‘Tis the Season for Giving
It’s that time again, the season of giving. My hope for the world and for our community is that we remember the true meaning of giving and the joy it brings, not just to the receiver, but to the giver. And not just at Christmas but every day. The beauty of Christmas and other traditional winter holidays from other parts of the world is that they celebrate all that is good and loving – unity, community, divinity. These are universal themes that are programmed into our DNA. No matter what culture or society they grow up in, human beings want and need these qualities and do not thrive without them; in fact, they suffer. We can all cultivate these loving qualities, in ourselves and in our communities, and hopefully expand these positive conditions to the world stage. The holidays are a time when we can put aside our differences, our fear and hatred, our division and separation. It is a time when we can come together in joy and sharing to celebrate all these universal themes.
It can be hard to remember the true meaning of Christmas, if you get sucked into popular culture. The idea of the Holy Days has been distorted by the commercialization of Christmas.
All the big box stores are now advertising louder than ever before and some local businesses are, too. Everyone is vying for your attention and Questa Del Rio News is no exception. This December we are offering our Second Annual FUNraiser, starting on Tuesday November 29 (Giving Tuesday) through December 31. We are excited to rejoice in our continued existence and a new year of local news.
Last year you raised $10,000 to keep the presses running. We are boldly raising our goal this year to $20,000. Thank you to everyone who has faith in us and sent donations and bought subscriptions. It is because of the support of our readers, advertisers, and donors that we have had another successful year. Our future looks bright, and we look forward to many more years of connecting and informing the communities we serve. Our giving theme this year is “Keep it Free” and with your help we can continue to provide the newspaper free of charge.
Our sponsors are matching your donations and subscriptions dollar for dollar. This means that your donation of $100 will mean $200, $300 or even $400 to Questa Del Rio News, woo hoo! New Mexico Local News Fund will match $5000 in donations, Kit Carson Electric will match as well and Mountain Range Supply of Costilla will match up to $500. Those donations will add up fast and make a big difference to our small, local newsroom.
If you have a beloved family member or friend who loves Questa and lives away from home, please consider purchasing a gift subscription for them so that they can continue to strengthen their connection to our community. By renewing your exsisting subscriptions in December your dollars will be doubled.
Remember to shop Questa and shop local when possible and by that we mean Red River, San Cristobal, Lama, Cerro, Costilla, Amalia and Questa and all the merchants in between. Every month we feature our Business Profile to highlight local entrepreneurs who offer alternatives to shopping online or at megastores. Your purchase may not mean much to Amazon or Walmart but it means a whole lot more right here at home.
This year, during this season of giving, please give generously and locally. Your gifts are symbols of love and support that can teach the next genration about what is important during this time of year. Make your gifts meaningful, no matter who you give to. And please remember the true meaning of the holidays– family, unity, community and divinity.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Questa Del Rio News
