December 3, 2018
Dear Families,
I cannot believe that the holidays are only three weeks away! Many people told me that time would fly once I had children of my own, and truer words were never spoken! Don and I don’t even remember what we did with all of our time before Liv and Luke came along.
I believe, as many people do, that the holidays are about the “spirit of giving.” Don and I are working on teaching our children that it is better to give than to receive, which is easier said than done sometimes. I know too, that children like to give their teacher a gift at holiday time. I always appreciate everything that the children give to me, but please know that I don’t expect anything. My favorite gifts of all are donations that the children make to a food pantry or charity on my behalf, and then make a card to let me know what they have done. It is wonderful to see the look in their eyes and hear the joy in their voices when they explain how they felt about helping those that are less fortunate than they are. I cherish these moments with them!
One of my favorite charities is the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. My father and grandfather are retired NYC firemen and my brother is retired from the NYPD. This is the seventeenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy and many of my brother’s fellow officers and firemen friends are still suffering from the effects of that day. Two years ago, the brother of his partner, who is a fireman with a young family, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer as a result of his rescue and recovery efforts at the site of the Towers. For many reasons, firemen and policemen hold a special place in my heart.
I hope that you will enjoy your holidays, and all of the preparations that go into making this a wonderful and exciting time of the year. Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Ann Williams
New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund
767 Fifth Avenue; 2614B
New York, New York 10153
Office: 212.735.4505
Fax: 212.310.8808
http://www.answerthecall.org/