A Dave Winfield Anecdote About Giving

Dave Winfield. Photo: Creative Commons

The Dave Winfield story is impressive on many levels. A Baby Boomer, he was born in 1951 and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. He no doubt had a lot of natural ability, but he developed what he was born with to become an exceptional athlete. Doors were opened for him to pursue basketball and baseball in college. Ultimately he chose a career in baseball, becoming a 12-time MLB All Star during a 22 year career with six teams. 

Noteworthy features of his story are many. His parents were divorced when he was three so that he was raised in an extended family. Like most boys of that era (myself included) he played ball every day in the playground where he honed his skills and instincts and caught the eye of a coach who helped him move to the next level with a full scholarship at the University of Minnesota. By this time he was "all growed up," an imposing figure at six foot six.

Winfield was a first round draft pick by the San Diego Padres. Like Babe Ruth Winfield started as a pitcher, though the Padres also used him in right field so they could take advantage of his bat. By the time he retired he was #22 on the 3000 hit club, a short list of 32 star players. 

From the start he improved each year and in 1977 played in his first All Star game. In 1978 he became Padres team captain and in '79 hit 34 home runs while batting .308. 

I share all this as lead in to my anecdote. He was a star before he reached New York, but in the Big Apple the lights are brighter and headlines bigger. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner set his sights on Winfield once he chose to be a free agent in 1980, and what Steinbrenner wanted he usually got.  

In 1981 Winfield signed a 23 million dollar 10-year contract with the Yankees, becoming. the highest paid player in baseball at the time. (Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Dodgers made a jaw-dropping 396 million dollars in 2019, fwiw.) 

WHAT I REMEMBER MOST is that his contract with George Steinbrenner had a stipulation. Winfield insisted that $300,000 a year be given to the David M. Winfield Foundation which would manage the distribution of this money for disadvantaged kids. By establishing a fund Winfield could focus on baseball. 

What prompted this request? If I remember correctly, now that Winfield was a high profile ballplayer, he was not only receiving fan mail, but also countless letters requesting financial help. "Dear Dave, my mother is going to be evicted from her house unless you can somehow help to pay off her mortgage." Those kinds of requests were challenging on two levels. First, taking time to consider each one would take his mind off the game that was his livelihood. Second, how many of these requests were sincere? How would one even know?

* * * *

Right from the start of his career Winfield displayed a strong generous spirit. I believe I read somewhere that he was motivated in this way as a Christian. According to the Scriptures we're to share our blessings, not horde them. Winfield's philanthropic endeavors influenced other MLB players to do likewise. Derek Jeter credits Winfield as the inspiration for his own Turn 2 Foundation. 

* * * *

2 MORE ANECDOTES
Winfield and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner were perpetually at odds. At one point the New York Daily News asked why he had such a problem with The Boss. To which Winfield replied, "I have no problem with Bruce Springsteen."

When Winfield hit his 400th home run, after 10 days struggling to accomplish the feat, he quipped, "Three-ninety-nine sounds like something you'd purchase at a discount store Four hundred sounds much better."

Much of the information here comes from the Dave Winfield Wikipedia page. Any errors here are from my semi-reliable and sometimes faulty memory.

Orphanage In Uganda Celebrates Christmas with Our Help

Children celebrate the season at Samaritan's Way

Dear friends:
A small gift from abroad makes a big difference for children at the orphanages in Uganda and elsewhere in the neediest parts of the world. This letter and photos came from Samaritan's Way in Kampala. It takes very little to do so much.

This particular children's home was started by a woman whose sister and her husband died from AIDS. Idah (red dress in background at right) is an educated woman who took in her sister's 2 children. Others began to bring more children who had lost their parents.

The AIDS epidemic has killed tens of millions of people in Africa which spread initially and pervasively due to tainted blood in hospitals. Due to the cost and lack of medicine for treatment, the disease continues to wreak havoc.
Details on AIDS epidemic here: https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-hiv-africa

You may not have the money to stop the epidemic, but a very small gift to Samaritan's Way can bring a big happiness that gives these children hope and a future.

This letter from Idah shows how even a little gift can bring meaningful joy to many.

