Personal Care and Post Office Troubles, And ...

A small collection of personal care items collected on a recent short out of town with hubby.  It was on this trip to Hilton Head, SC a week or so back that I discovered all the problems now associated with doing a mail hold.  It's never been an issue before; but ..........our post office has closed which presented a whole host of problems that never existed before.

1. When your post office closes you can not qualify for a mail hold set up on line, even when signed  into your account.
2. You can not qualify for automated telephone mail hold
3. When you get a live human being, they can not do a mail hold for you
4. You must go in person, stand in line, and fill out a mail hold card (which they may or may not loose)
5. Once back in town you return to the post office nearest you, the one where you filled out the mail hold document and are told you can not pick up your mail there, you must go to the main office.
6. The following day arriving at the main post office after difficulty with finding a parking spot and it takes 3 people to find your mail.  But, hey I lucked out the lady in front of me had been back 3 times and no one could find her mail, nor her mail hold card.

Yes this is one of the reasons I've decided it's time to put an end date to this grassroots charity, Bridge and Beyond.  So, after 13 years Bridge and Beyond's last date will be Dec 31st of this year, 2021.

Hubby and I travel a good bit, and will be increasing time away as he nears retirement.  With mail issues (significant mail delays), and reduced time you can do a mail hold, and above stated problems........it seems the writing was on the wall.  Thus, I have made this decision after considerable thought.

Dec 2, 2008 I wrote my first blog post here on Bridge and Beyond where I asked a group of blog friends if they wanted to help.  It started out quite small.  We were going to help a group of folks living in the elements that a friend, Rae prepared hot meals for on Sat mornings.  Mostly men at the time, a few woman and no children.

In one weeks time, I started receiving emails asking for my address on Dec 8th, and on Dec 9, 2008 I received my first donation from Bunny.  Bunny was an avid supporter of Bridge and Beyond in the early years.  Some of you may remember her.  She moved onto supporting other charities from my memory; but it's a nice memory to remember she was the first donator to this charity, Bridge and Beyond.

I'll will continue to accept donations, and blog about them as the year continues.  AND, I will continue to share some history and memories of how we came to be and how we grew.  Please stay tuned.

**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.