Gratitude is the word of the month for November

November is National Gratitude Month. Perhaps this is because the month has two days that we express our gratitude and thankfulness. 

The first of those days is Veterans Day on Nov. 11. We should feel grateful for our Veterans and for their families. As you drive around our community, you may see green lights. Those lights express our support for those that have served or are serving. 

I’m so grateful to those helping to send Christmas boxes to some of the men and women who are currently deployed. From the businesses that have donated items to the families making edible goodies, to the students at schools making art to send in the boxes — together, we can make a difference. 

Thanksgiving is our other significant day of gratitude in November. For some in our community, it is hard day because they cannot afford to purchase food for a Thanksgiving feast. It is these families that we work so hard for gathering donations to give out Thanksgiving baskets with turkeys. 

Last year, I wrote an editorial about how disappointed I was with the Thanksgiving basket giveaway because there were some people who took baskets that weren’t truly experiencing food insecurity. This meant we ran out of baskets for those that really needed them.  

An anonymous letter was sent scolding me for that editorial. The person took me to task, saying I was shaming those that came to the fairgrounds for the food distribution and some people won’t come to the fairgrounds anymore because they were judged by me in the editorial. The person that wrote the letter didn’t read the editorial correctly. There was zero mention of the fairgrounds food distribution, also called “commodities”. 

The editorial talked about the Basin Area Food Pantry’s holiday basket program only. The intent, as stated, was to remind people the Thanksgiving giveaway was for those truly in need and that I hoped they would come away with an understanding of the program so that when Christmas baskets were given out, there would not be a shortage. 

This leads to the next thing I’m grateful for: those of you that have donated to Thanksgiving basket program. From “adopting” a basket to purchasing the items for a dinner of four to those that will be donating for the turkey drive on Nov. 19, I am so thankful.

Our community is small and there are so many wonderful causes we are asked to donate to. It’s a hard ask when costs have risen and risen, yet time and time again, our community and businesses come through. 

Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”  May your day, week, month and year be filled with gratitude.