Change by Doing Explore the world of volunteering and service

I watched the Piers Morgan Tonight show last night for the first time. I know lots of folks feel he might be too boorish and arrogant to be watchable, but it was OK. He is definitely boorish and arrogant, but that is not a surprise. What I do find a little over-the-top is his ridiculous publicity ploy saying he will ban Madonna from ever appearing on his show. I know there are plenty of blacklists for guests on any chat show, but they aren’t publicized. Piers seems to be taking a page form the Letterman/Oprah manufactured feud to get attention, but it seems such a clumsy misstep to me…

Madonna, a bigger star than Piers can ever hope to be, is certainly not hurt, or even affected by his hubris. While my fandom for Madonna has never been rabid, my admiration for her is top of the charts. Her commitment to children is much more than a PR pose, and her focus on the nation of Malawi, I believe, truly does make a difference there. Her Raising Malawi charity has helped over a million children orphaned from the AIDS epidemic, and she is spearheading education efforts for girls, poverty relief, orphan issues, and children’s mental health.

In addition to general support of the charity, you can also volunteer, at home, or in Malawi, with World Camp, the sanctioned volunteer organization working with Raising Malawi. World Camp volunteers work in rural schools and street shelters, teaching kids about HIV/AIDS prevention, nutrition, gender equality, environmental issues, and human rights. There are general volunteer programs geared for adults, as well as “youth to youth” programs to get teens involved. Just think of all the things you don’t know right now, that you will come home knowing after a volunteer gig with kids in Malawi.