Motel in Hohenwald is Embassy Inn..931-796-1500...better call ahead they stay pretty busy. On the main drag as you come into town on the right just before the 1st redlight (for those of you coming from the north and east) Go through the 4th traffic light and it is on the left (for those of you coming from the west) Food...make sure that you can keep it cold/hot until lunch...I have a couple of plugs on the porch of the bathhouse were we can plug in slow cookers, etc. First come, first serve. There will be snacks, soft drinks, bottled water, Gatorade and ice in the camp store. Cheaper than a convienent store. In the past we have NOT had enough drinks for the potluck lunch...some of you coming from long distances, this is something you could bring. FOODS...I suggest salads--fruit and veggie, veggie trays, sandwiches, finger foods, sliced ham, and anything just plain easy to fix or that you are good at making...we aren't fancy...just plain folks who like to eat. We do have several diabetics so some of you keep them in mind when you plan your food. The paper products (plates, cups, silverware, etc) will be furnished... we are asking those of you that can to donate $1 to help pay for these. Have questions???....email me at Jan@buffalocanoeing.com

Leibrook, Lots of people have offered suggestions on the dumpster, but I'd like to offer suggestions on the guilt part. 1. Try to stop feeling guilty about what you have versus what other people have. My husband is getting ready for his third trip as a volunteer for Katrina clean-up, and NOT ONE PERSON has blamed you for the hurricane. There will always be people who have more or less that what you and I have. 2. You sound like you would like to match up people who need clothing with the clothing you don't need. You can try www.freecycle.com if it's in your area. Or, just pack up the clothing and give it to a thrift store or charity or church rummage sale whatever. Let the people who need it find it there--they aren't going to find the clothing while it's packed in boxes in your garage. Feel good that you shared, and don't think of it as a missed garage sale opportunity. Remember, a garage sale would just be another thing to do on an already long list of things to do. 3. Try to refine your definition of "treasure". You might treasure your high school yearbook, but do you treasure your old math book? Just because something was a part of your life, doesn't mean it has to hang around forever. Also, anything from the past that makes you feel bad needs to go in the dumpster right away. Flylady helped me with that one--all the unfinished projects that I felt guilty about went to the curb in a hefty bag. What a relief that was! 4. A "treasure" is not meant to be stored in the attic. Family heirlooms (whether they have monetary value or not) are treasures if they bring back happy memories when you see them, and you won't see them in the attic. Display them with pride in your home, and share the stories behind them with your guests. 5. What did you give away before that you missed? Could it be replaced? If, for example, I had 2 extra serving dishes, and one used to be Grandma's, I would keep Grandma's (sentimental woman that I am) and give away the others. The day might come that I would NEED an extra serving dish for a party and wish I hadn't given away the extras, but I could buy new ones at the dollar store, or borrow from a neighbor, with no trouble. 6. Remember that de-cluttering can be a ongoing process. Some decisions are easier than others. You can clean out the same box five times before the box is empty. It took me forever to eventually give up all the Tupperware that I loved in theory but NEVER used. 7. Don't consider what you paid for something as a reason to keep it. There's no point in keeping a $50 waffle iron if you don't make waffles, and there's no point in keeping a $200 coat if it doesn't fit--the $200 is already spent so let the coat go. 7. Use your new house as an opportunity to "upgrade" the look of your new home. For instance, ask yourself, "Do I really want that ugly old throw pillow in my NEW living room?" or "Do I really want to clutter up my NEW kitchen with those awful cannisters Aunt Helen gave us for a wedding gift?". 8. Avoid keeping things "just in case". Like extra blankets "just in case" one wears out. Or an extra hairdryer "just in case" the other one breaks. Or extra dishes "just in case" you ever have 40 people for dinner (honestly don't most of us just use disposable plates now for big parties, or is it just me? LOL). 9. (This was a hard one for me...) Don't save things "for good" and use the "bad" stuff instead. Enjoy using your "good" towels, enjoy using your "good" dishes, etc. 10. It is OK to have empty storage areas in the new house. One more time: It is OK to have empty storage areas in the new house. Just because you have space to keep something doesn't mean you need to keep it. You will LOVE the feel of open areas, and you will learn to love opening a closet without having to duck. LOL You will love having closets where ALL the clothes fit, and you will love having kitchen cabinets that contain only the items that you use regularly. You will love seeing your treasures displayed, and you'll love knowing your attic is empty except for the dust. Best wishes for a happy new home! Julie

I've felt the way that many of you feel. We've been managing our donations also. We don't like to subsidize greed, entitlement, or laziness. Dh went to pick up an Angel Tree request a few years back and he couldn't find one that was acceptable. The requests from those kids weren't things like coats, clothes, or board games. They were all electronic toys and brand name items that were way more expensive than what we buy our kids. When we donate, we donate at the level or quality of what we would buy for our children. We decided those kids must not have enough need if they didn't need clothes or some other basic item. Dh and I want to teach our child kindness and generosity so we've been focusing more on helping others around us in our daily lives. We've started donating more to the local schools our kids attend. The school is always in need of educational equipment and materials. Dh's employer will match monetary contributions up to a certain amount. The school gets double bang for the buck and we get to designate specifically where we want the money spent. It helps more people. We also like to give the teachers money for supplies too. They spend a lot out of their pockets that we never know about. I don't know if this is considered a true 'charity', but we've donated a few times to the organizations sending items overseas for our soldiers. These men and women are putting their lives on the line for us and it's a small way to make their day brighter or easier. They like toys too. :) It's okay to send bouncy balls, card games and other tiny, but fun surprises. People who have been in the military tell us it's wonderful to get a surprise that smells like home. I've put usable household goods on the curb with a free sign for the neighbors to have. It saves me a trip to the thrift store, but it also helps others around me. I've put out beds, shelves, picnic tables, chairs, etc. Several people told me they were 'extra' things they wanted or needed, but were hesitant to buy because of cost. My other favorite donation place is the food bank. I see it as a way to help the people who are willing to work, but may have lost their jobs or just aren't able to make enough money in their jobs to make ends meet. These people may not qualify for food stamps or other welfare because they have assets like a house or income. Again, I like to donate through the school because some of those donations go to feed my children's classmates. I know the Christmas before last, there was a family in my child's school where the family had lost their job and the school sent them a form to ask what they needed. Their only request was food.

I'm sharing this in the hopes future readers don't feel too guilty about making poor food choices in a time of crisis. when news about Harvey dominated the airways, I promptly went to the store to stock up, I thought that being confined indoors would be a wonderful opportunity to try fancy, healthy recipes I had been wanted to try. I purchased accordingly. Harvey became the monster nobody expected and many, us included, lost all our refrigerated food. When hurricane moved a little away from us, We got busy cleaning for us and neighbors. At the end of each day, there has been little energy left for cooking. Pizzas, Doritos, donuts were welcome sustenance. I vow to get back on track, but went on a junk food regimen out of convenience. I can't imagine any (temporary) shelter focusing on perfect nutritious meals. in fact, in the lessons learned department, I will stock up on easy fast and likely junk food. Grab and go, baby, grab and go.