Tag: compassion

Gamers Outreach brings play to kids in hospitals!

Are you a gamer with heart? Would you like to improve the lives of hospitalized kids? Gamers Outreach is a charity that would appreciate your help.

The two cool people in the above photo are raising money for Gamers Outreach during TwitchCon in San Diego. I spotted them today grilling hot dogs at a tent on Harbor Drive. Look for them near a dancing hot dog!

Their objective: help fund programs that brighten the day of sick kids in hospitals, including San Diego’s own Rady Children’s Hospital.

Let me share two paragraphs from Gamers Outreach literature:

WHO WE ARE

Gamers Outreach is a charity that empowers hospitalized families through play. Our goal is to build a world where activity is easily prioritized as part of care. Video games are our tools of choice.

WHY WE DO IT

Being in the hospital can be scary and isolating. Games give kids access to adventure and opportunities to socialize. Sometimes healthcare staff even use games to assist with treatment!

Gamers Outreach has several programs. Click here to check out their GO Karts (Gamers Outreach Karts), which are portable video game kiosks built specifically for hospitals. Kids stuck in bed can play!

The Player 2 program encourages volunteers to distribute, manage, and play games with hospitalized kids! This role is particularly great for college gamers!

The Save Point program provides hospitals with high-tech vending machines that distribute items such as toys, game codes, and fun swag to kids receiving care . . . as they progress through treatment. Make getting better a fun goal! Curious hospitals should check this out!

Gamers Outreach helps thousands of children per year in a multitude of hospitals. Interested in learning more, and perhaps helping this effort? Visit their website by clicking here!

If you’re in San Diego for TwitchCon, head over to the fundraising tent on Harbor Drive across from the convention center, near the Gaslamp trolley station. I spun their prize wheel and got a free hot dog!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Survivors of Suicide Loss provides comfort, hope.

An important event was held today in Balboa Park. The Survivors of Suicide Loss San Diego held a Walk in Remembrance With Hope.

As I entered Balboa Park for a late Sunday morning stroll, I noticed tents and a stage coming down on the grass near Sixth Avenue. I then spoke to smiling people who had worked to organize the event.

When I was told about the Walk in Remembrance With Hope, I wanted to help in a small way with my blog.

The walk was a memorable way to celebrate the lives of loved ones lost to suicide
& to raise awareness about suicide prevention. Funds raised stay in San Diego County for suicide outreach & prevention and survivor support services.

If you’d like to read more about the organization, find comfort, or help spread human compassion, please visit the Survivors of Suicide Loss San Diego website by clicking here.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

People in San Diego help those hurting in Ukraine.

In San Diego, compassionate people are working to help the victims of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Some of the organizations leading this effort were making their appeals today at the House of Ukraine lawn program in Balboa Park.

As I wandered around the annual cultural event, I met a few of these good people. I missed most of the dancing and entertainment this year, but I figured blogging about these humanitarian efforts is important.

People gather in Balboa Park at the International Cottages for the House of Ukraine lawn program.

Playing traditional Ukrainian music on the stage.

Serving tasty Ukrainian food in the House of Ukraine cottage.

A box welcomes Donations For Ukraine.

Shield of Freedom (SOF) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicate to providing direct aid to defenders, first responders and civilians in Ukraine that are helping support and defend the country in the face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression.

Shield of Freedom’s Beer and Bandages event will be held next Sunday, September 8, 2024 at Kilowatt Brewery, 7576 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Enjoy Ukrainian brew and save lives by building a life-saving First Aid Kit for a Ukrainian defender.

Healing Scalpel‘s goal is to provide humanitarian aid to those individuals impacted by natural disasters and manmade disruptions or conflicts.

Rescue Support International works side by side with brave rescuers on the front lines in Ukraine, connecting them with first responders abroad looking to help.

Their Photo Exhibition Project raises awareness, focusing on Ukrainian Rescuers on the front lines of the civilian battleground, highlighting their sacrifices, bravery, and heroism, and bringing attention to their urgent need for more resources.

Artillery shell shrapnel picked up in the town of Marganets in 2023, where the blast had just killed a 59 year old school teacher, while her husband lost several fingers. The shell was fired from Russia artillery stationed at the nuclear power plant just 8 miles away, where they fire daily on the civilian towns within artillery reach…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Silhouettes of homeless people speak on a sidewalk.

Motionless figures confront pedestrians on a downtown San Diego sidewalk. Three life-size transparent “silhouettes” stand beside UC San Diego Park & Market. For those who pause and wish to understand, the figures will freely speak, telling true stories of people in our city who are homeless.

What Does Home Mean to You is the name of this public art installation. It’s just one temporary installation of many along the Bay to Park Paseo. The Bay to Park Paseo is a unique walking experience that leads from San Diego Bay to Balboa Park. Learn all about it by clicking here.

Earlier this year I participated in the inaugural walk up the Bay to Park Paseo. One of these three silhouettes was on display. Last weekend, when I walked up Park Boulevard again, all three were arranged on the sidewalk.

The UC San Diego Design Lab created this thought-provoking installation. An explanation of the public art includes: Visitors will see life-size silhouettes of people who will share their perspectives on housing at the push of a button. Throughout the installation, passersby can use their mobile devices to scan QR codes to dive deeper into other housing experiences from the greater San Diego community or share their own stories through voice or text.

I noticed words by the feet of these silhouettes. The stories are real, but names have been changed.

