There is a special onus on those of us who are most fortunate to help others. The more we give, the more we will make a difference. I get involved, I give, and I stand strong with my fellow human beings.

The key value in my life is respect for people. For me, everyone is special, regardless of their age or condition. We need to create bonds with each other to move forward in life. I’ve seen this throughout my career as an educator and school administrator.

Education can help people improve their lives. That is especially true for young people who are the future of our society. Young people absorb everything and they need role models. We should teach them that they are capable of achieving great things.

I’ve been a Centraide donor for a long time. I have a natural affinity for the organization because I was raised in a family with modest means, so I understood at a very young age the importance of helping others. Later, I was confronted with the reality of poverty every day in school. If I couldn’t act myself, I still wanted to support the people in the field financially.

Over the past ten years, I have been a member of just about every administrative committee of my local United Way. My service with the organization makes me feel useful.

Despite its undeniable negative impact, the pandemic did bring out some good points within the community. We received donations that would probably never have materialized if not for the pandemic. People are more generous when a disaster like this happens. But there is still a lot of work to be done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B_JS9YBWug&list=PL2lsdant2MPxl2jmQ8Apfsek7Y61E5Tem&index=14