By ANNIE BARD, Coordinator How do you thank a community for so graciously doing their very best?
Los Alamos/White Rock is a community that quietly hums with an energy unmatched in my experience. When I first came here I looked around me and longed for more activity, more shopping, more entertainment, more restaurants, and all the window dressing I left behind when I left the Midwest.
As I settled in to my 60’s I found that what we lack in commercial amenities we more than make up for in security, peace of mind, natural beauty, friendly interaction, and genuine community spirit.
At Christmas time though a magical thing happens. The generosity of the community truly comes to life.
Parents take time from the hustle and bustle of their holiday preparations to teach their little ones about paying it forward. The child that learns the coins they carefully put through that well worn lattice top of old red Salvation Army bucket actually make a difference in someone’s life. If that little bit can help someone, what else can they do to make a difference? It sets a tone. It makes them think. What better gift can a parent give their child?
Next to the bucket come the busy working folks who take a moment to check their pockets and purses for the cash that plastic has made obsolete. They so graciously open their hearts to contribute to a charity that they have known since they were kids tugging at their own parent’s sleeve.
But my favorites are the White Rock and Los Alamos seniors who start at Thanksgiving to save their dollar bills so they can have enough to contribute each time they make their trip to the store. They know that their friends from the Senior Center guard that red bucket. They would never disappoint their friends who volunteer their time happily in order to stand in the entry sliding doors at Smith’s. What they do is completely unselfish and so rare in this all about the selfie world that we live in.
Again I want to thank all the bell ringers and bucket stuffers for making this holiday so special and making the lives of those in need a little easier. You are the best! Also, we want to acknowledge the great support from Smith’s stores!
