Mr Wilson made a difference

By now you have heard about the great kindness of Bob Wilson.  In the past few days, the story have been reported on network radio and television, in major newspapers, and on the internet.  I need to say something here too because this is just the kind of thing I started this blog to talk about.  Mr Wilson warmed my heart and warmed many others as well.

 

If you haven't heard, the city of Paradise, 10 miles east of Chico and 85 miles north of Sacramento in California's Sierra Nevada foothills, was almost entirely wiped out last month by an enormous fire that also claimed much of the area, including adjacent Concow.  As the city of 27,000 residents lay in ruins, people started reaching out to them.  I've heard a number of stories about people lending a hand.  When I heard about businessman Bob Wilson though, I was amazed. 

 

Here's the incredible story:  Wilson wrote a check for $1,000 for every single student and teacher at Paradise High School, as well as the entire administration and staff.  He even included the school bus drivers.  On Tuesday, which happened to be Giving Tuesday, he went to Paradise and delivered the checks himself.  Needless to say, he did a lot of good.

 

Not everyone has money in that amount.  We frequently want to do great things, but think we lack the resources.  All of us can do something though.  Sometimes it means giving up a little time and doing so hard work.  Sometimes it means skipping that afternoon coffee and pastry and giving the money to someone who needs it more.  Sometimes it means dipping deep into our pocket.  Mr Wilson did an incredible thing this week.  Mr Wilson made a difference.

Give today

Today is Giving Tuesday. It happens each year on the Tuesday right after Thanksgiving, which is today. Many organizations rely on this day for a huge chunk of their income, so we're talking big time giving here folks. I know that money doesn't grow on trees, but there are so many worthy charities out their that can use a hand, and I hope that some of you can oblige.

We have a wonderful sense of gratitude each year on Thanksgiving Day and then we turn to corporate greed on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Supposedly we are buying gifts for others, but how many of us really are and how many of us are spending money we cannot even afford? Besides money though, we can give of our time and we can share the information with others.

 

You would be amazed how much good you can do!  It doesn't have to be huge amounts either because your donations are added to those of others and together the collection can be quite impressive.  Not sure who is most deserving?  Check out the Giving Tuesday website at https://www.givingtuesday.org/ and see the many ways you can get involved.

 

Don't think you cannot afford to participate.  Giving Tuesday is not for rich people, it is for all people.  As I said, there are a lot of ways to participate and donating money does not have to mean donating large sums.  The important thing is involvement.  Join me, won't you?

Clothing the world

When you think of the basic needs of life, shelter and food immediately come to mind.  There is a third very important need too, and that is clothing.  Some of us have WAY more than we need, while others can hardly cover themselves.  There are shelters for the homeless and meal programs too, but we don't hear as much about the clothing.

 

Years ago I belonged to a church that had a large barrel into which members of the parish would dump their clean unneeded clothing.  It was pretty simply.  You emptied your closets of things you no longer needed or wanted and brought them to the barrel.  We visitors came to the church they searched through the barrel for things that might work for them.  Of course there was no charge.  Some places with sufficient space have more elaborate programs where clothes are sorted and placed on tables, shelves, and racks and in addition to receiving donations from members, they also do clothing drives, seeking to increase their inventory with donations from around the neighborhood.

 

I recently heard about some wonderful organizations that are also helping to clothe the world.  One is called World Clothesline and I invite you to visit their website to find out more about them http://www.worldclothesline.com/ - you can buy some really nice things, which also helps them to reach more people. They match every item sold with a new item for someone in need.

 

Stores operated by The Society of St Vincent De Paul, Goodwill, Out Of the Closet, and others sell clothes at very reduced prices.  Often they will have brand new, never before worn clothing.  They rely on donations too.

 

So here is the word I have used over and over - donation.  These clothing programs work because people donate.  So it comes down to all of us.  We have the power to cloth the world.  We simply have to do something.  Oh donations can come in many forms.  We can give our own clothes or collect clothes from others.  We can donate money to help pay for necessary supplies or to buy new clothes.  We can also donate our time to help make these programs run.  So let's all pitch in - we can clothe the world - we can change the world!

