The Season of Giving

Perhaps it is because Thanksgiving came so early this year. Maybe it was the long warm fall; I did, after all, just put away my golf clubs. Perhaps it is all of the news reports of a potential faltering US economy, a weakening US Dollar and a steady increase in the cost of energy that has driven people to be more concerned about finances this year.

Regardless of the reason, there is a small charity in northern New Mexico that needs your help.

I got involved with the Navajo Child Drive a number of years ago through a friend and former student of mine who was working as a school psychologist on the Navajo reservation in that part of the world. In our correspondences she told often of the plight of these families and the striking poverty many of these proud people were living in. As someone who was working on the front lines, my friend Susan pulled no punches in describing the sad set of circumstances.

In 1993, a group of Susan's colleagues started a small drive to raise money to be able to buy some of the children in the schools some Christmas presents. Twenty-five special needs children were "visited by Santa" that year and I can only imagine their reaction.

In the years that have followed, the Child Drive has grown and grown. Three years ago I got more involved and helped the group get a website, something I donated and have maintained as a gift. In 2006, the Child Drive was able to raise an astonishing $13,636 and provided Christmas presents to 618.

But this year they are having a problem and need your help. Perhaps it is for the reasons I stated above, or perhaps some other reason, but the effect is the same. I've just heard from the director of the Drive and if donations do not increase dramatically in the next few days (they are down by 50% over last year), they are going to have to limit the number of children they can help.

The picture on this page, I think, speaks volumes about the need. There are many more photos on the website. Could you consider a small gift to this small and struggling charity?

All of the information about the Navajo Child Drive, including a gift form, can be found on the website.

I hope you can help. Happy Holidays.

~jeb