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Helping Hands Charity Box LbNA #831 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jan 2, 2003
Location:
City:Vienna
County:Fairfax
State:Virginia
Boxes:1
Found by: Scarab
Last found:Nov 19, 2003
Status:Fa
Last edited:Jan 2, 2003
HELPING HANDS CHARITY BOX ***MIA***

Meadowlark Gardens
January 2, 2003
Directions – easy
Walk – a little uphill but path is wide and paved.

(For driving directions, see the “OH DEER” box.)

HELPING HANDS is a charity box. Team BeMa has pledged to donate $1 for every new stamp signed into the logbook in a given month. Each month will be dedicated to a specific charity that has meaning for our family. Brief information on these charities can be found in the box. The following charities have been selected to date:
Jan – Martha’s Table (www.marthastable.org). This organization feeds 1,200
hungry and homeless people 365 days a year. Over 3,500 sandwiches, 65
gallons of soup and 65 gallons of beverage daily – all from volunteers and donations.
Feb – SPCA of Northern VA. (www.spcanova.org). The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit, all-volunteer, private organization established by local concerned citizens to rescue domestic animals from cruelty, neglect and abandonment. They foster these animals and sponsor them for adoption.
Mar – local PBS stations (www.mpt.org and www.weta.org). These local PBS affiliates provide quality and educational, commercial free programs for children and adults.
Apr – Special Olympics (www.specialolympics.org). This international
organization is dedicated to empowering individuals with mental retardation to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Their motto is “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Thank you for helping us to help others!

When Be was a little baby and I was a new mom, I desperately needed to get out of the house! I would load his little stroller in the car with the requisite bottle, snacks, wipes, blanket, musical toys, pacifiers, etc. and head off to Meadowlark Gardens. Here, we would stroll up and down the paths in peace and quiet -- one with nature (unless Be had gas…). One day, I pushed his stroller up a winding dirt path (it’s since been paved). We
strolled onward and upward (occasionally getting mired in the mud and bumping over rocks and ruts) until we came to what is my favorite resting place. The structure is lovely and the view is inspirational. We would sit up there eating dried apricots and saltines listening to his stuffed giraffe’s chiming version of “Talk to the Animals”. We hope that you enjoy it as much! (P.S. we give a lot of landmarks so you will know you are on the right path and because Be and Ma get a kick out of spotting them…)

From the “OH DEER” box: Stand at the sea horses and take a reading of 240 degrees. Proceed across the grass in this direction, passing a red fire hydrant on the left until you come to a paved path. There are three possible directions. The left path goes over a bridge. The right path is really the maintenance road. The central path (at approx. 210 degrees) is the right one to take. Pass a tree on the right that is surrounded by benches. At the intersection, take a right between the sign pointing the way to the Virginia Gardens (on the left) and the Stella Cantner bench (on the right). Pass bird feeder #12 on the right. Pass the big and little “Gardner” benches on the right. Pass bird feeder #11 on the left. Pass the
bench in memory of Lily Rose Clarke on the left. Pass bird feeder #10 on the left (as Ma would say “it’s a pattern – bench, bird feeder, bench…) Pass the Red Maple on the right and then a tiny Blue Ash on the left. Pass a dedication sign for the Global Releaf” Historic Grove on the right. Pass the bench for Robert and Dorothy Mangan placed by their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren on the right. Pass the Meadowlark green houses on the right. Pass a black/sugar gum tree on the left. When you pass the lone, small Sour Wood tree standing uphill to the right, you know you are almost there. The path continues at a winding, upward angle. You will come to a branch to the right. This is the way to the beautiful gazebo. For now, however, pass this branch and continue straight. The path will split a small line of woods. As you come into the clearing, look to your left. There will be two tall evergreen trees (approximately 47 steps off of the path). HELPING HANDS is behind the smaller of the two trees, under its branches, twigs, rocks and leaves. We would like to suggest youbring the box up to the gazebo and do your stamping there. The view isamazing and it is very peaceful. You can look down the hill and over thewinding path you just took. It is a great place to reflect upon your accomplishment and to stamp the logbook, offering support to others who are trying to reach their goals.