Charity for the Elderly

At this time of year, it seems like every person you come across wants you to donate for a cause they really believe in.  It gets so common that you may become desensitized to it.  I'm guilty of it too - I always ask for people to donate to a local animal rescue that I really believe in.

This past weekend, I came across one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever seen.  I was cutting through the lobby in the County Building in Volusia to use the restroom and there was a Christmas tree with those ubiquitous angels on it.  Figuring it was a tree for needy kids, I started turning the little requests around and was expecting to find "a new bike," an "Optimus Prime talking mask," or even a "Fragglestick Car."  What I found was foreign to me.  I found things I didn't comprehend at that moment.

I was seeing words like "depends" and "sweatshirts" . For a few seconds I was dumbfounded.  That was when I realized it wasn't a tree for kids who need toys, this was a tree for the elderly who were in dire need.  The fact that they were in need was not so dreadful - there are tons of needy people on this planet.  The elderly are not exempt from hard times.  The dreadful part was not that they needed things, the pain lay in what they needed.  

The list of needed items does not go much beyond basic toiletries, towels, clothing, and cleaning supplies.  How bad off do you need to be to want cleaning supplies for Christmas?

It's a painful reality sometimes in this land of plenty.  I live comfortably in a nice house, drive a new-ish car, buy a great bottle of whiskey whenever I want it.  We have so much in the United States, how is it that any group simply gets left behind to such a degree that their Christmas Wish is solely utilitarian and necessary for basic comforts?  I have my own opinions, but that's not important.

If there are any groups that regularly conduct fund-raising efforts and need to find a beneficiary from time-to-time, maybe consider an elderly group.  As a civilian, I know I have forgotten about the needs of these folks.  And if you are reading this and have a desire to help out, the tree is located in the Volusia County Services Building and the donation center is in Room 100 in that same building (same room as Veterans Services).

We're going to try to get something going between now and Christmas so please keep your eyes peeled.  Cheers!