It's time to earn back some of the karma we discard by being snarky or sarcastic or making fun of those less fortunate than we. If nothing else, please at least read the info, click each link, and think a helpful thought on their part.
And I can't help it...while the first story is very, very important and necessary, the second one is even more so, so if you plan on only focusing on one? CHOOSE HANK!
*********************************************************************
We give to a lot of charities every year. To the point that we had to change our phone number and sign up for special blocking services since our generosity was abused and many of the "nice" people we donated to felt it perfectly okay to SELL our info to anyone and everyone who asked for it. You wouldn't believe how rudely you are treated (and summarily hung up on before you're even done speaking) when they find out you aren't going to give them money too. And most of these are actual foundations and charities, not just people who want cash. It's shocking.
So we've had to become a bit more discerning and careful in how--and to whom--we donate. While we will give to the Red Cross Bell Dingers and we always tip well over 20%, we also give to larger foundations such as the AFLAC-sponsored cancer drive for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta held by WSB AM 750 each year, the American Cancer Society (every quarter with a portion of the profits from the sale of these Humorous Cancer Survival Products), and this Christmas, through George's company and the National Guard, we sponsored a military family (and went nuts, of course, buying about 10 times more than the list asked for, because "...but they have babies and the list was so small and THEY SERVE OUR COUNTRY, dammit, and ohhhh, I bet she needs a precious pink coat and ohhhh my gooooodness! Wouldja LOOK at the matching hat n' gloves?? NO NO NO WAIT! CHECK OUT these baby Ugg Boots and Baby Nike shoooooooes!!! Put them in the cart. PUT-THEM-IN-THE-CART-RIGHT-NOW!!!" Yeah...George laughed at me a really LOT...'course HE was the one who found the Ugg boots* and, it must be said, spent inordinate time--and received numerous odd looks--poking every. single. noisy doll and cookie monster toy and then laughing like a LOON...also? HE CLAPPED at them, so...whatever...I don't even KNOW what point I am making other than we are PERFECT for each other...and mentally ill).
** Note/Question: does it change from "UGG" boots to "UGH" boots, then, if it's on a Walmart shelf?? ...Just curious
One of our favorites for the last few years is participating in Clark's Christmas Kids each year which, together with the Salvation Army and Georgia Department of Family and Children's Services, provides gifts for children in foster care across Georgia. George, I and The Kiddo will hit Starbucks for caffeine, then will head out to whichever Walmart at which Clark and his crew are broadcasting for that day's donations, we'll act all nonchalant and like we aren't in the presence of a Big Ole Star whose career is built on helping people at no cost, and will grab three or four sheets from their "book" of foster children who still need sponsorship (which typically includes the child's name, age, clothing sizes, and their--often meager and very very sad--wishlists) and will go shopping, buying everything on the kid's list.
I can't lie, I get something from it, too: it feels GREAT. And when you see a hundred other people in the store with you? Lists in hand, carts full, looking lost and gazing, baffled, at the toy shelves, all "...how there could be 15 different types of Elmo and what the HELL does 18M mean??" ...the same as you? Well, let's just say that most of us shop with wet cheeks. Heartwarming is an understatement.
So this year, I want to get all of YOU in on the action. It is easy, it is kind, and, if it matters, it is tax-deductible (though I have yet to remember to save a receipt and claim any of them on my taxes...but for once, I can claim memory loss as a GOOD thing, right??)
Go here to donate directly to the Salvation Army on behalf of the Clark's Kids drive (the site is secure, and you can choose the age range of a child to donate to [keep in mind: most people sponsor the younger kids, meaning the older kids tend to be forgotten and skipped over, sad to say, so please think of them too] or you can check to have your gift used where it's needed most)
**note: to tell if a site is "secure" there are two easy ways in your Internet Explorer browser (it's the only one I use, so I have no idea if other browsers do this):
a) in the Address Bar up top, the site's address should begin with HTTPS instead of HTTP (the "s" on the end denotes "secure")
b) the lower-right area of the browser window will have a little "lock" icon (in XP and previous Windows versions) and, I just learned, in Windows Vista, it will just say "Windows Protected Mode: On" (but without the lock icon)
c) In Windows Vista, the address bar will also turn GREEN when in secure mode
This means that your information is encrypted and "safe" and the ".ORG" extension of the address is a double-safety confirmation, as those are only granted to confirmed non-profit organizations / charities (from what I've been told).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And I also want to show you something a little closer to home. "Georgia A&M", a very sweet (and very FUNNY) couple George and I just LOVE, introduced us to this precious child and I can't look at his pages, think about his situation, or even TYPE this without tearing up. My heart breaks enough that "A" had to go through cancer herself (and I hope she knows that at least a portion of her horrid pain was not in vain, as I have been smoke-free for a year now because of her), but to know that someone close to her family also went through (in fact is STILL going through) the same hell? At the age of FIVE? Ugh. There are no words.
His name is Hank. He is 5. He has cancer. Through others' donations, the hospital was able to grant his wish and send him to a New York Islanders hockey game for free (read the emails here). They offered to let him ride the zamboni, but he was too shy (if you see the pictures, you will notice that his hair has fallen out from the treatment). So the staff at the arena was kind enough to offer to let them stay after all the fans had left after the game and ride the zamboni later, and to help empty the water bottles from the player benches, and to just experience life down on the ice for a few minutes. Here is a link to the pictures of Hank's Hockey Adventure. I have to stop talking about it, because I'm crying again.
I tried to give them free Cancer Survival products, but they beat me to it and bought them themselves. And while I hope they take me up on my subsequent offer of choosing anything in the store for Hank, for free, I still don't think it's enough. So let's work together, you my dear readers and me, and see if we can't make a dent in this damned disease.
I was just going to offer you a link to Hank's hospital's donation page. However, they don't have a direct donation method. You have to print out a form and mail a check. That's fine, of course, for many people, but I don't have a working printer at home, and I also have a scattered brain and I was worried that if *I* might forget or be unable to donate in that method? Others might, too. So I've signed up for a Premium PayPal account and spent the day creating a donation feature where anyone at all can safely, securely, and encrypt-ed-ly (shhhh, *I* will make up any ole word I wanna!) donate to Hank's fund (you can use just about any credit card or your debit card if you like, 'tis your call).
(click here for instructions and screenshots if you aren't familiar with the process. Also, we left the Unit Price / Amount field blank, not wanting to force an amount on anyone - leaving it up to you seems more fair. You can donate anywhere from $5.00 up to $2,000 without having a PayPal account.)
And if you can't afford a few dollars? At least honor Hank and his family by viewing the pictures and visiting the hospital's site, Winthrop Center for Kids. If you want to send a note or more tangible good wishes, send them to me and I will forward them to his family.
Please do something, even if it's just donating a thought or kind word, because remember: it could be your son. Your daughter. Your grandchild. It could be one of us. And that's a terrible thing to deal with, especially watching your child in agony, trying to be strong, not getting to play and just be a kid. It could be any of us.
But it shouldn't be. It shouldn't even be in our realm of existence. It should be something as simple as it is when we get the sniffles. Solved just by going to the doctor and getting a shot. Boom. Cured.
Sadly, it's not that simple, despite decades of research and pain, because we don't want to face it until it hits home. It's too scary and big and unknown. And a cure won't be as simple as what I described...won't stop affecting people in tragic ways every second of every day...until we make a concerted effort to fix it. And that takes work. Thought. Cash. Love.
Please donate at least TWO of those.
