We finally had a taste of winter last weekend with the freezing snow and sleet on Friday. I was very thankful to be working from home and able to enjoy a warm fire in the fireplace. Saturday, many of us were frozen in. My yard and driveway had a solid sheet of ice throughout the weekend with temperatures not reaching above freezing until Monday. Now we are back to warmer weather for a few days with highs from 46 to 71 degrees. Alabama weather is none like any other place. You can have ice with everything shutdown for miles one day and then be sunny, warm and short-sleeved weather the next. Thank goodness for weather.com to be able to check the hour-by-hour forecast and our wonderful weathermen and women in the greater Birmingham area to help us plan for whatever weather is coming our way.

A new year is a great time to get involved in your local community. There are many places to serve that can make a difference in the lives of others. From the Lions Club to Kiwanis, LadyBUGS, Leeds and Moody Area Chambers of Commerce, the Red Barn, Right Stuff Ministries, the WellHouse, Shepherd Supply, Leeds Outreach, Leeds and Moody public libraries, Partners in Education at our schools, and don’t forget about our area churches. There are many places to serve in our churches that involve all age groups, interests and needs.

Giving of yourself without expecting anything in return has huge rewards in so many areas. Besides gaining experience working in a field or position that has transferable skills, it is an opportunity to meet other people, work on worthwhile projects and feel great about making a difference.

When you take your focus off of yourself, your needs and problems and concentrate on someone else, your happiness and self-fulfillment increase dramatically. It even helps with depression. If you are feeling a little down in the dumps after the holidays and just don’t know what to do about it? Guess what? Finding somewhere to serve, even just for an hour or so a week, will make a dramatic improvement in your life, not to mention the life of the person or group you are plugging into.

According to national studies, people who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.

That’s why I spend a lot of space in my article each week announcing upcoming meetings and events. I want help get the word out each week so you can see opportunities for service that you can take advantage of. Also, if you know of any upcoming events and news, please remember to send it to me each week so I can help you get the word out.

If you are not already involved somewhere giving back to others, please take time to think about people that you have a heartbeat for and look for a way to give back. There just might be a place for you to serve on one of our local non-profit organizations or churches to live out your purpose.

Here are some events coming up in the next week: The Moody Area Chamber of Commerce will host their monthly Chamber luncheon at 11:30 a.m. today, Jan. 12 at Moody City Hall. Guest speaker this month is Carol Dodgen, who will speak on “Workplace Violence.” Also, the new Chamber Board of Directors will be installed by Mayor Joe Lee. Lunch is $10 with RSVP ($15 without RSVP) to Andrea Machen, Executive Director, at (205) 640-6262. Next month, I will be leading a Lunch and Learn on Marketing for Small Business so I hope you will save the date (second Thursday in February).

Moody Lions Club will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 16 at White’s Chapel.

The Moody Area Chamber of Commerce Corporate Liaison Group will kick off 2017 with their first meeting at Moody Bojangles at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Their calendar for this year will include meetings at local restaurants and tours of local companies. If you are a business professional in the Moody area, this meeting is for you. There is no charge for this meeting and lunch is Dutch treat. Please RSVP to Andrea Machen, Executive Director, at (205) 640-6262 so we can properly plan meeting space.

Moody Kiwanis Club is scheduled for noon on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at Moody City Hall.

Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce Corporate Ambassadors Meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at Leeds First United Methodist Church Family Life Center. If you would like to develop relationships with area business professionals, showcase your business and work on chamber and community projects, this meeting is for you. Lunch is $10 – please RSVP to Sandra McGuire, Executive Director, at (205) 699-5001 or Sandra@LeedsAreaChamber.com.

Leeds River Campus ELEVATE Students (grades 7-12) are studying the book of Joshua this winter semester each Sunday morning at 9:35 a.m. during Life Discovery. On Wednesday, Jan. 18, they will meet at Chick-fil-A for After Service Fellowship at 8 p.m. On Saturday, Jan.28, students will have a Life Discovery Fellowship Day for a hike at Moss Rock in Hoover. For more information, please contact Sherry Holloway at (205) 338-7711 ext. 239.

Breakfast for the Brave will be served at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Leeds River Campus of Eden Westside Baptist Church. If you are policeman, fireman, EMT or other first responder in the greater Leeds area, please come by for a free breakfast and fellowship. For more information, please visit EdenWestside.org.

The Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce will host their monthly Chamber luncheon at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at Leeds First Methodist Church Family Life Center. Guest speaker this month will be Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington. Lunch is $12 with RSVP ($15 without RSVP) to Sandra McGuire, Executive Director, at (205) 699-5001 or Sandra@LeedsAreaChamber.com which includes lunch, a great speaker and the opportunity to build relationships and a great business network with other area business professionals.

The first ever Leeds Elementary School Jump Rope Team REUNION TEAM will perform at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22 at Leeds High School. Watch 50 former LES jumpers perform, including Miss Jefferson State Outstanding Teen Shelby Truitt, who performed jump rope as her talent to win her title. Tickets are $3 and proceeds will go to the Children’s Miracle Network.

Save the date: 2017 RUN for the SON 5k annual fundraiser for Saturday, May 6 from 6 – 10 a.m. at 663 Park Avenue, Moody hosted by the Christian Motorcyclist Associations.

Job Openings: McDonald’s, Jack’s and Sears Hometown Store Leeds.

Quote for the Week: “Being positive in a negative situation is not naïve, it’s leadership.” ~Anonymous.

I truly appreciate each of you who read my column and I really love sharing news, so please remember to send your Leeds and Moody news to me at leedsmoodynews@gmail.com. Also, remember our 2017 kindness goal to look around to lend a kind word or deed to someone this week and I’ll see you next week!