The bucket and the bell ringer

Is it just me or has anyone noticed that there is a bucket and a bell ringer at every store in America? Every drug store, every grocery store, WalMart, Target, Kohl's. I'm as charitable as the next person but I'm down about 10 bucks this blessed holiday season so far. I worry when I drive into a parking lot, break out into a cold sweat wondering if I have any singles in my wallet. It's affecting my every day life, "Wait! That's my last single, I need it for the bucket!"

Try explaining that to her at the Scary Asian Dry Cleaning Dudes fine establishment. If she goes to "ah Casino" for Thanksgiving how do I get the whole bucket and bell ringer concept across to her? She made it all to clear a few years ago, exact change is highly recommended. I tried to explain I needed my singles for the boys lunch money. She didn't care if my boys had lunch, why would she care about the down trodden and destitute? I'm frightened. I need to go to the bank.

I've started looking for stores without that red tripod with the red bucket dangling from it or better yet, sit in the parking lot and wait for the bell ringer to go on break, or sometimes you can see the tripod but the bucket is missing that's when you make a break for it. Run into the store during a terrible blizzard, bad weather chases away God's chosen ones, the people that give up hours of their day to stand out in the cold ringing a bell to get you to donate.

I'm a horrible person. I have to go check my wallet and make sure I have enough singles in there for when I go shopping tomorrow. Because I won't pass up a bucket without making my deposit. God bless the bell ringers. I think I'm going to hell, damn it.

Get Off Your Butt

The company I work for is big on charitable functions. Once a month they pick a charity to focus on. Coming up very soon is Alzheimer's Memory Walk Funds need to be raised to help prevent, treat and cure this disease. And we can help!
Across the United States Teams are organizing. Friends, relatives and co-workers are uniting for the Memory Walk. Team Captains are needed. Can you step out of your protective cocoon for a walk? Can you organize a small group of people to do the same? Ask three friends to join you and in turn they can ask three friends. You have a team now!
The only way I’m going to get off my butt and participate is to have people motivate me. The people at work with their endless caring and giving is what I need to inspire some charitable acts on my part. Let’s get off our butts and take a walk.