Arizonans, Take a Bow

Nine of every 10 of you donate to charity and make a difference

You've heard the rap: Americans eat too much of the wrong stuff, glue themselves to goofy TV shows and probably can't find Belize on a world map.

OK.

Nobody's perfect.

But here in Arizona, we've got bragging rights worth exercising (And isn't exercising another one of those things we're supposed to do more of?)

Nine out of 10 Arizonans donated to charity last year, according to a survey by Arizona State University.

The average donation topped $1,500.

More than half of the people surveyed said they volunteered in addition to giving cash.

If you are one of them, take a bow. A good, long deep bow. You are helping your community, your neighbors. What you do makes a difference in someone's life.

If you haven't tried the Giving Game, consider what those who play have to say. Volunteers interviewed by Republic reporter Susie Steckner said their charity word was "payback" for the blessings they'd received. They talked about giving as a way of expressing gratitude for a fortunate life.

That kind of gratitude has a way of attracting more blessings. Try it.

But like anything else, you have to exercise your impulses carefully. There are scams and con artists ready to milk every good impulse.

So check out your charity. You can do that through the Better Business Bureau at (602) 264-1721 or www.give.org; Arizona Corporation Commission at (602) 542-3026 or www.cc.state.az.us; or GuideStar, a national database, at www.guidestar.org.

Then join the majority of Arizonans who are making their world a better place to live.