(noun) \ hyü-,ma-nǝ-'ter-ē-ǝn \
A person actively engaged in promoting human welfare and social reforms; one who has concern for helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people.
This is a special time of year to kick off the holiday season when so many turn their thoughts to remember what is most important. It is an honored tradition for us to take a look at our lives and give thanks for what we have. We count our blessings of family, friendship, faith, home, work, food, community and so much more. I love how this act of giving thanks often leads us to also want to give and share with those around us. This season is filled with opportunities to look outside of ourselves and our circumstances to help others. Service opportunities are abundant and our hearts seem more open to this focus. What a blessing this is for both those that give and those that receive help.
Our school district is an example of this phenomenon. Each graduate of the Douglas County School district is asked to fulfill 20 hours of community service in order to graduate. I love how this teaches our young people from early on how meaningful and important it is to look outside of themselves and spend time in service. On the DCSD website it talks about how this helps students to learn selflessness and fosters personal growth. As students help others, they gain character and experience for themselves as well.
In this issue we want to take a look at some of the other humanitarian efforts in our area that reach both near and far. As we live in a community of large abundance, it is refreshing to see individuals and groups who want to and work toward helping those who are in need. Thanks for giving!