'Tis the season for generous donations

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I don’t know about you but for me, it is no trouble to tell that the season of giving is approaching. It seems that each time I open the mailbox there is a flurry of letters requesting donations to a never-ending assortment of worthy causes. Some of those donation requests include return address labels and some include calendars for the New Year. Unsolicited by me I keep and use those gifts whether or not I decide to contribute to their cause.

Yet I know that this is a giving community based on your response to my wife, Grannie Annie’s, Adopt-a-Chaplain project. Grannie sends no letters soliciting funds, she has no rallies requesting funds. Through this column and generous publicity by the Gazette and local radio, Grannie Annie lets it be known that she is putting together, 11 years now, an organized effort to send boxes of cheer to our troops deployed overseas. Your response has been phenomenal as the donated items and funds roll in. Perhaps too the fact that she responds to each donation of items or money with a personally written thank you note is a part of your generous response. Related is your selfless feeling of a need to “support our troops.”

No matter your reason for giving, rest assured that not a penny of your donations goes to our pocket. No administrative expenses on Grannie’s project, that is all the privilege of your old columnist, the mileage, any other miscellaneous expense and together we also buy needed items to send. 100%.

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The payback? Let me share some of the Chaplain’s responses after receiving the boxes of love from this awesome community.

From Afghanistan: “We just recently received them to the delight of our soldiers. As a matter of fact, they’ve all disappeared already. You all definitely lifted their spirits! Thank you so much!”

From Korea: “I got a chance to read your kind letter this evening as well as many of the cards sent by the kids at Central Elementary School in McCook, Nebraska. I was blown away by all the kindness. My assistant and I will be driving around three hours tomorrow to drop off some of the boxes to soldiers doing some training in a remote area. They are going to be so happy to get those boxes especially because it’s starting to get cold over here in Korea. I sincerely appreciate your partnership in ministry. Your efforts enable access points with Soldiers that lead to spiritual conversations during which the good news is shared. Thanks for your faithfulness in making his Name known among the nations.”

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“Good afternoon from the good ship AMERICA! I wanted to send you a note to let you know that we received your packages of goodies and have delivered them to our Marines and Sailors onboard. They LOVED every bit of them and we are so very thankful that you took the time to send them along. Thank so much for the notes of encouragement included in the packages! I can’t thank you enough for sending the love of McCook, NE with every box of goodies, and our Sailors and Marines are all so thankful for your kindness. I pray God’s richest blessings on your wonderful community there, and wish you all the best in the upcoming holiday season.”

Another location in Korea: “I have attached some photos to share with your volunteers. One is of some of the Soldiers that helped unload the packages that were in my suicide prevention class. I let the Soldiers open one of the boxes and they loved the items! Another photo captures the soldiers reading the notes and sentiments from back home. And the 1st photo shows a Soldier reading the letters and cards that I display outside of my office for the passing Soldiers to read (this was NOT a staged photo—while he was reading the cards, I walked up behind him and asked him what he was doing and he said, ‘Just reading these encouraging cards and letters from home’) Thanks for all of your wonderful work, love and holiday cheer and warming items! Please pass the word on. You all have truly ‘given a cup of cold water’! Respectfully and always in His mercy and grace.”

These excerpts of emails received from deployed Chaplains give a hint of why Grannie Annie expends the tremendous time and energy to make this project a success. She and I humbly thank you, this wonderful community in which we live, that makes it all possible. Have a Merry Christmas — you earned it!

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Speaking of Christmas the lights in McCook seem extra special this year. Drive Santa Claus lane and note the additional displays, many lighted, new this season. On your journey drive M Street east past the college. Passing the Pete and Delores Graff Center note the sight of a large lighted American flag imposed above the huge splendidly decorated spruce tree there in Kelly Park.

The sight is heartwarming and truly special. We are so blessed to live in this dynamic patriotic place.

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That is how I saw it.

Dick Trail