Striving to change the world Community Sun

Sun employees in Texas did a cool, unique project.  Led by Leslie Keller, the team created and planted a garden at the local food bank.  How cool is that?  Not only will the garden provide food and beauty but it will also be used for education.  Although the garden is already producing herbs right now, check back in two months and there will be a bountiful harvest starting!  

Employees from Turkey participated in this year's Worldwide Volunteer Week.  The group cleaned up a school garden.  In addition to donating gardening supplies, they mulched, planted 400 trees and added flowers to the school grounds.

A quote from President Obama:

"We need your service right now, at this moment in history.  I'm not going to tell you what your role should be.  That's for you to discover.  But I'm asking you to stand up and play your part.  I'm asking you to help change history's course."

What are you going to start doing today?  Sun's Worldwide Volunteer Week is one way to get involved right now!

As we all know, the economy has seen better times.  People are out of work, struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table.  I recently received the letter below from a food bank.  This echos what is happening around the globe.

Given the current economic situation, it's no surprise that calls to our Food Connection hotline are up 50% over last year and money is tighter than ever at the Food Bank. But fighting hunger is a collective effort that goes beyond dollars and cents. There are many creative and engaging ways to help the Food Bank continue to provide the food needed in our area. This newsletter highlights the positive effects anyone can have with advocacy and good old-fashioned volunteering.

We are proud to stand side-by-side with our community supporters who bring our mission to life each day. Our commitment is to provide healthy and nutritious food, no matter what added challenges the economy brings. Thank you for working alongside the Food Bank to make our vision a reality, and may you be inspired to continue your support at whatever level of involvement best suits you.

The letter goes on to describe the many ways that people can get involved with that local food bank.  Volunteer, serve as an advocate, contribute.  Think about how you can get involved.

Know the answer to this Fast Quiz?

Here are three volunteer projects taking place during Sun's Worldwide Volunteer Week that need Team Managers.  Just a reminder, Team Managers simply handle the event coordination, working with volunteers and the nonprofit organization.  In most cases, the nonprofit handles all the volunteers once the group arrives.  Easy stuff!  We need Team Managers or else the projects don't happen!

On April 26, the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk  will be held in Washington Park in Denver, Colorado.  This event is the American Cancer Society’s premier event to raise awareness and dollars to fight breast cancer. It is a spirited, noncompetitive walk to save lives and provide hope. Volunteer Opportunities besides teams and raising money is: Route Marshalls, Help in Parking Lots, Event Set Up, Registration, Event Take Down , Sell T-shirts, as well as Pass Out Water and Food.

The American Red Cross works to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  The Boston Food Pantry provides a 3-day supply of emergency food to 4500 low-income clients per month. Volunteers will help distribute food to clients, prepare bags for distribution administrative work with new clients, and other projects.  Kid Friendly, 15+. All volunteers under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult over 18 years old.  Project takes place 8:30 am-noon on April 22.

The City of Fremont (CA) and local non-profit environmental groups are hosting an Earth Day event in Fremont called "Earth Day Family Fair 2009". Volunteers are needed to come out and assist with a local river clean up. The cleanup will be in Central Park as well from 9 AM to 12 PM. This is a great "family friendly" volunteer opportunity. Children over 6 are welcome to participate.

Contact Julie.Smith@sun.com if you want to serve as Team Manager for one of these projects.

Breaking news.  Going out to all employees in MA area employees shortly:

The Burlington Executive Council would like to remind you that April 18-26 marks Sun's 15th annual Worldwide Volunteer Week. This is a great time for local Sun employees to get out into the community and volunteer. Get your team involved in a project, participate in one with other employees, or work alongside members of the local community.  It's not too late to coordinate a project, and resources are available to help you every step of the way. And remember that projects are open to Sun friends, family and business partners.

