Volunteer!

Hey all,

Once again I must apologize for the gap in posting, though the last few nights have given me good pause. I volunteered my time at the local Ronald McDonald House to play Santa Clause.

It was really a fun and touching time being able to contribute there. The Ronald McDonalds Children's Charities (or RMCC from here on out) have several houses throughout the country, including two in Phoenix. They provide short and long term places for families to live who live in communities that are not accessible to good hospitals when thier children are sick. Many of the families are low income and RMCC really provided opportunities for housing that would be unaffordable for families struggling with medical bills in a far off city.

Once a week around Christmas, they take volunteers (though they have volunteer help all year) to help conduct Christmas activities. This includes warping gifts for needy and sick children and their families as well as house care and cooking services. I was drafted this year to play Santa. Its something that I do in the stores on a yearly basis for many of our restaurants, but decided this year that the kids would get a much bigger thrill out of it.

Tuesday was a gang buster day with over thirty kids in two hours, with their families. I posed for pictures and had them tell me what they wanted for Christmas. One girl just broke my heart though. She was so sick from having suffered through an extremely rough round of chemo that she couldn't join the others in the common room for food and presents. So I took her gifts to her room for a personal appearance. To see her face light up at seeing me was so heartwarming. It was what she said next that really broke my heart. When I asked her what she wanted for Christmas, all she asked for was for it to be easier on her family. It was so touching and sweet I actually got a little teary.

Another kid came in who was part of a low income family and tried to give me his cookie. All the kids were given one Christmas cookie and he wanted Santa to have his only cookie. I of course told him to eat his cookie and have a Merry Christmas. But seeing someone with so little, and so young, maybe only 4 or 5, willing to share and give of himself was really special.

I am so glad I got to be a part of it. Though Wednesday was a bit slower, it was equally nice to be able to help out. It really reminded me of what the Holidays are all about. Giving.

Somethings are bigger than the sum of one person.

End of Line.
Gerrad!