Adopting An Elephant

Giving A Unique Gift This Year

Elephant Image from Pixabay.com

In my last post I spoke of my granddaughter and her passion to save the elephants. Besides the gift of the stuffed elephant that I plan to give her, I came up with another gift idea. I have adopted an elephant in her name. 

How does one adopt an elephant you may be thinking. It is actually very easy to do. Obviously, one doesn't actually take on an elephant to raise. The adoption is really a creative use of words for a donation to help in the conservation and protection of elephants in Africa and Asia. I chose to donate the money to the World Wildlife Fund as a gift to my precious little 5 year old granddaughter as one of her Christmas gifts. 

This may seem like an unusual gift for a child but she isn't a typical 5 year old. After having visited Disney World this last spring the one thing she came home with was the desire to save the slaughter of elephants for their tusks. It has occurred to me that not only is this the perfect gift for her this year but one that I can continue to give each year. It is a gift that can be given to someone who feels passionately about saving the endangered species of wildlife across the globe. You can choose from several types of animals, not just the elephant through The World Wildlife Fund which has helped protect wildlife for over 50 years. 

Another option for helping elephants is the International Elephant Foundation. Donations to this organization also help to protect the elephants. The IEF operates conservation and education programs in the wild and facilities to protect, manage and perform scientific research. The foundation was formed in 1998 in Fort Worth, Texas when there was a lack of reputable organizations for this very purpose.

We so often think of giving our children and grandchildren toys, books and clothing as a gift. There is nothing wrong with that at all. I just wanted to do something different this year and making a donation for the elephants will really mean something to my sweet little granddaughter. I think it will be a gift that she will remember for many years. 

I also want to clarify that the links that I have provided in this post are not affiliate links which means that there is no monetary gain for me when you visit the sites. If you choose to donate to either of them, all of the donation goes to the organization. This post is just a way to make a suggestion for a unique and different gift that you can give to someone special in your life who is passionate about saving our wildlife whether it is an elephant, rhinoceros, orangutan or any other endangered species.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Season of Giving

As Thanksgiving approaches in the United States, a feeling of thanks and celebration of life begins and continues through Christmas. This also becomes the season of giving.  I have always believed that we tend to donate more to charities and to others less fortunate than ourselves during this season.

Give Thanks - Postcard by GotWords
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My feeling about increased giving seems to have some statistical proof. As reported in a Reuters article, the results of a December 2010 survey conducted by Causes.com are:

"The Holiday season is definitely the time of year that many Americans feel like giving back. According to Causes, donation amounts on the site increase by 42% during November and December compared to other months throughout the remainder of the year. Also, three times as many people make donations during the Holidays vs. non-Holiday months."

Be Thankful Throw Pillows by celebrationideas
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After having donated small and scarce amounts of my "extra" money to scams or to organizations that are later revealed as organizations that misuse the donations, I have cut back on some of my impulsive giving. Instead, I have begun to research charities that have better track records.

While recently having a conversation of a similar topic, another person responded that they give, and if the money is misused, that is on the conscience of the con-artist or person who mismanages the money.  I agree. And yet, If I give my only extra $20 to a charity that misuses it, that is $20 less that is given to someone in need.   That makes me cringe.

Initially, I was going to give a list of my favorite charitable organizations. Then I decided that rather than review my preferences, I would give you the tools to review your own.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon what appears to be an honest and neutral organization that "rates" charities based on a variety of criteria.  Charity Navigator advertises itself as "your guide to intelligent giving".  I agree with that statement.  Using Charity Navigator has helped me decide which charities I want to give to.

As I said, they rate charities based on a variety of things: transparency, fundraising, and percentage of the funds that are used for the recipients as opposed to going back into fundraising or administrative costs.  They show statistics, and financial reports, as well as create an easy to  understand pie graph.

In my mind, I look for two main things in a charity.  I want to know that a high percentage of the donations are going into the programs. I also want to know that the charity isn't under any sort of investigation.

Charity Navigator makes it easy to find charities by topic or by rating.  I typically browse in the categories of  "animals" or "military" but you can easily find a category that suits you best. I typically look at the pie chart to see how the money is both raised and earned. And I end with looking at the list of similar organizations.

I also regularly look at the Charity Navigator Top Ten Lists and the Donors Advisory list.  That way I can see the best and possibly the worst charities.  I feel as though it keeps me educated.

Autumn Pumpkins & Leaves postage by photoinspiration
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During this Thanksgiving season, I wish you love, peace, good company, and good food. And I hope I have provided you with some new and useful information if you are planning on giving during this season of thanks.

Written by Dawn Rae

Disclosure: In affiliation with Zazzle.com, Dawn Rae is a blogger and content writer who may earn compensation from the sale of  Zazzle products.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Best 1,200 Gallon - EPIC Ice Bucket Challenge on YouTube!

I want to share this excellent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge YouTube Video made by Town and Country Ford in Bessemer, AL. My son-in-law Kyle Sain did all the talking in the video, hence my prejudice in calling this the BEST Ice Bucket Challenge! So proud of the team's creativity in the way they accomplished their EPIC challenge.

The Town and Country Ford Team then went on to throw down the gauntlet for TWO impressive people. One is the current President and CEO of The Ford Motor Company, Mark Fields and Retired President and former CEO of The Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally.

 Remember to make a donation to ALS!

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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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