By Pam Saunders
Office/Finance Coordinator
Passaic County CASA
This month is my birthday. Happy birthday to me! Will there be a cake with candles? Yes. Will there be gifts? I’m sure. How do I know this? Well, I’ll tell you. Since my very first birthday, not one has gone by without a celebration, a candled cake, and cheerfully wrapped presents. Yes, 59 years of celebrating me!
As I look back on my life, my family, and my friends, I remember birthdays enjoyed during Florida vacations, my Sweet Sixteen Party and a 50th birthday lunch at the country club with my girlfriends. I have been truly blessed.
But how do I make my birthday during a pandemic even come close to those birthdays I celebrated in years past? No party, no friends to gather. Will I be disappointed?
Nope! This year I’ve decided to turn the tables! The pandemic has turned everybody’s life inside out and upside down so I’ve decided to do just that. This year I’ll be giving instead of getting. Gifting instead of gifted. This may seem like an altruistic move and possibly sound like bragging, but I assure you it is completely selfish.
This year I will be giving the gifts. You may have heard about Passaic County CASA’s new initiative known as the Open Door Store. If not, the Open Door Store is a shop for children in foster care where they can come and shop for clothing, toys and school supplies at no cost. All items in the shop are new and free. Right now the shop is operating as an outdoor quarterly “pop-up” shop. As more people learn about the Open Door Store the numbers of children and their foster parents who attend have increased. This spring’s pop-up shop on March 21st falls just before my birthday, so I will be gifting the shop with a whole bag of items needed to fill the racks and baskets.
My birthday wish is that the young teen mom who needs clothing for her baby, or the child who has never had a new toy or Easter dress can get a gift from me through CASA. I encourage you all to do the same to celebrate yourselves in this way. I told you that this plan was selfish on my part and it’s the truth. Seeing the wide eyes and smiles on those faces on March 21st will truly be the best birthday gift ever. Happy Birthday to ME!