The Faces of Giving

 

There is no reason why money should not make us feel good. How it gets into our hands is one thing, how it leaves is another. That is the moment where cash can become caring, where the destination of our earnings can go beyond the monetary exchange and enable a person, group or business to do better.

 

Low on funds? Spend some time. Not sure what to offer? Give a damn. Lacking in creativity? Make a difference. Each are options for bringing something good into a household or organization.

 

From nurturing and thanks at our November table to the lighted candles and trees in December, our end-of-year rituals serve to reflect and inspire. A crucial key to all of this is in giving back to the community. Taking an old parable into contemporary times – we shall reap where we sow – or, as the sign suggests, Buy Local!

 

Arm yourself with a map as you explore our city’s bountiful retail landscape – pick up a copy of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) guide or view their resources online at www.keeplouisvilleweird.com. It will be your first step in sustaining Louisville’s economy for 2012.

 

Moving from wallet to wisdom, consider what physician, author and educator Deepak Chopra states in his Law of Giving and Receiving: “The universe operates through dynamic exchange ... giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. And in our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives.”

 

Yes, we can blend spirit and spending, dollars and sense, while supporting our diverse community of merchants, artists, entrepreneurs, charities and activists throughout the holiday season and beyond. 

 

Consider this sampling of what your neighborhood has to offer ... and what you can give ... in a year when buying small is the biggest impact you can have on the economy.

 

Whether it’s a gift for a friend or a gift for your mantle, there are creative ways to shop with a motivated conscience and a sense of style.

 

Vintage, kitsch and nostalgia are all ways to recycle an era. Spend some time at Crescent Hill Trading Company, eyedia design it again, Goss Avenue Antiques & Interiors, Mueble, Etc., Queen of Rags, The Nitty Gritty and WHY Louisville for souvenirs from past to present.

 

Longing for the kitschy Christmas of Beaver Cleaver’s home or Pee Wee’s Playhouse? The Crazy Daisy Antique Mall is a baby boomer gold mine. Strings of Noma Lights or beaded garland for the mantle, cheery blow molds for the porch, chenille Santas, vintage holiday cards and even a few coveted tinsel trees will turn any 21st century dwelling into a retrofitted holiday.

 

Nothing warms the soul like a cup of kindness. Get your locally roasted coffees, sweets, cups, brewing accessories and fashion at our many vibrant coffeehouses, including Day’s Espresso & Coffee, JAVA Brewing Co., Quills Coffee, Red Hot Roasters, Sunergos Coffee and Vint Coffee.

 

Roasting beans and ushering Fair Trade into the Louisville coffee market since 1994, Heine Brothers’ Coffee has become synonymous with both community and global awareness. Writing regular checks to Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and The Center for Women and Families, Mike Mays and crew have earmarked this year’s drive, collecting gift and household items, for Volunteers of America. 

 

A glass half-empty or half-full ... needs refilling! The gifts of our vineyards, brew houses and distilleries are of good taste and rich history. Drink locally and responsibly with Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse, Bluegrass Brewing Co., Cumberland Brews, Louisville Beer Store, Old Town Wine & Spirits, Smith-Berry Winery, The Wine Market, and The Wine Rack, to name a few. Cheers!

 

Is a labor of love what you have in mind for your friends who are expecting a child or at home with a newborn? Here are some options for shopping before and after the stork.

 

The Highlands’ Mama’s Hip and Dupont Square’s Babyology offer childbirth classes plus labor and postpartum assistance, as well as breast-feeding support and supplies.

 

Also under the Mama’s Hip roof are the flexible folks at Owl Tree Yoga, offering calm and creativity through workshops and community events. Their goal is their slogan, “kids and parents in harmony.” Gift cards for classes are available. Namaste!

 

For friends on your list with four-legged, furry children, you may be interested in creature comforts from Feeder’s Supply, where supplies, adoption services and information for pets be found. Financial hardship should not separate you from your companion animals. The monthly Pet Pantry at Episcopal Church of the Advent is free, and pet food donations are always welcome.

