Give a Little Bit

Remember this great tune from Supertramp?  "Give a Little Bit." You can find the original song on the Supertramp album Even in the Quietest Moments ... (1977).

This is a nice musical segue into today's blog topic, which is (wait for it . . .) giving.  Please allow me to quote from A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens (1843), when the two gentlemen enter Scrooge's offices to request a charitable contribution.

"At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and Destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir."

At this junction of the tale, Scrooge is hardly in a charitable frame of mind and declines the invitation.  After his epiphany following the visits by the three ghosts of Christmas, when Scrooge again encounters the gentlemen, he is magnificiently generous.  He recognized that he was more fortunate than most and could offer some assistance to his fellow humans.

Economic conditions are difficult for many people now.  Perhaps you are amongst those struggling.  I call upon the rest of us (including felines and slobberdogs) to give what we can to help those in need.  My Library has made it easy.

MPL Giving Tree (by the Library front entrance)

When you visit the Library, you will see, by the front entrance, a giving tree and some colorful boxes.  If you would like to donate any of the following items, we, and those in need, would appreciate it.

• TOY BOX:  NEW toys in unopened boxes;
• FOOD BOX:  canned goods or sealed boxes of food (unopened);
• GIVING TREE:  NEW winter clothing (gloves, mittens, hats, scarves).

We thank you, and Scrooge thanks you, too.  You may read Dickens' classic online, or the old fashioned way.  Here's a book trailer, in case you don't know what the book is about.

MPL Book Trailer 237

"A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens

I'm Giving Canned Tuna-in-Oil,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Charity News Beat