We can end hunger

We are just weeks away from the annual feast in the United States, where most folks eat too much and where the refrigerator is filled with leftovers at the end of the day. On Thanksgiving, families gather together, and friends do too, and the day brings out a lot of generosity, especially when it comes to food. Good things for sure. If we did that year round though, I really think we could actually end hunger.

For roughly a month every year, there is a big push to collect canned goods for those in need. Certainly a good thing. Some places do this all the time, but give it more attention around Thanksgiving. In addition, there are many places that serve free Thanksgiving meals to those who can't afford it. Aren't those folks just as hungry right now though? Did anyone be serve free meals in honor of Halloween last month?  How about Veterans Day next week?  There are needy hungry people all the time, not just on Thanksgiving.

I'm not trying to put down the good work that is being done, but I am suggesting that we might stretch it to cover more territory. Are there any hot meal programs in your community? Do they cover each day of the week? I heard once of a small town in upstate New York, where four churches were within two blocks of each other, and together they decided to do meals each Monday through Thursday rotating through each of their churches. The remaining local church heard about this and joined in taking on Fridays. A local synagogue stepped up and agreed to do Sunday meals since the other faith communities were otherwise busy that day. All that remained was Saturdays and the local community center gave the use of their kitchen to a youth organization, who served meals then. Together, several different groups came together and filled a need.

Working together can be a big deal. Perhaps you are the one who can get the ball rolling. I'm proud to know several different people who have organized various food programs, and I can tell you, they do make a difference!

Eiffel Tower Principle

If you have ever been to Paris, you know that the Eiffel Tower is visible just about everywhere, with one exception.  You cannot see the Eiffel Tower when you get inside it.  In our world there are many problems, but the best way to deal with them and to effect change, is just like the famous landmark.  You have to get inside.

 

Okay so I know that wasn't the best analogy, but my point is that for the past couple of years there has been a lot of moaning about the US Federal government.  I hear ya.  Things certainly need to be better.  Always complaining though and never doing anything, does not bring about positive change.  What does?  Getting involved!  We need to get inside the workings of our local, state, and federal governments, and we need to be involved.  One huge way to do this is to VOTE.

 

Making sure people are heard, you might want to do more than cast your own personal vote.  Take a few minutes to call, text, or email your friends and urge them to get out and vote too.  If you are able, offer to take people out to the polls.  After Election Day, continue to be involved too.  Attend meetings, make phone calls, write letters - get inside all that is going on in your community and help make the decisions.  It will feel good when you see progressive changes, and you WILL see them if you are there.

The necessities of life

We talk about the necessities of life, food, clothing, and shelter and there is a lot of discussion about people being homeless or hungry, but we don't say as much about clothing. If we are really going to change the world, we need to wipe out homelessness, hunger, and lack of clothing - all three.

There is no easy solution of course. If there were, the problem would have been solved long ago. Large cities do have shelters and that might ease the problem, but it doesn't solve it. There are more food and hot meal programs in larger cities too. What about something to wear? Although there are clothing drives, that doesn't seem to be addressed as much. I've lived in places where there were clothing donation bins in public places and civic organizations and churches often have occasional collections.

What do people donate though? Let me tell you this - a shirt full of holes or a dress with the zipper missing isn't much use to a homeless person. They usually don't have access to sewing supplies and equipment. Donating shoes that are worn out or pants so thread bare that you can read the newspaper through them, doesn't do a lot of good. If you have old shoes and clothes that are ugly and worn out, throw them away! If you want to donate clothes but don't really have anything that is appropriate, consider making a purchase at a low-cost store and donating them. You might also consider volunteering for an organization that supplies clothing to those in need. While the need for clothes in this organizations is obvious, they are often in need of folks to help them collect and distribute.

There are also a number of organizations across the country that deal with clothing for those who are in need. Goodwill is a good place to start. There is also http://www.clothingdonations.org/