Calhouns Can(n)ons

Deck The Halls . . .

Yes, I know, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet, but if you're making your Christmas list and checking it twice, may I suggest a wonderful story by Dawn White, in the the Nov 20 Tribune about Nurse Karen Randolf, a Morro Bay resident, who's raising money to train Ugandan women for nursing careers.

As it notes in the story, "a single Ugandan nurse could treat as many as 400 patients who travel to get help each month. . . . In Uganda, nurses play a vital role in villages, where they host clinics, pass out vitamins and prescribe medicine to those with HIV, AIDS or other diseases. Without the assistance of nurses, many communities have no other means of fighting disease. . . the nurses are the only health care that many of these people receive. "

The money Ms. Randolf is raising is sent to "a group of Ugandan nuns, who then choose the recipients [for training], which means the money goes directly to pay for scholarships (no wasteful "administrative/overhead" costs). Best of all, because Ms. Randolf is doing the fundraising by herself, with help of some friends, "All the money goes directly to [the nurse/fund] for their training . . . Each nurse has the potential to touch thousands of lives. "

If you want a perfect Christmas gift that goes on giving, doesn't need dusting and isn't fattening, consider sending a donation to: "Ugandan Nursing Scholarships, c/o St. Timothy's Catholic Church, 92 Piney Way, Morro Bay, Ca 93442.

Then make up a nifty little card outlining the story of what Ms. Randolf's up to, tuck it into an envelope and from thence into a Holiday Stocking and know that one small gift will help send some goodness and light and kindness and help out into the world. Which is what this Season of Light is all about, isn't it?

Think global. Act local. Deck the halls . . . .