Thoughts....

papabear · Oct 17, 2003

Thank you everyone for all of your suggestions.We are really looking foreward to the holiday season knowing we will be helping a family that is less fortunate than us.And yes,our daughter is a very giving person.Unfortunetly,she had to learn that the hard way.Over the last few years things have been tough with me being legally blind and unable to work and having many eye surgeries. She has learned what it is like to sacrafice things.She has also learned to be a great lil nurse for Dad too lol.

Again,thank you everyone for your help.Even though I dont own a tractor and probably never will (but i do love them)this is still the best forum on the internet that I have found to date. John

dmccarty · Oct 17, 2003

papabear,

Try your local JayCees and see if they have a charity event for
the holidays. One of the local JayCees chapters somehow picks
a needy kid. Then one of the JayCees takes the child to the
mall and lets them spend X amount on what they want. From
what I have heard most of the children buy very little
for themselves but get stuff for siblings and parent(s)....

If the JayCees don't have such a program or won't let your
family participate, maybe a local Boys/Girls Club could help out.

You have a danged good idea....

Later,
Dan McCarty

Docsknotinn · Oct 17, 2003

Bird, Its nioce to know church's and theese groups really do help people out. Its amazeing sometimes all of the good you can see Vs all of the bad. In your profession I bet you saw plenty of both. I am trying to think of the other group that is so active in vision help. Is it the Lions ??? I know one of those groups does a LOT for kids. Then theirs the Jerry Lewis group.
Dave

tc35dforme · Oct 17, 2003

We do a local carity campaign each year for those in our town having some trouble. We rely on the local police and the school principal to offer suggestions as well as sending home a notice and 'application' in the school's newletter. The police know for obvious reasons...the principal knows who needs help based on how they are sent to school ( jackets / mittens / etc. ) Those that need help generally are shy to come forward, but when approached by a police officer or school principal and understand the program they usually accept some help.

We offer a full holiday meal in a basket including turkey, veggies, dessert.

As for gifts, we allow 1 toy request, and insist on some practical request like coats, shoes, etc.

It works well. Our town ( pop. < 1000 ) has quite a range in income / wealth from those barely scraping by, to those who have nothing to worry about. We usually give to about 12 families with about 30 kids and can often generate plenty of $ in donations. It does make a difference.

The best part, its our folks helping our folks, and we see the benefits of our charity.

Bird · Oct 17, 2003

( We rely on the local police and the school principal to offer suggestions )

Quite a few years ago, the Dallas Police Department started a Santa Cops program. There is a form available to all police officers that they can fill out and turn it, when they encounter a family they believe needs and deserves help at Christmas. Police officers, and others as well, donate (mostly cash, but also some new toys and such - only new items) to the program. Then a "committee" of volunteer officers do the shopping for gifts for each member of each family, and each family also gets all the grocery makin's for a Christmas dinner. All the stuff is delivered by police officers wearing Santa hats just before Christmas. It's a major undertaking with lots of officers volunteering their time and money every year. I don't know how many other cities do the same.

Docsknotinn · Oct 17, 2003

Thats a great idea. I'm getting the holiday sprit already. Maybee we should have a TF fund to the needy . I'll be the first to pony up for a program like that . Dave

jinman · Oct 18, 2003

( I had polio and don't know what the hospital bills would have been for my parents if it hadn't been for the March of Dimes. )

It's amazing how the world has changed since the polio vaccine. I had polio when I was 3 yr old. It was such a terrible illness that I still remember many of the things that happened to me as if they were happening yesterday. John Peter Smith hospital in Fort Worth was responsible for my recovery. I'll always be grateful to them for my care.

Bird · Oct 19, 2003

( I had polio when I was 3 yr old. )

Quite a coincidence, Jim. I actually had polio when I was 22 months old, but the doctors didn't know what it was until I was 5 years old, so I went through the twice daily exercises for a couple of years, then wearing a built up shoe and brace to my knee for a couple of years, and then two surgeries on my left foot and ankle. The Crippled Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City, the Shriners, and the March of Dimes were responsible for my being able to live a normal life. And as I recall from the other boys in the hospital, I was one of the luckiest ones.

It took me 5 months of arguing with doctors to get accepted by the police department. One old city health department doctor was convinced that if they hired me, I'd want a disability pension before I put in my 20 years on the department. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I put in nearly 25 years and retired on long term pension; guess I'm not too bright, should have tried for disability and I wouldn't be paying these income taxes on the pension. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jinman · Oct 20, 2003

Here is something you might consider at Christmas time or anytime during the year. There are many folks who have to care for relatives who are shut-ins, alzheimers victims, or hospice patients. Most of these people have no free time of their own, and every night and weekend they spend caring for the sick parent or family member. If you contact a hospice or a local home healthcare firm, you can probably find out who these folks are. You can just call them, or visit and offer to sit with their sick relative to give them some free time to themselves. Sometimes the thing that costs the least can help the most. Your time and care will mean a lot.