Hear ye, hear ye, this one”s for all the Negative Nellies and Bad Mood Sallies out there. True, this is a population I avidly ignore typically for fear that their attitudes might be contagious. Yuck.
The holiday season is in full-swing and the good people of Lake County are working tirelessly to feed, clothe and provide emotional support for their neighbors, as they do each year, often without as much as a please or thank you.
So here”s your chance, your moment to shine.
If you spend all year name-calling, insulting, finger-pointing, whining and blaming, take a day off. Go out and be part of the solution, just for a day. For those concerned about how to go about doing good deeds and creating a healthy environment in your county, you are fortunate to have incredible living examples.
Ginny Craven of Operation Tango Mike will drop everything, anytime to help a stranger. She is the Pied Piper of military support in Lake County.
Get out from behind the computer and go help Ginny and the gang at one of the packing parties, which take place at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at Umpqua Bank in Lakeport.
Leona Butts, Gae Henry, Henry Bornstein, Greg Guisti, Madelene Lyon, Wilda Shock, Gloria Flaherty, Terry Knight, Val Nixon, Lisa Calkins, Dr. Bob Gardner, Lee Tyree, the Runyons, Sandie Elliot, Marilyn Holdenreid, Kathy Fowler, Julie Kelley, Shirley Crawford, Harry and Roberta Lyons are all fantastic examples too.
County organizations support protection of the parks, wildlife, environment and well-being of the residents including, but not-limited to: Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association, both Chambers of Commerce, the Redbud Audubon Society, Lake County Land Trust, Hospice of Lake County, Team DUI, the Lake County Historical Society, all substance abuse/recovery services, Chi Council, Lake Family Resource Center and Lake County Community Action Agency.
Thankfully there are so many wonderful organizations, services and people that I cannot name all of them. I know they far outnumber the wet blankets and do-nothings, which is phenomenally cool.
It would be so great if some of the energy exerted on the verbal diarrhea were put to better use, toward solutions. I hold some hope for those people too though. Perhaps some of these folks, once they get a taste of how good it feels to be part of the greater good, will continue to do so, maybe not.
Each evening when the fax machine spews out donations to the Christmas Basket Fund, I smile and feel grateful to be surrounded by such generous and caring people.
OK, that being said, basic humanitarianism and common sense should dictate to those who are really without the need to digress and make sure their neighbor in need gets the services, food, clothing and shelter.
Do not hoard.
Many people are forced to utilize services they never dreamed of, prior to the economy tanking. Be kind.
Be decent to clerks, cashiers, public servants and all the hard-working people who you encounter. Treat them as human beings.
I am lucky. I am thankful to have family who I would choose as friends if we were not related. I am thankful to have friends who I consider family. I am thankful for this community I have grown to love more each day.
Be good to your family and friends. Have a peaceful, plentiful and sensational holiday season. May good feelings and tremendous actions abound.
“The first requisite for success is to develop the ability to focus and apply your mental and physical energies to the problem at hand – without growing weary. Because such thinking is often difficult, there seems to be no limit to which some people will go to avoid the effort and labor that is associated with it …” ? Thomas Edison
Mandy Feder is the Record-Bee news editor. She can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or 263-5636 Ext. 32.
