Streetwise
Lauren Rudd
Sunday, December 9, 2012
A Guaranteed Return
It is that time of the year again, the time for holiday
parties, gift giving and a good time to be had by all...well maybe not all.
There are many for whom the adversities of life, not to mention the economic
downturn, have wrenched away most, if not all, of the holiday spirit.
Yes, many of you know what is coming next if only because I
have been an orator of the same discourse for more years than I can readily
recall. Yet, the need for the message is so compelling it bears repeating each
and every holiday season.
So, if you are among the faithful, please sit back; pour
yourself a glass of eggnog and think of it as a refresher course. For new
readers this is the one time of the year when I stray a bit from my normal
investment fare in order to show you how to achieve some guaranteed exceptional
returns.
Our story begins with the concept of compounding; a force
that Albert Einstein once said was the most powerful in the universe. It is
1947, in Los Angeles, California. Diane Hendricks has created a handmade Raggedy
Ann doll that she wants to donate to charity. She asks her husband Bill to give
the doll to any organization in the area that would forward it on to a needy
child. Unfortunately, Bill was unable to find such an organization.
In relating this predicament to his wife, Diane’s suggestion
was that maybe Bill should start one. As luck would have it, Bill was also Major
Bill Hendricks, a Marine Reservist. He and his fellow reservists proceeded to
collect and distribute 5,000 toys to needy children.
Their campaign was so successful that the Marine Corps
officially adopted “Toys for Tots” and expanded it into a nationwide effort.
Their mission is the same today as it was back then, to bring holiday joy to
America’s needy children.
“Toys for Tots” received an added boost because in civilian
life Hendricks was also the publicity director for Warner Brothers. Therefore,
in addition to drafting various celebrities to help publicize the program,
Hendricks was able to persuade Walt Disney to design the “Toys for Tots” logo.
That logo is still in use today. Disney also designed the first poster used to
promote what had become a nationwide program.
The investment of one Raggedy Ann doll, in the life of one
child 64 years ago, is today the “Toys for Tots” Foundation; a non-profit
organization that has collected and distributed more than 370 million toys to
173 million needy children. This charitable endeavor has made the Marines an
unchallenged leader in looking after needy children during the holiday season.
Now do you see what compounding can do?
Now as you sit there contemplating your eggnog, I have a
favor to ask. This is the one and only time that I actually recommend a specific
investment, an investment that will pay dividends far in excess of what you will
receive on Wall Street.
Yes, the call for help is never ending. Still, try to imagine
what it must be like for a child not to receive a gift this holiday season.
Right now there are more than 13 million children living in extreme poverty and
the number has increased by 2.5 million over the past ten years.
According to the National Center for Children in Poverty,
another 16 million children live in very low-income families that are ineligible
for public aid. You are going to fight the crowds anyway so please take the time
to purchase at least a small toy or two for a local charity or the “Toys for
Tots” program.
Oh, one other small favor. When you are out shopping, you
will no doubt notice the volunteers outside your favorite store ringing a bell
to try to get your attention. Think about what it must be like to stand outside
for hours on end trying to raise money for the needy.
Consequently, this is what I would like you to do. Instead of
just walking by, take a moment to pause and reach into your purse or pocket. No,
do not reach for the coins. Please, dig a little deeper. Work your way down to
where you keep the folding stuff. Find that picture of old Abe Lincoln and drop
it in the pot. I am sure old Abe would approve.
Finally, in the event no one takes the time to express his or
her appreciation for your efforts, let me...thank you.
