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 The frigid December air nipped at Nancy as she went out to retrieve the
morning newspaper. It had snowed during the night and the neighborhood was
covered in a thick, white seasonal blanket. As Nancy picked up her paper, something caught
her eye. Snuggled up next to a small evergreen tree in her yard was a
shivering, wet puppy. It desperately needed warmth.
Nancy quickly took the puppy inside. She bathed the little
creature, dried him with warm towels fresh from the dryer and gave him some
food. The puppy was in heaven. Nancy
was, too. The dog had no collar or tags, but Nancy did everything she could to find its
owner. Although she did her best, she just couldn't find him or her. So,
until she found out otherwise, she would keep the puppy and call him Samson,
for his strength against the harsh weather.
Samson was a welcome companion. Ever since her husband
passed away, Nancy
was lonely. She enjoyed the freedom that retirement brought, but life was not
the same without her husband. Now, she had a little puppy to share the Winter
with. Nancy
cared for Samson and began to consider him her own.
About a week after taking in Samson, the doorbell rang.
The little puppy followed her as she opened the door. There stood a young
boy. "I am looking for my dog, Tippy," he
said. "Have you seen him?" Upon hearing the voice, the puppy ran to
him and began wildly circling the boy's legs. As much as Nancy loved her newly found friend, she
knew Samson already had a home. It was with the boy, and the dog's name was
"Tippy," not "Samson." Boy and
puppy were reunited.
A week later, the boy called Nancy and asked if he could visit her. He
brought Tippy with him, along with his father and
another puppy. They wanted to let Nancy
know how grateful they were to her. The father explained that Tippy was one of several siblings born earlier in the
fall. Tippy's collar must have slipped off in the
wet snow when the family was building a snowman in the front yard. They had
been desperately looking for him.
The father said it was obvious she had taken loving
care of the puppy. He then asked Nancy
if she would consider adopting Tippy's sister. She
immediately said "Yes!" and almost as quickly, she named her new
friend Molly. From then on Nancy and Molly were inseparable and it was not
uncommon to see Tippy and the boy coming over to
visit them.
Nancy's story proves that blessings come from giving as well as
receiving. Many people, like Nancy,
have found that giving to our cause, especially this time of year, can be
tremendously uplifting. And as Nancy
experienced, giving can also lead to receiving. There are links on this web
site explaining how your gift to support our mission can also have
significant tax and financial benefits for you. For example, our charitable
gift annuity pays money back to you at fixed rates based on your age.
Charitable trusts and life estates promise similar benefits. All can be
explored in detail in the comfortable privacy of your home. Please contact
Gary Brewer, Director of Planned Giving at (407) 703-0248 or gbrewer@cfcbsa.org to make an
appointment.
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