A Community of Contributors
Lanark Village is a community of contributors. When the LVA asked coffee drinkers to start donating on Thursdays as they do on other days, they cheerfully complied. And when the sign that said “Thirsty Thursday $1” was replaced with one that said “Please give generously” they did that too. The cost of opening the Hall for an event like Thirsty Thursday has been estimated to be around $25. Roy and Paula sponsored our gathering by contributing that amount. They’re givers.
But knowing that the event’s cost had been covered didn’t stop others from pitching in. Together, the other attendees more than matched Paula and Roy’s gift, which gets us a little bit closer to covering the projects we need to accomplish this year - repair to the boatyard fence, a new water heater for the Hall, and progress toward whatever we collectively decide that dilapidated building on Warren Avenue will become. The extra money members threw into the collection basket at Thirsty Thursday and Coffee with Friends will help with these costly projects. We’ll need every penny.
Coffee used to be free on Thursday. But when members were asked to donate, they were fine with giving up the freebie.
But money isn’t all we need, and it isn’t all our members contribute. Janie has been tirelessly calling on businesses up and down the Forgotten Coast asking for donations for our upcoming silent auction. Debbie is already going through the signage and decorations for the Chili Cookoff. Both events take place on February 1.
Giving is a privilege, in a way, because not everyone has the resources to give. Not everyone has an extra $1 to throw into the donation basket. Not everyone has the time to solicit donations or sell event tickets. Not everyone has the energy to climb a ladder and hang a banner at Chillas Hall. That’s okay. We’re a community so we’re going to take care of one another.
Debbie taking stock of the Chili Cookoff decorations.
Giving is also a responsibility. If we want to continue using Chillas Hall as a convenient and comfortable place to get together with friends, we’re going to have to take care of it, just as we maintain our houses and cars.
Giving is also a choice. Even if we can afford to donate our dollars, we’re not compelled to do so. Even if we’re healthy and energetic, we may not want to spend our spare time decorating the Hall, cleaning up after Thirsty Thursday, or making a pot of chili for an important fundraising event.
That’s why the LVA Board is feeling so lucky these days. We have a community that chooses to give. They’re contributors.
