My only comment is that yes.... there are churchs and organizations that give free items but NONE to the degree that Shelly does. She mans, organizes, and distributes items each and everyday. I work closely with her and her volunteer staff and she does her best.... This community would not be the same without AOK... When I pick up donations and deliver them to her, she organizes each item and talks to everything that walks through the doors with compassion and cares for each and everyone... we all need to be a little more like Shelly thanks Shelly for all you do and Im proud to know you !

Thank you Janesvillean for the tax info for contributions. Helps with making decisions for some of us that wish to donate...

Wow, for someone to use the username totellthetruth and in the second of your posts state: "Interesting thought for Mrs. Danks. Maybe if you hadn't signed the recall petition those huge corporations may have helped you more." Where are you getting your info from that Shelly signed the petition? It is obvious that you do NOT know Shelly at all or very well!! Plus, Shelly has never asked for help from huge corporations. She gets no State or Federal grant money, and has not done fund raisers. You really need to get your facts straight before you hijack a thread and try to twist it into your own political agenda. And this sentence in one of your later posts: "I just presented facts on why she is struggling."
You presented NO facts, if your fact was that she is struggling due to signing the Walker recall petition, once again you have zero knowledge of that and according to your "logic" almost a million other people would be struggling.
MsKari:Do you think that there is no one at Echo, United Way, House of Mercy that gets paid? All of these non-profits have paid staff and volunteers. Shelly does this full time and for the first 3 years didn't get a salary. She did not list the dollar amounts looking for a raise, this is simply what it takes for her to doing this full time and cover the bills.
Thank you to li713, mustkno4, janesvillean,MooShoo, and bestillrie for your balanced comments.

Shelly - Thank you for all you do for this community. You have joined hand in hand with other organizations to help meet the needs of the hurting and needy. I have personally watched you interact with the needy and it is clear that you have a heart for people regardless of where they come from.

IMO, your request to get financial help is appropriate (just as it is for similar organizations). You have passion for those in need and you want our community continue to receive help through A-OK! Your request that those who can/want to partner with you financially is fitting.

God bless you!!

totellthetruth said, "Sometimes things protected by the constitution are excessively immoral. I took an oath to support the constitution, and I did that."

So then for you, as a believer in a God that informs your morality, it isn't really God before everything. It's God whenever your morality he informs can be used to your political, economic or sociological advantage.

Totellthetruth – you said: “I took an oath to support the constitution, and I did that. I still support the Constitution, not immoral deviations and misguided loose interpretations”….. “If you don't like my opinion, that is not my problem. I have a right to my opinion and you have the right to your opinion.”

Are you a constitutional lawyer? A judge? An appeals judge? A Supreme Court justice? If not, I suspect it is only your opinion that you support the constitution. The constitution does not say only what you believe or twist it into “saying”.

You need some time for reflection if that is allowed in your simple world.

fordfan,

For all of us that are passionate about helping others in this capacity, your kind, genuine words are appreciated. There is nothing easy about supporting others, sometimes they are not able to verbalize themselves, so it is a lot of body language of what is troubling them. Sometimes, like if someone has cerebral palsy, it is difficult to understand what they are verbalizing.

There are so many of us that love what we do despite the underappreciation, being underpaid, not being recognized as doing something for the community.

If you ever have an evening, day, etc., I encourage you (and anyone else) to go to an event like a Special Olympics event. Watch with open eyes, an open heart. What the athletes achieve is much more than any of the rest of us can imagine... we take it for granted, it is such a hurdle for many of the individuals.

Browns76 - awesome comment. Thank you for being there for others and for me should I need it. People like you are SO underappreciated, but still have such a caring nature toward your fellow citizens.

totellthetruth,

Let me tell YOU the truth. I still support my military personnel for doing the unthinkable for our country. Unfortunately, you are the rare one that makes me appreciate the others so much more.

I work with people with developmental disabilities. I do the hard work as well. I cook, I clean, I do laundry, I give showers, I wipe people when they go to the bathroom. That's not duty as well?

I empower my individuals to live their lives. I have the passion to empower them to do everything they can independently.

You, my "friend," appear to be an embarrassment to your comrades, your church, your Constitution and your fellow Americans. It is people like you that make the rest of us cringe because you feel you have to boast about all you do to make this country a better place.

Unfortunately, my "friend," actions speak MUCH louder than words. If you feel you are so much better than the rest of us, prove it. Your actions WILL speak louder than what you have been saying here.

Sure, I do appreciate what you have done for me to be able to make this post, but you still don't make me want to support you and all your vendettas.

I will continue to advocate, empower and assist people with disabilities live in an independent, assisted living environment rather than an institution. I pray that, someday, you recognize that there are people, your neighbors, your friends, your family, that need people like me and my co-workers. Someday. I can only pray that your "someday" comes MUCH sooner than when you may need our help.

Browns out.

totellthetruth - "I would not need this ladies assistance because my church provides the same services" You go to a church? I never would have guessed that one from your posts. Must be a dandy of a sermon each Sunday. Mind sharing the name of the church so I can visit? Maybe it would do me good.

totellthetruth: Maybe you should use your real name in your quest to tell the truth. I'm sure your church you mentioned in your earlier post would be interested to know you don't think the clergy who has dedicated their life to helping others, as well as what the staff and volunteers do there day in and day out isn't "real work"

totellthetruth, you have a long history of comments about God and morality. One only needs to Google your GazetteXtra comments to see your statements about abortion, same sex marriage and now recall elections, yes recall elections, being excessively immoral.

