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Just a simple shout-out to all that are able to do so, please, PAY IT FORWARD, this time of year especially. I know we all do this all year long for each other, and family/close friends, but this year especially, more than our 'inner circles' of persons need help just getting by.

IF you can, please go the distance and help those less fortunate than ourselves. It doesn't come down to money, it comes to helping with things like making sure the heat is on and working for someone that can't pay the repair man, if we have the skills to get the heater fixed, and anything else we can do to help our fellow man survive these very trying times.

I will do my usual travel down to Los Angeles again this Christmas, to do the same work at the Downtown Mission, as I have for the last 25 years. I will buss (clean) tables this year, again.

I just got done Tuesday with two food programs here, I set up the volunteer services and rope lines/arrangement of distribution commodities, and we ran over 1,000 people through these two programs. Most all were eligible for both distributions, so, about 500 or so per, in a town of just 2,800. I started this at 02:00AM Tuesday morning, worked all through Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, finishing the whole process at noon, Wednesday, 34 hours later.

One program gave a turkey or ham to recipients, the other, hamburger, canned goods and pasta staples, along with juices and other fresh food items.

Yesterday, I helped out at a church serve most of those same people a free Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner.

So, if you can give of yourself, please do so. It won't get you paid anything but the satisfaction of being able to help those that really need it.

To those that believe in the traditional meaning of these holidays, Happy Thanksgiving (belated, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. And, for those more progressive, Happy Holidays to all.

Take care, all.

I did that a few years ago at the local soup kitchen, but I noticed a lot of people in fancy clothes, jewelry and and expensive cars in the parking lot. I'm not saying it's like that everywhere but it was then and it pissed me off seeing people taking advantage like that. So I donate food and clothing this time of year.

I'm a believer that you get back 10 times more than you ever give, just my 2cents.

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This is true. Where I grew up the hills were so steep and long, when your ball rolled down the hill you just said "screw it"...

I see it here, to some small extent as well, but, getting the help to those that really need it, makes it all worthwhile, and, those that don't need it, always get exposed eventually. I'd rather serve 6 persons to get to the 1 that really needs it, than to not serve any of them, and miss that one that does need it.

Here, we have two other groups that do not need it. One is Indians, they have their own federal subsidy programs for assistance from the government, to the reservations. The Indians HATE anything and anyone NOT Indian here, and that isn't good. The Paiute Nation wants for NOTHING here, they get free everything, including housing, vehicles, utilities, you name it, the federal government gives it to them, FREE. We are bound by rules that exclude Indians from our food programs, but, they always seem to come and try to get them anyway.

And, Mexican temporary farm workers, and some few known illegals. The Mexican workers don't want for anything either, they usually have a lot more given to them by other federal programs, and their seasonal contracts with their employers/ranchers/growers. These people want for nothing, but always try to get multiple orders from our food programs anyway. They will go home after getting their first orders, change cloths, pick up more kids from their 'hood, come back and try to sign in as different persons, to get more commodities. For all 3 programs this next year, I am implementing a card system, with both the number of persons per family on the card, and their pictures, so, they cannot bet multiple orders. It is so sick that we have to do this, so the persons that really need the food help don't get shut out from those that abuse the system cleaning out the food banks before those that really need the help, get their fair and honest share of it.

It is very obvious when someone shows up in a new Hummer, or, Corvette, that they do not need the commodities help, but, they try anyway.

There is talk of a new meat rendering plant for this area, and the rumor is, there won't be anyone of the 650 or so employees that speaks English working there to speak with, because they will hire every illegal alien Mexican person they can round up. That is terrible to say, but, that company that is considering putting this facility in, hires mostly persons from Mexico, that do not speak ANY English at all in their other 45 facilities around the country. Their other facilities always get raided by INS, and workers get deported, but, the very next day, these facilities are back up and running, fully staffed, by the same type of person that got taken away the day before. Sad to say, but, that is the normal modus operandii for that company.

So, Barry, please keep helping, there may well be those that don't need it, but, it'd be a real shame to miss the one that really does need the help.

My wife and I volunteer in a charity kitchen here, 99% genuine clients, and a simple "thankyou" does make it all worthwhile. Good work, Dave!

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"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

Rod, thank you, sir, for your, and your wife's service to your community.