Dear Ed

We wish to extend our most sincere gratitude for your love and generosity to the kids and the Orphanage. The kids had a great time at the Christmas Party; singing, acting the Nativity play and dancing traditional dances.

It wouldn't have been possible without your support. We are very thankful and we continue to pray for favor and blessings upon you.

We wish you a Happy Christmas Season and a Blessed New Year 2020.

In His service

Hon Idah

You don't have to give an orphanage. 

Make cookies for someone in jail. Downsize your wardrobe 

by bringing things to the local shelter. Make cookies for the jail.

In whatever form it takes, find a way to be generous this year.

Six Things I Didn't Know About the Damiano Center in Duluth

I've known for quite some time about the existence of the Damiano Center in Duluth's Central Hillside neighborhood. I knew they helped feed and provide clothing for the needy. I knew they had a program called Kids Kitchen, even though I didn't know precisely what it did. I knew that what they were doing had value, but had know idea of the breadth of their mission and its achievements.

After visiting this week with Development Director Katherine Mueller and Children's Program Manager Ashley Grimm, I discovered that the services of this non-profit organization were far more extensive than I could have imagined. Damiano Center is a beehive of activity with a whole range of well-conceived programs serving the community in thoughtful, holistic ways. Here are some of the things I learned.

The Center's friendly volunteer servers.

1. 116,778 meals served in the Community Kitchen
For most people, the Community Kitchen is the entry point into a relationship with the Damiano Center and its network of services. I learned this week that the Community Kitchen serves more meals to the needy than any other place in Minnesota North of the Twin Cities. What's great about this is that by coming in for a meal, many down-and-out folks soon discover that the Center provides more than just food to needy families.

2. 225,093 items given away at the Free Store
I'd already known they had clothing items there. If you visit you will see shelves with shoes, rooms with blouses, shirts, and jackets hanging. What did didn't know is that there is a conscious effort made to help job hunting folk find just the right clothes for upcoming job interviews. It's a program called Clothes That Work. As you know, you only have one opportunity to make a first impression. Clothes That Work assists the down-and-out to help them get back in the game. No sport coat? No problem.  Suitable clothing is loaned to help people get the job and more clothes are provided to help them keep the job if they are successful. 930 people were helped by this program last year.

3. Taking Care of Hygiene Needs
Many people are in need of basic hygiene items that most of us take for granted. Damiano Center has been helping many people for years with these basic needs.

4. Health Realization Begins with a Change of Mind
Many people in need of Damiano Center services have simply fallen into a temporary rough patch in their lives. The longer one is unemployed or without a place to call home or burdened with a crushing debt load, the more it grinds on one's sense of self-worth. This loss of self-esteem undercuts efforts to successfully do what it takes to get back in the stream of things. For this reason the Damiano Center has a Health Realization program that helps people change the way they think about their problems. 55% of the people who used this program believe it helped them last year.

$1,000 worth of children's books were donated by Zenith Bookstore

5. The Kids Kitchen Does More Than Just Feed Young People
To be honest, it was never clear to me what the Kids Kitchen was all about. I was first made aware of the space at a Twin Ports Social Media Breakfast two or three years ago. I also knew that my wife Susie has been active in the program as a volunteer. (Susie has been making Lego crayons and other cool designs to raise money for the program this past year.) It's a "safe space" for kids after school and serves children of all ages, not just elementary school kids, though children 5 and under need to be accompanied by an adult.

Kids Kitchen is more than food. It's a fun, safe place for all kinds of activities.

The Kids Kitchen program is so rich and multi-faceted I will need to write a separate blog post to properly show its features. One new thing I learned, though, is that it isn't just for kids in the neighborhood within walking distance. Kid's Kitchen is for kids from any part of town who can get a ride here and home again. A full one-third come from further than walking distance, and there are some children here who say that if the Kids Kitchen did not exist, they would go hungry.

6. More Than 900 Guests Helped with Transportation
Damiano Center also has a Community Services program, which assists people with transportation needs.

* * * *
As I stated in the beginning there were a few things I'd already known about the Damiano Center. One of these is the friendliness of the staff and the volunteers. Though the mission of the Center is serious, there seems to be an uplifting spirit in the place that has a balm-like effect on your own spirit.

