Lending a Helping Hand

We’ve all seen television commercials asking us to help children from all over the globe. And just about every time we reach into our mail boxes we find more requests from a wide spectrum of charitable organizations. Most are legitimate and deserving of your support.

If your not a member of a Lithuanian organization or do not subscribe to Lithuanian publications, You probably aren’t aware of the many charities which benefit our own people. Especially the children of Lithuania.

No, Lithuania is not affected by widespread, rampant poverty. But poverty does exist there.
Homelessness and starvation does not affect the majority of the population, yet it also exists.
For those who find themselves in these situations, life is a daily struggle.

Every time I attend a celebration or event hosted by a Lithuanian club or organization, I am left wondering exactly how many of these self proclaimed Lithuanian Patriots actually reach into their pockets every now and then . . . and take care of their own people.

So many people are eager to express their pride in our heritage. There is nothing wrong with waiving the flag or taking pride in your ability to speak the language of our ancestors. Knowing a little bit about our history is also something to be proud of. But along with all of the pride and the
celebration comes responsibility.

It is our responsibility to honor our ancestors and their achievements, And to pass this sense of responsibility on to our family members as well as those who share our common ancestral bonds.
We can honor or ancestors by making a sincere pledge to help those of us who need a helping hand. Especially the children.