We’re knee-deep in the “R&R” season – and we’re NOT talking “Rest & Recreation”… but the season of “Reflection & Resolutions!” Specifically, at this one time of year, everyone seems to be taking a look back at events which have transpired over the past 12 months, whether milestones, cultural phenomena, personal ups-and-downs, fond memories and those crushing defeats. However, did you ever consider, frequently those occurrences in your life last year may now be forming the basis for your 2019 goals?!
Think about it. If you enjoyed an amazing vacation – or two – this year, scheduling MORE leisure time may be among your top New Year’s resolutions. Or… maybe your financial or career outlook took a severe nosedive in 2018. Chances are, reestablishing some sort of solid foundation represents one of your highest priorities in the upcoming year. Some of us will take those “perennial” resolutions to heart this year, making a serious commitment to lose weight, find a partner, start a business, etc.
Yet, at the root of each of these resolutions, lies some memory – either positive or negative – which spurs or inspires us to make a change for the better. And, the same holds true for us at Blind Faith Foundation! Every month in 2018 holds uniquely specific and vivid memories for us… and ignites our desire to do even MORE in this upcoming new year.
In what now seems like a lifetime ago, we continued our outreach to victims of Hurricane Harvey in the early days of 2018. Many forgotten by others as the flood waters receded, our selfless volunteers blessed families in the rural areas devastated by the overwhelming storm damage. It almost seemed like a harbinger for things to come throughout the year!
But, our work had just begun as the scope of our vision became wider. And this expanded vision inspired our Blind Faith Golf Shoot Out on May 8th! Putting together a full-fledged golf tournament, designed to raise community awareness and much-needed underwriters for our charitable outreach, is no small task. And, once again, the Blind Faith family rose to the challenge… and this allowed us to sponsor our first-ever Back-To-School Bash for the Hunt and Ingram ISD students.
Many of these families lacked the basic financial resources to equip their children with the needed classroom supplies. So… we stepped up to the challenge and were able to give away more than 250 fully-loaded backpacks to these kids. Now, if you’ve ever had a young reader in your life, you may be familiar with the “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” series of books. And this back-to-school community event began the same kind of domino effect!
We established REAL connections with these families – our neighbors – and saw so many more areas where we could offer a helpful hand, during hard times. So, we saw and felt their pain as the rivers and waterways of our own Texas Hill Country backyard experienced unprecedented flood levels. Cities which had never been underwater, were completely immobilized. Families were cut-off from even the most basic services. Homes which had withstood the Texas weather for generations, were washed away. And, in addition to grieving with these people, giving them a sympathetic ear and shoulder, we also offered more tangible assistance.
Loaded up with the same type of supplies we had just delivered to the Florida Panhandle areas hit by the previously-unheard-of Category Six destruction of Hurricane Michael just a few weeks earlier, we hit the trails into our Texas home counties. And brought our own special brand of hope… muck buckets!
This gave us an even deeper glimpse into the lives of those around us and we didn’t want to just respond to tragedies – we wanted to help avert the daily crises people faced! And, our Meat2Eat Program was born.
Seeing how a little “food safety net” could make such a HUGE difference in someone’s life formed the basis of some OUR fondest memories in 2018. Ironically, while many people have a reduction in their diet on their New Year’s Resolutions, WE want to add to the diets of many, many, more people this year!
So, while our “vacation” photos and memories of 2018 may not be “Pinterest-worthy,” they DO strongly inform our goals and “resolutions” for 2019. And, yes, we do still have a few things on our individual “personal” list of resolutions, but losing that last five pounds, or remodeling the guest bathroom, or taking a continuing education course, now have their proper perspective… thanks to the indelible memories of people who can’t feed their families, or have no permanent roof over their heads or can’t afford to provide their children with school supplies, we met in 2018.
AND… we have the hope of creating a better world in this New Year, full of promise and possibilities, and invite YOU to join us in making 2019 truly “memorable!”