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Friday, March 29, 2024

The spirit of giving

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“There but for the grace of God, go I.” I first recall hearing that phrase as a child, in a church that my family attended. Those are words that I still repeat today, as an adult concerned about all of God’s children.

I believe that when one of us is hurting, all of us are hurting. I am blessed to speak at events around our community, and I often share my favorite quote from Dr. Martin Luther King: “We are tied together in a single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be, until I am what I ought to be.”

At the heart of our existence, is a deep connection. That’s why I still take pain, after nearly 30 years as a journalist, when I report on men, women and children suffering from homelessness, abuse, drug and alcohol addictions, mental health issues, and other societal ills. We may not be able to solve the world’s problems, but we can all have impact in our little corner of the world.

As we approach the holiday season, a season of giving, I think it’s important to share some of the ways we can help those who are hurting or suffering. Sometimes, even our small gestures of compassion, can turn a person’s life around. Or, just the act of caring for others can change our lives.

WTHR is a proud sponsor of some community service campaigns this holiday season, but these campaigns won’t succeed without you. Among them? The Drumstick Dash, a fundraiser for Wheeler Mission Ministries, which serves the homeless. You can register for this walk/run, on Thanksgiving morning, in Broad Ripple.

Or, you can join Kroger’s “Share Your Feast” Food Drive and help feed the hungry. Buy pre-bagged food or donate $1, $3, or $5 at Kroger stores, through Christmas Eve, and you will help stock the shelves of Central Indiana Food Banks and pantries.

The day after Thanksgiving, United Christmas Service, from United Way, begins. You can donate money to make seasons bright for families in need, or adopt a family and shop for gifts on the family’s Christmas Wish List. Our station has adopted families, and it’s always so heartwarming to watch children “light up” as we deliver the gifts. I recall a 5-year old boy unwrapping one package, after we arrived, which revealed an electric toothbrush. He could hardly contain his excitement, thankful for such a simple gift. For some families, the basic necessities are all they want for Christmas.

You can also buy a WTHR Sunrise Cookbook at Kroger stores, with proceeds benefiting the United Christmas Service.

If we believe that, “There but for the grace of God, go I,” perhaps we can bestow grace – kindness – on those who are hurting.

Learn more about these campaigns on wthr.com’s “Community Page.”

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