Don’t be a turkey person…

Growing up, the holiday season was not one of joy for me. I’d lost my father mid-December when I was three years old and spent my first Christmas without him surrounded by jon boats and countless volunteers who were determined to find him in that big winding river.

Eventually, my Papaw found my Dad and by then we were already into the following year and it was soon to be my fourth birthday.

From then on, the holidays (which in my mind included my aforementioned January birthday) brought sadness and I felt the pressure it put on my mother. The weight of having to create magic during hard times seemed unfair, overwhelming and sometimes cruel. I hated the holiday season and I knew Santa’s visits were not the result of whether or not I was well behaved. But, Mom always pulled through. And that pull through usually left me with guilt.

Fast forward to adulthood.

As a working mom who undoubtably found a love for the holidays through my daughter’s eyes, I was tasked with writing a feature article on a gentleman for an industry magazine that outlined his success in volunteering for inner-city youth.

It was in this interview that I first heard the moniker ‘turkey person.’ Best explained to me, a turkey person is someone who shows up in low income communities during the holiday season to deliver turkeys and is not seen again until the following year.

It made me think of my childhood holidays and gave me the gift of seeing the strength of my mother’s continuous pull through. I found an overwhelming sense of gratitude for her because although times were tough, I never had a turkey person at my doorstep. I had my mom, family and community.

Community service is at the core of humanity. And I’m a firm believer that people are genuinely good and want to do good.

But, digging deep into community service goes well beyond handing out a frozen turkey and sharing your good deed on Facebook once a year.

Community service should be year-round and authentic and oftentimes quiet. Sure, that Facebook post is important because the share may inspire others to take part in giving. But, it’s the quiet giving…the year-round giving that means the most to those in need.

It is my hope that whatever service project you do with your family this year fills your bucket beyond measure…and that you ask yourself how you can continue your generosity throughout next year.

Remember these people when school is starting up in the fall and their children need supplies, when summer rolls around and you know a slip-n-slide and cold watermelon would create core memories for their families, when he makes the football team and needs a helmet, when you know she’s old enough to have her period and likely doesn’t have access to hygiene products or when the first kid in the family has an opportunity to go to college and doesn’t know how to fill out their FASFA Application.

I promise you, the return on your investment will far outweigh the expense in every way.

So my friend, don’t unintentionally be a turkey person this holiday season when you undoubtedly have the heart of a lion.

And if you don’t know where to start, ask your local teachers and coaches…they’ll be able to lead you in the right direction and ensure you make an immediate impact on your community.