In most religions, the winter holiday is a time of sharing and giving. This strengthens the community during the dark and cold months. I hope you have the opportunity to spend time with your family, and that music will be a part of the season.
Remember that there are many people who could use a little extra assistance, and there are several organizations that provide that assistance very well.
If you have extra cash, give generously. If you have extra time, do something nice for strangers, or offer to play at a benefit. Or, as one GN member has done recently, if you have an extra guitar, give it to a child who shows interest.
Here is a link to some organizations that you might consider. The text is a bit out of date, but the content is valid.
https://www.guitarnoise.com/donate.php
Have a wonderful Holiday!
happy holidays!
I haven't decided what charity I will be donating to this year. I guess its about time that I made a decision. The last 2 donations were to the Red Cross to help them with the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina tragedies.
My dad would always talk about retirement, and allude to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And I say all you've got at the end of the rainbow is death. You're riding the rainbow right now. - Mark Borchardt
Thank you, Laz, for highlighting the needs for help that are all around us.
As an American Red Cross employee, I can confirm that the need is there everyday, all around us, even when there isn't a breaking news event bringing it to the forefront.
The American Red Cross responds to well over 60,000 home fires every year, supplying food, shelter, clothing, prescriptions, and other emergency supplies to help a family get through those first days. The Red Cross also helps the family coordinate other sources of relief to prevent duplication of services.
The holidays always seem to be an especially busy time for the Red Cross, as heating applicances and holiday decorations tend to cause a rise in the number of home fires.
All Red Cross disaster assistance is an outright gift, given through the generosity of the American people. If you make a financial contribution to the American Red Cross, you can designate where you would like your gift to be used, such as for Local Disaster Relief if you'd like to help disaster victims in your own region.
Another way to help, which won't cost you a dime, is to donate blood. The American Red Cross collects and distributes nearly half the nation's blood supply in the United States. The need for blood continues to rise, yet less than five percent of eligible donors take the time to donate blood.
Each pint donated can help up to three patients when divided into its separate components. Donating blood is safe, easy, and only takes about an hour to an hour-and-a-half. We never know when it could be us, or one of our loved ones, who needs blood. Blood donors make sure it is available 24/7 for whoever is in need.
A blood donor can donate once every 56 days, or every eight weeks. As coordinator of our local blood drives and a blood donor myself, I can assure you that donating blood brings a significant personal reward from knowing you have helped save a life.
We have some elderly blood donors who began donating regularly when they were young adults (many of them during World War II), and who have now donated a total of 25 gallons of blood. It takes 8 donations to make a gallon, so that means they have donated 200 times over the course of their lives! We need many younger and middle-aged donors to come forward to replace this dedicated pool of donors for the future.
I hope this holiday season finds you all happy and safe and warm, and that you will consider sharing your good fortune with someone less fortunate.
Margaret
When my mind is free, you know a melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue, the guitar's comin' through to soothe me ~
Last week they told me I'd hit 10 gallons at the local hospital's blood bank. It really is an easy thing to do, and is very much needed.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Last week they told me I'd hit 10 gallons at the local hospital's blood bank. It really is an easy thing to do, and is very much needed.
And you get your juice for free too. :wink:
I went big, for a Diet Mountain Dew.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
