The 2008 Holidazzle Parade was in full swing tonight as hundreds of onlookers lined the streets of Minneapolis. The holiday spirit brings out the best in people as they bundle their families in snow pants, hats and mittens to enjoy this annual tradition.
Ameriprise Financial provides volunteers each night to support the Emergency Foodshelf Network by encouraging monetary and food donations. Tonight four Sojourners volunteered to be in the parade and experience holiday gift giving from inside pinstriped overhauls.
Nathan Worrell, an Ameriprise employee and PLAY it Forward "favorite", was the mastermind behind this experience. His wife, Kacie, looking ever so glamorous in her stylish winter b
oots and polka-dotted scarf shook her bells and collected cash donations in a bucket along the way. Justin sported his Janet Jackson microphone as he lead our team (and the parade) down Nicollet Mall informing onlookers of foodshelf statistics and encouraging them to give, give, give! And I, in my small overhaul knickers, was designated as one of the two three-wheel-bike-riders who got to drive a donation "train". Seeing my cousins face on the sideline as I unexpectedly passed her on my train-bike was pretty amusing. "Jodi?!!" she shouted as she scrambled for the camera she wasn't even carrying. I didn't have time to explain what she was seeing as I rolled on by wearing an engineers attire, driving a train, waiving and shouting Happy Holidays to the crowd. How exactly did I get here? The spontenaity and surprise associated with volunteering is fantastic!Foodshelf Facts:
* 56% of foodshelf visits are made by families with children
* the number of families visiting local foodshelves in the metro area has increased 20-30% in the last year
For every dollar and pound of food donated, Ameriprise Financial matched the donation up to $20,000!
Make a cash or food donation by contacting the Emergency Foodshelf Network.
www.emergencyfoodshelf.org
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