HuffPost Readers Give Back On Obama's National Day Of Service (PHOTOS)

In honor of President Obama's National Day Of Service, we asked that you tell us how you planned on dedicating yourselves to the greater good.

Your plans, stories, and hopes flooded our inbox -- many of which we dutifully and thankfully shared with the rest of our readers.

Then, yesterday, we asked for photos of all your hard work and less than 24 hours later, we're back to share with each and every one of you all that you've accomplished.

But we have one more thing to ask of you: that you keep on giving. Service is not and should not be limited to one day of the year. As Obama so eloquently put it:

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America."

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• • • • • • • • • "My daughter and her friend had been planning to go shopping in San Francisco on their day off from school. But when I told them about Michelle Obama's email requesting that they honor the Day of Service, they postponed their visit to SF. We worked in Mori Point, Pacifica, CA, planting plants to restore habitat for the San Francisco Garter Snake and the Red-legged Frog. Each flag on the hill represents a single plant planted." Photo via Emily Berk

Comments

[isonomist]

Well its good to know that with all these foreclosures, at least the garter snake and red-legged frog have somewhere to live!

[Bocado]

Well the snakes in Midland are getting a taxpayer funded security gate, it's been paid for and the work isn't free.

[Bocado]

Midland Texas that is. :)

[youngat80]

If protecting snake habitat is upsetting to you, why don't you ignore that and go to some other gifts made by volunteers? The beautiful girls who donated their hair, or medical personnel who staff a free clinic are positive examples.
It's good to know that even when facing foreclosure, some family will be able to ease the burden of caring for a young cancer patient by having a wig to keep their daughter from feeling 'different' from her friends. Perhaps the family can also get treatment at a free clinic.
I was impressed by the call to a day of service on MLK day. I am thankful for the pictures of a few of the people who responded.
Let's make it a weekly, or monthly event and a way of life.

[boozydale]

How much is he paying....­.lots of people out of work...he harped for 2 years how bad things were..now they are there...an­d on his shoulders.­..the bailout thing will fix nothing...­.less government is the solution..­.

[youngat80]

boozydale:
You have no choice -- if you insist that less government is the solution, then you must volunteer your time, and the funds necessary to do the things that will be left undone by the smaller government.
I assume that you mean Obama is the one who 'harped for 2 years about how bad things were'
you need to be fair and admit that the problems have been on his shoulders for less than a week.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Verena, This is the way to go.

HuffPo is really important as there is not just info, news and the usual. HuffPo has heart with wisdom.
We need to come together, work together, play together rather than complain what is wrong. See the good in each other and transform sarcasm into good intentions.

Let us lift each other up. It's so easy to bring each other down.

Come on people let's keep the faith, Yes We Can,

Ed

[RationalDubSteppa]

And this shows the difference between liberals and conservatives, as liberals we actually do care.

[DLBSR]

I am appalled you would inject inside-the-beltway partisan rhetoric into such a wonderful story about giving and volunteerism. As a moderate conservative, I really must object to your assertion conservatives are uncaring. I am a captain on a volunteer fire department with over 32 years of service. I am a Nationally Registered EMT serving on an award-winning all-volunteer ambulance & rescue squad for over 25 years. I have instilled the spirit of giving and community service into my children and grandchildren and am proud most of them serve with me. I do not care if you are liberal or conservative. I di care that if you call me, you are in trouble. I will not ask you about your political allegiance. I will come to you day or night, wade through fire, water, smoke, blood, and all other perils in an attempt to rescue you from the perils threatening you. Now...that I understand liberals are caring, what do you do to improve the lives of your fellow man? We really must get past the discordant and caustic partisan rhetoric if we are going to improve this great country. Live the change you want to see.

[2wit]

Especially in these troubled times our country needs more people like yourself - conservative or liberal. There are not enough words of praise and thanks for the everyday heroes of this world . . . for those who give from the heart I am sure that a simple heartfelt thank you is enough.

It is understandable how mindless criticism is insulting - hopefully your words will cause some to think before making hasty judgements.

[akkadian]

marvellous, this is how Germany was rebuilt between the wars
think about it, a ruin in 1918,
a (relative) superpower by 1939

[isonomist]

they overcame their ruined economy too...Coin­cidence? No! Uncompensated labor is a boon for industry--see also: United States, Pre-Civil War

[sumanne]

are you kidding?
Germany was not rebuilt by volonteers!
And it was only a military superpower - lacking freedom and democracy.
Please read a history book - even wikipedia might do it.

[Furby]

How cool is this!! I will make amends for not doing anything on that day, but my sister gave blood. And we're not even American, we're Canadian! This stuff is so inspiring it knows no national borders. You go America!

[Opt1musPr1me]

How do we know these are HUFFPOST readers? They should have all taken pictures holding up signs that read "I'm a Huffpost Reader" then I would have been sold

[isonomist]

Juvi work crew kids read Huffpost?

[escrow7]

I'm really proud of all who went out and gave there time to serve.

http://www.thirdeyechronicles.com

[KingBatguano]

Give back to what ? All america has done for me is rob me blind, exploit my labor, and tell me endless lies to enhance the profit the central Banks.

[edgemo]

Ask not what your country can...

but after the last 8 years, I get ya!

[prussianmick]

After the last eight? How about after the last twenty eight!
Next time the crazies from the caves show up, let them tear down the pinnacles of capitalism. They want the average people to step up and fight, sure, but lets talk about health care first, or how about a raise in our standard of living instead of just for those at the top.

[johnnygoodwud]

WAY COOL, thanks everyone who voluntered.

[schicklett3]

This is a great story!
Everyone should pitch in and do their part in any way possible.

[isonomist]

our "leaders" today have this notion of service backward! It is the one who is elected who is the civil SERVANT. All our forefathers acknowledged this! To take a more spiritual angle, Dr. King fallowed a faith that claimed "and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all."--Mk. 10:44. Lets try to keep this in a historical perspective people!

[kassandrasduplex]

Bring back progressive taxation and let the altruistic take care of themselves. Our nation has been bankrupted folks. Planting trees and walking gramma across the street doesn't cut it.

[1differentdrummer]

I'm sure you mean well, but in northern Michigan where the white pines were clearcut in the 1800s, whole treeless plains were reforested when I was young and they are now stands of enormous pine trees. We can't just reap, we must also sow.

[kassandrasduplex]

This is commendable but now some context. We have just witnessed a country bankrupted by perhaps the most venal, avaricious cabal of thieves and worse, the nation has ever seen since the Gilded Age. Asking common Americans who have lost their homes, their healthcare (if they ever had any) their jobs and probably much of their social safety net to suddenly become selfless service drones is bizarre. The Bush Administration entered office 8 years ago chanting the same mantra but then proceeded to relieve the nation of its Treasury, this all comes across as a massive fraud.
It's time for the New Robber Barons to GIVE BACK and they can start by getting re-acquainted with pro gressive tax ation..

[ApolloniaCreed]

Excuse me. Do you still have Christmas? The Christians want it back.

[BLinCincinnati]

Those girls pictures bring back memories. The girl I helped raise did the same thing when she was 6. She had long hair like the girl on the right. One day she saw a show on TV (Maury, or something similar) with young cancer patients and how they had wigs made from people donating hair. She said she wanted to give her hair. So she went and got her hair cut to nearly the exact style the girl on the right has. For weeks she had a huge smile on her face showing off her new hairstyle and telling everyone about the kids on tv.