Nonprofits are places where every RIer has made a memory: Commentary
My grandfather , at 99 years young, has shared quite a bit of wisdom with me throughout my life. And while most all his words are memorable, one saying in particular stands out, especially as I get older: The days may be long, but the months and years fly by.
On one hand, it feels like yesterday that we'd pull up to the Providence Children's Museum , greeted by Nori, the green dragon perched atop the building, and the sound of excited little voices that knew exactly where they'd run to first. Spoiler alert: it was always the clear air-tube system.
Yet on the other, those days seem like a lifetime ago, replaced by sports, a part-time job, impending driver's ed and college consideration, and everything else that occupies teens' time. But nothing can replace the memories my wife and I have from those days – memories I hope our kids share, too.
Back then, however, I didn't give much thought to what kept the Children's Museum running or how it operated. It was just there, a welcoming and fun constant. A place so many Rhode Islanders hold dear.
Over the past decade-plus, and especially through my work with United Way, my understanding and appreciation for what nonprofits bring to our state have deepened. They're impossible to remove from our lives and we shouldn't want to.
Our dog was adopted from a local animal rescue league; my kids played Little League baseball and softball; hours were spent at Oak Lawn Library for story time and my daughter volunteers there now. The Scituate Art Festival is in my DNA, we've been to dozens of WaterFire lightings, and Blithewold is a must-see each December.
And that brick building on South Street in Providence, the one at the center of more Rhode Island childhoods than I could count, is also a nonprofit.
Too often, people hear the word "nonprofit" and picture food pantries, shelters or social service agencies. Those organizations are essential, make no mistake. But nonprofits also include the community favorites that shape our families and help fill our memories.
It's unreasonable to expect everyone to have the same view or perspective when it comes to nonprofits. What's not unreasonable, though, is hoping we all can reflect and recognize how they've intersected with our lives in ways we may not realize.
Michael J. Cerio has been handling public relations and communications for United Way of Rhode Island for more than 14 years.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Nonprofits are places where every RIer has made a memory: Commentary