I took photos for you to see…

“Like my dad said, ‘It’s not over till it’s over.’ That’s his motto. I gotta live by that, no matter what.” A foster youth shares his family story, hopes and dreams with maturity and grit…

“Don’t wait for things to come to you. Chase it.” A single mother of three was unhoused, despite having a steady job…

“I…turned toward survival mode–a mode that most of society isn’t aware of in themselves, but, you know, I think is in all of us.” During his darkest days, he found resurrection through his community, who gave him a hand when he was at his worst…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Elie spreads hope and love in San Diego!

I met Elie Kennedy today. She was at a table painting small, smooth stones inside the UC San Diego Park & Market building. She was participating in today’s Destination JOY event, which would bring San Diego Trolley riders into her smiling presence.

Elie makes lives in San Diego better. She does this by spreading hope and love with positive, affirming messages painted beautifully on stones. Perhaps you’ve seen Elie at art and craft events around the city. I also met her seven years ago in Balboa Park.

Elie has helped sick kids at Rady Children’s Hospital paint happy, hopeful stones. Above all, she’s an advocate for Suicide Prevention and Awareness. Her own family experience, and a day of painting stones on the beach for a loving memorial, propelled her down this road. The selling of her stones raises funds to bring awareness to the issue of suicide prevention.

Today, seeing the stones arranged on that table and her smile lighted my day. Chased away dark thoughts. Reminded me of important things.

How many lives she has touched?

Many.

Please look at her Instagram page here.

Always be kind. You matter. Hug.

Sometimes you forget that you’re awesome. This is your reminder.

You light up my life.

You are not alone.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Lids of Encouragement provides hope in San Diego.

Can you imagine being homeless or very poor and hungry? How difficult your day-to-day life would be. How depressed you might feel. How hopeless and inescapable the situation might seem?

I was walking home from San Diego Comic-Con a couple days ago when I met a couple of smiling guys selling water by the sidewalk. They had this sign:

What would you say to make someone’s day?

When I stopped to learn what those words meant, I discovered these guys are working to help the homeless and hungry in San Diego with Lids of Encouragement.

On their table I saw container lids with positive messages written on them. Lids of Encouragement uses these lids to seal care and food packages for those in need downtown. I told them I’d write a blog to help their effort.

I found this article written a couple months ago. It explains how the founder himself was homeless for a while. He must certainly understand what it’s like. The organization has been around for many years now. Lids of Encouragement might be small but it’s still going strong!

I also see students in downtown San Diego are writing encouraging messages on many of the lids.

You can check out the Lids of Encouragement website by clicking here. Perhaps you can help them in their very important mission to make lives better.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Del Mar plaque tells of community service.

Real Happiness is Helping Others. I saw these wise words on the above plaque during my long North County walk a week ago. I had paused in Del Mar at the corner of 15th Street and Camino del Mar to gaze up at the Rotary Club street clock.

You see these Rotary Club clocks in many cities and towns. After a while, one’s eyes might skip right over them. But I’m glad I took a closer look, because I found the plaque and did some research concerning this particular clock.

This clock was originally dedicated in 2006 to celebrate Rotary Club’s 52-year history. It was renovated ten years ago, in 2014. Here’s an article from back then.

I was curious to see what community service the Rotary Club of Del Mar offers. I learned they do a lot! From beach clean-ups, to food and blood drives, to literacy projects and supporting the arts, to supporting a Canine Companion program . . .

Here is the Rotary Club of Del Mar’s community service webpage.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Santa Claus, CHiPs and toys for kids!

What was Santa Claus doing in San Diego this morning? Good question!

As I waited at the Fashion Valley Transit Center for a bus, I spied Santa on the side of a box truck in the mall parking lot. So of course I had to walk over and investigate!

Turns out I had discovered a wonderful charity.

CHiPs for Kids sponsors an annual holiday season toy drive by the California Highway Patrol. The toy drive typically begins in mid-November and runs through mid-December, just in time for Christmas.

CHP area offices around California are where the unwrapped and unused toys are collected. The donated toys are distributed to families who are in need.

Santa on the side of a truck and the promised delivery of holiday cheer!

In late April!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Hidden art by community garden in El Cajon.

What inspires you?

Should you walk through the park-like space just outside the New Roots Fresh Farm Community Garden in El Cajon, you might spy several instances of weathered art.

Post-like structures overlooking El Cajon and distant mountains in East County contain messages of welcome and belonging. Most of the nearby garden plots are tended by refugees. Many of these refugees are Iraqis who’ve fled persecution. By selling fresh vegetables at local farmers markets, a little extra income might be obtained.

The park-like space where this art is painted was empty when I walked down its overgrown path a couple days ago. I saw places to sit. It would be a good place to find quiet and fresh air.

The land occupied by the New Roots Fresh Farm Community Garden was provided by Kaiser Permanente a little over ten years ago. The project was completed in partnership with El Cajon’s local International Rescue Committee.

Leaves and Fruit.

Home is anywhere or any place you feel safe.

I am from: the past and the future where the present lasts forever.

Be yourself.

Environment. What have you been through?

Roots.

Welcome.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Spread kindness and love in Escondido!

Your opportunity to spread love and kindness in Escondido is coming in early February!

Love Esco is a community effort kicking off this weekend that offers a range of service projects whereby volunteers beautify and improve Escondido!

Many of the projects require no special skill and provide necessary tools. You can help a food pantry, engage in neighborhood cleanups, donate blood, bake treats for first responders, help create school gardens, provide encouragement… Click here to see all of the volunteering opportunities, then sign up!

The Love Esco Day Kick-Off Party is this Saturday, February 3, 8am-10am at Grape Day Park. You can meet World Cup Champion Shannon MacMillan and radio host Jesse Lozano. There will be giveaways, entertainment and a whole lot of inspiration!

I plan to be there!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!