Because JPAC Cares ...
Charity Begins At Home
Christmas, 2006
Each Christmas, members of the official chat/fan club for actor James Denton pool their resources to do something charitable in Jamie's name. Admittedly, before Jamie landed the role of "Mike Delfino" on "Desperate Housewives", thereby making him capable of being able to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for whatever his charity of the moment may be, the things that the active members of JPAC did each year got noticed more often than they do now. But the fact that JPAC members are no longer the most noticeable fans of James Denton hasn't changed the values of these people one little bit. Regardless of which talk show host declares that she has found the "biggest James Denton fan", several times a year - albeit most notably at Christmas - members of Jamie's original chat/fan club still reach out their hands and touch the lives of individuals all over the world, by offering direct and immediate help to the people who need it most, whether they get thanked for it or not.
This year, the task set before the members of JPAC was the most difficult ever because it didn't permit anyone to sit back and transfer funds or to send a check to me to use to buy gifts or provide services for one specific cause. This Christmas, members of Jamie's Place and Chat were challenged to do something for their own communities, all by themselves - to set aside their own worries and problems and, for just one single day, to think only of someone else. As always, JPAC members stepped up to the plate and met the challenge head-on by donating money, time and goods to local people and organizations who depend on the assistance they receive from people in their own communities to survive.
The list of members, organizations and deeds below is in no particular order and is by no means completely inclusive of everything that was done by members of JPAC this holiday season. Several members were willing to let me send their stories to Jamie but asked that they either not be mentioned on the list at all, or only be mentioned in an extremely abbreviated way. Some of the members who met this challenge are students, or are on fixed incomes, or are single parents who lead incredibly busy lives. All of them went beyond the original challenge, regardless of how difficult it was for them to do it.
As the person who passed on the many and varied stories of generous and charitable deeds to Jamie, it was my privilege to be
able to see all of them, before they were edited. I have to take this
opportunity to say that, once again, this group has both amazed me and made me extremely proud to be associated with them by
proving that one person can indeed make a difference in the world, simply by being willing to be the one who takes the first step.
May everyone at JPAC have holidays that are as happy as those they've assured for others!
Lois
Cathy Barnes - Halfway house, Salvation Army, Homeless Coalition and
Greater Cincinnati Autism Society.
Sally - Donated to Fire Dept Blanket/Coat Drive; donated to City
Police Teddy Bear Drive; donated to Operation Red Nose; donated to
Christmas Daddies; donated to Sue Stultz Turkey Drive and Headstart.
Judith (Pale Raven) - Donation to community outreach program.
Fanny - Visits to people in a local hospital, clothing for homeless
people and food for those who don't have any.
Colleen Jordan - Christmas box for a soldier with no family, stationed
in Iraq; Christmas tree with homemade ornaments; enlisted aid of many
local students to make Christmas boxes for other soldiers; and donated
a box of food to feed a family in need.
Aurélie Truéba - Instead of spending Christmas by herself, she spent
it helping the needy in her area.
Maddie - Feeding the homeless; each of her family members selected an
"Angel" from the Salvation Army tree to buy a present for; donated
food, clothes and toys to "Para Los Ninos" in Los Angeles; volunteered
time to the Harbor Interfaith Services (to help take in donations of
food); donated money to the Grizzley & Wolf Discovery Center; and
adopted a Sumatran tiger at the LA Zoo.
Erica - Donated money to donated money to the Carson Kolzig Foundation
for Autism (they raised a total of $12,600); donated a frozen turkey
and a grocery bag full of non-perishable foods to the 2nd Harvest food
bank; donated a bass boat to Toys for Tots; and gave 2 bags of food to
the Family Food Drive.
Kimmi - Donated a gift for a girl and a boy via the KMart Wishing Tree.
Helene - Donated clothing to the Salvation Army, patronized their
store and bought a magazine sold by homeless people to earn money.
DelphieKat - Donated clothing and food goods to http://www.lagrandeguignoleedesmedias.com
MC California - Donated to Reading With Kids, to Cats In Need, Meals
on Wheels for pets and donated food and toys to local fire station.
Michelle P - Turned the adversity in her own life into something
positive by making certain that children from both the Salvation
Army's Giving Tree and the YMCA's Families in Transition shelter will
enjoy a Christmas day filled with warm, sturdy clothing and toys, toys, toys.
Lois - Distributed surplus pom-poms (and other "cheer" related items)
to children's wings of two local hospitals, for use in "cheering"
their rooms through the holidays and/or making their physical therapy
more fun; donated time to Meals On Wheels; assisted people with severe
arthritis in their hands by addressing their holiday cards for them; used a laptop and a printer to help people on fixed incomes make holiday
cards for their children and grandchildren; assisted people too infirm
to leave their homes in ordering holiday gifts on-line; and donated
women's and children's clothing to a local shelter for battered women.