Here was one of the comments on my Jan. 3 blog entry about our New Orleans holiday visit at Harrah’s: “… it seemed that perhaps you could have shared some of your good fortune with those less fortunate. It would have been nice to read this, considering the city you were in.”
I think about the general subject of charity a lot – and down through the years I have shared some of my ideas about this on Internet forums and in other public writings. I have spoken about our long-time work with the Salvation Army and Visiting Nurse Service when we were living in Indianapolis. And here in Las Vegas I have organized some projects where my gambling friends could make donations for the needy. And I have mentioned several times how much I love my current volunteer project, working with kindergarteners in a school that serves many low-income families.
However, Brad and I prefer to do most of our charitable giving privately. Actually both years we have been in New Orleans we have contributed money and shared comps with a needy family in the city, but it feels like “bragging” if I write about those specifics.
I do plan to continue writing about this subject in general terms, and I continue to encourage gamblers to have a “balanced life.” The casino environment is very artificial and can tempt a person to be narrow-minded and self-centered. We have always fought that trend. And when we have good luck in a casino, we immediately look for ways to share our good fortune. (And the amazing thing about this is that the more we give away, the more that comes back to us! I don’t worship karma, but I surely can’t deny its existence!)
Right now the disaster in Haiti is forefront in our minds. You can find many Internet sites that will give you quick ways to find reliable charities that are helping. One of the easiest ways to contribute, especially for people who feel they can give only a small amount, is by texting a message, Haiti, to 90999 on your cell phone. $10 will be added to your phone bill and given directly to the Red Cross. For details on this and other ways to contribute, click here.
I encourage you to open your heart – and give as much as you feel you can afford – at least as much as you would spend on a few hands of the slot or VP machine you usually play! I bet it willl make you feel good!
Comment Feature Working Again
Some of you have reported that you could not leave comments recently. However, I think I have fixed it – so comment away!
And I think Subscribe feature is also working, albeit on a very messy page which I don’t know how to fix!