Gift of time can be as valuable as gift of money

Since we all have gift-giving swirling through our brains right now (my daughter-in-law Shayne informed me the other day she has 235 presents to buy), I thought I would discuss another way of giving.

If our families' needs are provided for, there might be a better option than just indulgence.

I'm talking about philanthropy, a word that means love for mankind. It may be Greek in origin but it has taken on a whole new meaning for us in America, where we seem to be genetically programmed to give generously. For example, I recently received a birthday card from my friend Karen saying she had given money to have a tree planted in my name. I really liked that present: It will last for years and be a blessing to many. There are thousands of charitable organizations or causes we can support with either our financial backing or our personal acts of kindness.

Our family has the good fortune to be part of an extremely worthwhile charitable venture. Last summer, our son, Steve, who is currently a sports analyst for ESPN, and his wife, Barb, visited with Doug Nielsen of Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

They wanted to explore the concept of building a patio outside the hospital where sick children and their families could spend time outdoors away from the needles, poking and probing that come with illness. They stood outside the indoor Forever Young Zone, an area with computers and room for activities, and gazed at the valley below, envisioning the freeing space it could be with a playground and some plantings and a roof for shade. Their thought was, "How about an outdoor Forever Young Zone?"

Having a vision is one thing, but finding the money to bring it to life is another, and this is where it helps to have name recognition. Barb and Steve had been working on a smaller scale with Chad Rutledge from Sam's Club. A caring person, Chad immediately worked through the charitable channels at Sam's Club to furnish the small patio space and then went to work partnering Sam's Club and Wal-Mart in the funding and developing of the large rooftop patio.

The genesis of the Forever Young Foundation came early in Steve's football career when my brother, Bob, suggested that Steve do some giving back. They started with a golf tournament, earmarking the monies raised to benefit children's causes. There are now nine Zones in partnership with the NFL called YET (Youth Education Towns) centers.

In addition, there are several Forever Young Zones in Stanford Hospital in California as well as seven Zones scheduled to be built at the new Banner Hospital in Arizona.