With Thanksgiving just a week away, we are entering the
traditional
”
giving
”
season. This is the time of year when churches, businesses,
schools and the local media focus on the needy in our
community.
With Thanksgiving just a week away, we are entering the traditional “giving” season. This is the time of year when churches, businesses, schools and the local media focus on the needy in our community. Every year, we hear about more and more of our neighbors who are in need of food, clothing and shelter; while fewer and fewer agencies are available to serve these people.
Everyone in Gilroy should be aware of the vital work being done at St. Joseph’s Family Center. Having volunteered there, I can attest to the fact that most of the clients who come to St. Joseph’s are people just like you or me. The overwhelmingly percentage of the clientele are working people who are struggling to put food on the table simply because they live in an area that is becoming increasingly unaffordable for a large segment of our population.
I was thrilled to read in The Dispatch that St. Joseph’s is now expanding upon the multitude of services they provide and adding job training and placement. I believe in the concept of “charity begins at home” which is why I believe that St. Joseph’s is among the most worthy of all our local charities.
I would ask all those who are donating food, clothes, toys and money to St. Joseph’s or Salvation Army to do something extra this year. On your calendar, or in your Palm pilot, pick a date in March or July and make a note to donate to your favorite charity a second or third time. It is easy to get people to remember the work of these groups during the season of giving. It is much more difficult when there is no major holiday approaching. People are just as hungry in the spring and summer. Children who go without a new toy until Christmas have birthdays throughout the year. The season of giving is short, but the season or need knows no season.
Giving doesn’t always involve a check or a bag of groceries. We have other places in our community which are facing a critical shortage. One need that is coming at the end of the year involves service to our city. The city of Gilroy will have at least 10 vacancies on its boards and commissions. If you love Gilroy and can spare a couple of hours a month to serve your community, consider applying to be on one of the city’s commissions. I have attended many of the commission meetings over the years, and served on the General Plan Update Committee. While most of my time is consumed with serving as a parent volunteer on school committees, I have tried to stay aware of what is happening as our city undergoes rapid expansion. Volunteering to serve on a commission can be the most direct way to assure that we maintain the quality of life that we have come to expect as one of the perks of living here.
Serving on a commission is a great way for an aspiring politician to start out, as many current and former Council members can attest.
Finally, our schools need help. Volunteering to help a teacher in the classroom, or to read books to a class in the school library, or serve on school site council is a good start. We can’t expect the most from our schools given the resources which are allotted to us by the state.
We need help if our schools are to succeed, and it will take more than just the parent clubs to do the job. Community leaders need to stand up for our schools in a tangible way – by giving of themselves. We need a few local leaders to step forward and inspire our students to become the future leaders of Gilroy. Leadership Gilroy should be mentoring the “Junior Leadership Gilroy.”
The “Girls for a Change” group needs successful local women to volunteer to facilitate a group. What we need costs nothing but time, and the payoff could be enormous. I am optimistic that in this season of giving, all of our needs can be fulfilled.
