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News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Thursday March 28th 2024

PHCJ: The Sacredness of Used Clothing

Peace House Community Journal: The Sacredness of Used Clothing

by Marti Maltby

Like many nonprofits, Peace House Community relies on donations of both money and items to offer services to its community. Sometimes the items we receive are essential to our work, but often we receive donations that cause more problems than they solve. I used to work at a housing agency that had to deal with six burial plots. For decades, the plots showed up on the company’s balance sheet, never being used and having nothing to do with the agency’s work. I’m sure the donor had good intentions, and they probably received a nice thank-you letter, but honestly, it would have been better if they had thought about their donation a little more before filling out all the forms.

When nonprofits receive those donations, we often roll our eyes. We know someone just created a bunch of work for us. Dealing with the donation will take more time and energy than the gift provides. It happens all the time, from donations of dirty socks to half used bottles of shampoo to lutefisk. (Okay, no one’s ever actually donated lutefisk, for which I’m thankful.)

I know I sound cynical about these gifts, but recently another nonprofit director made some comments about the clothing donations she receives that helped soften my attitude.… Read the rest “PHCJ: The Sacredness of Used Clothing”

Movie Corner: The Phantom of the Open

Comedy/Drama

Sony Pictures Classics 2021

★★★★☆

By HOWARD MCQUITTER II

The opening film for the 2022 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival starts with a chuckle, a laugh, and guffaws. I think it was a brilliant move for the Festival to open with a comedy/drama after these last few years of COVID 19 and unrest.

Mark Rylance plays a real-life Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator for Vickers shipyards, following in his father’s footsteps. He is married to his lovely wife Jean (Sally Hawkins) and has 3 sons: Michael (Jake Davies) and twins Gene (Christian Lees) and James (Jonas Lees). In the movie we get a peek of Gene and James as disco dancing champions.

Maurice has no hobbies. Jean suggests he find one. One day he’s watching a golf tournament on TV and has the idea that he could play golf even though he never swung a golf club. Despite their misgivings, Maurice’s family encourages him to golf. He tries repeatedly to join elite golf clubs but is always snubbed. I suspect the snubbing may have been based more on class than skill.

He moves on to try to get into the 1976 British Open, and is turned down over and over again.… Read the rest “Movie Corner: The Phantom of the Open”

RETURNING CHAPTER 22: WHERE IS SHE?

by Patrick Cabello Hansel

As Angel and Luz and their son travel through space and time, we need to look in on the object of their search. That is, little Lupe, who has been missing. Remember her?! Although, I shudder to think of her as the object of her search, but more as the subject. The Brian Flemings of this world, and the forces they represent, deal with people as objects. Those who are striving to be fully human do not.

What do we know? We know that Luz and Angel arrived at Lupe’s daycare late. Angel had fallen into a deep sleep with his son, still tired from working a double shift at the hospital. Luz had been sidetracked by an unexpected trip with an unexpected man down a secret chamber at the bookstore. Neither one of them could remember who was supposed to pick up Lupita from daycare. They rushed there through the slush and wind to find the center closed and part of a strange note that read:

We have your light blessing.

You will know where she is.

They decided to walk to the place where they had met many years ago. There they ran into Agnes, the kindly elder who had met them in the church on their first journey together (see “Searching” chapter 34).… Read the rest “RETURNING CHAPTER 22: WHERE IS SHE?”

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