New Years Eve in Sosua

[mike l]

"Who receives it is another story."

Just a couple of questions, Mike.

Who do you think is going to receive the glove and bat? If it's not for a kid in the barrio, why donate it? If the $30 glove and bat is your redemption for the year, why not hand it out yourself and see who gets it?

Are all the people who are involved in the gift-giving just real estate sales people? Is this another time-share promotion, reaching out to all that discretionary income that is waiting out there in the barrios?

Why do you think there are serious attitudes across the board? Is there any justifiable reason for those attitudes that you can see?

Now I get to Clarify,

Last year I was in Cabarete at Jose's and two women showed up with 4 children to see the fireworks.....they had no money so I bought the moms a beer and several coke's for the kids and they got to sit at the bar like adults and I was impressed by their gratitude.

So yes, the children will receive their present from me , in person.

I dropped presents off at Rocky's last year but when I see all of the pictures of people handing them out.........it's as if it was their money.

No thank-yous.....nothing !

No Mas








i

 

[Dafishguy]

Now I get to Clarify,

Last year I was in Cabarete at Jose's and two women showed up with 4 children to see the fireworks.....they had no money so I bought the moms a beer and several coke's for the kids and they got to sit at the bar like adults and I was impressed by their gratitude.

So yes, the children will receive their present from me , in person.

I dropped presents off at Rocky's last year but when I see all of the pictures of people handing them out.........it's as if it was their money.

No thank-yous.....nothing !

No Mas

i

Mike, you and everyone else who donates to the Rocky's toy drive are always more than welcome to come along and see the grateful faces of the kids and their parents as we give those badly needed toys away. We know that there are many many people involved in this effort. We can't do it all alone. By saying you won't donate only hurts those in need. When I went last year, I had a profound feeling of satisfaction knowing I and all those other people who donated did a wonderful thing. All the smiley happy faces speak for themselves.

I know that all the people who went along last year did not think in any way that we could have been so sucessful without your help and the help of dozens of other generous people. Please don't spoil a great thing by turining this effort into some kind of a greed fest. It is far from that and the graditude of those receiving the gifts will surely prove that.

If you want to see something special this New Years Eve, why not come along. I bet you have never seen anything like it.

 

[catcherintherye]

"I dropped presents off at Rocky's last year but when I see all of the pictures of people handing them out.........it's as if it was their money.
No thank-yous.....nothing !"

Mike I understand what you are saying, but I look at it this way, people give to others for a wide variety of reasons. Most people give just because it feels good, and because it is the right thing to do.

The people, who hand out the presents that are donated by many others, are doing so for their own reasons. They give up their time and energy, and spend a night in the barrios, making a few kids happy. If they show their enjoyment when doing so I have no problem with that.

If you donate gifts because you want recognition or personal thanks, then perhaps you should go along with those people who make the trip. As I understand it, the trip is open to anyone who wants to go.

For me, since I am usually cramped for time, I just donate what I can, and let the others do the work of wrapping and distributing the presents. And I thank them for making the effort. I enjoy knowing that some kids are a little bit happier then they would have been otherwise. I am also happy that those giving the gifts got some enjoyment out of it.

I wonder if you have ever thanked the other people who give their time and energy to this project. My guess is you haven’t; yet you expect thanks from them because you gave a few presents. Come on Mike, get real.

Although I have witnessed many thanks being given by these volunteers, I often wondered why they should be offering thanks to anyone. Why should anyone have to thank you for doing what is the right thing to do? After all, the volunteers aren't receiving the gifts, the kids are.

Mike, you should consider what your real motives are. If you want more out the experience of giving, there are ways to go about it, get involved with the actual giving out of the presents. But if you are just jealous because you didn't receive all the thanks you think you deserved, then I feel sorry for you.

I think it was Drro who started a thread regarding Mother Theresa's sayings. One in particular struck me as being relevant to the act of giving.

“If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway”.

 

[LuvtheDR]

I dropped presents off at Rocky's last year but when I see all of the pictures of people handing them out.........it's as if it was their money.

No thank-yous.....nothing !

No Masi

Mike, can I ask you what we should have done with the gifts if we weren't supposed to hand them out? Please do not turn this special event into something that it is not! This will be my 4th NYE at Rocky's....and I can't wait! The tree will go up soon...the gifts will be piling up...everyone will seem just a little bit happier....

Take a look at picture #4 again....if that doesn't say "thank you"....then I don't know what does!!

 

[DOMINCAN JOE]

Mike, can I ask you what we should have done with the gifts if we weren't supposed to hand them out? Please do not turn this special event into something that it is not! This will be my 4th NYE at Rocky's....and I can't wait! The tree will go up soon...the gifts will be piling up...everyone will seem just a little bit happier....

Take a look at picture #4 again....if that doesn't say "thank you"....then I don't know what does!!

Here is picture #4 again

http://www.dr1.com/forums/604233-post11.html PS AND MIKE

 

[jrhartley]

why are you trying to spoil this event ? and how do you know people handing out presents hadnt contributed money to buy presents, as if it mattered

 

[Lambada]

How strange, I have never experienced a lack of thanks. For the past couple of years Marc has been good enough to drop by our house to collect the toys, wrapping paper, money, whatever. He has always said thanks & it isn't him who is getting the gifts. Not that he needs to say thanks because he puts far more into the NY Eve event than any donors do, not just financially but in terms of time, effort, organisation & keeping everyone together & safe when on the barrio run.

People should give because they want to. If they need a response in triplicate they can always sponsor a child through one of the organisations which sends monthly letters from 'your' child.

