By Brian Egan
There are so many reasons to give back and so many who need the help. At our company we have always felt that Corvallis has given a lot to us, so giving back seems natural. But how does a company or individual go about selecting organizations to give time and/or funds to? Listen to your heart! In Corvallis there are non-profits who serve every part of human and animal needs. If you have funds to donate, local non-profits can always use the money. If you have goods such as clothes or food groups like Vina Moses, Linn Benton Food Share, and Stone Soup can always use your donations. The list of local charities is too long to list here but I’m sure you all know there are many events you may attend to support local groups; events like silent auctions, dinners, receptions, and work parties. If you’re not sure the charity you’re interested in is legitimate there are two watchdog groups online who can help: CharityWatch and Charity Navigator. There are also many local service organizations who raise funds and do work locally. Clubs like Kiwanis, Zonta, Lions, Rotary, and Assistance League to name just a few, give you a way to lend a hand, meet people, and have some fun.
A special program we are involved with is the Kiwanis Grab Bar Program. In 1998 I realized that people need grab bars in their homes for safety but not everyone can afford to pay for the bar & installation, and not everyone has the knowledge, skills, and tools to install them correctly. As Kiwanis members, Kris & I started this program to install safety grab bars in homes regardless of the recipient’s ability to pay. The Kiwanians who install the bars have been trained by me and our company supplies the tools and the contact number for people to call. We ask for a donation of $25 per bar, but if they cannot pay we will still install the bar(s) for them! Many people give us contributions exceeding the cost of the bars installed! To date the Kiwanis volunteers have installed over 3000 grab bars in homes for people of all ages & abilities. If you know of someone in need of grab bars please call us for program information.
In the spirit of this holiday season please join us in making our community a better place to live!
Brian Egan is a Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer through the National Kitchen & Bath Association. He and his wife Kris are the owners of Corvallis Custom Kitchens & Baths, your local experts for quality design and remodeling.
For more information visit the Corvallis Custom Kitchens & Baths web site at: www.cckb.biz
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