Dad’s Perspective

Two weeks ago we had an opportunity to exercise one of our core beliefs – giving. Giving should not always mean giving of money. There should be times when it should include time spent helping others who are less fortunate. One of the local charity organizations that we have worked with a number of times in the past is called Reimagine. They help give out food and other basic necessities to those in the our area who are the most in need.

I checked the weather the night before the event and, truth be told, I was very concerned. There was a line of thunderstorms moving through the southeast with both strong winds and heavy rain. The next morning, two of the kids and I loaded up and headed out to cloudy skies and gusts of wind.

When we arrived the rain was still holding off. We hurried to our station where we would be distributing bread products with several of our friends. Knowing that rain was possible at any time we carefully arranged the table and the boxes of bread so that we could get just under the canopy. It was a good thing we did because about five minutes after the gates opened, it began a heavy rain that continued for fifteen or twenty minutes.

Fortunately where the event was being held there was picnic pavilion in the center, so people crowded in and waited it out. With our little canopy we managed to keep relatively dry. Once the rain stopped it didn’t rain again the rest of the day.

Aside from the rain at the start, the event was a great success. We helped literally hundreds of families from the surrounding community with basic needed food items, clothes and other essentials. There was a bounce house as well as other games for the kids, and hotdogs and chips for everyone during lunch time.

You probably have a similar organization in your community. If you are looking for somewhere to volunteer with your kids, this might be something you would like to participate in as a way of giving back.

Kid’s Perspective-Hudson

We were worried that it was going to rain, but we still did it. It was well worth it to help the needy. I like doing it because it feels good to give back.

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” ―Maya Angelou