I'm trying, with a bit of difficulty, to understand all sides expressed in this debate. And I'm NOT picking or anyone or singling anyone out regarding their opinion. I'm just curious as to what you think his motives were, Rob?

Personally, I continue to think any act of charity is worthwhile. We all have "motives" for giving our time or money. But whatever motivates you (and hopefully it's a positive motivation), the recipient of the charitable act still benefits.

 

Why is my comment "the biggest joke of all?"

I am not saying that people who question the motives (i.e.: YOU) are NOT charitible- how you reached that conclusion is beyond me. If you go around weekly rationing out $50 of your money randomly, then more power to you. However if you do NOT, then I was making the point that due to someone else's charity, you would be doing something positive this particular week, thereby creating change.

And now the $50 has helped two people: You, and whomever you helped.

 

Depending how often you've done something like this, you'd know how easy and satisfying it is.
I once had a young trooper who donated a $100 as part of the Combined Federal Campaign to the Williamsburg, VA for Unwed Mothers. I had to countersign all those donations and could not help myself from asking his motive. That was one fourth of his month's pay. Well, he told me that someone helped his sister in the same situation one time. I was mortified for my audacity to invade his privacy and have made it a point never again to question anybody's motives for a good deed.

 

PIF is a movement started for me in the movie envolving a boys 4th or 5th grade project in where the class was challenged to "change the world" The movie starts when a guy gives a car to someone randomly that had just totaled his car. The car that was given away was a Jag. PIF is a movement and is something I live by everyday in everything I do. So "Pay It Forward". It being a random act of kindness or contribution. Jerry thanks for starting the thread and reminding us of a way to change the world for the better.

 

And, may I add, Rob, thank YOU for reminding people (many of them still seem to miss the point, though) that what anyone does with their money, what charitable contributions they make whether monetary or other, how much, when and for what reason is strictly a personal issue.

I too am rather uncomforatble with the entire concept described and find it rather creepy since it seems to put the recipient of the 50 on the spot. I feel the same way about organized charitable contributions at work like the United Way.

Now, bear in mind that I have very little knowledge of Jerry's relationship with his men's group so I am strictly speaking from my "reading this on the internet" point of view.

I would probably give the money back to the guy.

Oh, and BTW, the way it reads from here, it looked like several of you went on the attack when someone questioned the motives or the concept presented here.

 

If I felt odd or put on the spot, about telling someone how their $50 was put to use then I would just put it in a Salvation Army bucket or the Church basket. Fast and simple.

I see the United Way campaigning at work as well as charities who get my neighbors to send me letters asking that I send my donation back to them as intrusive. But I think this is very different. In these situations it is my money and I don't need my neigbors or workplace getting involved.

 

Actually no one was asking what you do with YOUR money. The question was what you would do with HIS money. It would be inconceivably rude to ask what you do with your money and I don't think anyone in this thread has suggested otherwise.

 

I scratch my head in bewilderment. Is it just me or did it seem Jerry was just asking a perfectly innocent little question? I read it to mean that his friend passed out increments of $50 with the challenge that folks use it for the benefit of whomever they wished . . . themselves or anything else and simply chat about it at their next meeting. Excuse me, but I see nothing sinister about that.

 

I'm with you.

Maybe this is a topic for a different thread, but there seems to be a tone of distrust and I have to wonder if it is a byproduct of the world we live in now.

 

I have no understanding as to why the motives were questioned in the first place. This is a group of men who have known each for a while. I doubt any of them needs $50.00. What they decide to do with the $50.00 will make for interesting conversation when they meet again. If they didn't care to participate, they could have said so. Plain and simple.

If the money came from a total stranger, then I can understand why some folks might question the concept, or possibly, have some reservation about participating and reporting back what they did with the cash. This does not seem to be the case here. Yes, what you do with your money, how much you do or do not contribute to charity is your business and no one else's, but I think some folks have read too much into the whole thing and brought a negative tone to the thread.

Deb mentioned the folks on Oprah and a $1000.00 gift. I don't think the two can be compared. I'm sure there are many folks in Oprah's audience who may truly need $1000.00 and would be hard pressed to hand some, if not all it over to charity. I can understand how that "gift" may have not been well received when they found out there were some "strings attached." I can't believe that a $50.00 bill to Jerry and his "affluent" friends would have the same issues as the $1000.00 "gift" received by the folks on Oprah.


Back to the subject at hand. I would most likely donate it to the Salvation Army, or some other fund to help needy families at this time of year.

Plain and simple.