The focus of my blog has always been about having purpose and significance in retirement. I heard a woman speak at my Rotary club who has achieved this.
Her name is Susan Riley and she believed that you can do small things with great love. She runs the Small Blessings Purse Project and it has become a full time job since she retired from being a graphic designer after 40 years.
After she retired, she was interested in living a purposeful life of service. She had work on a couple of mission projects with her church and realized that there was a need that poor woman and woman refugees needed help with.
Most of the refugees she met had left their home countries with only the cloths on their backs. She tried to figure out how she could help them and decided that she could do something small that would really help them out of her house.
She started the Small blessings Purse Project to help them feel more normal. She stated by asking women at her church for gently used purses they no longer wanted.
Then she cleans them, and then fills them with essentials like bath soap, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, tooth brushes, tooth paste, feminine hygiene products. The amount that she puts in them depends on the size of the purse.
She collects all sizes and sorts them by size and season. She also asks other women for old costume which she also cleans up and adds that as a finishing touch. Then she adds the bling, the gently used costume jewelry so they have something to wear.
She now canvases churches all over our area for money donations to buy personal care products and gently used purses. She visits local food banks, Refugees centers, Pregnancy out reach centers and more places. In 2023 she filled and delivered 1640 purses with a goal of filling and delivering 2000 in 2024. If you are interested in making a donation to her cause contact Susan Riley at rileydesign@gmail.com. Here is a woman who has a purpose that truly helps other. It is a fascinating story.
If you have struggled with having purpose and significance in retirement go to Patterson2Y2R should be a place you should visit. Share your stories and challenges.
I have an ear that would love to hear your stories.
Let’s taste the real meaning of life. I am still working on my course with a goal of launching a starter course by July 30th, and I will keep you abreast as to how the process goes.
If you want to participate in this process and join my first class please send me an email to www.bobchuckpatterson@yahoo.com
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