like United Way of Laramie County and Cheyenne Interfaith Hospitality Network, which serves homeless families here.

– Through Bible study and work in my church as well as an environmental stewardship group called “The Compact.”

– By reading books like Mr. Clinton’s and articles about people making a difference in their own corner of the world in big and small ways.

I have come to realize that while I might not be able to single-handedly wave a magic wand and solve these problems completely, I have a role to play.

So do you.

That’s why I’m pleased to announce a community project that the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle and our Web site, WyomingNews.com, are starting called “Everyone gives, Everyone gains.”

The name comes from my belief that when everyone in the community gives something – money, time, objects or skills – everyone in the community gains:

The recipients gain the financial resources, help or things they need to better their lives.

The community gains a better place to call home, whether it’s because it’s cleaner, less impoverished, better educated or simply because people are no longer spending cold winter nights sleeping in their cars.

And the givers gain a deeper connection to the community and their true purpose in life.

The goal of “Everyone gives, Everyone gains” is to create a place online where those who need help from the community can connect with those willing to step forward and help make a difference.

Here’s how it works:

Starting today, you will find a blog on WyomingNews.com called “Everyone gives, Everyone gains,” where we will highlight newly announced community projects, give status updates on ongoing efforts and share the successes of individuals and groups that have completed their projects.

We hope you will take the time to visit the Web site regularly and click on the button there to link to the blog.

Activities we highlight will range from the smallest school or neighborhood fundraiser, collection effort or scout project to community-wide efforts like the annual United Way campaign, blood drives, fundraising events and community clean-up days.

As these needs are submitted by e-mail, they will be announced in the print edition of the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle under the “Everyone gives, Everyone gains” logo. They then will be added to a continuously updated resource list linked to the blog.

These items are grouped under three headers:

– To give your money.

– To give your time.

–To give something.

Residents who want to help change this corner of the world can refer to this list, find the area that fits their passion, finances, time availability and skills set and get to work.

Suffering from cabin fever on a winter Saturday? Want to spend time with your kids doing something good for the community instead of just sitting around getting on each other’s nerves?

Visit “Everyone gives, Everyone gains” online and pick a project. Not only will the community benefit, you’ll be teaching a new generation of difference-makers that they, too, can help change the world.

There also is a section in the online list called “To offer your skills.” We hope it will serve as a sort of mini-classified section where you can list a skill you’re willing to offer free to someone in need and a phone number so that person can contact you.

For example, a retired math teacher could post that she is willing to tutor students after school or a carpenter could post that he’s willing to help a nonprofit or low-income resident with repair projects.

Because this month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a busy time for projects such as Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army’s red kettle campaign and the WTE’s Empty Stocking Fund, we’ll run a list of these types of projects inside the print edition of the newspaper each Wednesday and Sunday through the end of December.

But why would we stop donating canned food, clothing, loose coins and our time and skills once the holidays are over?

Cheyenne has a reputation – well-deserved, I might add – for being a giving community. Yet each year we print a story saying donations to local food pantries and homeless shelters have dropped off in January.

My hope is that “Everyone gives, Everyone gains,” in some small way, keeps us from having to do that story next month. Instead, we want to tell WTE readers about new and continuing successes, the ways we are helping each other and how we are all changing the world.

Let’s get started.

Brian Martin is the WTE’s assistant managing editor. He can be reached at EveryoneGives@wyomingnews.com, bmartin@wyomingnews.com or 633-3118.

 

At a glance

Name: “Everyone gives, Everyone gains”

What it is: A year-round project of the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle and WyomingNews.com to connect community service organizations and others doing outreach work with local residents willing to help change this corner of the world.

How it works: Groups looking for donations of money, time, objects or skills should e-mail details to EveryoneGives@wyomingnews.com. An announcement will run in the WTE print edition and be added to a continuously updated resource list linked to a companion blog on WyomingNews.com.

Local residents then will use this information to find a project that they want to help with and relate their stories back to the blog as they feel comfortable sharing by e-mail.

Also, residents who have skills they are willing to share can post a mini-classified that groups or individuals can use to fill unmet needs.

For more information: E-mail WTE assistant managing editor Brian Martin at EveryoneGives@wyomingnews.com or call him at 633-3118.