Interact, the community service club sponsored by the Rotary, takes care of a disabled woman and her adopted son (who has cerebral palsy) by doing yard work, putting up Christmas lights, and trimming her tree. She is wonderful. Extremely sweet. Rather chatty. And ridiculously grateful.
You know, the thing about "community service" now is that it isn't really service at all. People feel obligated rather than compelled to be proactive within their communities. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because in the end, more people will be reached. But the spirit of it is lost. What happened to people just stopping what they were doing and helping? Community service isn't just something to put on a college application--it's influencing lives. Community service is bringing a woman to tears because four high school students set up a tree because she is physically and financially unable to do so herself. It's being one of the few people besides her caretaker that will just listen to her. Believe it or not, the people charities donate to, the people that are fed at a homeless shelter--they have faces and stories. But people don't see that. They see what they, the giver, can receive from community service.
It's sad, but true. I'm guilty of it as well. Even today, I was skeptical about going to help because I had homework and I didn't need anymore community service. How much of a jerk am I? Seriously, why would I even place my own trivialities over something that is so important to another person?
And that was my little rant. Thanks for reading it, and for reading my blog--really, it means a lot to me. You're rad.
By the way, those of you that go to my school, Interact is collecting money during English classes for Adopt-a-Family. Basically, we've "adopted" two families to buy Christmas presents for because they're financially unable. Please, please, please do not view this as just another thing to give your money to. This is a family that may have had to tell their kids that Santa doesn't exist, that may have had to break a child's heart because the only thing he wanted was Harley Davidson bedsheets, but they just couldn't afford it. Every single person in that family has a story. Each child has a wish list, just like every other child. So don't donate because you have to--donate because you'll be genuinely making a difference. Oh, and the class in each grade that raises the most money will win a pizza party, so donate for that too.
By the way, we need individuals to be proactive within each class and get people donating! Hassle them, read them this blog post, just do whatever possible to get their money. In the spirit of giving, of course.
I'm in a Christmas mood, and this is a cheesy Christmas "giving" post. Forewarning.
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