stevenpiziks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stevenpiziks) wrote2021-11-24 12:41 pm
stevenpiziks) wrote2021-11-24 12:41 pm
The Giving Season
It's been a big year for giving.
Every year at this time, Nameless High School runs a gift drive. The school pairs with an elementary school that has a high incidence of students who receive free or reduced lunch. These students often have few or no Christmas presents. The young students make a list of things they need and things they want. The lists are then distributed to volunteer families at Nameless, and they buy presents. The student council delivers the presents with the help of UPS, and while the kids are out at recess, they set them up around the kids' desks. When the kids come in, they find a pile of presents waiting for them. It's a huge, huge event that always ends in hugs and emotional moments.
This year, Nameless decided to expand the program to include teachers and staff at the elementary school, and they wanted teachers and staff at Nameless to get presents.
I went down and selected a teacher from the list, though about it, and decided also to select a custodian. So we'd have two people. Darwin and I spent most of a Saturday afternoon shopping for them. The custodian's information said he rode his bike to work every day, but it's in bad shape and he'd like a new one. So we found one for him.
When I brought the presents into the student council's storage area, I checked the list and saw there were a whole lot of unclaimed staff and teachers. I consulted with Darwin and we decided we could take on a couple more. So we did--a tutor and the school librarian. I delivered those gifts this morning.
Meanwhile, a few days ago, Darwin and I were out having breakfast at a local diner. While we were waiting to be seated, a woman who was there with (I assume) her husband and grand-daughter was trying to pay her check, but her card wasn't going through. She was becoming more and more unhappy, and she was asking if there was a nearby ATM just as the greeter was showing us to our table.
"I feel bad about that lady," Darwin said.
"Yeah," I agreed. "She's in a tough spot. I don't think her card was being declined because there's a problem with it. I think she has less money than she thought or something."
"I'm going to go take care of it." He got up and left. A few minutes, he came back and reported that he had paid the woman's bill. She was in tears.
That's why I married him, folks.
Every year at this time, Nameless High School runs a gift drive. The school pairs with an elementary school that has a high incidence of students who receive free or reduced lunch. These students often have few or no Christmas presents. The young students make a list of things they need and things they want. The lists are then distributed to volunteer families at Nameless, and they buy presents. The student council delivers the presents with the help of UPS, and while the kids are out at recess, they set them up around the kids' desks. When the kids come in, they find a pile of presents waiting for them. It's a huge, huge event that always ends in hugs and emotional moments.
This year, Nameless decided to expand the program to include teachers and staff at the elementary school, and they wanted teachers and staff at Nameless to get presents.
I went down and selected a teacher from the list, though about it, and decided also to select a custodian. So we'd have two people. Darwin and I spent most of a Saturday afternoon shopping for them. The custodian's information said he rode his bike to work every day, but it's in bad shape and he'd like a new one. So we found one for him.
When I brought the presents into the student council's storage area, I checked the list and saw there were a whole lot of unclaimed staff and teachers. I consulted with Darwin and we decided we could take on a couple more. So we did--a tutor and the school librarian. I delivered those gifts this morning.
Meanwhile, a few days ago, Darwin and I were out having breakfast at a local diner. While we were waiting to be seated, a woman who was there with (I assume) her husband and grand-daughter was trying to pay her check, but her card wasn't going through. She was becoming more and more unhappy, and she was asking if there was a nearby ATM just as the greeter was showing us to our table.
"I feel bad about that lady," Darwin said.
"Yeah," I agreed. "She's in a tough spot. I don't think her card was being declined because there's a problem with it. I think she has less money than she thought or something."
"I'm going to go take care of it." He got up and left. A few minutes, he came back and reported that he had paid the woman's bill. She was in tears.
That's why I married him, folks.