Wondering what our Good Deeds Squad is up to?

A couple weeks ago, Marcia Iraha generously donated 150 yards of fabric to Still & Moving Center, having originally come to hula with Anne Shirai, one of our devoted hula students from Japan. Marcia gave it to our official Ambassador of Aloha, Doris Morisaki.  

Hmmm… How to make best use of a box of fabric in these Covid 19 days? One yard of fabric yields around 12 – 15 masks as a layer of protection against infection. However, Doris doesn’t consider herself much of a seamstress…. So, she made some coconut wireless inquiries and soon came up with a solution.

Keani Alcoran, a former hula student at the Still & Moving Center, runs logistics while her mom and aunty sew masks. Doris connected this team of family mask-makers with Marcia to receive a portion of her fabric gift. Keani’s family then donated the masks to first responders. 

Doris also discovered that our very own yoga teacher, Lee-Ann Kong, formerly a fashion designer, has also joined the ranks of volunteer mask sewers in Hawaii, creating masks for first responders and medical workers. Doris provided the rest of Marcia’s fabric donation to Lee-Ann for her generous production. Lee-Ann’s most recent delivery of dozens of masks went to Pali Momi.

Doris’ resourceful connection of Marcia’s bountiful donation with two industrious mask sewing teams on Oahu thereby multiplied the acts of generosity.   Good deeds galore!

Even though where we go and who we see in person right now may be limited, there are many out there in the community who are finding ways to still connect, share their talents and skills, and do good deeds. We want to celebrate these people!

A historic catastrophe does not define us…

“A historic catastrophe does not define us. What defines us as a community is how we rise above and deal with these hurdles. We’ve already heard stories of local distilleries that have started to manufacture hand sanitizer and restaurants that deliver meals to healthcare workers.  

Acts of kindness will be especially appreciated and have a snowball effect during these trying times. We at Still & Moving Center applaud these gestures and would like to offer our students ways to contribute through their own kind deeds.” 

by Mark Morisaki

Want to help?

Feeling as if you wish you could do more to help in this time of crisis? Let’s harness our energies and reach out to DO something of benefit for others. In the meantime, we’ll no doubt succeed in lifting our own spirits! This call is to ALL our Still & Moving Center students who yearn to be of service.

If Can, Can

For students who can still afford to pay for classes, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Your sustained support is making it feasible for us to provide online classes. Mahalo nui loa. And come join us on the Good Deeds Squad – it’s good for the soul!!

No Can, No Can

We also recognize that many students are undergoing tremendous loss of income. For students who have lost the financial ability to pay for classes, participating in Good Deeds Squad can function the way that work-trade does when our studio is open for business in the building. Basically, do a good deed for others in the community and earn classes at Still & Moving.

HOW TO JOIN THE GOOD DEEDS SQUAD

1. Think of a good deed you’d like to do. Then —
2. Call us or text us at 808.397.7678 to say you’re interested … OR Email us a info@stillandmovingcenter.com with GOOD DEEDS SQUAD in the subject line to say you’re interested.
3. We will get back to you in a day or two and tell you how to proceed from there!

Good Deed Ideas to Spur your Imagination

Assumes social distancing and sanitation protocols will be followed by every Good Deed squad member on every deed

Ask an elderly neighbor if you may pick up some items for them before you head out to the grocery or hardware store

Sew face masks for those in need

Loan out a board game (to a bored family!)

Offer to play online chess with someone in a care facility

Drop off freshly cut flowers to a fire station

Donate some art supplies to a family with children

Offer tutoring over Skype

Read a story over the phone or FaceTime to a child whose parents are too busy

Stream virtual art or sketches to uplift spirits

Donate children’s art creations to assisted living facilities

Send a postcard to a self-isolated couple

Write a poem for someone who’s lonely and MAIL it to the person

Hand make a card for someone alone and MAIL it to the person

Compose an uplifting song and post it online

Write a haiku with a bright spirit and post it online

Pick up trash at the beach – with appropriate protective gear

Arrange an online cooking-together session with someone alone, both using same recipe and ingredients

Plant and cultivate seedlings and give them away for home gardens / window boxes

Harvest fruits & veggies from your yard and deliver them to…

Create a comic video telling your favorite jokes on toilet paper hoarding!

OFFER SKILLS TO SOMEONE:

Can you fix a sewing machine?

Can you teach someone how to hand sew, such as sew on a button?

Teach someone online how to play an instrument

Show someone far away some yoga moves for health & peace of mind

Offer to teach someone how to cook a dish together

Share a collage of beautiful photos you’ve taken – online or in the mail

Offer practice conversation sessions in your native language

Volunteer your techie skills by phone to a non-techie person

Teach someone to get onto a Zoom call

Can you repair someone’s bike?

Organize an online dance party for shut-ins!

Photo credit:

By Tadeáš Bednarz – Woman hands sewing a home-made medical face mask with a Singer Ideal Model 1014 sewing machine due to the resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic (no. 106/2020 Coll.) about the obligation of wearing any kind of respiratory protection in reaction to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Czechia (lots of Czech family members and volunteers thus embarked on making their own face masks).