By Darlene VannEDGEWATER -- I’m seeing a new trend on Facebook that I can’t say I like. People are posting that for their birthday they want their friends and family to donate to a charity they picked. Frankly, I think this is not the best idea.
if you are like me, you get requests in the all for all kinds of charities and support requests for things like the USO, Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s Association and many more worthy causes we all wish we could support. If you sent just $10 to each one it would still cost you thousands of dollars.
That is spare money I do not have. If you do ever send a few dollars to any one of them the mail you get triples and starts coming from more and more places with hands out. Now even our friends are on the bandwagon.
I love my friends and family members but just cannot donate to their favorite charities but feel as though if I don’t they will feel slighted and that I don’t care. I send them my best wishes on their big day and some get e-cards but that’s my limit. I feel this new trend isn’t fair to those of us on fixed incomes unable to contribute. They know who donates and who does not because they get a notice of who has given. Maybe I’m wrong, but I would not ask anyone to contribute to anything for me.
I love my friends and family members but just cannot donate to their favorite charities but feel as though if I don’t they will feel slighted and that I don’t care. I send them my best wishes on their big day and some get e-cards but that’s my limit. I feel this new trend isn’t fair to those of us on fixed incomes unable to contribute. They know who donates and who does not because they get a notice of who has given. Maybe I’m wrong, but I would not ask anyone to contribute to anything for me.
I do donate when an obituary for someone I cared for says in lieu of flowers donate to whatever cause. I don’t always because it depends on my finances at the time but I try to in memoriam.
Also, I try to be in touch with and do things for the living person while they are still here on this earth. I’d rather get flowers while I can enjoy them than have them on my coffin, wouldn’t you?
This is my opinion and mine alone. You can agree or disagree.