Lion Steve Wasserman

Happy Thanks-Giving

It’s hard to believe it’s November already, and Thanksgiving is nearly upon us. Plans are being made for turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Our family traditions include candied sweet potatoes, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, garlic bread, and pumpkin and pecan pies. Our daughter now does most of the cooking and hosts us and the three grandkids along with a few friends (this year will include a granddaughter’s spouse). We all give thanks for being able to be together and to be able to share the bountiful feast. Of course we can’t eat it all, so there’s turkey tetrazzini on Sunday. As the grandchildren have become grand adults, we’ve had to be flexible to accommodate work schedules and in-laws and partners’ families. One year, most of us met a Perkins for dinner but realized after we were done that no one ordered turkey. The most important tradition is the appreciation of family and being able to get together. We know that’s not possible for all families.

Our understanding of thanksgiving expanded a bit last weekend as we were at a Lions’ event in Nebraska. It was during the invocation at dinner that we heard words that have really stuck with us. The main point of the invocation was that thanksgiving should be more than just giving thanks. We should be thankful of course, but then we should also give. Placing the “give” at the same level of importance as the “thanks” really feels right and has caused me to think about my own generosity. I like to think that I am a generous person, but will giving from an awareness of my thankfulness make me more so? Perhaps. I know that I will now always give thanks that I am financially able to be generous as I leave a little extra tip for the waitress.

Much of my generosity is expressed through my membership in the Lions Club. We have a slogan that “Where there’s a need, there’s a Lion”. As a club, we support programs that meet needs locally and around the world. We know that kids need to be able to see well in order to best learn, so we provide free vision screenings. We are thankful that we are able to provide this service. We give thanks, then we give every third grader in Faribault, Nerstrand and Medford a dictionary because we know literacy is important for success in life. We know many people in the area have food insecurity, so we give thanks that we have money in the bank, then give a significant donation to the CAC food shelf.

There are always opportunities for you to be thankful then to give. Lions and others will soon be ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Be thankful that you have money in your pocket, then give. The Faribault Foundation will be providing a free Thanksgiving Dinner. They need volunteers on Wednesday, November 26 at 5:30 pm for Turkey Carving, Potato Peeling and Table Setting and from 9:00 to 2:00 on Thursday for help serving the meal and cleaning up. Be thankful that you have an hour or two available then give them a hand. The CAC needs funds to purchase food, be thankful that you have money, then give. Did you know they can purchase $6 worth of food for every $1 you donate? As you sit down for dinner on November 27, be thankful for all that you have… then give!

Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.4 million members in approximately 46,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.