2016: A Charitable Odyssey

For some strange reason I started thinking about the number of states that I have yet to visit.  Before I tell you the answer, let me just add that previous moments of strange contemplation have led to ideas such as moving overseas for a few years, starting something called 37 people, embarking on 37 days of giving, etc..

Anyway, can you guess what that number is?  I kid you not - 37 states :-)

Well, let me define what I mean by visit.  What I actually counted were the number of states I've stepped foot in (touched the ground with my 2 feet) and spent at least a few hours there.  That means I did not count any states I've simply driven through with or without a quick rest stop.  So yes, I've only ever visited 13 states so far.

After some additional thought, I have now come up with my next (big) personal journey.  And guess what?  Not only does it involve charity (but of course!), but all of you my wonderful readers get to join me on this journey of giving (figuratively speaking of course).

So here's my (ambitious) plan.  I am giving myself 3 years and 7 months (get it?) to visit the remaining 37 states I have not yet visited (and any plan that means I'll finally get myself over to Hawaii is a great plan by my account!).  To make things even more interesting, I will be seeking out some sort of opportunity to perform a charitable act in each state I visit :-)

As I visit each state, I will take a picture and post it to this blog so all of you can follow along.  Now an endeavor like this is going to involve quite a bit of planning, so I'm going to start the clock at the end of May (5/31).  That means 3 years and 7 months will take me through the end of 2016 (12/31).  What that also means is that all of you have time, if you like, to give me ideas in your local states.  If there's anything interesting you can think of, please leave your ideas in the comments below (simple ideas would be great).  If I can pull it off, I'll try my best to fit it in :-)

I guess that means I need to list the 37 states I'll be visiting: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi, Michigan, Indiana, Alabama, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina

Finally, let me leave you with a most cherished reference book from my childhood that I happened to discover at my parents' house.  I can't tell you how many road trips, sitting in my dad's trusty old Chevrolet Malibu station wagon, I must have brought this along and memorized every state capital, state bird, state flower, state insect, and every other state fact this book contained.  In fact, what I'm going to do is bring this along with me and I'll take a picture of each state's page when I'm in that state :-)