Where the Dollar (Coin) makes a difference

Some of my Holiday Gift loot went to the purchase of a roll of Presidential Dollar Coins. After reading an article in the Chicago Tribune about how the government is going to cut back the production of the coins, I figured I should buy some while I still can.
I have a roll of Hayes, and of Garfield, just waiting to be passed along.

Some of the coins will go to family members who collect them. When I get around to packing and sending in the mail is anybody’s guess, but the box is waiting. Others will be left as Tips for a server at breakfast. They like getting them. One gal says she has used my coin to pay for her daughter’s tooth.

But mostly, the dollar coins will go to the Christian Ed’s Noisy Offering at church.

Awhile back, I was a Substitute in a pre-school Sunday School class.
One of the boys walked into the room, almost threw a dollar bill at me, then went over to the car area to play. I asked him what it was for. He looked at me as if I am nuts, then said “Offering”. I looked around. There was no basket or slotted bank to tell me about any ‘offering’. My Lesson Plan had not mentioned time for ‘offering’.
At last, after shuffling and searching much of the shelf unit, near the crayons box I found a little pile of cash under a napkin.
After class, I carried the money in my hands to a member of the Christian Education Committee and asked her what to do with it. She cupped her hands, I dropped the cash into them, and that was that.

Not too many Sundays later, the Youth Pastor announced the Noisy Offering.

At Children’s Story time during the Worship Service, as the kids walk up to the front, a couple Ushers stand near the stage with small metal buckets. The idea is for the kids to bring loose change of any size so that the sound of the coin hitting the metal be most satisfying. Last year, the Noisy Offering Total came to a little over $600. Really nice amount of small coins added up.
I watched a boy hold all the coins from his grandpa in one hand, then use the other hand to thud each coin one-by-one into the bucket. A little girl gave her handful an extra push so the coins landed so hard they bounced against the sides to make double noise.

Well, I don’t have younguns that little anymore, but I had some dollar coins in my purse, so I gave one to a little guy, who hurried to drop it in quite proudly.
The next week, a different boy asked if he could put in my dollar. Sometimes I give it to a little girl whose family has been unemployed for a year, so I know she doesn’t have any extra for the bucket. Sometimes I hand over an extra quarter to a different kid because my dollar has already been claimed by someone else.

After this had gone on several Sundays, a mother came over to me to tell me how much she appreciates the dollar coin for the offering. It’s not just the spare change aspect, it’s the attention I give to the kids. She said that her husband was making sure all the kids had coins for the offering, but the youngest would not take money from his dad. “No” he said. “Diane will give me the yellow one”.

So on Christmas morning, Husband came to church with me. This was so very nice to have him, and many friends were glad to see him. I told him that I do like to sit in the back under the speaker so I can better understand what is being said in the microphone. This spot also allows me to stand up several times to save my back and/or foot from ache. And to keep watch on who is playing at the water fountain.

Anyway, the Service was already begun when I remembered the dollar coin. I hunted one down in the back pocket of my purse, then sneaked over to the family. Youngest son was not there… mom said he had gone to the bathroom. I handed her the dollar saying it would be for him.
Back at my seat, I see the little boy looking around the corner nearest the rest room. He had hesitated seeing a man sitting at the table, but came over to me. I told him the dollar was with his mom.
He looked crestfallen, but walked on to his seat.
Later I asked his mom about that look. She says when she has the coin, she holds it until time for the Noisy Offering, otherwise he plays with it so much, and drops it on the tile floor.
Da Boy is all Boy– gotta love him.

So that’s the main reason I buy the Dollar coins at the bank. A little something different for the church treasurer to count at the end of the Worship Service. I don’t get any kind of tax break by being behind-the-scenes, but I get much Sunday joy from a coin and youngsters.

I think if the US Government would stop printing paper dollar bills, more or less forcing the citizens to use coins, or even a $2 coin, then they would be more popular.
And all the Tooth Fairys would be happy, too.

~~love and Huggs, Diane

About MrsDOF

A gal with a kind heart. Married to a nice guy. Empty Nest. Part-time flexible job in the public school system. Loves to work with yarn.
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