With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season we can sometimes forget about others in our community who might be struggling. You might wonder how you can help or what is available. First, it’s as simple as looking to your left or to your right. Maybe you see a soldier enjoying a meal at a local restaurant, why not pick up his/her tab? Maybe you see a young woman wanting to buy a few groceries but doesn’t have enough money to pay for everything, why not step forward and pay for it? I remember a man once telling me that he took his children to Dillon’s at the self-checkout lane and as someone was going to insert money he quickly swiped his credit card, or the children inserted money, and paid for it. They were just randomly selecting people to help. Perhaps you see a handicapped person struggling to get things out of their cart and into their car. Why not take the cart and return it for them?
Do you have an elderly neighbor who needs their sidewalk shoveled? Why not sign up to be a Snow Partner? http://www.cityofmhk.com/snowpartners. Perhaps you are out shopping for children’s clothes but might not realize that we have teen mothers who could use baby clothes as well. Why not buy one extra outfit and donate to Life Choice Ministries? http://www.lifechoiceks.org/index.html. While you are out shopping, why not pick up some mittens and hats for the Mitten Tree sponsored by the Manhattan Public Library http://www.mhklibrary.org/ that will be donated to area youth?
The best gift you can give someone is your time. The best reward you can receive is a smile, a hug, or a thank you. What is going to be your special gift this year?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Flint Hills Volunteer Center Staff
Lori Celeste Candice Kendra Hayley