Paying It Forward: Christmas Future, Alive and Well
Volunteering to serve others magnifies the holiday celebrations within our communities. Family and friends, new and old, sharing stories over great food, connects and strengthens our community. My Thanksgiving was amazing, time with family and friends – some long absent, followed by volunteering with the MSU Burns Fantasy of Lights for two evenings.
As Silent Night played, I collected donations by the Manger exhibit. Hope came, shared in abundance. As multi-generation families passed, I saw Christmas Past, Present and Future. Grandfather said, “First saw these exhibits at the Burns’ home at your age.” Another shared, “There were live animals once.” The wide-eyed joy and amazement in the motion, lights and sounds of the many exhibits as well as the hot chocolate from vendors across Taft led many to extend their visit savoring the joyful family time while creating new memories.
My evenings passed quickly with donations aplenty as hundreds of cars and pedestrians toured the Burns Festival of Lights. Wishing all a “Merry Christmas” as they passed my post, I was quite visible in my reflective safety vest adorned with blinking red LEDs. I found amazing generosity in the donations both in the numbers and amounts. These donations make it possible to pass this holiday tradition forward to the next year.
A mother from Texarkana, traveling home from a Mount Zion, Utah, holiday drove through on their way home – their SUV laden with three mountain bikes. She recalled, “The last time my 12-year-old oldest daughter saw these lights was when she was three.” Every year new exhibits continue to be added, thus hope springs renewed. The K-club’s newly added exhibit shows the service culture is part of our future, from the Kiwanis' student service organizations in our community.
As holidays near, our weather turns wetter and colder. Inflation has become a common word in our conversations. Those least equipped suffer the most. As the days shorten, we also tend to be consumed in our own holiday celebrations while the need for more volunteers grows.
Call a friend, set a time; volunteer together and catch up. Or make a donation. Who needs help: Faith Mission/Faith Refuge, WF Area Food Bank, Meals on Wheels (Blankets & Socks), Interfaith, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army (Red Kettle Santa collections). Happy Holidays, Thank You.
Free Ukraine, Peace in the Middle East and Worldwide.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Paying It Forward: Christmas Future, Alive and Well
