I had to go to Wal-Mart Saturday morning. SWMBO needed some packing supplies, I needed a taillight, so get all that done and over with. There was a huge police presence at the store and SWMBO says it's shop with a cop day.
So, I'm walking back from getting my bulbs and there is a 6-7 year old girl skipping along next to a women dressed in police uniform; this girl had the brightest smile and was chatting about her brother and her mom.
I told SWMBO about it and how nice it was for the girl to get a present.
She said, "She's not talking about her brother and mom to make conversation, she's excited because she's buying them presents. These children won't buy anything for themselves, they want to buy presents for other people, that's why she's so excited."
"How do you know this?" I ask
"Some of my students work in the PD department and told me all about it."
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
That's such a great program that seems to be going on all over. It just went on around here as well. You'll see a bus full of kids being escorted by the police cars with lights and sirens going. Let's those kids forget about their hardships for a little while.
BTW, it is possible, even in the boondocks, to get everything one needs without setting foot inside a Walmart. It is nearing 20 years for my wife and I.
No Walmart? There is always Amazon.
Yes, Virginia, there is an Amazon. But, shop with care. Bigger does not quarantee the lowest price.
The mentality that has developed over the past 50+ years is that the big box stores (online or not) are more convenient and less expensive. The contrary can be proven everyday by doing some price comparison at local establishments.
We do all kinds of stuff with cops here in Salem, Oregon. We have Breakfast With The Chief in February, monthly Coffee With A Cop, Cookies With Cops, and Shop With A Cop. We also have our Citizens Academy. All but the Academy are made possible by the local Police Foundation. 🙂
Sadly, there is a downside to generosity that occurs daily. That is bad adults who should not be parents. Their selfishness destroys things.
A local woman who had helped organize a "coats for kids" campaign witnessed the mother of one of the recipients returning the coat to the store where it had been purchased (Walmart) and she received a voucher for the value of the coat that could be used for anything the store carried.
She asked the store manager how often this happened, as she was outraged. She was told the week following Christmas is the worst week of the year for this sort of thing. It was recommended that, when possible, to remove anything that would identify the store where the item was purchased. For example, if handing out canned goods, remove the labels but write with a marker what the contents are, such as sliced carrots.
Giving is a good thing. It always has been. It is the thought behind the gift that matters.
Each year my wife and I, separately, decide on a specific amount of dollars to pass along to others anonymously. Saturday evening, Mrs. Cow had a chat with a good friend who happens to be the school counselor for our elementary school to seek her help in distributing some money to two or three students in need. We will never know exactly who the recipients will be. I haven't made my selection, yet, for this year.
Within a couple of hours I will be having a business discussion with a fine, young married woman with a good job. She has no idea that about 15 years ago I was the one who provided an anonymous amount of cash to her and her sister and brother at Christmas time, which was about one week following the death of her father in a traffic accident.
Without getting in politics or religion we, (our church and Sunday School class), collect toys, socks, underwear, etc. for children in developing countries that would have no Christmas. Samaritan's Purse is the organization that puts it all together. I have no idea how many thousands of shoe boxes are collected and sent.
Also, in Georgia (Atlanta area specifically) a local media celebrity (Clark Howard) collects toys every year for EVERY child in the Georgia Foster Care system for Christmas. The children are asked to list 3 things that they want. You can purchase them yourself (after choosing a child) or you can donate money to go towards the purchase. This has been going on for +/- 30 years and has been a huge success.
"The mentality that has developed over the past 50+ years is that the big box stores (online or not) are more convenient and less expensive. The contrary can be proven everyday by doing some price comparison at local establishments."
You may find local prices lower than online precisely because online exists, and you and your local source know exactly what the price must be to be competitive. Without online and the big boxes your local source has you by the short and curlies. So don't sneer at those businesses. You benefit from them whether you buy from them or not.
Nice. Great to hear and read about this sorta thing.
