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Memorializing Loved Ones
Sandy Dickson

When a loved one is lost through death, dear friends often contribute money in that person’s name to a charity. Family also does things to memorialize the departed.
     These are wonderful and meaningful gestures that help the memory live on to those with the loss, but there are a lot of ways that a person can be memorialized that might not occur to many people.
     Giving to a charity in someone’s name is popular, and a wonderful way to honor a loved one. However, it’s important to know a bit about that charity and what percentage of the actual money goes toward the good for which it is lovingly intended.
     According to Charity Navigator, many well-known and respected charities have surprising statistics and very low percentage ratings for the actual dollar amount that is used toward benefit of cure or other things a donor would hope. One of the largest charities spends 68.9 percent on program expenses and 9.6 on administration expenses. It netted over a billion dollars last year, but is left with a rating of 21 percent on fundraising efficiency and an overall score of 48.11, or 2 out of a possible 4 stars. Another rating group gives this same charity a C+.
     Some families are prompted to lean toward a certain charity because all funds to it are matched through their employer. However, they don’t realize that charities like the one above receive huge contributions through multi-million dollar businesses looking for tax write-offs anyway. In addition, they have huge fundraisers with 100s of 1,000s of dollars are raised. Most any contribution a private donor could make is merely a trivial, unnoticeable drop in the bucket, even if it is matched at work.
     There are plenty of ways to make a sincere donation noticeable and put it to work where it will count most. Cut flowers are nice but only last a few days.
     You can create a memorial garden at your house, but you might not always live there, and it will have no meaning to anyone else. Rather, start a memorial garden at a church or park. The name of the deceased can be put on a plaque there if desired, but even better, why not suggest that it will be the beginning of a memorial garden for anyone who would like to add to it over the years for a cherished loved one that they too, have lost. As time goes on, it will grow, and especially to each contributor, it will mean something. The garden will live on. It doesn’t matter if they knew your loved one, nor if that loved one attended church there because it will have special meaning for all who contribute and all who behold it, and what a way to glorify and please God, to continually beautify His house. So no plaque is really necessary and pretty soon the church or park will have beautiful flowers to enhance it.
     Or plant a beautiful tree in that person’s name that everyone will enjoy.
     But there are other ways. Call a church or local Boy or Girl Scout troop and tell them you would like to donate money toward sending a kid to camp who would otherwise not be able to go for lack of funds, or a school for a school trip.
     Talk to a coach to find out if there is a kid who made the team but couldn’t play for lack of money to buy shoes or a uniform. These are ways that will provide wonderful memories for someone for the rest of a life, really make a difference and perhaps even set a life-changing course.
     Call a school and donate money to a school library or toward the school’s athletic equipment.
     Make a contribution to Gideon Bible Society and have a Bible placed somewhere that could change a life by sharing the gospel. Web site: Gideon.org, then click U.S. and choose expression cards or memory cards. Each Bible is $5.00 and a handwritten card will be sent to the person whose loved one it’s sent for. Or call (615) 564-5000
     Find a mission project through a church where hurting and starving people are being helped through funding, or specially find a family in need of winter coats and gloves.
     Donate money to Wounded Heroes Foundation (woundedheroesfund.net) or some veteran’s organization or funding for military or civil service workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
     There are many local service organizations whose focus is helping those in need and all donations go straight to those causes too.
     Buy a brick or piece of highway for some worthwhile local project where such are being sold and sales are needed to complete the project.
     Was the deceased an animal lover? If so, a nice and helpful tribute would be to give money to a non-profit animal shelter or animal rescue place. There are usually several  in every area of the country.
     These are only some of the things in which a real and lasting difference can be made in the lives of people. No one who benefits from these may have known your lost loved one. But not only will make a difference in the lives of those recipients because of your loved one, it will make you feel better too.
     To check on ratings of charities, visit web site: charitynavigator.org

Copyright © 2009 Sandy Dickson. All rights reserved.