<!--QuoteBegin--Jane+Dec 6 2003, 02:17 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jane @ Dec 6 2003, 02:17 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Not what I said, sorry I used to be totally innocent and happy go lucky about stuff like this, but now I am more skeptical. People abuse the system, crap happens, sorry to upset you, I won't bug you further, I've just seen some disheartening incidences (however you sepll that) in the past. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Merry Christmas!
*can't wait to go home and deliver the Christmas presents her church has been collecting for families* <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> aha, but what if the priest at your church uses the toys to coerce young boys into illicit acts!
I'd trust the guys at penny arcade over church any day. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> they're not asking for money donations, you buy actual toys to give to the kids, so there's no room for scammage... unless they sell the toys on the lego black market...
it IS nice to make an impact locally... but what if someone from far away has a greater need?
The important thing is helping those in need. If buying things online and having them shipped isn't your gig, there's nothing wrong with that. You can just as easily help people in your own community.
And while we're on the subject, please feel free to give to <a href='http://www.toysfortots.org/home/' target='_blank'>Toys for Tots</a>, the best Kid's Christmas charity out there. I worked on this program every year I was in the USMC, and it makes a bigger difference at Christmas than any other organization out there. Plus you can guarantee that your gift goes stright to a kid and doesn't simply get sucked into a massive bureaucracy like the United Way.
I would also hope that you make a donation to <a href='http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/www_usn.nsf' target='_blank'>The Salvation Army</a>, a similarly excellent organization which is pretty dire straights this year thanks to a lot of companies no longer allowing bell-ringers (due to a ridiculous lawsuit by another non-profit organization). Giving them a small donation can really help a poor family over the Christmas season.
These are my wife and I's two favorite charities, and giving to them is always a safe bet. Happy Holidays!
If anything I'm more willing to trust a small group of people (Penny Arcade staff) than I am willing to trust some large group I don't know much about.
The two groups MonsE noted are good too <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
We did our toy drop off Saturday. The Tots program is 100,000 toys short this season (and they only give one toy to each kid), so they could really use your help folks.
<!--QuoteBegin--MonsieurEvil+Dec 16 2003, 04:46 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (MonsieurEvil @ Dec 16 2003, 04:46 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> We did our toy drop off Saturday. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> *blink*
Sorry, all I can think of is crates of 'em with parachutes on pushed out the back of a C-130 <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
we delivered last Sunday to our families, and I am happy to say that all the kids were spoiled rotten <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
I think my clan even got over the fact that I wasn't there all week because it was for a good cause.
Comments
Merry Christmas!
*can't wait to go home and deliver the Christmas presents her church has been collecting for families* <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
aha, but what if the priest at your church uses the toys to coerce young boys into illicit acts!
I'd trust the guys at penny arcade over church any day. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> they're not asking for money donations, you buy actual toys to give to the kids, so there's no room for scammage... unless they sell the toys on the lego black market...
it IS nice to make an impact locally... but what if someone from far away has a greater need?
I would also hope that you make a donation to <a href='http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/www_usn.nsf' target='_blank'>The Salvation Army</a>, a similarly excellent organization which is pretty dire straights this year thanks to a lot of companies no longer allowing bell-ringers (due to a ridiculous lawsuit by another non-profit organization). Giving them a small donation can really help a poor family over the Christmas season.
These are my wife and I's two favorite charities, and giving to them is always a safe bet. Happy Holidays!
The two groups MonsE noted are good too <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
*blink*
Sorry, all I can think of is crates of 'em with parachutes on pushed out the back of a C-130 <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I think my clan even got over the fact that I wasn't there all week because it was for a good cause.