The volunteer tool can help you identify projects or recruit volunteers. Please access the tool to sign up for anyone of the following local projects:

TEAM MANAGER NEEDED: American Red Cross Food Pantry
The American Red Cross works to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The Boston Food Pantry provides a 3-day supply of emergency food to 4500 low-income clients per month. Volunteers will help distribute food to clients, prepare bags for distribution administrative work with new clients, and other projects. Kid Friendly, 15+. All volunteers under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult over 18 years old.
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY Boston, 04/22

Take Your Daughters and Sons To Work Day
We will be hosting various activities for students/children aged 8-13 from 9am-2pm at the Burlington Campus. Activities will include JavaFX demos, Alice.org, Wonderland demos, Circuit Board games. We will have around 30 middle-school girls participate from Girls Incorporated of Lynn, MA. We need volunteers - please sign up!
GIRLS INCORPORATED OF LYNN Burlington, 04/23

Sort Clothes and Other Donations
Help to sort clothes and other donations for this nonprofit organization the serves the local community.
LOWELL WISH PROJECT INC Lowell, 04/24

TEAM MANAGER NEEDED: River Clean Up
This organization's mission is to use science, advocacy and the law to protect, preserve and enhance the Charles River and its watershed. Come join us for this wonderful Earth Day celebration as we clean up the Charles River from the River Street Bridget East to the Museum of Science. Volunteers are provide gloves, trash bags, and are invited to a complementary cookout upon the completion of the event. Volunteers 5 years and up are welcome!
CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION INC Boston, 04/25

Projects are always being added to the tool - add yours today.  For more information about Sun's Global Volunteer Program or Worldwide Volunteer Week, contact Julie.Smith@sun.com.  Change your world - volunteer!

As you sit at your desk doing your work, it might be tough to think of going out and volunteering. After all, who has time? I would like to suggest that not only should you make the time to volunteer, but you should do it now. Volunteering now is more critical then ever. Not only does it benefit the community, but there is direct benefit to you, your family, not to mention your team and your work.

Volunteering improves productivity, helps you learn critical new skills, increases your network of contacts and "introduce a little sanity" into these challenging times.

During Sun's Worldwide Volunteering Week (April 18-26) there are many different ways that you can get involved. One fantastic opportunity is happening in Fremont, CA on Saturday, April 18th. Sponsored by the City of Fremont to celebrate Earth Day come out and participate in their annual Creek Clean Up. This community-wide event will take place from 9am-12noon. It's not only a great way to get your team out in the great outdoors, but this is a wonderful "Family Friendly" opportunity that welcomes children as young as 6.

The Sun workforce can join this project or one of the many others planned for Worldwide Volunteer Week by going to the internal volunteer tool.  Members of the community should think about what volunteer projects they can take part in to help change the world.

Sun will soon be celebrating its 15th annual Worldwide Volunteer Week (April 18-26).  Worldwide Volunteer Week (WWVW) is a time to give back to the community through one-time, group volunteering.  It's a way to contribute to a nonprofit organization, gain new skills and meet new people.  Some work teams volunteer together as a unique team-building activity.

We have many projects planned for this week.  Here are a few examples:

• Team India will have many projects during this week.  The activities range from blood donation to helping the environment.
• Volunteers in Colorado will provide their expertise in technology, fundraising and PR to help a cancer organization.
• Teens will visit the New York Sun office to practice their job interviewing skills with employees.
• Germany has two enviornmental projects, beautifying local nature trails.
• Volunteers in Oregon will continue to support the Food Bank, this time working in their garden.

Nonprofits can submit projects for consideration for Worldwide Volunteer Week or any other time of the year at www.cybergrants.com/sun/npo.  The Sun workforce can post and sign up for projects internally at the volunteer tool.

 

Fifteen years!  Fifteen years of Sun employees going out into the community to donate their time and talents through nonprofit organizations.  That is quite an accomplishment and one that makes me, and others, proud to work at Sun.  

 This year, Worldwide Volunteer Week is April 18-26.  We are encouraging projects in the areas of technology, sustainability and wellness, issues of great importance to the Sun community.  Sun employees all over the world will lead projects.  Nonprofits can submit projects for Worldwide Volunteer Week or any other time of the year for inclusion in our volunteer tool.

