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curiouswombat in photo_scavenger

Giving.

mood: impressed impressed
One of my colleagues works closely with a small charity that provides a drop-in centre for the homeless, the almost homeless, and the needy and lonely. Last year she asked if any of us in our clinic might have any unwanted gifts from the previous year that could be wrapped and given to the people who attended the Christmas Eve session at Graih (which is Gaelic for unquestioning and unconditional love).

She got just enough, when added to some thing she had bought herself, to enable everyone to have a package to open.

This year she asked again, and left her cardboard box in the corridor. It had already been emptied once when I took this picture - this is the second lot of gifts - some are unwanted items - but others are being bought especially. I was very proud that my daughter, buying a gift for someone, realised that she could make use of a special offer to get two sets of men's toiletries at half price - so did, and gave them to me to put in the Graih box.

This year every one of those homeless and/or friendless men and women will get at least one present again. The best sort of Giving, I think.

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Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 at 05:08 pm | | Leave a comment | 12 comments |

Comments


clodia_metelli

That's a really nice idea. Good for D-d!
Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 06:26 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

curiouswombat

We've found that the homeless, the sofa-surfers, and the ex (or current) drug-users etc. are very frightened of doctors and hospitals - but are much less scared of the Community Nursing staff. My colleague can sometimes persuade them to come to the clinic and see a nurse for things like flu-jabs, dressings on sores and so on.

So we feel as if we know some of them - and something that it not a big deal to us really does make them feel as if someone cares. I think that one or two other bits in the box over the past month may have also come from family members in the same way - it is a good way to give for Christmas,
Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 06:37 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

dougalsservant

Are those people exclusively male?
If there are a few female I might be able to find one or two things to include in your Christmas / Birthday package......
Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 07:03 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

curiouswombat

Of course you know, by now, that they do have some women to give gifts to - as we've spoken on the phone!
Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 08:05 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

raingirl26

How nice to have such a giving community. Community is something that has to be built and this sure shows how positively yours has been built.
Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 07:52 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

curiouswombat

I have to admit that some people in our community might be surprised to know that we have these men and women in our midst. But it is so good that, as soon as they get to know, our nurses (and the admin staff at head office who heard, and sent stuff too) are so willing to give a little to those who have almost nothing.
Posted on Dec. 11th, 2011 08:09 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

bojojoti

I think one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent is seeing our children do good.

Oh, I like that reindeer mug! Wouldn't that be fun to sip orange spice tea from? (I was thinking hot chocolate, but I downsized the sugar to tea!)
Posted on Dec. 12th, 2011 12:32 am (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

curiouswombat

I think one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent is seeing our children do good.

Absolutely.

We had one of the reindeer mugs - it was quite fun - until someone dropped it...
Posted on Dec. 12th, 2011 01:37 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

nutmeg3

What a wonderful, generous tradition.
Posted on Dec. 12th, 2011 12:42 am (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

curiouswombat

It is fast becoming a tradition - and it helps build up their trust in the Community Nurses as well - although that wasn't why we began it. But my colleague wanted to be sure that they didn't think she'd bought them all herself, so put labels on saying 'From the Community Nurses' - and one or two, over the year, have said 'look, these are the gloves you gave me!' or similar, when they have come in for treatment.
Posted on Dec. 12th, 2011 01:41 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

slaymesoftly

People become so generous around this time of the year. It's lovely (just got back from accompanying my husband to pick up toy donations that filled the back of a large pickup truck), but what a shame that those generous thoughts are not there all year round (except in a few very special people).
Posted on Dec. 12th, 2011 01:22 am (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

curiouswombat

My colleague is on of those special people - and as a result many of us who work in our clinic think to give her stuff throughout the year - it spreads. (For example, having told my Mum about Graih, she sent two 144 tea bag packs to them that someone had given her, which she was unlikely to use.) Without the colleague in question none of us would have thought about it. She is a real star.
Posted on Dec. 12th, 2011 01:46 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply