It's important to volunteer in your community and encourage others to support ideas and causes they believe in. My family is volunteering at a local organic farm, right here in the middle of urban San Francisco! Check them out: www.alemanyfarm.org Also, look into www.edibleschoolyard.org; Alice Water's revolutionary initiative aimed at teaching students about food evolution, growth and consumption. Consider giving to Kiva- www.kiva.org.-a non profit that offers micro loans to small businesses in third world countries. A gift certificate allows the recipient to go online and select an applicant to lend to and then follow their progress. My daughter was so excited to give her gift certificate loan to a family in Peru hoping to start up a small restaurant! Great lessons here for the kids in your lives. What do I do with all of the cut-a-way clay from making plates? Make birds of course! Want to buy one? All proceeds will go to the groups on my community list. Just contact me! Working at the kids' school encouraging up and coming plate makers!     © Copyright 2008 Lisa Neimeth.