SALTworld Day 2016
All over the United States, people participated in Creating a SALTworld Day on April 26, 2016. Many individuals, families,
and coworkers came together to serve others in their local community. While April 26th is the official Creating a SALTworld
Day, we hope you will continue to serve others in your community and perform random acts of kindness. No act of kindness
is ever too small!
- Professors in the Counseling and Special Populations Department from Lamar University were all about serving their community on April 26th!
- Dr. Tracy Calley Chiles noticed a man in need of gas at the gas station and filled up his car. She also helped collect toothbrushes, with her students from Texas State, for the children in Tanzania.
- Texas State University student, Tracey Parthe, donated items for the children in Tanzania.
- Evelyn, a first grader, chose two people on whom to perform a random act of kindness. She brought flowers to her first grade teacher and swim coach and shared how thankful she is for all the things she has learned. Because she is a surfer and loves the beach, she also participated in a beach clean up.
- Shahnaz Khawaja and her daughter hosted a dinner for at risk youth.
- Julia Moeller, a licensed professional counselor from San Antonio, Texas, donated toys, clothing, and shoes to Goodwill.
- Kevin Hudson, from Texas, made cards for each of his daughters. He wrote a special note and put it up on the fridge for them to see when he came home.
- Dr. Rachael Ammons Whitaker bought a HEB gift card. As a veteran and his wife walked into the grocery store, she handed it to them and thanked them for their service.
- Dr. Martina Moore was traveling and came across a man that forgot his wallet in the grocery store so she bought his groceries for him.
- The Hurricane Alley Derby ladies were out making a difference in Corpus Christi, Texas. Anna Ibarra (#67) bought veggie trays for the fire fighters in Corpus Christi and Mallory Denise Garza and Priscilla Gonzales Prisacuter passed out water to people walking on the sea wall.
- Dr. Kathleen Jones-Trebatoski hosted a fundraiser with her counseling students from Texas AM University- Kingsville to raise money for the flood victims in Houston.
- Julia Moeller, a licensed professional counselor from San Antonio, Texas, donated toys, clothing, and shoes to Goodwill.
- In Corpus Christi, Texas, the local food pantry was short on canned vegetables. Missy Cobb donated several cans of vegetables to Timon’s Ministries.
Meet Lotes & Frank a Couple that Participated in Creating a SALTworld Day
Lotes and Frank Nelson of Charlotte, North Carolina have a passion for helping others! They are active in their church and their community and always look for ways to create positive social change. This deep rooted belief fit well with that of SALTworld’s commitment to enrich the lives of others, which is why they decided to participate in the SALTworld Global Day of Service on April 26th.
Lotes and Frank participated by assisting with the cooking and serving of lunch at the Charlotte (NC) Rescue Mission. The mission transforms the lives of individuals who are struggling with addiction, poverty, and hopelessness, with the goal of of helping them return to society as productive citizens. The Nelson’s day started by setting-up the dining room and filling the salt and pepper shakers. They then set out the condiments and cut tomatoes and lettuce for the burgers. After this, they cooked 100+ burgers, as well as ten large bags of fries.
The Nelson’s shared that they were honored to be serving and learning together, working side-by-side with some of the residents of the Charlotte Rescue Mission Rehab Program. The main cook worked for years at various restaurants in the Charlotte area, but fell on hard times. Lotes shared, “It’s heartbreaking that challenging times happen in people’s lives, but it’s awesome that there are programs and facilities available to help people get back on their feet.” The Nelson’s reported that the residents were enthusiastic to share their individual stories and the coping strategies they have employed to better their situations.
Once everything was prepared, the men lined up in the dining room and one of the residents said grace. After that, each came through the line and the Nelson’s were blessed to be able to greet and serve each one. “All of the men expressed their thanks
as they were served, and it was humbling to be part of their day” said Frank. The day ended with some final clean-up, and then back to work for the Nelson’s.
The Nelson’s walked away from the Charlotte Rescue Mission center feeling energized with the idea that there’s help available to those in need. Most importantly, the couple was grateful for being able to give back and, at the same time, learn more about the individuals in the center who are working to get back on their feet.