In the Spirit of Thanks, Patch Makes it Easy for You to Give

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." – Gladys Bronwyn Stern

It was with that sentiment that Berkley City Council member Steve Baker launched a brief Thanksgiving history lesson at the end of Monday night's meeting at .

He explained that we have editor Sarah Hale, also known as the "Godmother of Thanksgiving," to thank for the holiday. Incidentally, she also wrote the beloved nursery rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Hale lobbied for decades, Baker said, before finally convincing President Abraham Lincoln to adopt the national day of gratitude on Oct. 3, 1863, to be celebrated each November.

"Let us consecrate the day to benevolence of action, by sending good gifts to the poor, and doing those deeds of charity that will, for one day, make every American home the place of plenty and of rejoicing," she wrote in one letter lobbying in favor of Thanksgiving.

In that spirit, Berkley Patch is rolling out a 30 Days of Giving project that will run from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve.

We'll bring you ways to help spread holiday cheer past your front porch to people and organizations throughout the area. From toy drives to giving trees, we'll tell you about the causes that need the most help this season.

We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving project and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there is need all year long. 

How can you help? Let us know about a local cause or a nonprofit that's doing something special for the holidays. We will include it in our coverage. Please let us know in the comments or send an email to leslie.ellis@patch.com.

You also can post your volunteer needs directly on Berkley Patch. Click "More" in the blue bar at the top of the page, then pull down the menu to "Volunteer." Select "Need a Volunteer" and enter the relevant information; your announcement will post on Patch and also will be included in our morning email newsletter.

Again, thank you ... and enjoy this season of giving.

Coming tomorrow: While participating in Black Friday shopping, or making some local purchases at the independent stores to support Small Business Saturday, consider adding goodies for the Toys for Tots program to the shopping list.