I wanted to give you an update on the progress of the Mansion Aides Holiday Gift Project, I am seeking to raise $650 so that we can give the aides who work in the Mansion each a $50 gift certificate for the holidays.

I’m been thinking about how we could honor them during this season and give them some recognition, but it was one of you who came up with the idea.

The response to the Amazon gift card idea, suggested by a member of the Army Of Good last week, has been  wonderful. Overnight, I received more than $500 in contributions on Paypal towards the project, and that doesn’t include the contributions that will be mailed to my Post Office Box, (P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.) and will arrive next week.

If you wish to contribute you can click on the Army Of Good donations button on the bottom of this post, just mark the donation “Gift Cards.” You can also contribute via Paypal, [email protected].

I expect I will be close to the $650 by the end of the weekend, if not later tonight. If there is an overage, it will go directly into the Mansion Fund, used to help the residents when there are things they need or outings and clothes and trips (like the boat ride.)

I’ve been working at the Mansion for nearly two years now, and am in awe of the good and hard work the aides do there.

Health care workers are essential in our culture, we trust them to care for our mothers an fathers when they can no longer take care of themselves.

Health care workers are notoriously underpaid all over the country and increasingly important. They do the work no one else is willing to do, they care for the people who are too often left behind.

In a sane world, that pay gap will someday be closed. I am so happy to be able to offer this gift to the 13 aides who work at the Mansion, this was the idea of the Army Of Good, and they have rushed to support it.

I am, as always, grateful.

When I have the money in hand – if there is a shortfall, I’ll make up the difference – I’ll order the cards and hand them out during the holiday season, when they might be the most useful.

Last week, I brought 50 pens to the Mansion for the staff, each one is engraved with the words: “To The Unsung Heroes Of The Mansion: Thank You.”

I think it was a great idea to do this and I am so proud to be a part of it. This one is a great and happy pleasure.

Above, Tia and Megan, hanging out with Wayne.