In need of some heartwarming stories on a cold December day? Well here’s a couple to warm your soul.
CC Sabathia is out in Vallejo, CA taking some foster children on a Christmas shopping spree at a Sports Authority. It seems like CC is always out donating, volunteering, smiling, etc. out in California, although he does live in New York full-time now. Word is that he did NOT dress up as Santa, although the Jolly ace would’ve been a sight to see…
Our Lord the Savior, 6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba had a little run-in…or should I say drive-in…with the law last year. Booze, a car, high speeds, Nebraskan highways…you know the story. Now, though, Joba has made a trip back to Winnebago at the St. Augustine Indian Mission. He signed over a hundred autographs, told kids to never give up, and was overall an inspiring presence. What else would you expect from the son of Harlan, pitcher extraordinaire?
This year, particularly, I’ve felt a lot of pride being a Yankees fan. Robby Cano, Joba, CC, AJ Burnett, Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, and Jorge Posada, just to name a few of the charitable Yanks, have all been active in community service exploits over the past 12 months. HOPE weak was one of the most inspiring baseball-related events I’ve ever seen. I spent this past summer volunteering at a preschool, working primarily with autistic children, which showed me the importance of community service in our society. Showed is the wrong word. It…it made the impact real I guess. When you start to meet people, and get to know them, the impact of your work is more visible. When you can see the progress a kid’s speech makes over the course of a month, its easier to see how important volunteering is. Writing a check is nice, and crucial to non-profits, but investing your time is something that you’ll find truly rewarding.
I encourage everyone, whether you celebrate Hanukkah (I know its over, but the spirit still lingers), Festivus (Any Seinfeld fans out there?), Christmas, Kwanzaa (note that the Mets , Joe Girardi, and Roger Clemens are all older than Kwanzaa), the New Year, the Lunar New Year (Thanks for reading Chien-Ming!), or even if you don’t celebrate a holiday, to go out and do some kind of volunteer work or community service. Don’t just do it because you have to. That’s ridiculous. Find a charity that seems interesting to you. Then take an hour, or a day, a week, whatever time you can spare, and go out and help somebody. I’ve got as much self-centered New Yorker in me as the next guy, but I swear to Joba, doing something for someone less fortunate than you will make your holiday season all that much more special. Whether you make $32mm a year, or you work for minimum wage, you can find a way to better someone else’s life. Go out and be a hero. Joba bless.
