Time to give to others
Published 3:03 pm Wednesday, December 10, 2014
It was a busy shopping Saturday in December. The lines were long and I was impatient. I thought to myself “What’s this clown in front of me doing with three shopping carts full of giant stuffed bears? I mean, really. Can’t he do that kind of shopping late some evening when it’s not so busy?”
And, of course, he had to be the kind of shopper who paid with a credit card that took forever. When it came time for him to leave, he had no one to help him push the three carts of big stuffed bears to his car. So, as he struggled to get out of the way, we waited until another shopper, who wasn’t in line, offered to help him.
Finally, it was my turn at the checkout counter. I asked the clerk, “Did that guy tell you what he was doing with all those bears?”
“Yes,” the clerk replied. “He’s giving them away to orphans.” It was my Scrooge moment of the season…
Like so many people during the holidays, everybody is in a hurry.
“I need to be somewhere. I have so much to do. I’m tired of the traffic and waiting.” This experience was a good reminder that the holidays are a great time to think about someone other than yourself. Here in central Kitsap County, there are many places to give during the season.
Helping the hungry is an option. Give a donation to the Central Kitsap Food Bank or to Bremerton Foodline. Bremerton Foodline also is the home of the county’s severe weather shelter for the homeless. Take a new sleeping bag or a blanket to the shelter. There’s always the option of the Kitsap County Salvation Army in Bremerton. Giving to the Salvation Army this time of year is as easy as dropping some money in the red kettle wherever there’s a bell ringer. The Kitsap Rescue Mission is currently fundraising for a new shelter. A donation there will help house the homeless in coming months. If you’re an animal lover, give to the Kitsap Humane Shelter where animals are cared for until they find their forever home. If preserving green spaces is more your thing, make a donation to the county parks department or the Kitsap Conservation District.
If you can’t afford to donate money, think about another way to give. Donate an hour of your time at any of these organizations. Make some cookies and take them to your nearest fire or police station as a way of saying “thanks.” Think about any elderly people living on your block who may be lonely. A visit and someone to talk to may be just what they need. Or, how about that single parent next door? Offer to baby sit so they can get out to do their holiday shopping.
This is the season to give. Make someone else’s holiday great.
