"Speak Out" is an expression of opinion from the Editorial Board of WBTV, and is presented by General Manager, Nick Simonette.
"The joy of giving."
We hear that phrase often this time of year.
Some may say it's a cliché…but we see plenty of evidence that it's alive and well.
Take the story of the 200 South Carolina Army National Guard men and women about to be deployed to Afghanistan.
They're currently training at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.
The troops wanted to come home for the holidays.
Many of you contributed to the cause, as did Lowes corporation.
In three short days, 30-thousand dollars was raised.
Those troops will now be with their families for Christmas.
We also saw that spirit of giving this month at the Good Fellows and Good Friends luncheons.
Over 350-thousand raised to help the working poor.
Wells Fargo surprised local charities with 6-million in donations.
Many other local businesses have also come through as well.
But, the need is still great.
Toy donations for Toys for Tots are down.
You also can't deny the need for simple basics...
The number of families who need food to eat and a warm place to stay continues to rise.
So please, give what you can this holiday season.
Pick up an extra toy for a child in need while shopping.
Drop a few dollars in the red kettle outside the mall.
And if you can't afford a monetary gift…volunteer for a few hours.
Time can be money.
It's really true…the joy IS in giving.
Because WBTV is "On Your Side," we encourage everyone to "Speak Out" – tell us what YOU think. SpeakOut@wbtv.com.
