Spring Break
Editorial: Don't get 'wrapped up'
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
12/03/08 - It's easy to tell the holidays are upon us. It seems that the day after Thanksgiving was a sign for every radio station and department store to start with the familiar Christmas jingles, and every store is gearing up for holiday sales.
Everywhere you look, even on the pages of the Cigar, everyone's getting into the holiday spirit.
The University of Rhode Island Recycling is holding a food and clothing drive throughout the campus.
The Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils just gave the Jonnycake Center in Peace Dale the best present of all-a $12,000 donation.
After raising the money through Philanthropy Week efforts, the URI Greek Community has done its part in helping those less fortunate during the holiday season.
The holidays mean different things for people of various religious persuasions, but the one common theme that tends to bring everyone together is the urge to help the needy.
It's quite easy to get wrapped up (excuse the pun) in family holiday gifts, decorations and even religious services. People derive different meanings from the season, but it doesn't erase the true message: it's not a time to be selfish.
A family can go to church every Sunday and pray for those in need easily-and that's a wonderful thought. But it's even better to take a bag of old clothes and toys to the Salvation Army in December so others can enjoy some surprises, too.
If time and effort is truly a concern, Big Sisters of Rhode Island actually collects bags of donations right at your doorstep. All you have to do is gather some old clothes in a trash bag and make a phone call.
For every town, there's at least one shelter or soup kitchen in Rhode Island in need of food, clothes and someone who cares enough to volunteer for an hour or two.
People have been bombarded with the economic recession in this country. Talk of tight budgets and less "giving" is bouncing around dining halls, shopping malls and decorated dorm rooms.
But while it's important to be reasonable during this time of year, it's also imperative not to miss the obvious here - if your family is suffering on a tight budget, think of how much worse it is with someone who can't even grasp the meaning of the word "budget" in his or her economic state.
This won't change after the holidays are through, either. People tend to forget about the homeless and the needy after the spirit of the holiday season disappears.
What Rhode Island needs is a little bit of spirit to last through the whole year, and with a college community like this, there's no doubt students can band together to make it happen.
Everywhere you look, even on the pages of the Cigar, everyone's getting into the holiday spirit.
The University of Rhode Island Recycling is holding a food and clothing drive throughout the campus.
The Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils just gave the Jonnycake Center in Peace Dale the best present of all-a $12,000 donation.
After raising the money through Philanthropy Week efforts, the URI Greek Community has done its part in helping those less fortunate during the holiday season.
The holidays mean different things for people of various religious persuasions, but the one common theme that tends to bring everyone together is the urge to help the needy.
It's quite easy to get wrapped up (excuse the pun) in family holiday gifts, decorations and even religious services. People derive different meanings from the season, but it doesn't erase the true message: it's not a time to be selfish.
A family can go to church every Sunday and pray for those in need easily-and that's a wonderful thought. But it's even better to take a bag of old clothes and toys to the Salvation Army in December so others can enjoy some surprises, too.
If time and effort is truly a concern, Big Sisters of Rhode Island actually collects bags of donations right at your doorstep. All you have to do is gather some old clothes in a trash bag and make a phone call.
For every town, there's at least one shelter or soup kitchen in Rhode Island in need of food, clothes and someone who cares enough to volunteer for an hour or two.
People have been bombarded with the economic recession in this country. Talk of tight budgets and less "giving" is bouncing around dining halls, shopping malls and decorated dorm rooms.
But while it's important to be reasonable during this time of year, it's also imperative not to miss the obvious here - if your family is suffering on a tight budget, think of how much worse it is with someone who can't even grasp the meaning of the word "budget" in his or her economic state.
This won't change after the holidays are through, either. People tend to forget about the homeless and the needy after the spirit of the holiday season disappears.
What Rhode Island needs is a little bit of spirit to last through the whole year, and with a college community like this, there's no doubt students can band together to make it happen.