So, less of the bah humbug, mike. Thank you.
http://d21c.com/walpurgis9/holidays/scrooge/130.jpg

 

[mancunian]

intresting post. i just love the quality of gifts you gave those kids, all of who look so happy, how many bottles of champers was that. this may upset a few and quite frankly i dont care. for me it appears the party is about you lot not the kids..

In 15 years of working with young people I have never seen so many sad faces, when given gifts.. could i suggest stop the boasting on how many drinks you had and the children seeing that. drink less and give more..those gifts look like tack.

 

[AlaninDR]

If we didn't party then we may not pass out gifts? Seems like the best of both worlds to me. An evening with great friends making several hundred kids happier.
Geez, we're such selfish bastards.

 

[LuvtheDR]

intresting post. i just love the quality of gifts you gave those kids, all of who look so happy, how many bottles of champers was that. this may upset a few and quite frankly i dont care. for me it appears the party is about you lot not the kids..

In 15 years of working with young people I have never seen so many sad faces, when given gifts.. could i suggest stop the boasting on how many drinks you had and the children seeing that. drink less and give more..those gifts look like tack.

I have to say that I'm speechless! Sure....the gifts that are given out might not include the latest DVD, or a new iPod, or the latest and greatest video game.....but it's also not like there are only 10 gifts given out that night! Last year we gave out 2500 gifts.....1500 of those gifts were donated by one single person! What have YOU done lately?

 

[mancunian]

If we didn't party then we may not pass out gifts? Seems like the best of both worlds to me. An evening with great friends making a several hundred kids happier.
Geez, we're such selfish bastards.

Glad you said it. your words

 

[AlaninDR]

Glad you said it. your words

Just for you and in your honor (because we're such selfish bastards), we will, on New Years Eve, toast those few people who are mentally and emotionally handicapped. Quite obvious that so far you're first in line.
Don't forget bed time, you don't want to miss your daily ride on the short bus.

 

[BlueLodge]

Rocky, so mancunian can understand, the solution would be to not go passing out gifts. Let the kids come to you. That would make humbug happy.

 

[b.batista]

intresting post. i just love the quality of gifts you gave those kids, all of who look so happy, how many bottles of champers was that. this may upset a few and quite frankly i dont care. for me it appears the party is about you lot not the kids..

In 15 years of working with young people I have never seen so many sad faces, when given gifts.. could i suggest stop the boasting on how many drinks you had and the children seeing that. drink less and give more..those gifts look like tack.

Gran tonto. They give thousands of presents to thousands of kids and spend thousands of dollars to do it.
You have a problem with that. You a cheapie cheapo?
Take your uncle scrooge, 2 aspirins and 1 gram of cyanide and call me in the morning.

 

[mancunian]

Just for you and in your honor (because we're such selfish bastards), we will, on New Years Eve, toast those few people who are mentally and emotionally handicapped. Quite obvious that so far you're first in line.
Don't forget bed time, you don't want to miss your daily ride on the short bus.

I was refering to your first and last sentence, could i suggest you have a party for the kids only so they dont have to watch you down 100 bots of champers.. I'm all for the party but not around children.. and the pickys dont give a true picture in relation to the gifts.. sorry if you are upset. but drink and kids aint in my book.

 

[AlaninDR]

I was refering to your first and last sentence, could i suggest you have a party for the kids only so they dont have to watch you down 100 bots of champers.. I'm all for the party but not around children.. and the pickys dont give a true picture in relation to the gifts.. sorry if you are upset. but drink and kids aint in my book.

I'm never upset and always considerate of the less fortunate. Which is why we will be toasting to you on New Years Eve. Perhaps you will be partying alone at that time. We are multi-taskers and can do both.

 

[b.batista]

May I suggest you do something anything good for the kids here and stop telling us that what we do is not good enough.
Did you ever give any Dominican kids any Christmas presents?
If not you should and show us the fotos of the thousands of superior gifts you give.

 

[LuvtheDR]

I was refering to your first and last sentence, could i suggest you have a party for the kids only so they dont have to watch you down 100 bots of champers.. I'm all for the party but not around children.. and the pickys dont give a true picture in relation to the gifts.. sorry if you are upset. but drink and kids aint in my book.

You DO realize that the kids get the gifts....not the champage! The champage is for the parents of those children along with the people giving out the gifts! It's an all out party for everyone! Kids getting gifts that they would probably never have received.....and the parents get a little champage that they would probably not spend the money on to bring in the new year.

I have HUNDREDS of pictures of the events of NYE.....I can hardly post them all! Pardon me for not posting the correct ones....next time I'll consult you prior to posting:tired:

 

[mancunian]

I'm never upset and always considerate of the less fortunate. Which is why we will be toasting to you on New Years Eve. Perhaps you will be partying alone at that time. We are multi-taskers and can do both.

have fun when you drink your champers. kids and drink. just great ,carry on

as for me. I will be working a alcohol free soup kitchen on the cold streets of manchester. you self righteous pillock

 

[apostropheman]

I really can't believe some of the bull**** I'm reading! Some of you are such self righteous axxholes! Is there anything in this world that you don't see in a negative light?!?!?

Those that are involved know what it's all about. Those not involved and being negative obviously do not, especially those so bold as to try and belittle the event and the sentiment behind it.

I don't have the words to adequately describe the emotion involved for those participating, on the giving and receiving ends, but I do have a few choice words for the naysayers. I'll just keep those to myself for now so as not to spoil the mood, although some of you might guess what I'm thinking.

This is not at all about those giving but totally about trying to brighten the day for those less fortunate. How it's done is irrelevant and if we choose to enjoy ourselves while participating that's none of your business!

If you don't wish to be involved that's cool, plenty of others do, but have the common courtesy to keep your big, foul, mouths closed and find another party to **** on.