Interview+With+The+Expert

Elie H.; real world expert, my hero!  Q. Please share with me who has inspired you as a role model of a good deed doer: A. Your Granny always said before she went to sleep at night, it was important to have done a good deed for someone during the day. That was her mantra.

Q. Can you think back to the first good deed you remember doing. A. This is hard to answer when you get old. One's memory fades. When your Dad and I went to elementary school growing up, we used to come home at noon for lunch. When it was nice, we walked home. We thought it was miles but it probably was about 6 or 7 blocks. I remember coming home with some friends and I met an older neighbor (she was probably in her 40's) and I insisted on carrying her bag of groceries from the neighborhood grocery store Conrads. I think a tropical fish store now occupies that building as all the neighborhood grocery stores have disappeared.

Q. Would you please share a couple of the good deeds that you've done that have made you feel especially good. A. I felt really good about helping the Ethiopian Jews in Ethiopia get to Israel in the 1980s and volunteering at the elementary school where our kids went when they were younger. I continued on for about 12 years after they had left the elementary school.  Q. Do you believe that you often get more out of helping others..than they actually receive by your kindness!? That is usually true in my opinion. A. Globally, what would be the number one good deed, that if our world could accomplish, you would be grateful for? No more wars but adequate food, shelter, water and healthcare for everyone. That probably violates your question as I took liberties on this answer.  Q. Is there a good deed done by someone that you've notice and felt moved by? A. Greg Mortenson and his Central Asian Institute. Everyone should read Three Cups of Tea and hear him speak if he comes to your city.  Q. Uncle Elie, I know that you volunteer your time and energy so much....what's a project or cause that you're working on right now? A. Our synagogue is a homeless shelter for two weeks in the summer and two weeks in the winter. Not the greatest place for homeless to stay at night but it serves a need until we have enough permanent beds.  Q. Can you think of ways that teenagers my age might get more involved with humanitarian projects? A. There are tons of projects out there. I am sure your school has lots of ideas. There are not enough volunteers. Our public and private schools out here have lots of opportunities and I am sure yours do as well.  Q. Can you share with us a good deed that anyone has ever done for you? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">A. People have a hard time saying no when you ask them to do something for someone else. I am gratified when they do not say no to staying overnight at the overflow shelter. I do not need anyone doing anything for me. I like to hear about people doing for others instead.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Elie's Background <span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 16px;">Elie graduated with a BA in Psychology and JD in Law from the University of Minnesota in the l960’s. He has spent over 20 years working with Legal Services programs in Micronesia (Palau and Chuuk) and in the State of Washington, and now specializes in representing people denied VA Disability, Social Security and SSI Disability benefits. He enjoys doing volunteer work at Black Lake Elementary School in Tumwater. He recently returned this year from volunteering for two and a half months through AJWS in Chiang Mai, Thailand with EarthRights International, an international environmental and human rights organization. Elie worked on issues in Burma relating to the international customary law requiring environmental impact assessments for all major development projects.

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