It is Thanksgiving night, and Iím as stuffed as our turkey was today! Although I missed my two daughters who live in different states today, my youngest daughter and I made sure we had all the usual goods, from turkey and dressing to mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. I am thankful that we were born and raised in Nebraska and had all the advantages and comfort that my parents afforded us.But what about children born into poverty and deprived of even the comfort of going to bed with tummies full?David Muir of ABCís ìWorld News Tonightî traveled to the island nation of Madagascar, where more than one million people are malnourished and starving because of severe draught and the inability to raise crops. These people are among the first to feel the devastation caused by climate change.Following Muirís heart wrenching report, $1.8 million in donations came in from people who had watched the images of emaciated children. I was particularly moved by a child they showed who had been given about a fourth-cup of water. He licked his fingers to be able to get all the water he could.I wonder about those people that Muir highlighted. Why them? Why am I so privileged? There just isnít an answer. According to the World Bank, about 689 million (9.2%) people worldwide live in extreme poverty ó on less that $1.90 a day. According to the Census Bureau, the official poverty rate in 2020 in the U.S. was 11.4 percent (37.2 million people), up from 10.5 percent in 2019.†This is the first increase in poverty after five consecutive annual declines.All of this information for me means that I will always be grateful for how fortunate I am. I will make use of all those Thanksgiving leftovers, too.Our health and wellness section this month features an article on how gratitude is good for our mental health. And speaking of health, January is our annual health care issue. If you have any topics you would like to see covered, let us know ó send an email to marylou@kekotiledesigns.comI am also grateful for my NFH team, our advertisers and our readers!Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Kwanza ó I think Iíve covered it all.See you in January! – MichelleCorrections:
- Last month, we featured a few businesses for our shopping local article, ìTis the season: shop local.î The information we provided about the Prairie Peddler in Peyton was not factual. Colleen Zeien is the owner, and her store is located on her property at 20562 Scott Road. Follow the signs to reach Prairie Peddler. Also, she shows and sells her eclectic array of antiques and other items in several rooms at American Classics Marketplace at 1815 No. Academy Blvd. in Colorado Springs. For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/PrairiePeddlercountrystore/
- In the November issue, in the article ìGrandview Reserve and Water,î the amount of water required for the Grandview development was listed as over 3 million gallons; however, the actual number is significantly higher. The actual number is 383,821,850 gallons.
- Also, the article, ìMeals on Wheels for eastern plains seniorsî referred to the Falcon library as the High Plains Library; the correct name is the High Prairie Library.
- In the November article, ìThe three-step plan for Grandview Reserve,î we stated the 767-acre development was located west of Eastonville Road and east of Highway 24. That is a mistake, it should read east of Eastonville Road and west of Highway 24.