You claim you were in the military. When people join the military they take an oath to defend the Constitution. The Constitution that you say protects excessive immorality. As a pragmatic agnostic, I don't understand how a believer in God could "swear" to support and defend a Constitution that they feel is excessively immoral. God before everything else? Apparently not.

"insurance and monthly utilities are they charity's only other expenses."
Why don't you read before you print.
SO where does the cash come from to Pay Danks? Do people donate cash and not just goods?
This is nice to get free stuff but maybe it could be 1/2 of the cost of goodwill etc to pay for this to stay open. $1 for a pair of pants is still a good deal.
mskari- why should she work for free? $700 a month and how many hours does she put in. non for profit does not mean we don't pay people to work!!!

Totellthetruth,

You wouldn't have said that I do not know what "duty is" if you knew me. My entire life has been dedicated to those in need. I serve every day or those that are less fortunate. I advocate for me that are less fortunate. It is not advocating and supporting those that use the system. It is advocating and supporting those that the system was created to support-- people with honest disabilities from birth.

Don't judge people you don't know. If you, and everyone else that cares to judge people you don't know, I truly invite you to get to know me and the thousands like me that serve others in need.

Thank you.

totellthetruth, my comment had nothing to do with right vs. wrong, legal vs. illegal. I was expressing hope that there is counseling available for persons who believe people are "deviant" for exercising their Constitutional privileges.

MsKari - It doesn't say she needs $700-$,1000 MORE a month. It says she needs $700 to $1,000 a month. The point is that monetary donations have dropped off and now there isn't money to cover the monthly expenses. If the place can't put fuel in it's truck and pay it's utilities, it will close regardless of whether it is paying her or not. $700 a month is really not a lot of money. It's $8400 a year. If she needs to get paid that in order to have the time to run the organization and keep the doors open, I don't see the problem. Very few charitable organizations do not have some administrative or management people that get paid.

I'm so proud to be part of a community that manages to make every single thing written by the local newspaper negative and political. (sarcasm, sarcasm, sarcasm)

If you don't support this charity and don't want to donate, then don't. Here's an idea, if you don't have anything nice to say, do us all a favor and don't say anything at all. I'm so sick and tired of listening to all of the complaining and negativity from both sides. What's done is done, move on and shut up about it. Or at least keep your political comments to stories that that they're not completely off topic. Guess what? I didn't sign a recall petition, and I'm still FED UP listening to both sides dump all over each other's opinions. Some of us live in a world where politics don't consume the entirety of our lives and thoughts. If yours do, and you like it that way, that's your right. Just take it someplace where it's appropriate and on topic.

Oh, and by the way, while I did not support the recall, it was not a case of a community of deviants who wanted to make up their own rules. It was the case of a group of people with a differing opinion doing what the the law allows. If you think referring to people you disagree with as "deviants" isn't hate speak, I think maybe you should spend a few days in kindergarten learning about the appropriate ways to treat others.

COULD THE GAZETTE PLEASE CREATE A POLICY OF REMOVING OFF TOPIC COMMENTS?!

" typical hate from "
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It has become a habit of liberals to claim people they disagree with "hate". The projection of these people is so obvious.

She needs $700-1000 more a month. Well couldn't we all use extra money. Shelly you made a very bad error when you said I pay myself $700 a month after I got divorced. Then you said I may have to get another job. It say 90% of everything is donated, building, vehicle and everything in the store. Everyone except you does not get paid. Now really how does that sound. It sounds like I need this extra money so I can give myself a raise. The key word to all this is charity. I won't be donating anything to this charity in the near future. You made a big big mistake by telling everybody almost everything is donated and volunteers work in the store but I need a raise so please send money. Bad move on your part.

I would hope some of these ministries offer counseling services for persons who believe that people are "deviant" for exercising their Constitutional privileges.

" typical hate from you "
-
It has become a habit of liberals to claim people they disagree with "hate". The projection of these people is so obvious.

gmaof3, Acts of Kindness UA is registered with the IRS as a public charity. The EIN is 26-4234171.
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totellthetruth, typical hate from you.

Since AOK has opened it has given the YWCA staff a major break from dealing with donations because they take most donations to AOK and the YWCA has a team of schmoozers who are constantly fundraising. The YWCA should give back to AOK for all of the extra work they have taken off the shoulders of the YWCA by holding a fundraiser to help AOK with expenses. It would be a great way for the YWCA to show their true appreciation for all the hard work Shelly does with taking alot of extra work off the YWCAs hands.

Totellthetruth,
I pray that you and/or your family don't need services from ANY of these organizations. Rather than be so critical of them and the supporters PERSONAL beliefs, why don't you make a difference and support the PROFESSIONAL beliefs and the duty of the community to help it's fellow community members?

I'm just saying...

Charitable ministry needs financial help? Don't we all!

I am assuming A-OK is tax deductible with paper work for financial donors? Does anyone know, just curious.