Good Friday/Giving Friday

Thoughts and recap of On Track Daily's Easter Charity Drive:

On Good Friday, as Christians, we celebrate and remember a death from 2,000 years ago.  We think and remember the ultimate gift -- sacrifice.  We remember this as an act of love, of redemption, and charity. And this is the inspiration for On Track Daily's Easter charity drive with St. Malachi's in Cleveland this year.

Through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, namely His death, we are able to live.  And this year in remembrance, through the sacrifice of or friends and families, we were able to help those who need it most.  We were able to help these people who needed us to live.

Five weeks ago we set a goal of helping 50 men.  Our goal was to provide 50 men with a freezer bag full of 1 toothbrush, 1 tube of toothpaste, 1 stick of deodorant, 1 razor, 1 bottle of lotion and 1 pair of socks.  Over the last five weeks we have received donations from multiple states and the Washington DC area.  We've received cash and toiletries from so many people that we were not only able to meet our goal we were able to go way above it.

Today we will be taking the following to St Malachi's in Cleveland.  64 individual Ziplock freezer bags filled with: 2 toothbrushes, 1 tube of toothpaste, 1 stick of lip balm, 1 stick of deodorant, 2 razors, 1 bottle of lotion and 3 pairs of socks.  In addition, we have in surplus over 100 toothbrushes, 50 razors, 25 bottles of lotion, 20 sticks of deodorant, and 100's of pairs of socks to give to the church.  Because of the love of our family and friends, we will be able to help hundreds of people feel like they are living again.  Men who haven't changed their socks in days will receive new socks.  Lips and hands that have been beaten by harsh Cleveland weather will be soothed with lip balm and lotion.  Men who feel like society have left them behind will once again be able to partake in simple hygiene that you and I take for granted daily.  All of these things are good and all of these things are an act of love that is the perfect way to remember Good Friday and a sacrifice from so long ago.

As we go to St. Malachi's with all the donations, I think of the men we intend to help.  The feeling they must get to know that some strangers joined together to help them this Easter must be a great feeling.  It will let them know that they are loved.  Not just from God above, but also loved by His children.

Thank you to all of you for the support and prayers this year.  We are honored to be able to call you are friends and family.

-BM