Helen Monson has always been interested in helping her community. Her first volunteer experience was for the American Red Cross when she was in high school. When she was a school teacher, she also found time to volunteer.

After she retired, she started volunteering to help the old. When her father was older, he was not able to see as well as he used to, which made her sad because he had always enjoyed reading.

    She decided it would be fun to read to elderly people in her community. She also helped one woman write her stories. Ann was almost 100 years old, and Helen wrote down information about her life when she visited Ann. She put the information in a book and got it published. Ann was very excited to share her life story with her children and grandchildren.

    One day Helen read an article in the newspaper about refugees (难民) who needed to learn English. Now, she meets once a week with Sahra, a 38-year-old woman from Somalia. Sahra is learning reading and writing skills. Helen gave Sahra a camera and asked her to take pictures of her daily life. She developed the pictures, and then asked Sahra questions about them. In the end they wrote a book together and used the photos in the book. This helped Sahra learn many new words about her everyday life.

    Helen says, “The most rewarding part of volunteer work is becoming friends with the people I help. They enrich my life as well as I enrich theirs.”

Teen Climbing Camp

    This 5-day climbing camp is suitable for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 who have an interest in rock climbing. The climbing days are designed for beginners and those who have some basic experience in a gym or outdoors. Participants will find themselves challenged physically and mentally.

    Rock Dimensions camps are designed to be a positive and memorable experience by providing healthy communication between participants, individual goal setting, and challenges that lead to personal growth.

    Dates

    Monday, June 29-Friday, July 3

    Monday, July 27-Friday, July 31

    Locations

    Climbing Tower at Footsloggers

    Linville Gorge and Table Rock area

    Local climbing areas near Boone

    Responsibilities

    Participants will meet Rock Dimensions guides at our location each morning and at the end of each day. Rock Dimensions will provide all climbing items, including a safety rope, a helmet and climbing shoes for each participant. Participants are responsible for bringing their own lunch, water, small backpack, appropriate clothing, and personal items like sun cream, etc.

    Pre-camp planning

    Participants will receive the following information in their registration(注册) packet Medical Form, Responsibility Agreement, Clothing/Equipment List, and Directions.

    Cost

    $575/person for the 5-day camp

    $325/person for the first 3 days

    Anyone interested in participating in just the last two days of the camp should call to discuss pricing and necessary skills/experience.

    Four years ago, we asked ourselves: what if we could create a shopping experience with no waiting in lines and no checkout? Or could we create a physical store where customers could simply take what they want and go? Our answer to those questions is Amazon Go, where you could experience the idea of "just walk out shopping".

    Amazon Go is a new kind of store with no checkout required. We created the world's most advanced shopping technology, so you never have to wait in line. With our "just walk out shopping" experience, simply use the Amazon Go app to enter the store, take the products you want, and go! No lines, no checkout.

    Our checkout-free shopping experience is made possible by the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning. Our "just walk out technology" automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in your virtual cart（虚拟购物车）. When you've done shopping, you can just leave the store. Shortly after, we'll charge your Amazon account and send you a receipt(收据).

    We offer delicious ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options made fresh every day by our on-site chefs and favorite local kitchens and bakeries. Our selection of foodstuff ranges from bread and milk to cheeses and locally made chocolates. You'll find well-known brands we love, plus special finds we're excited to introduce to customers. For a quick home-cooked dinner, pick up one of our chef-designed Amazon Meal Kits, and you can make a meal for two in about 30 minutes.

    Our 1,800-square-foot shopping space is conveniently compact(紧凑的), so busy customers can get in and out fast. It is located at 2131, 7th Ave, Seattle, WA, on the corner of 7th Avenue and Blanchard Street. All you need is an Amazon account, a supported smartphone, and the free Amazon Go app.

    Amazon Go is currently only open to Amazon employees in our testing program, and will be open to the public soon.

    In October, I told the eight-year-olds in the class I teach in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, about my plan. "Since all of you have done extra jobs around the house to earn some money," I said. "Then we'll buy food for a Thanksgiving dinner for someone who might not have a nice dinner otherwise."

    I watched them while they walked up and down the supermarket. "Flowers!" Kristine cried. The group rushed toward the holiday plants.

    "You can't eat flowers."——It was more sensible(明智的) to use any extra money to buy something that could be transformed(转换，转变) into meals.

    "But Mrs. Sherlock," came the begging voice, "we want flowers."

    Defeated finally, I put a pot of "funny" purple(紫色的) mums in the cart full of foods. "She'll like this one," the children agreed.

