Author in the News: Kris Girrell Organizes Operation ELF

 

Each year at this time, Kris Girrell, author of the award-winning books, Typhoon Honey and Learning to Feel,  is deeply involved with his charity Operation ELF. But there are two things that seem to have collided this year that have resulted in the problem for which Kris is asking help.

The first is that because this time of year has become ever more commercialized, people may think of Operation ELF as a part of that frenzy – after all, we are asking sponsors to fulfil the wishes of the kids who are on the roster. But this is not, nor has it ever been about buying stuff for kids. These children are often the forgotten ones. They live in communities where most likely they will see someone shot and killed right on their street. Being “at risk” could mean that, or it could mean that they lack essential food and clothing to make it through the cold months. Sometimes moms of these little ones have to choose between diapers and better food choices. And don’t get me started on all the talk of the middle class – we are talking about the folks who live at subsistence and below. Operation ELF (where ELF stands for everybody loves families) is about bringing a little light of hope to kids who as teens would just as soon flip you off because they feel life has given them the short straw. Operation ELF is about kids like the teenager who has come to our packing day for the last three or four years to help out because as she says, “I was one of those kids.”

The second issue that has hit us all is that this has been a tough year. Seriously, I know quite a few friends who said they had to pass on giving because their expenses were higher and income was flat or less. We are all struggling and believe me, as a retiree on a fixed income, I can relate. But here’s the thing: individually they are all right, but Operation ELF is not about individuals. It is all about families and how together we are far more powerful than any one of us alone. Operation ELF is a team, a family, a whole community of people working together to impact a common issue. No single individual can have much of an impact, but together with friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers and associates, heck even doctors and dentists, postman – everyone together can form a communal web of support to hold and care about these kids.

We can’t do life alone, nor were we meant to. We need each other just as these kids of Operation ELF need all of us. As of this evening we have 236 kids whose wishes have not been met so act now, please.

Here is Kris's request. There are three ways you can help:

1.        Tell everyone you know about Operation ELF. But because we are only a week away from our final delivery date, please do that today by passing on this email or just by sending them the link. Here: https://www.operationelf.org/sponsor

2.        You can go to our website and click on the sponsor button. There you will be asked how many kids you wish to sponsor and if you are acting on the part of your family or group, you can list the total number. Just be aware that gifts must arrive at the collection site by Tuesday or Wednesday this coming week.

3.        And if you can’t sponsor or don’t think something will arrive in time from Amazon, you can click on the donate button and give as much or as little as you wish. Just know that every dollar donated goes directly to buying gifts or gift cards for our kids.

 

On behalf of all of us at Operation ELF and the kids and agencies they serve, thank you with all their heart.

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