 

Make a commitment to our at-risk domestic animal population for the holidays. Contact an adoption organization to donate time, supplies or money – or find a friend who’s waiting just for you. Animal House Adoption Center, No-Kill Louisville and Shamrock Foundation are good places to start. The Paws Report with Laura Shine airs Wednesday afternoons on WFPK 91.9. Each week, the show features a new critter seeking a home.

 

The trap-neuter-release program of Alley Cat Advocates keeps our homeless feline population from rising. They welcome dedicated volunteers as well as donations. 

 

The gift of nourishment and hospitality is realized by Louisville entrepreneurs. The surge of local, independent restaurants and award-winning chefs – along with a boundless shelf of titles on farming, dining and entertaining – has put our city on the national culinary map.

 

Natives, tourists, business guests and plain ol’ hungry folks can locate everything, from southern to sushi to steaks to greens, with ease and affordability. 

 

Stuff stockings and appetites in one fell swoop with a Louisville Originals gift card. The familiar card with the fork can be purchased from the Louisville Originals website, at all ValuMarket locations or at the Louisville Visitor’s Center downtown. Gift amounts start at $25. Accumulate points with the card to use for delicious rewards. (Points-only cards are available free at member restaurants.)

 

The number of restaurants shopping locally for fresh food and a healthy economy is impressive. As Wendell Berry states, “Eating is an agricultural act.” Expect to find area growers on many restaurant menus – and expect to find your chef at our local Farmers’ Markets.

 

Do you dig the earth? Prepare your avid gardener or backyard farmer for spring with tools, seeds, literature and accessories from Bluegrass Organics, Bunton’s Seed, Fresh Start Growers, Greenhaus, Naturally Horton’s and Frank Otte. 

 

The gift of entertainment and expression is key – whether it’s a pastime or passion, you can empower and inspire.

 

The bounty of words and song can be harvested at Book & Music Exchange and Carmichael’s Books. An array of gift items to choose from will impress the rocker and the reader. A Reader’s Corner is enjoying its new home in Clifton – and a historic location at that. Booksellers since 1997, they offer new, used, rare and out-of-print books in almost every category. 

 

Tap into a diverse group of the region’s most captivating and eclectic artists, entrepreneurs and change-makers at The Clifton Center, where memberships and performance tickets are available.

 

Your tax-deductible gift of a Louisville Public Media membership is, according to LPM president Donovan Reynolds, the gift of “independent music and rigorous journalism.” It’s hard to get a radio in that stocking, so sign up a friend online.

 

Louisville’s best mall-ternatives for gifts of art, supplies and instruction might be the Mellwood Art and Entertainment Center and Preston Arts Center. 

 

Family dysfunction? Don’t give up! Classic Christmas comedies such as “Elf,” “Bad Santa” and “A Christmas Story” are in stock at Wild & Woolly Video. Dreaming of a black and white Christmas? Rent “Babes in Toyland,” “The Shop Around the Corner” or “A Christmas Carol.” The store has titles to rent or buy from the obvious to the obscure this holiday season.

 

The gift of charity is not only sound scripture but also good business. Make the best of your tax-deductible status for the end of the year.

 

Building a dream? Help others decorate a new house. Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts fixtures, tools, appliances and more as an affordable alternative for construction. Even the kitchen sink is welcome here as well as volunteers. Good stuff, good deals, great cause.

 

A list near and dear to The Highlander coverage area that you need to check twice includes Highlands Community Ministries, Kentucky Refugee Ministries and United Crescent Hill Ministries. Your gift of time, energy or funds will go a long way toward helping someone in need. 

 

Mayor Greg Fischer says the goal of his “Give a Day” initiative is for it to be the largest volunteer service-day effort in the world. “We want Louisville to be known as the most caring city, where neighbors help neighbors and people look after each other,” says the wise Mayor.

 

No act of kindness is too small – and the rewards are bigger than you can possibly imagine.