A Yearly Reminder
PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND
March 6, 2024
A YEARLY REMINDER
This year I was asked to be a member of the United Way of Marshall County’s allocation committee. The group is responsible to make recommendations to the United Way board how the money raise in the annual campaign should be distributed. As usual the amount requested by the member agencies was quite a bit greater than the funds raised.
A part of my responsibility as a member of the committee was to visit agencies, attend their board meetings, and interview their leadership. I had the privilege of being a part of teams that contacted three different agencies.
I found the members of the boards I visited to be engaged, hardworking, and excited about their agency’s mission. The staff and volunteers were dedicated enthusiastic. The programs being offered were making a real difference in our community.
When we had our meeting to make our recommendations, the other members of the committee were equally excited and impressed with the work being done by the United Way’s other member organizations. Marshall county should be proud of its agencies who are working to make it a better place in which to life in the areas of education, health, and income.
This year Jews around he world celebrated Purim from sunset on March 19th until nightfall on March 20th. The holiday commemorates the events in the Book of Esther when the Jewish people who were living in Persia were saved from extermination.
As a part of the Purim celebration Jews give gifts of food and drink to their friends, their neighbors, and especially the poor. An important part of the Jewish faith is to remember the less fortunate, widows, the orphaned, and those with handicapping conditions. Their spirit of generosity grows out of their thankfulness for all that God has done for them.
This year the United Way of Marshall County reached their goal of raising $450,000. Everyone agreed that his was an outstanding accomplishment given the nature of the economy. Unfortunately, it was not enough to fund all the requests which were received. How realistic is it to think that it is possible to underwrite all requests?
According to the 2010 census there are 34,402 adults over the age of 18 living in Marshall County. If each would give just a dollar a week to United Way, over the course of a year $1,788,904 could be raised. This would more than cover the requests received.
If each of the 34,402 persons had an income of $10,000 and donated one percent of it to United Way, the income for the year would be $3,440,200. This would be almost eight times the amount raised in the last campaign.
United Way is not the only organization in Marshall County seeking charitable contributions. The member agencies have their own fundraising efforts. Churches are a vital recipient of charitable giving. Many other worthy causes make their own pitch. Still, when all is said and done, if everyone would do something, the potential is greater than the amounts being currently raised.
Purim is a yearly reminder to the Jew that he or she should be generous with their giving because of what God has done for them. In the same way, the yearly United Way campaign can be a yearly reminder that one need to be generous because of all the blessings that he or she has received.
(This article was originally published March 27, 2011. Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)