The Spirit of Giving

Club members Brandy and Rich ringing bells in support of the Salvation Army. December 2022.

What does it mean to give? Often times we think of giving as contributing some amount of money to something we deem to be a good cause. When really, giving is much deeper than that. It is not just limited to giving a dollar amount to charity, church, whatever it may be. It also means providing others in need with something they may not have. Clothes, furniture, service, etc.. The generalized definition of giving is “to provide love or other emotional support; caring”. This means that it’s not just the money we donate that counts, but acts of kindness as well.

November and December make up what is often known as the season of giving. During this time we have holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, where the spirt of those days, the weeks surrounding, and even the months they are in is centered around both giving and being grateful. But that spirit doesn’t have to be reserved to just those two months a year. That spirit is something we should carry on throughout the year.

In December, the Rotary Club (and many other organizations) participate in a well known activity, Ringing of the Bells for the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is an organization present in 133 countries that runs charity shops, helps provide shelter and aid for the homeless, participates in disaster relief, and helps provide humanitarian aid to developing countries. At Rotary, our goal is to carry out a variety of humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs that touch people’s lives, branching from local communities to world wide betterment.

Now, 2023 is well on its way, we are three months in and April is about to begin. On the other hand, there are still 9 months left in this year, and 7 before that “season of giving” starts again. But do we really have to wait 7 months to start? Or is giving something that we can do year-round?

I challenge you to give consistently this year. Now, that doesn’t mean giving money to charity every month. That doesn’t mean clean out your house every month to donate things you no longer use consistently. No, what I challenge you to do is be conscious of others and give in alternative ways. Maybe it’s holding the door open for a stranger as you are leaving a store. Maybe it’s returning a cart for someone as you head inside and they are leaving. Maybe it’s volunteering for an event or activity in your community. Maybe it’s running or completing some sort of challenge for a cause you believe in. I challenge you to be creative in the ways that you give so that you can spread it out throughout the course of the year. If you’re not sure what to do, ask a friend. Ask a local Rotary member. Seek out an organization you believe in. But, at the end of the day, do something thoughtful, small even. Something little each day, something thoughtful each month. Then, share that mindset with others (through words and actions). Now, imagine a world where more people did things like this year-round. Wouldn’t that be a world worth being a part of? A world that is better off?

Brandy Kauffman
Club Member