Massive Act of Kindness

Sunday’s lead editorial praises a local businessman for his Christmas generosity.

“'Tis the season to be thankful for whatever help you can get. It's hard times.” – Catina Avery, recipient of gifts at Savemore Superstore's “One Day Can Make a Difference” giveaway.

The generosity on display last weekend at Savemore Superstore was simply staggering: 3,000 people or more showed up in the parking lot six days before Christmas to a seemingly unending supply of toys, clothes and other gifts for free, no questions asked other than, “What do you need?” For comparison, that's Christmas saved for a population midway between that of Loris and Surfside Beach.

The event's magnitude is all the more remarkable for the fact that it largely came from one person, Savemore complex owner Gary Bingham (though the actual distribution enlisted 50 volunteers). “It's important to me to try to take care of some of the people who really need help,” he told The Sun News. “It could be any one of us in this situation with the economy the way it is.”

For all the damage it has done, the recession has also shown that philanthropy is alive and well in Horry County, and most of us know how fortunate we are. “They didn't have to do this, and I'm very thankful,” said one recipient, Helen Sanders.

Bingham's goal is to find enough partners to grow the annual event large enough to serve 10,000 people, and we wish him success. Free toys are certainly not the community's only need this year, but to families facing the bleak prospect of a Christmas Day without any presents, no act of kindness may be more encouraging than Bingham's.

 

 

The event's magnitude is all the more remarkable for the fact that it largely came from one person, Savemore complex owner Gary Bingham (though the actual distribution enlisted 50 volunteers). “It's important to me to try to take care of some of the people who really need help,” he told The Sun News. “It could be any one of us in this situation with the economy the way it is.”

For all the damage it has done, the recession has also shown that philanthropy is alive and well in Horry County, and most of us know how fortunate we are. “They didn't have to do this, and I'm very thankful,” said one recipient, Helen Sanders.

Bingham's goal is to find enough partners to grow the annual event large enough to serve 10,000 people, and we wish him success. Free toys are certainly not the community's only need this year, but to families facing the bleak prospect of a Christmas Day without any presents, no act of kindness may be more encouraging than Bingham's.