Grandpa,
I have read about a lot of scams, thanks to your column. Here is one I never would have thought to be a scam. It starts with a bunch of kids on the radio singing about donating your car to children. Now, I realize it never tells what the kids do with the cars, but it does offer a free vacation to anyone who donates. So I donated an old, worn out, car. That was a mistake! It is the biggest scam of all. I thought I would get a tax write off for the donation. What I got was a weekend at a place where I was hounded for a day and a half to buy a time share. It was after I paid the cost to get there.
I was told that the proceeds of my gift were used to help deserving children get an education. What I was not told, without deeper investigation, is that the deserving children were Hasidic boys who were being sent to Summer religious camp!! They need to be shut down and those cheesy commercials taken off the air. I have stopped getting my news from the AM station on which they advertise so aggressively.
Grandpa says; I have often commented that I don’t know why someone would want to give cars to children too young to drive. That tongue in cheek humor ended when a lady friend told me that she would gladly trade in her teenager for a new Buick. Grandpa had gotten upstaged very gracefully. Neither of us knew about the information you have shared with us. Not having been able to verify what you said before press time, I can only advise our readers to never donate to a charity that does not tell the public what they do with the donations. There are plenty of legit charities right here in the Fox River Valley and Chicago suburbs that could use your donations. Just as Grandpa advocates “Shop Local”, I believe in “Donate Local”. God bless you for your attitude of giving.
Grandpa,
I read your column about the lady whose brother needs a place to live after prison. (Jan. 17, 2019). Would you contact her and let her know I have a one room apartment for rent? This might help her out.
Grandpa says; Grandpa does not normally get so directly involved in such matters. After a member of my team spoke with you, we did take the liberty of approaching the sister of the potential parolee to discuss your offer. Grandpa is happy to report that the staff member met with you both at a neutral location to discuss the needs of both parties. Although it did not work out that the parolee would be able to stay in your apartment, it was very generous of you to take the effort to offer. Just because that particular man was not able to live in your building, others with a different types of history may be allowed. I applaud you for your interest in helping a former offender return to society as a productive tax paying citizen.
Got something stuck in your craw? Ask Grandpa. Address your letters to Ask Grandpa c/o The Voice, PO Box 123, Aurora, IL 60507 or send an E-mail to askgrandpa@thevoice.us.