There’s Soon to Be an Elephant in the Room

By Grace Maselli

Happy New Year! Join TBT at its regular Third Tuesday of the month member and friends meeting at the Tampa Life Enrichment Center. We’ll be talking timebanking, of course, and also doing a White Elephant Gift Exchange. Bring something you, uh, er, might not be in love with—or something you’re just not in the mood to keep for whatever reason. (It’s too big, too tight, you already have three, your least favorite 2nd cousin gave you the same gift four years in a row and you don’t need the extra inventory…)  We’ll be swapping post-holiday this-and-that for a few laughs and maybe a couple of, “Oh, I can’t live without this!” moments. Who knows? Bring your funky gift wrapped in either newsprint or brown paper for concealment and get revved to participate; toss in a light snack to share if you’re able! Here are the details:

Date Tuesday, January 15, 2018
Time 6:30-8:30 PM
Address 9704 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612; phone: 813.932.0241
Questions? Contact coordinator@tampabaytime.org or call (215) 834-4567 and reference our White Elephant and monthly meeting event at LEC!

When People Help One Another, Communities Are Strengthened

By Grace Maselli

TBT recently interviewed member Virginia Rieck Warren. We pulled the proverbial camera way back during the exchange and took a look at TBT through Virginia’s eyes as a public health professional. “Published research indicates time banks have the capacity to increase social capital: and those community connections make towns and cities more resilient,” Virginia offered.

Little Things Can Matter
Even small gestures—connecting through TBT to help in someone’s garden, or tutor a young person learning to read. Outside the time bank, ask office co-workers about their families and vacations, let a  neighbor know you’re available to help with an errand, open the traffic flow to another driver, compliment a friend in a meaningful way. These small acts of connection and caring help strengthen social ties. They’re small gestures of engagement that let people know you’re thinking about them and they can make a huge, positive difference in a person’s life. Dr. Joe Kelly’s “Project Change” is a case in point. Based in Vancouver, Joe is self described as an “innovator in sustainability and social change.” You too can make your town and city more resilient by signaling interest in the people around you.