If you're unemployed or retired here are 50 ways to help your community.

Today's post under the getting ripped off section is a positive news story. It's one that exemplifies the true American spirit. It's about a can-do America that runs on honesty, hard work and roll-up-your-sleeves community values. It's not about what government can do for me or who gives me the next benefit check or me-me-me being the center of attention.

This story comes out of Detroit. Detroit has been hit hard by the economic recession. The city's tax revenues have plummeted and the services the city can offer its citizens has headed south alongside those falling revenues. Lucky for Detroit it has retired citizens who without being paid volunteer to assist in maintaining the city. People like Howard King, Jr. (60), Paul Cobb (27) and William Martin (56) are mentioned as three of the volunteer citizens who are rolling up their sleeves and doing something about the work that needs to be done to maintain their communities while recognizing not every good deed requires a paycheck. Community service is something we all need to participate in.

Some of you, who can't mow grass, cut weeds or afford to fix city parks may wonder how you too can help. Here is my low-budget list of ways to assist these volunteer citizens that won't cost you a whole lot. I wondered if I could come up with 50 suggestions and I did.

• 1. Donate trash bags.
• 2. Purchase 5 gallons of gas for one of the volunteer citizens.
• 3. Donate a gas can.
• 4. Donate ear muffs for ear protection.
• 5. Arrange for a lawn mower blade sharpening.
• 6. Arrange for new spark plugs and a tune-up.
• 7. Arrange for an oil change.
• 8. Donate ball caps.
• 9. Donate sun screen.
• 10. Donate safety goggles.
• 11. Pull a few weeds.
• 12. Donate the plastic line used in line trimmers.
• 13. Donate a new t-shirt.
• 14. Donate leather work gloves.
• 15. Donate a lawn mower.
• 16. Donate a line trimmer.
• 17. Donate hedge trimmers.
• 18. Arrange for a hedge trimmer sharpening.
• 19. Donate small tools like screw drivers and pliers used to fix fence.
• 20. Use your pickup truck to haul away the weeds.
• 21. Show up on a work day to help bag weeds or rake up the mess.
• 22. Donate a rake.
• 23. Use a rake to help.
• 24. Show up with a rag and paint remover to scrub off graffiti. (Don't smoke!)
• 25. Donate rags.
• 26. Donate paint remover.
• 27. Donate general cleaning products.
• 28. Arrange to drop off lunch for the volunteers.
• 29. Find out when and where they work at Detroit's 308 parks and bring them lemonade.
• 30. Donate soft drinks.
• 31. Make and donate a cake or brownies for a mid-morning-afternoon snack.
• 32. Donate a store bought box of healthy snacks.
• 33. Donate rain gear.
• 34. Donate paint supplies.
• 35. Donate toilet paper and other restroom supplies.
• 36. Donate a park bench.
• 37. Donate supplies to repair or seal cracks in tennis courts.
• 38. Create and run a website that collects ideas for low cost ways to assist with park maintenance and repairs.
• 39. Help to create a wish-list for park service repairs and maintenance.
• 40. Help man the phone lines to answer questions at the park service office.
• 41. Donate paper, pencils and other office supplies.
• 42. Pay for one month's phone service for the volunteer line.
• 43. Offer to assist through your own home phone.
• 44. Send the volunteers a thank-you note.
• 45. Donate money for any of the above.
• 46. Persuade someone else, like your children or grandchildren, to donate time and labor.
• 47. Start an organization that accepts the donations for these citizen volunteers.
• 48. Run a bake sale to raise money for the supplies these volunteer's require.
• 49. Run a car wash to raise money for those supplies.
• 50. Volunteer to deliver any of the above to the volunteer workers.
• 51. Contact your park's service department to ask what work needs to be done and what tools you can donate. In Detroit contact Brad Dick, deputy director of Detroit's General Service Department.

Detroit's Do-It-Yourselfers Provide City Services - WSJ.com

Jul 6, 2010 ... Across Detroit, do-it-yourselfers are providing basic services that the cash- strapped city can no longer manage on its own, from boarding ... online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487... - 14 hours ago - Similar