“The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.”

— Anonymous

New Year’s resolutions are often forgotten or simply ignored before annual college football bowl games have ended and, more times than not, before many of us will clear our plate of the prescribed New Year’s Day serving of turnip greens and black-eyed peas.

Well, this year, I have a suggestion to each of us for a New Year’s resolution that we can achieve and will indeed make a difference in our community.

That resolution is to lend a hand to the family of fallen Pelham police officer Philip Davis.

Pelham Mayor Don Murphy and Police Chief Tommy Thomas have formed a committee comprised of local churches and business leaders with the goal of retiring the mortgage for Davis’ family.

The committee’s mission is to raise $200,000 by January 31, 2010.

As you no doubt know, recently Davis was shot down, senselessly, in a routine traffic stop.

The grief and sense of loss Davis’ family and friends must be experiencing this holiday season can only be supplanted by one thing: joy.

They may find joy in the precious, cherished memories of their time with Davis and in experiencing the loving kindness of the community Davis served so bravely and selflessly.

The committee has created a mortgage retirement fund at M&F Bank. Donations can be made at all local branches of M&F Bank.

Davis’ wife and two small children need our help. You and I, our friends and neighbors, can be the source of help the Davis family needs through donations large and small.

So, if you are looking for a New Year’s resolution that you can satisfy quickly, consider the great impact you can make in giving to the Davis family’s mortgage retirement fund.