Help the children

Memories that are jarred by the trees and the bells and the holly are the best parts of the holiday season.

Those holidays past also come swimmingly back when old movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Bells of St. Mary’s” and “Miracle on 34th Street” dance across the television screen. We still remember the first time Mother took us kids to see “Bells” many years ago at a drive-in movie.

For our children’s generation, “A Christmas Story” featuring Jean Shepherd’s warm narration and Ralphie’s warning to the imaginary bad guy — “Adios, Bart” — fills the bill nicely. All of us still watch it — at least once — when TBS plays it continuously on Christmas Day.

What truly makes these movies is they stir

good memories from childhood. Unfortunately, there are children in our world whose memories will not be good, unless we help.

On Maui, there is an organization called Friends of the Children’s Justice Center whose mission is “to provide assistance to abused and neglected children, to promote prevention of child abuse and neglect, and to support the Children’s Justice Center of Maui.”

Maui’s Children’s Justice Center is part of the Hawaii State Judiciary and is one of five in the state that deal with child abuse and neglect. The Friends is a “nonprofit organization that provides resources for the Center, the professionals who work with victims, and the children and families served by the programs.”

We can think of no better way to celebrate the holidays than to support the rebuilding of abused children’s lives. It is easy to make a donation online by going to mauicjc.org and clicking on the Donate Now button on the bottom right-hand side of the screen.

Helping the most vulnerable victims rediscover the goodness in the human spirit is the greatest gift we can give. Make a donation to the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center part of your holiday.

Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.