How active are you in your community? Rate yourself on a scale from one to ten. If you are hovering near the bottom, listen up. It is vital for citizens to play their part in any way they can by supporting local causes as a volunteer, by giving money, or donating goods to reputable charities. Society cannot function optimally if people bury their heads in the sand. Even a small gesture is meaningful, especially if it is the start of a personal commitment to the public good. My advice to you is that all charity matters. It is my philosophy, so let it be yours. You don’t have to be rich to count. It is a matter of numbers; the more people participate in the community, the stronger and healthier it will be.

I am always pleased to see how people step up at critical times. In my area, we have a serious homeless problem and I support a charity that conducts silent auctions to raise money for local shelters. I help collect items and they can range from appliances and clothing to jewelry and watches. I was delighted to see a nice Invicta watch given for a recent auction since I knew it would draw multiple bids. These watches are extremely popular and you see them all around. The watch came from a neighborhood store who donates something of value each and every year. I went in to thank the owner and took a gander at all the fabulous watches in the case. I would love a new one, so maybe I will bid on the Invicta. The owner said that he would replace the donated watch (for a man) if the winner was a woman. I could then choose from several designer models.

The auction was well attended as we had hoped. After the chairperson for the day gave a rousing speech about homelessness and the need to eradicate it, the bids started to multiply. Toward the deadline, there was a flurry of activity. I noticed a line standing in front of the Invicta watch on display. I knew our charity would make a good profit once this item was sold.

Even though I bid on the watch, I didn’t win. I have my limits. The watch went for over its retail price, but people know that silent auction prizes are a tax deduction. Most of the time, they hope to get a deal and secure something below cost. While this often happens, it was not the case on this particular day. People went that extra mile to bid on everything up to the max in support of homelessness. It is a topic that brings tears to the eyes. The chairman had spoken of even children living on the street with single parents. Some of the luckier ones slept in cars. He gave the numbers that shocked the crowd. Today’s event was a great step forward in lowering the incidence of homelessness. We were proud of our success.