Is there anyone out there, besides me, who feels like they are being buried under an avalanche of requests from charitable groups and institutions?

There was a time when March of Dimes was in February or March, Easter Seals were at Easter and the American Lung Association did Christmas Seals. They had annual drives.

Now it is an every-month, all-year-long request for donations. I realize that many of these groups do good work in funding research and in assisting those who are suffering, but enough is enough.

Just for laughs, for three months I saved every request that we received. There were more than 200 of them. Some groups sent two a month. Some sent a request in my name, some in my husband’s name and others in both our names, as well.

We get address labels, notepads, calendars (15 or 20 this year alone) and, sometimes, we get nickels and dimes. If we send a donation, we get a thank you note that includes a request for more money. If we don’t send a donation, we get a repeat request with a nagging note on the front of the envelope.

In addition, we also get requests in our email and over the phone. There seems to be no way to support the charities you feel are worthwhile without getting bombarded by requests from those you have no interest in or have never even heard of.

I do regularly support certain charities, but maybe the only way to stop the avalanche is to toss every request in the recycling bin and hope to, eventually, get off everyone’s list.

Then again, maybe I should be thankful for the requests. My trek to the mailbox is never in vain. There is always something there.

Priscilla Brobst

North Yarmouth

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