The volunteers seem amazing, putting in more than 9000 hours of service between the Community Kitchen and the Free Store. Maybe you, too, have been looking for a way to contribute to something important that is helping make a difference. I didn't ask, but suspect that more volunteers are always welcome. And since the entire operation is funded by contributions, you may decide that this is another way you can give back to our community in a meaningful way.

Here's the Damiano Center Website, and a place where you can Donate. And if you're ever hungry and have no place to go... well, the food is not only nutritious, it's tasty. 

Another Plug for Innovation Institute on North Texas Giving Day

Harrold Andresen (R) fixes both vehicles and broken dreams.

Today is North Texas Giving Day. The Communities Foundation of Texas is is encouraging donors to make a special contribution to their favorite non-profit organization. Since it was email from Innovation Institute that reminded me of this announcement, I decided to simply remind readers here that the training school for wheelchair bound people who want to learn mechanical skills is an amazing project.

What especially amazing to me is that the school was initiated a full ten years ago. Seems like only yesterday that Harrold Andresen, formerly of Duluth here, began converting 15 stalls of his 20 stall auto mechanic shop into a school. (Disclaimer: Harrold is my brother-in-law.) The ambitious project took years of planning and work, and the whole non-profit piece is no piece of cake either. But his vision ultimately became a reality and if you go to the Innovation Institute Facebook page, you will see an amazing array of photos showing guys working on cars and equipment, problem solving on matters such as how to lengthen a golf cart or ride-around lawn mower so that a wheelchair-bound person can roll onto it and drive it.

Here's the link to the Donor Bridge website if you wish to contribute to this life-changing program. I like how they describe what they do: Empowering people, regardless of their disabilities, by creating innovative mechanical devices that increase mobility, self-esteem, and independence.

Who doesn't want more independence?

For what it's worth, if you have a favorite charity -- and there are needs all around -- today might be a good day to write a check, or make a pledge, and give. Whether it's Life House here in Duluth, or one of the many other good causes wherever you are, this is your prompt to move from good intention to doing good.

On another topic: tonight is the Celebration of Clay art opening at the Duluth Art Institute. 5-7 p.m. Maybe I will see you on the scene? Have a great day.

You, Too, Can Make A Difference

"At some point in your life, you probably had someone believe in you when you didn't believe in yourself. They scripted you. Did they make a difference in your life? What if you were a positive scripter, an affirmer of other people?" ~ Stephen Covey

Newman Family Christmas 2007

A few images from last night and this morning for family and friends.

Helping the Hungry

"The best sauce in the world is hunger. That is why the poor always enjoy eating." ~ Cervantes

As I read Don Quixote I am continually amazed by how many ideas and witticisms have become part of the public vernacular by this 400-year old-yarn. For example, at the beginning of Book Two in this classic, they are debating the merits of the second book being written about Don Quixote, "for you know, the sequel is never as good as the original." It cracked me up. This is a statement we have been making about movies for years. But who among you, reading this, would have believed that this is a statement people have been making for centuries?

The quote I referenced about hunger is similar. Usually we make the first half of the above statement. The latter has a grimmer aspect. In point of fact, being poor and hungry is not fun at all.

Having lived in Mexico for a year when much younger, I came to believe that all Americans would benefit by having exposure to the third world for a period of time while young. In this manner, we would more fully appreciate the wealth and opportunities we have in this country.

As for doing something about world hunger, I don't think people should be guilted into giving. On the other hand, I do believe empathy is a normal part of being human, Therefore, it is incumbent upon each of us to in some manner attempt to make a difference to help those in need if able.

The problem is, we're a bit jaded as well, because most of us have read stories about unscrupulous people who manipulate this good will in other peoples' hearts in order to extract cash from their wallets. We live in an era of mailing lists where people who give to one organization end up getting requests from other organizations. Even when organizations mean well at the start, there can be mismanagement resulting in squandered resources instead of the dollars being directed where they will do the most good.

For this reason, I've tried to help direct people to an organization that I trust because I knew the founders personally. They helped Susie and I when we were working at an orphanage in Mexico (1980-81). You can follow their work at Hungry Kids International. 


 
Because of the immensity of need in our world, some people's whole lives are devoted to making a difference. They are the unsung heroes of our time. You can make a difference, too.