Meet Peggy from the Mansion, she wishes to say hello and thanks for the gifts and cards she has received. As I mentioned earlier, I’m not comforting releasing any personal information on the residents, neither is the Mansion staff. It is okay to list the first names of people – those who wish to receive messages. Some of the residents are intensely private, and Red and I will, of course, respect that.
The first names I can share are Jean, Mary, Gerry, Sylvie, Diane, Alice, Jean, Madeline, Joan, Allan, Carl, John, Aileen, Christie, Helen, Constance, Alanna, Barbara, Peggie, William, Dennis, John R., Bruce, John Z.
I’d love to keep this going, but also to urge perspective. Messages and cards in a steady stream is the best way to touch the hearts and souls of the residents, especially after the holidays. Thanks so much.
Mansion Director Katie Perez took me up to her office today to show me the gifts being stored for the Mansion Christmas Tree. Thanks to you, everyone at the Mansion will have something on Christmas and Christmas Eve. I was bringing 10 boxes of cookies for people, but after seeing the gifts in Katie’s office, I’ve decided to give them to the staff instead. I’ll bring them over tomorrow and try and get a photograph of the presents in the office – you ought to see them.
At the Mansion today, Connie said she would like to say thank you and wish you all a Merry Christmas, she says it is a gift to be reminded how many good people there are. The video speaks for itself. I took several today at the Mansion, and I will post them over the holidays.
Connie has three big baskets of yarn to work with, she is cranking out mittens, and soon, scarves. She and Red are very good pals.
The Mansion staff also gave me permission to list the first names of Mansion residents, for those who want to write them or send them cards. In in the interests of helping the residents, there are some boundaries we should talk about. Most of the residents are very open to messages from outside, some wish to remain private. People thinking of visiting would do best to contact the Mansion first, to make sure the residents are well and the schedule is open.
A number of you have been asking me for birth dates and other information, I am not comfortable providing that or asking for it. I think we do need to be mindful or privacy, and the Mansion cannot release medical or personal information. Please be mindful that some of the residents are ill and wish to keep to themselves.
It is difficult to say what gifts are needed, the residents are well cared for and have what they need. Gifts are personal, and vary from individual to individual. In the winter, scarves and quilts and caftans are very welcome, the homemade bears were a big hit, but I hear more than anything about pictures, letters stories and cards.
Books and puzzles are much appreciated.
Beyond that, your involvement is most welcome and people should feel free to communicate with any of the names I am listing here. The best approach is to send messages and cards in a continuum over time, the messages and cards and letters seem to mean the most to people, although they love the pictures and cakes that have arrived. I think, from my observations, that messages, letters and cards mean the most and touch them the most deeply.
From my observation, what lifts them up the most is the idea that people care about them and know how alive they are and in need of human contact. I have vowed to myself to keep visiting, it feels like an extension of my home at the Mansion, a part of my family. The people who own and run it are good and very conscientious and loving people, the staff is amazing. I know they don’t make much money, but if you paid on the basis of big hearts, they would all be very rich.
There is a feeling in institutions of being cut off from the world and forgotten, and the messages remind them that they are not forgotten, and they love the pictures and good words and stories you are telling them.
On Christmas day, many of the residents will be off with their families, Maria and Red and I are planning to stop by in the morning. Thanks to you good people, the tree will be stuffed with presents for everyone.
Here is the list of first names of Mansion residents, they can all be written at this address: The Mansion, 11 S. Union Street, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. Red and I have met most, if not all of these people, some do not wish to see a dog, or to see me.
The first names of residents wishing to have messages are Jean, Mary, Gerry, Sylvie, Diane, Alice, Jean, Madeline, Joan, Allan, Carl, John, Aileen, Christie, Helen, Constance, Alanna, Barbara, Peggie, William, Dennis, John R., Bruce, and John Z.
It is never easy asking for money, not on my end or yours.
Few of us have much money to spare, and lots of good people and many causes are looking for some. This week I do wish to say that your voluntary payments support my writing, the blog, my books, and the work we do. This coming year, I have the feeling this work will be more important than ever.
If you have money to spare, put it where you feel the strongest and believe it will do the most good. I mean for the blog to be a source of inspiration, compassion, thoughtfulness and open-mindedness. In sharing my own struggle for a meaningful life, I hope you may find it useful, entertaining, or informative.
Your payments make the blog and my work – books included – possible.
They are important. I do not see them as charity, but as payment for my work. You get paid for your work, and I need also to get paid for mine. There are many ways to contribute, it is designed to be as inexpensive as possible,and very simple to manage or cancel.
The blog is doing a lot of good, and I hope to do a lot more good next year. It is now the focal point of my creative work, your contributions make it possible.
You can contribute once, or once a year, or monthly in small amounts. You can use credit cards and Paypal. You can cancel at any time. No financial information is stored on my site, and I have no access to your money, I can’t cancel or begin payments or subscriptions, only you can do that.
If you prefer, you can contribute by check: Post Office Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. Many of you already have and thank you.
Check it out. If you can’t do it, you are very welcome to be here and read my work. The blog will always be free.
I also give my photos and words to the world for free, you may use them any way you wish. The blog and my photography are expensive to operate and maintain. If you can support my work, great. We are building an Army of Good here and I am excited about it.
In the winter, we fight for color and light, especially during this cold and very dark week. These simple bottles, which Maria placed on the sill, bring a dignified and elegant sense of color to a colorless and drab sky, they are the angels of Spring, come to keep hope burning. There is beauty everywhere if you look for it.
