What did the founders of Wells Fargo, Levi Strauss and Ghirardelli Chocolate have in common?  They founded their businesses during the California Gold Rush in San Francisco – the next stop on our Olympic torch relay.

Though these businessmen, and many others, became very wealthy after gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, their legacy was not simply the household name corporations they built, but the legacy of generosity in their support of numerous charities.  Throughout American culture, individuals in this country have followed their example of valuing human welfare and advancement so that the US now gives to charity at a rate more than double of any other developed country.  And of the more than $260 billion given to charity by Americans in 2005, nearly $200 billion of that was given by individuals.

Lest we grow too smug, American Christians still give less than 2% of their income to charity.  This leaves little doubt that much more could be done if we were more generous and giving as a nation.  Generous giving is a valuable discipline we can model and teach to our grandchildren!  Wouldn’t you like your grandkids to remember your life as one characterized by generosity?  May I suggest to you a very tangible and significant opportunity to consider?

This summer CGN will host a GrandCamp program specifically for military kids with a deployed parent.  These children are often struggling with abandonment and reintegration issues most of us cannot begin to comprehend.  A gift of $350 can fully sponsor a camper at the Military Kids GrandCamp (CLICK HERE) – OR – the same gift of $350 will sponsor a table of 10 to attend the Military Kids GrandCamp Fundraising Banquet on April 24th  (CLICK HERE) , thus multiplying your gift as ten others have the opportunity to hear about and give to this incredible program!

Another opportunity you might want to consider is to encourage your grandchildren to join with you to help raise support for a camper or a table sponsorship.  Working together on a project or setting aside weekly offerings to sponsor a camper and partner with them in prayer can be a rich and rewarding legacy building opportunity.  What a great way to engage with your grandchildren in a practical lesson of giving and blessing!

As Henry Wells wrote in 1875, “Our lives are not measured by the number of years and days that we live, but by what we accomplish while we live, and the good we may render to our fellowman.”  The Apostle Paul says it this way: “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Acts 20:35.