What does it mean to offer oneself up?

An email I received last week from the Hinton SPCA announcing a $10,000 donation toward the construction of the organization’s new building got me thinking about generosity.

It brought up a number of questions in my mind. Where did that money come from? How did the town decide on the SPCA? What are the motives behind the donation?

In a discussion with some colleagues while working on this piece, one said she heard a statistic that showed in times of devastation, such as the wildfires in Australia right now or the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean, that those with the least to offer tended to be the most generous.

And isn’t that when giving means the most – when the giver hasn’t much to offer, yet does so anyways?

I was at a Seniors’ Society meeting in Jasper Monday night, and the members spoke about donations in honour of deceased members. Here is a group of seniors, a population generally stringently budgeted, giving up a part of what they have on the behalf of others.

How many other people in town reach into their pocket when a donation is suggested in memory of a fellow citizen?

How about the story about the shovel brigade in this week’s newspaper? Everyone’s time is important to them, and giving up a little to help someone can be extremely generous, especially when one has few material items to share.

As we get over the aftermath of budget discussions in this town, one thing I’ve heard from residents is, “That $30,000 could go towards...” or “We could spend that much on...”, in reference to various municipal initiatives.

Yes, everyone has a different opinion when it comes to the way public money should be spent. But maybe Jasper would fare well to look outside its own bubble when it comes to doling out finances, and looking for ways to help others in addition to helping itself.

Jasperites use the SPCA. Two kittens who were abandoned in this town in January would have gone there, had an eager resident not stepped up to welcome them into her home.

And that’s just one of the many, worthy causes out there. The local MS Bike Team does an amazing amount of work and raises a tremendous amount of money for a disease that affects a number of our own neighbours.

No, we don’t know how or why Grande Cache donated to the SPCA. But wouldn’t it have felt great to see Jasper’s name in place of that town’s?

What a good reason to give.