By DONALD LASHIER
I think my mailman hates me. I’m not really a bad guy: it’s not my fault that I receive so much junk mail! Talk about contributing to such a heavy load that he must carry through rain, snow, cold wind and hot sunny days.
In the month of May, I got a total of 320 pieces of mail from so-called non-profits looking for a handout or a hand-up. At least he smiles at me as he hands me a fistful of 8 to 23 pieces of junk mail. On top of that, I also receive monthly bills, magazines, flyers, and the like, so I have to admit that I do get a lot of mail.
Why me? Nobody else in my apartment building gets anything close to what I receive on a daily basis. They all seem to be jealous of me when they open their mailboxes and only have two or three items. Some rarely even get a letter asking for a donation to a worthy cause. You should take a look at the pile of paper I have to recycle each week! I have been told that I respond to too many pleas for help, and my name gets passed from charity to charity for their mailing lists.
Now, I realize I can’t save the world by sending in my small contributions, but how can you say no to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Jimmy Fund), the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Ships, Shriners Children’s Hospitals, Wounded Warriors, Make a Wish and many others in need? And the list goes on. It’s endless! Last year, I mailed out over $1,650 in checks to 55 organizations to make a very small dent in the needs of the world. That does not make me a hero of any sort, but it does make me feel like I made someone’s day seem a little brighter. Just think about a kid lying in bed in a cancer treatment center, far from family and friends.
Anyway, I decided to find out just how many requests for donations I receive in a month. Starting on Thursday, May 1, I clipped the logo or the return address from the envelope or letterhead from each party that I got for the whole month. I was a bit shocked after the first week when I ended up with 53 solicitations! And, many were asking me to consider signing up for monthly contributions. Whatever happened to the $25 annual donation that was once the norm?
Here’s another sore subject. Times are tough, so these charities are asking for a discount from the postal service because of the large volume of outgoing mail. I have noticed rates from 5 cents to 21 cents paid on their envelopes. For me to mail a check to them, I have to pay 73 cents! Maybe if their rates were raised to 50 cents, it would cut down on the volume?
As I said at the start of this missive, I can’t save the world! I’m 90 years old now, and I still like the feeling of doing some good things. I can no longer take part in service club activities and community events like I did for many years. I do go to a local gym three days a week for a gentle workout. Just keep moving and be kind to others in any way that you can. Now that this experiment is over, you are probably wondering how many solicitations I have received. Here are the weekly totals:
Week 1: 53
Week 2: 75
Week 3: 96
Week 4: 62
Last 3 days: 34
Total: 320
Many sent me two pleas, some sent three pleas, and a couple actually sent four, all in the same month. I’m not even familiar with many of these funds. I’ve never made any donations to about 85% of them. Well, you’ve seen the results, and if you don’t want to get a pile of unwanted paper in your recycling pile, keep your money in your pocket. On the other hand, if you find an extra few dollars and have a good heart, then be nice and send in a token gift to help feed, clothe, or care for someone else’s needs. Choose wisely and only send what you can afford. Trust me, you will feel a little better about yourself today.
Donald LaShier lives in Greenfield.