
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994                    TAG: 9406020754 
SECTION: HAMPTON ROADS WOMAN                     PAGE: 02    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY LAURA SMITH, SPECIAL TO HAMPTON ROADS WOMAN 
DATELINE: 940605                                 LENGTH: Medium

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE\

{LEAD} A sister struggles with the fact that her brother has AIDS. A homicide in Hampton Roads - us killing us.

We read these stories in the newspaper, feel relieved that it is not us - this time, feel sorry for the victims and put the newspaper in the recycling bin. We feel overwhelmed and frightened. ``I would like to help, but I just don't have the time,'' we think.

{REST} Wrong! One person can make a difference - especially if a lot of us do a little. It's not about a lot of time or money. It's about quality of life. Here are some things we can do to make our world better:

Collect the little soaps, shampoo and makeup samples, and strange perfume or colognes you never use and take them to a homeless or battered women's shelter. Also take along unused books or toys.

Read a book about AIDS. Then talk to a colleague, neighbor or your child about it.

Rearrange your food budget. Buy a turkey or ham and take it to a homeless shelter. Shelters get lots of food around holidays but not during the rest of the year.

Offer your sports equipment to a local school or the city Parks and Recreation Department. Take those old musical instruments, which are gathering dust.

Offer an hour a month of volunteer time to a school or shelter or jail. Help others learn to read.

Buy a little Ensure or some other food supplement every time you go grocery shopping. When you've gathered several items, give them to an AIDS agency.

Tear out food discount coupons from the Entertainment Book, newspaper or mail and send them to a shelter.

Write or telephone a member of City Council urging a gun buy-back program. These programs have been successful in getting guns off the street.

Talk to your children and their friends about AIDS, drug abuse, unwanted pregnancy and violence. If you don't know what to say, look in the phone book for agencies to get information.

Call the organizations you want to volunteer with and find out what services they provide and what they need.

You can add to the list. Give something of value. You will feel better. Our world will be better. One person does make a difference.

by CNB