A Different Kind of Wish List
Having trouble getting friends and relatives to quit buying you things and to donate to your causes instead? Try this!
For years my husband Brian and I have urged our large families to use the money they would spend on gifts for us to support our favorite causes. (He has seven grown brothers and sisters and I have two, plus our parents.) Our pleas continued to fall on deaf ears until last year when I struck upon an idea.
I selected two non profits and asked for their "Wish Lists." One was a Pediatric AIDS Home and the other was a Hospice. With wish lists in hand, I went to my local Target and registered for the Baby Club and the Wedding Club. Imagine the fun I had with two scanners as I raced through the store selecting 20 pairs of children underpants and socks, books, games, receiving blankets, grooming supplies, etc. For the Hospice I selected small electric blankets, fleece sweaters, socks, books, stationary, and household items for the house including towels, linens, cookware, etc.
The results? Fabulous! Friends and family members went to their local Target, printed out our lists and purchased the requested items. Once the item is purchased it is taken off the list. For some reason, they found it fun to do this. Rather than sending a check to an organization, they were able to select, hold, and pay for an actual item. All items were sent to us wrapped with a small label identifying the contents. We enjoyed taking two car loads of items to our favorite charities.
Many stores do this and the two agencies we selected were thrilled!
Kathleen Connolly
Orlando, FL
Simple Living Works! * SimpleLivingWorks@Yahoo.com
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