I can be legitimately accused of pontificating on more than a few occasions within these bits and bytes (ok, almost every time), but I work diligently to avoid preaching or proselytizing (to avoid coming off with the wrong tone, or appearing to be trying to tell anyone how they should live, think or decide). SPOILER ALERT: Except for this one posting.
A bit of background: As a fund-raising initiative, The Ronald McDonald Houses (RMH) are famous for accepting pop tabs (pop tabs are what you call those things that you use to open a can of carbonated beverage; "soda" - if you are not from the Midwest). Pop tabs are a high-grade aluminum that offer more bang for your buck to save vs. cans. And cans take up space, smell, attract bugs, and facilities like the Ronald McDonald House don't have storage capacity. A hundred of those little guys have a scrap-metal value of about 3 and a half cents. A million = $366. A million tabs weigh about 800 pounds. It takes about 1,200 tabs to equal a pound. Other well-intended charities use more conventional crowdsourcing techniques such as web-based or mail-in donations. In this case, the money received from recycling the pop tabs benefits the families assisted by the Ronald McDonald House - a unique and popular methodology. And what could be easier - just pop the top, drink your favorite beverage (adult or otherwise) and toss the tab in a bag to save up a bunch - takes hardly any effort or room at all (collecting them is a great party activity for the kiddies).
Yea, but then what do I do with them? Any local area Ronald McDonald house will gladly take them, in any amount (obvi the more the merrier / the money-er). Call first to make sure they are open and someone is around to accept your much-appreciated donation. Some even have a collection bin outside for easy and anonymous drop-off.
Ok, so what's this got to do with cancer, then? I thought you'd never ask. For starters, most RMHs are located near hospitals that specialize in pediatric diseases (like cancer) - providing housing for families of children who need to be in a facility for long-term care (often not in their town or state) . The RMH offers support for those families. And, wouldn't you know it, my very own cancer center treats a number of children, and has a RMH right across the street. Where, you guessed, I periodically drop off our collection of pop tabs. And I specifically emphasize "our'' because it is a family affair; boosted by gracious additions from friends who know how crazy I am about this cause.
Please don't send me your tabs, but give it a thought. You'll feel good about your benevolence, and you won't have to eat a single Big Mac or Bacon-Egg-Cheese McMuffin to participate. See: Giving really does help you feel gooder.