Stay tuned for more updates about Worldwide Volunteer Week.  It's going to be big!

Indulge me in a personal post.  

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day.  It is also promoted as "A Day On, Not A Day Off" to encourage giving back to the community through volunteering.  President (elect) Obama called for Americans to perform community service.  As a "professional volunteer," I felt a tinge of guilt for not participating in a volunteer project yesterday.  My goal for the day was to stay inside and keep warm, except for the brief walks of the dog I was charged with watching. 

The city just got a few inches of snow and was beautiful, the trees glistening with ice and white snow.  On one of my walks with the dog, soaking in the sight,  I saw a brown coffee holder sticking out of the snow.  I reached under a bench to grab it and threw it into a trash can sitting nearby.  Farther along, I saw a large, blue piece of paper, laying on the ground.  I grabbed that as well.

Rather uneventful but it gave me pause.  Volunteering takes so many forms.  And as I professionally struggle with a written definition of volunteering,  I realized that volunteering is something you know when you do it.

Interested in seeing what nonprofit organizations need board members? Want to learn more about serving on these boards? Want to hear from experts in the field? Join the Board Match Event in San Francisco and see what opportunities exist in San Francisco and San Mateo counties! Nonprofit board directors come in every shape and size. Every color. Every age. Every gender. They come from diverse backgrounds, bring unique skills and are passionate about many causes. So no matter who you are or what your profession, you can find your perfect nonprofit match at The Board Match event. More than 100 Bay Area organizations will be looking for someone with a unique perspective to add to their board of directors. The event is 4:30-7:30.

For the past 11 years Sun Microsystems employees in the DC/Metro area have generously donated money, time, and energy to make the holidays more cheerful for more than 1500 children who otherwise would not have received holiday gifts.  The nonprofit works with more than 6000 children who live in group homes, homeless shelters, or military children.  Many of these children are under 12 years old and waiting for adoption.  It means so much to these children and their families to be able to celebrate the holidays thanks to the caring and generosity of others.

This year 100 children were sponsored by Sun.  A "Giving Tree" was setup in the office with ornaments which listed the name/age/gender/clothing size of each child along with their "wish list."  Employees picked an ornament and purchased a gift and/or clothing of their choosing for that child.  Several local teams worked together to sponsor an entire family.  Employees big at heart, but short on time to shop, donated money to sponsor a child.  More than $700 was donated this year.

Maile is 3 years old.

She’s a beautiful little girl of Filipino and Hispanic descent and she was diagnosed with infant ALL (atype of Leukemia). She loves Dora and polka dots! After several bouts of chemotherapy, Maile’s best treatment plan would be a marrow/stem cell transplant.

Maile and many others like her need to find a matching marrow/stem cell donor immediately. At any given time, there are over 6,000 people diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disease that are searching for a matching marrow/blood stem cell donor. Many of them cannot find one simply because there isn’t enough diversity on the registry.

You could be that person to save another person’s precious life.

What you can do to help.

Registering to be a potential donor takes just 10-15 minutes to fill out a form and swab your cheek. If you are identified in the future as a match for a patient, doctors will conduct further evaluation and plan to collect stem cells (refilled by your body afterwards) from your hip or the blood stream. You may experience slight discomfort after the donation such as temporary soreness lasting a few days, but in turn you will have saved someone’s life.

Ethnicity is the Key Factor.

There is a severe shortage of diverse and ethnic minority donors (Multi-racial, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Chicano, African American, Native American) on the National Registry. Because of this shortage, many patients like Maile cannot find their matches.

Did you know?

When you register as a donor, and if you are found to be a match for someone, 70% of the time, you are asked to donate your blood stem cells simply through your blood?

Register as a potential Adult Blood Stem Cell Donor

December 18, 2008 (11am – 3pm)

At the Sun MPK cafeteria near the Drop-In Center.

 

It takes 10 minutes of your time, and a cheek swab.