Every year at this time, many of us are faced with the same problem. We want to give someone in out family a gift for Christmas, but there isn’t anything that they really need. Mom and Dad have done well and there is really nothing that they need that they can’t afford or haven’t already bought. Uncle Fred had a successful business for many years and is a very practical man who is happy with the life he leads with not many luxuries. Aunt Mary would rather give gifts than receive them. Nephew Jake is only interested in high tech toys that you would not know where to even begin!
So what to do? None of us feel right leaving out a family member on Christmas. Even if they say there isn’t anything on their list and that we shouldn’t feel bad not giving them a gift. There is one gift that will fill the need and make Mom and Dad, Uncle Fred, Aunt Mary, and Nephew Jake happy. Odds are they are the kind of people that lived their lives giving to others. You can help them keep giving to other by giving to The American Legion Iowa Foundation in their name.
What would work to put in the gift wrapping for them? Knowing that you gave a gift to a charitable foundation in their name is a gift they can be happy about! The Iowa Foundation has brochures that list every grant that the Foundation has given this year. Putting that brochure in an envelope will give them a personal stake in knowing that they have helped many people around the state of Iowa.
If they value education, we gave scholarships at many colleges and universities around Iowa to veterans and their families. If they volunteered or donated in their home community, we provided grants to many community based organizations in Iowa. If they worked for young people, we provided scholarships and program funds for youth organizations both inside and outside The American Legion family.
One last thing they should know. The gift you gave in their name, their gift will keep on giving. The structure of the American Legion Iowa Foundation requires that a gift be placed in a trust and the interest earned by that gift be spent, but the gift is never spent. It goes on earning interest and continuing to help.
With one gift, you solve many problems. You honor that hard-to-buy-for person in your life. You help that Foundation continue to grow and by growing enable many grants to be fulfilled here in Iowa. Contact Headquarters (800-365-8387) for the brochure, or just request it when you send the check (720 Lyon, Des Moines, IA 50309) for your gift. Merry Christmas and thank you for remembering the Foundation in your gift-giving. To learn more, click here.
Harvey T. Rimel American Legion Post 141 