Today we realized that it has been 10 days since we've updated our blog! You know what that means? We've had far too much real work to do.

Such as...

Attending the Hands On Network Leadership Conference '07 in scenic and culturally significant New Orleans, Louisiana. Several members of our staff (including one-half of our elite blogging team) got togther with over 660 Hands On Network representatives from across the globe to learn volunteering and community involvement techniques from each other and participate in some huge service projects to help out New Orleans neighborhoods (many of which still have a long way to go before they're "recovered").

In fact, if you have any interest in helping out with the continuing recovery of the New Orleans, we're working with Hands On New Orleans to get more information on how you can head down to the gulf and get your hands dirty. There's still a lot to do! Keep checking our homepage, we'll have that information up soon.

Also...

We're working with the City of Minneapolis to present the Great City Take Action Forums. This is a series of 4 forums designed to educate and involve Minneapolis residents, empowering them to help make our city an even better place. More information about these fun, informative, and free events can be found by clicking here.

Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak and his fantastic staff have been outstanding partners for the planning of these forums, and we were thrilled to be in the audience for the Mayor's State of the City Address at the McNamara Alumni Center (which is a giant spaceship cleverly disguised as a building on the U of M campus) today when he officially announced the Great City Take Action Forums. Thanks, Mayor Rybak!

(Make no mistake - we love you too, City of St. Paul!)

And lastly...

This wouldn't be a proper blog entry if we didn't mention a direct instance of volunteerism in action.

These week's example is taken from the entertaining, family-friendly, and slightly dangerous neo-sport of Roller Derby. While attending a Roller Derby match on Friday evening, one-half of this blog noticed that injured and ailing Roller Girls are dutifully attended to by Volunteer EMT's!

Kudos to you, Roller Derby Medical Personnel! We at Hands On Twin Cities applaud any instance of skilled professionals donating their time to help the community; no matter how fast-paced, dimly lit, and alternative that community may be.