The Greatest Christmas Gift of All
By: Larry Barton, President and CEO, Strang Inc.;
2024 Campaign Chair, United Way of Dane County
As we approach the holiday season and a time of gratitude and celebration, I can’t help but reflect on my childhood and Christmases past.
For those who have been following my journey as this year’s United Way of Dane County Campaign Chair, you may know that my upbringing wasn’t always easy. My story is one I’ve kept private my entire adult life, but find that by sharing, it’s helping others. So, I share it with you all here today.
As a child, my father suffered from severe alcoholism, my mother left when I was seven, and my father moved with my brother and I to Dallas where we spent the next five years living in deep poverty. From this time came many struggles, but there’s one story in particular I’d like to share this holiday season – the story of the greatest Christmas gift I ever received.
When I was nine, I was hit by a car leaving my leg broken and requiring a three-month hospital stay followed by another three months in a full body cast where I was confined to a hospital bed in the middle of the living room of our small apartment. My father was ill and unable to work, and we had reached the depth of poverty, surviving on powdered milk and corn meal.
That Christmas season, I remember my father saying in a defeated voice, “Boys, I’m afraid there won’t be a Christmas for us this year.” To this day, it breaks my heart to think of any parent having to say that to their children.
Christmas day came and it began like every other day, but then there was a knock on the door. There stood three adults with bags of groceries, a Christmas meal and a wrapped present for my brother and me – his was a toy piano, mine a toy horn, and both came with song books. We were overjoyed!
This seemingly simple gift had a major impact on my life. Now, when my father was out looking for work and my brother was at school, I spent my days learning to play songs and I developed a love of music that is with me to this day. When the cast came off and I could attend school, I excelled in music class. Later, as a young adult, I played in local bands and eventually saved enough money to attend school and have since enjoyed a successful 40+ year career in the field of Architecture.
That single knock on the door over 50 years ago changed my life. I consider those three people unsung heroes. During our five years in poverty, we were supported in many other ways by charitable organizations, helping with housing, food, healthcare, transportation, and counseling. With their help, our family overcame poverty, and we were able to lead normal and productive lives, contributing to society in many positive ways.
When you give to United Way, you’re helping to build our local network of unsung heroes – just like those three strangers who helped to change my life. So, as you consider your charitable giving this holiday season, please include United Way of Dane County. And know that for every dollar donated through United Way, the return is six times more in community impact! Because their army of volunteers – just like those that knocked on my door that Christmas morning long ago – are empowered through your generosity to help our neighbors who need it most.
You can be the one. The one to change someone’s life with a heartfelt donation. I encourage you to be a part of The Power of Caring. Working for All. Visit www.unitedwaydanecounty.org to give today.