    An organization had given us the name and address of a needy grandmother who had lived alone for many years. We finally pulled up in front of a small house. A slightly built woman with a weary face came to the door to welcome us.

    My little group ran to get the food. As each box was carried in, the old woman kept on saying "Thanks"—much to her visitors' pleasure. When Amy put the mums on the counter, the woman seemed surprised. She's wishing it was a bag of flour(面粉), I thought.

    We returned to the car. As we fastened our seat belts, we could see the kitchen window. The woman inside waved goodbye, then turned and walked across the room, past the turkey, past the goods, straight to the mums. She put her face in their petal. When she raised her head, there was a smile on her lips. She was transformed before our eyes.

    The children were quiet. At that moment, they had seen for themselves the power they possessed(拥有) to make another's life better. The children had sensed(感到) that sometimes a person needs a bunch of funny purple flowers on a dark November day.

    I'm a student in my fourth year of a biomedical science degree at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, but I also work 38 hours a week at Sainsbury's to make ends meet. I do three night shifts a week, plus overtime if I can get it. Monday is the most occupied day for me — I work from 10 pm until 8 am on Saturday and Sunday nights, earning just over £100 a night, and then I have to be at my first lecture at 9 am on Monday. By the time I finish lectures, at 2 pm, I'm exhausted, but I know I have to be back at work by 10 pm.

    I constantly have to force myself to stay awake, and to be alert, whatever it takes. A packet of Skittles and a Red Bull usually helps. The work I do at Sainsbury's is very physical like stacking shelves. I'm lucky because I'm an active person and the amount I lift at work is nothing compared with the weights I lift in the gym. I know I have the strength to bear it.

    I'm originally from Nigeria. I came here when I was seven, growing up in Croydon, south London. Money was tight. My parents gave me everything I needed, but there was no money to spend on luxuries. I worked hard at school though and, with the help of GT Scholars, I got some of the best A-level grades in my class.

    Unfortunately, though I had applied for “settled” British residential status when very young, the Home Office waited until I was in sixth form to approve my application. That meant I wasn't eligible for a student loan. The only way I could afford to go to university was that if I got a job that would pay for all my living costs and my parents, who work in market research, paid for my tuition fees. In Scotland, that's about £7,000 a year.

    I don't have much time to socialize because of my job. Ideally, I would also like to have more time to study so I can excel at my course. Yes, I have a lot on my plate, but working hard isn't new to me. Growing up, my parents and my mentors in the church and at GT Scholars cultivated in me the importance of working hard for what I want in life.

    My dream is to do an MA in physiotherapy next year and then get a job working for the NHS. But right now, I'm just focused on trying to get the best grades I can. Whenever I find life hard, I tell myself this is about my future. I don't need much, but I would like to worry less about money and have more free time. That is what I look forward to the most.

The Aquarium(水族馆) of the Pacific is Southern California's largest Aquarium. Beyond its world-class animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers monthly events for people of all ages. Here are the upcoming events for this November.

Photographers Night

On this night only, the Aquarium is accessible to photographers for the purpose of getting their dream photos without having to worry about being disturbed by the general public.

DATE: Saturday, NOVEMBER 4, 6:00—10:00 pm

COST: $44.95 per person, $41.95 for members. Ticket sales will be limited.

* Exhibits that will not be lit: Lorikeet Forest & Diving Birds because they will be getting their rest.

Seniors Day

The Aquarium will open its doors for free to people aged fifty and above on Seniors Day. It will feature special presentations, door prizes, and 20% off in the gift store for our senior guests.

DATE: Monday, NOVEMBER 13, 9:00 am—2:00 pm

COST: FREE to ages 50 and over with a valid photo ID. Advance reservations required.

Autism(自闭症) Families Treat

Spend a special evening at the Aquarium only for families with adults or children with autism. On this evening, guests can enjoy the peacefulness of the Aquarium's exhibits.

DATE: Sunday, NOVEMBER 19, 6:00—9:00 pm

COST: $12 per person, and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Advance reservations required.

STEAM Fest

Spend the morning surrounded by STEAM science, technology, engineering, art, and math!

This event will feature interactive booths where you can learn about the ocean and the environment, make observations, and ask our animal care staff lots of questions.

DATE: Saturday, NOVEMBER 25, 9:00 am—1:00 pm

COST: $44.95 per adult(ages 12+), $29.95 per child(ages 3—12), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Advance reservations required.