Hats Off To You, Rick

I normally don't mention names of friends in TWIT, mainly because I respect everyone's privacy, and because I don't want any of you, my faithful readers, to feel like I'm singling anyone out.  I don't want anyone to thin I slighted them because I mentioned someone else. So other than mentioning Diva Stacy because she's my best friend and I like to write about our adventures, I don't single anyone out unless I'm giving well deserved props to someone.  Today, I'm singling out for a very good reason. I'd like to give major props to a good friend and faithful reader, Rick.

Rick is a also a deacon at our church, and for the past few years, he's been accumulating McDonald's Happy Meal toys as a project.  His intentions were to sell them and give the money towards missions. He had trouble selling them, and a few weeks ago, decided to give them away to help those less fortunate.  He brought a bunch of the toys to church where we put them in our "Operation: Christmas" shoeboxes filled with toys and other items that we will send to kids in third world countries.  Rick said he wanted to get rid of all of the toys, and asked if we would like them for the VFW for Christmas baskets, kids' parties, etc.  I told him sure.  Rick called me Saturday evening and asked us to make sure we drove the Odyessy to church Sunday morning to get the toys.  I told him I would drive by after I dropped off Mom and Dad at church. 

Imagine my surprise when I pulled up in front of Rick's apartment building, and saw him wheeling out a grocery cart full of bags of the toys.  I put them in the back of the van, and then Rick told me that he had about 6 times that many left to bring out.  By the time we loaded up the van (which, by the way, had all of the seats folded down except the driver's seat) the only space not filled with a box or bag full of the toys was the driver's seat.  Please know that I'm not exagerating when I tell you the van was filled to capacity; I have witnesses that can back me up on this one.

On my way back to church, I made a detour and stopped at Wayside Christian Mission, where I dropped off some of the toys.  More toys were also given to the Jefferson Street Mission in downtown.  Toys were given to Kenwood Elementary School and the Kenwood Montessori School, andlast but not least to the VFW.  One man's mission project has helped out a half dozen places, and will make hundreds and hundreds of kids happy.  Thanks for the toys, Rick.  You rock.