Inspiring Opportunities is a weekly email from Coming of Age for people 50+ who are making a difference in the world, in their communities and in their lives.

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What's New
Have We Got a Volunteer Opportunity for You!
Inspiring Stories
This Week

 
Should Volunteering Be Tax Deductible?
An organization called the Experience Wave is trying to amend federal policies so that they would allow older adults to deduct the value of their time spent volunteering from their federal taxes. What do you think?
• Should volunteering be tax deductible?
• If it is, should everyone deduct the same hourly rate?
Please take our 20 second survey.


The Results Are In: Old Age Starts at 80
Here are the results from last weeks survey:

We can't say for sure why our readers think old age starts 14 years later than the boomers who took the national survey or why, on average, our readers expect and want to live longer. It may be because the average age of our responder was 60, ten years higher than the average age of a boomer. But we'd like to think that it's because our readers, people who want to make a difference, have a more positive outlook about age.


The Brave New World of Civic Engagement
First there was Wikipedia, the web encyclopedia written by volunteers. Now there's a group in Philadelphia using the Wiki approach to bring about political reform. Here's an article about the effort from the Daily News and here's the group's website: ReformBallot.org


Finding Good Work after 50
At the upcoming Idealist.org Nonprofit Job Fair at Villanova University on April 3, Coming of Age will offer a free panel discussion focusing on re-careering and how to pursue a nonprofit job that really makes a difference. Look for more information next week.


Your Dream Job — For a Few Days
Coming of Age partner AARP gives us a story about Vocation Vacations, a company that allows people to test drive a new career.


Boomer Humor
There seems to be a new genre of humor emerging that focuses on boomer angst about aging. In this recent example, Michael Seabaugh writes about the "linguistic awkwardness" of finding the right words to describe one's stage in life in Men of an Uncertain Age.

And in this piece from Newsweek, Albert Brooks tells us why he stands apart from his generation, "as far apart as possible." Here's a quote:


Volunteers Solving Murder Cases
Here's an interesting story about a Philadelphia organization of volunteers who give their time to analyzing and helping the police solve cold cases.


  If you know of a volunteer opportunity in the Greater Philadelphia area that you would like featured here, email details to havewegot@comingofage.org. You can also find one-time volunteer opportunities below under “This Week.”

This Week's Featured VISTA Opportunity
Spend a year of service in Wisconsin helping children succeed in schools by involving parents and the community at large in the educational process. Learn More


Help Prisoners Learn
Books through Bars distributes educational materials to prisoners throughout the United States (See Inspiring Stories below). You can get involved by participating in one of their regularly scheduled book packing activities Tuesday Nights, 7:30pm to 9:30pm, or the first and third Saturdays of every month, 11am to 2pm. Learn More


Help Children Cross the Digital Divide
Team Children's goal is to make sure that every child has access to a computer. As a result of their efforts, more than 6,000 families have received a computer so far. The group needs volunteers to help with filing, fundraising, accounting and record keeping. Hours are flexible. Learn More


Help Children in Chinatown
The Chinatown Learning Center provides care for children and offers support for parents with limited English proficiency. Volunteers are needed to help in classrooms, tutor after school or read to children throughout the day. Contact Carol Wong (Director) at (215) 922-4227.


Become a Tutor — Receive Free Training
The Delaware County Literacy Council, based in Chester, PA, is having tutor training sessions this May geared specifically to people age 50+. Receive ten hours of professional training spread over four sessions. If you have ever wanted to become a tutor but were not sure you were ready, here's your chance to be tutored on tutoring! Learn more.

 

Flying Angels
Read about Pennsylvania pilots who donate their time and pick up most of the expenses of flying people, free of charge, to medical centers where they receive life saving treatments.


"I Write Peace on Your Wings, and Fly You All Around the World"
Philadelphia lost an angel recently. Long time peace activist and cofounder of Books Through Bars Barbara Hirshkowitz led an inspiring life. Her legacy will live on. Here's a story about her from the Philadelphia Weekly. The following is from her obituary at Philly.com:
  We list events and opportunities here we think will interest people 50+ who want to make a difference. If you know of such events, please send us information. If you attended an event you learned about here, please send us a review.



Climb Aboard the Leader Ship
6pm at the National Constitution Center
Hear Philly bigwigs share the secrets of their success. Panelists include Brian Tierney, publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, Phil Martelli, head coach of St. Joe's Men's basketball team, and Alba Martinez, CEO of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.



Boomervision!^®: The New Sexual Revolution
5:30pm at WHYY in Center City
Coming of Age presents five nationally prominent sex therapists and researchers on everything from new 50+ attitudes about sex to sexuality and illness to the future of pharmaceutical enhancements.

Green Architecture
7pm at the University of Pennsylvania
Learn about environmentally sound architecture from Eric Corey Freed, one of the pioneers in the field.



Learn to Influence Legislators (without lots of cash)
7:30pm in Berwyn, PA
Tim Potts, President of Democracy Rising PA and Joe Hoeffel, former US Congressman from Pennsylvania, provide an insider's view of what really happens behind the scenes and how to make legislators respond to the issues you care about.



The Casino 'Battle' Royale
7:30pm in West Philadelphia
Daniel Hunter, leader of Casino-Free Philadelphia, talks about how he thinks casinos would impact West Philly.



Locked Up: Keys to Prison Change Conference
8:30am to 7pm in Center City
Local and national experts discuss the state of our prison system and alternatives to incarceration and rehabilitation.

Clean up Kemble Park
10:00am in Northeast Philadelphia
Discover a place you very well might like to come back to and enjoy — plus meet new people and perhaps old friends, then enjoy light refreshments after the cleanup.

Help Plan Greenfest Philly 2007
12:30pm in Center City
Be part of a team planning a big event in September to educate the public about all things environmental in and around Philadelphia.



Eat, Drink and Be Merry for a Good Cause
5pm to 8pm at Reading Terminal, Center City
The Brewers Plate Fundraiser will feature craft beers and gourmet food from top Philadelphia breweries and restaurants. All proceeds will benefit Fair Foods, a project of the White Dog Cafe Foundation.

MORE ON THE SPRING 2007 BOOMERVISION!^® SERIES

This Tuesday, March 27, at WHYY: The New Sexual Revolution — Love and Sex in the Time of the Boomers. Five nationally prominent sex therapists and researchers on everything from new 50+ attitudes about sex to sexuality and illness to the future of pharmaceutical enhancements. Learn More




SPONSOR:



VISTA is looking for experienced, energetic individuals who want to make a full-time, year long commitment to fight poverty. If you’re retiring soon, already there, or want to take a year off for a year of service, VISTA may be for you. Living allowances and other benefits are provided. More About VISTA

See this week's featured VISTA opportunity under "Have We Got a Volunteer Opportunity For You."