www.elvis.com |
Elvis the Humanitarian
Elvis Presley was known as a generous man, using his fame and wealth
for the good of others. But, that part of his nature was well
expressed long before he became a star. His family was far from
wealthy, so all the little extras in life such as toys for young
Elvis, were not so easy for his parents Vernon and Gladys Presley to
come by. There were times when one of those toys would come up
missing. His parents would ask Elvis about it, finding that he had
given it to some other kid in the neighborhood whom he noticed had
nothing to play with. His later fame and wealth did not create his
material and spiritual generosity. It simply fueled what was there
inside him all along.
Throughout his career, Elvis often performed benefit concerts in
support of various causes - storm victims in Mississippi, Memphis
charities, the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Hawaii, the Kui Lee Cancer
Fund, just to name a few. He personally donated to many charities,
some at random, some on a continuing basis. He also reached out to
friends, family and total strangers on an individual basis - paying
hospital bills and providing financial assistance for the
necessities of life. Much of what he did was done quietly, without
fanfare.
For many years around the holiday season Elvis made annual donations
to fifty or more Memphis-area charitable organizations. Here are
some of them:
Abe Scharff YMCA / Arthritis Foundation / Ave Marie Guild Home for
the Aged / Baptist Children's Home / Beale Street Elk's Club
Boys Town of Memphis / Convent of the Good Shepherd / Crippled
Children's Hospital / Cynthia Milk Fund / Elvis Presley Youth
Center of Tupelo
Episcopal Home For Girls / Foundation for the Junior Blind /
Fraternal Order of Police / Girls Club of Memphis / Goodwill
Home for Children
Happy Acres / Home for Incurables / Jesse Mahan Center / Jewish
Community Center / John Tracy Clinic / Kennedy hospital
King's Daughter's Trinity Circle / Lions Club / Mary Galloway Home /
Memphis Epilepsy Foundation / Memphis Hebrew Academy
Good Fellows / Mile - O - Dimes / Muscular Dystrophy / Orange Mound
Day Nursery /Porter-Leath Children's Home / Salvation Army
St. Joseph Indian School / Variety Club of Memphis
Elvis clearly believed in sharing his blessings with others. His
choices were diverse and showed no preference for age, race or
creed.
He saw only the need.One of his great joys was to see the reaction
of someone to whom he gave a special, unexpected gift.
To see the look of surprise and wonderment on the face of a stranger
when presented a wished-for Cadillac or Lincoln he or she might
never have been able to afford.
When complimented on a piece of jewelry or an item of clothing,
turning around and giving the item to the person who admired it.
The stories of Elvis' generosity, his outreach to others, are many.
Just one of the reasons that, twenty-five years after his death,
Elvis Presley is still remembered with love and respect. May we all
be inspired by his example in this new year. |
