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Eyes Wide Open
The Spirit of Giving
By Frannie Gay
Nov/Dec 2008
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot
be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.” - Helen Keller
UGA students and Boys and Girls Club members take a break from the water day. PHOTO BY KYLER DENNIS
The holidays always conjure up fond memories of family, friends
and wonderful food. Also intermingling in those memories
of karaoke and red velvet cake are trick-or-treating for Unicef,
making cards for retirement homes and caroling at the local hospital. My
childhood was filled with opportunities to help others during the
holiday season. It is a tradition I would like to instill
in my own children’s lives.
In Athens and the surrounding area, there are many opportunities
to give back to others with our time and our resources. As
cliché as it sounds, it is the season of giving. In
helping those in need, we give back to our communities and give
to ourselves a feeling that cannot be recreated by the latest gadget
or a shopping spree. Children are open-hearted and kind – the
best candidates for volunteering!
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia
Pretty soon, grocery stores will set up their boxes for canned
food, and the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia will begin petitioning
for donations. In addition to donating food, why not donate
your time? Volunteers are always needed to help package
food or serve meals at local shelters. To find out how you can
help the local food bank, visit www.foodbanknega.org, and to
volunteer at a local shelter, visit www.athensareahomelessshelter.org.
Angel Food Ministries
Another alternative opportunity to the traditional food bank is
Angel Food Ministries. By buying food from first-rate suppliers
at discounts, Angel Food Ministries is able to provide families
with $65 worth of food for just $30. Angel Food Ministries does
not use out-of-date food or inferior products, so the quality
is guaranteed. They also offer a different menu for each month. Families
contact a local site and purchase a box containing fresh, frozen
and packaged food, and there is no purchase limit on the boxes.
There are no applications or qualifications necessary to purchase. Angel
Food Ministries also accepts food stamps in order to better serve
those families in need. You can help with the effort by making
monetary donations online at www.angelfoodministries.com or visiting
a local site. To receive more information on locations, contact
the Athens-area headquarters at (706) 549-3818.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens provide a much-needed service
to the youth in our area. Each year, they host a Christmas
party for approximately 400 area children. They welcome
volunteers to help set up, serve at and clean up afterwards. Donations
for gifts are also greatly appreciated. Each of the 3 locations – Jack
R. Wells, Garnett Ridge and Oconee County – benefit from
the your help. For more information, contact Derrick Floyd
at (706) 549-7017.
Toys for Tots
Each year, the USMC Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped
toys for underprivileged children in the area. For the
more athletic, Toys for Tots is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Half
Marathon Trail Run on November 30 at Oconee Heritage Park. The
marathon will begin at 11:00 a.m., and there will be a four-hour
time limit. Awards will be given to the top male and female
runner. Participants are required to bring one unwrapped
toy to the race. The registration fee is $25 until November
22. After November 22, the fee increases to $30 ($1 of
each registration fee will be donated to Habitat for Humanity). For
more information contact the Athens coordinator: MSgt Arnold
Rendon, USMC, (706) 354-7188, www.toysfortots.org or www.runningintheusa.com/crs.
For more opportunities in the Athens area: www.charity-charities.org/charities/GA/Athens.html.
Frannie Gay is a freelance writer who lives in Athens and teaches
in Rockdale County.
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