December 21, 2008
By Kim Roberson
Kim Roberson
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Happy holidays everyone! I hope everyone has all of their shopping done. If not, I hope you have a lot of antacid and Tylenol. Might I suggest internet shopping? Or even better, a donation to a favorite charity in someone’s name?
Giving to charity at this time of year is a great way to provide benefit in several ways: you make someone in need happy by providing them with a way to make their lives better; you allow a friend to enjoy the fact that also helped that person by being named as the gift giver; and you can do it on line, which means you never have to leave home and fight the crowds.
I live in the Washington DC area, and the owner of the Washington Capitals (yeah, I know, its hockey, not NASCAR), writes a blog on various things that strike him. Recently, he commented on what is likely the most worthless gift he has received of late…a pair of engraved Tiffany champagne glasses from AIG…and how the money could better be spent: “We received in the mail today a huge Tiffany box with two champagne glasses within as a thank you for our business and for good cheer this holiday season.
Arrgghhh! Are you kidding me?
Please! Save the money and keep some people employed. Give the money to charity. Take less money from the taxpayers. Why do I need two more champagne glasses? Dumbest thing I have seen this week.
This holiday season, my family has decided to do the following: We will donate monies to a local charity instead of giving gifts to friends and associates and let them know we have given cash to help the needy in their name. Last year, we did something similar in that we purchased two PlayPumps in our children’s names from PlayPumps International instead of personal gifts.
We don’t need any more stuff and people out there need some basics and help. Don’t exchange these kinds of gifts this holiday season. Please help where it is really needed.”
This is a man who has more money than he knows what to do with, and is thinking of giving to the needy instead of trying to outdo his friends in the “what can I get them for the holidays” category.
As NASCAR fans, we have more charities to chose from than we have dollars to spend them on.
If you have a favorite driver, it is more than likely he has a charity.
If you are a pet-lover, you can donate to the Ryan Newman Foundation or the Greg Biffle Foundation.
If you want to support children and families, donate to the Martin Truex Foundation, Kyle Bush Foundation, Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson Foundation.
To help children with medical issues, you can choose the Hendrick Marrow program, the Jamie McMurray foundation, the Kasey Kahne foundation, the Denny Hamlin Foundation, the Sadler Foundation, or Speediatrics Children’s charities.
If you don’t want to pick just one on your own, you can give to the NASCAR Foundation, which supports all of these charities and more.
At the very least, stop by one of those red kettles that have the bell ringer outside of almost every major shopping center and strip mall in America and drop some money in. It can be spare change, a few dollars, or whatever you feel you can give.
The nice thing about donating to charity is it is non-secular. It works for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Boxing Day…whatever. You don’t need to worry about offending anyone by getting the holiday they celebrate, wrong. The money helps people from all walks, creeds, and backgrounds.
The end result is the same….a feeling of good cheer and knowing that you are helping someone who isn’t as fortunate as you are.
Here is to everyone out there, no matter who you are or what you celebrate. A safe holiday week to you all. And we’ll see you back here next weekend for the last column for 2008.
Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah!
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
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