Day 7 EVENT - Charitable Gift
Yesterday I made my promised contribution to Heifer International. (see post on Dec. 23) Thanks to Nathan Bransford's challenge and all those who stopped by to comment we purchased a flock of chicks. If you aren't familiar with Heifer International, I would strongly encourage you to go check out their website. Their lofty goal is to end world hunger. Their approach is to not only provide food, but education in animal care, sustainable agriculture, how to use the animals provided to care for the recipient's family and sell the animal products (eggs, wool, etc.) to increase a family's income. One of their requirements is also that recipients "give back" by sharing some offspring of their animals and such with other members of their communities. Immediate help, education, encouraging self-sufficiency, requiring work on the part of the families, and teaching the joy of sharing one's blessings - what a wonderful, comprehensive approach to aiding those in need! As the song says, it truly is a wonderful world.
COST - $20
EFFORT - Only as much as it took to visit Heifer's website and donate.
TIME - If you include the time spent participating in Nathan's challenge by commenting on several other blogs and posting pleas for comments on Facebook, maybe two hours. If you only include the time to make the actual donation, 5 minutes or so (longer with the time I spent wandering around the Heifer site).
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? - Oh, most definitely, YES.
Day 8 EVENT - Also a charitable gift
Today as I was driving into work i was in tears. The DJs were talking to a man in Las Vegas whose friend had emailed the station about his situation. This man, Jon, has a three year old daughter and, until Wednesday of this week, a pregnant wife. In November he woke up early one morning to find his wife convulsing on the floor. He called the ambulance and she was rushed to the hospital. Turns out she had an aneurysm in her brain that ruptured and leaving her brain dead. She was placed on life support until they thought the baby would be viable. They could offer Jon no assurance of how healthy the baby might be when the time came to deliver him. For more than two months Jon prepared to let go of his wife and welcome his new son into the world. Last Wednesday was the day the medical staff set to do the C-section. His son was born miraculously healthy and 45 minutes later his wife stopped breathing.
Needless to say, with everything else he was dealing with he didn't have the assurances about his baby's health or life expectancy or the wherewithal, while grieving the impending loss of his wife, to prepare for a new child. He had nothing for this baby. His friend had written into the station asking if they might ask their listeners for help. One of the things that was mentioned as a need was gift cards for Rite Aid or Walgreen's to help pay for the prescription formula his son will need for the first year or so.
Today's good turn is a pharmacy gift card sent to Chase Bank in Las Vegas where donations are being received. If anyone else would care to help You can go to the website for 100.5 the Zone and see the Mark and Mercedes link for more information. Apparently Mark and Mercedes broadcast on a station in Sacramento and also one in Las Vegas. The fund that has been set up is called the Jay Jay Fund. Chase has an account set up to receive cash donations as well.
There's so much I could say about the feelings I have about this situation, but I will leave it at this.
COST - $10.44 for a gift card and postage
EFFORT - An out of my way trip to the pharmacy, big whoop.
TIME - 10-15 minutes listening to this man's plight on the radio, another 10-15 minutes to get the gift card and mail it,oh, and about 5-10 minutes looking up the website to get the info on where to send the card.
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? - How could I not?
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