Charles “Bud” Custer Jr

2020… Where do we even begin?

Part of me was dreading this year’s end of the year letter.  With all of the loss, separation, social distancing (do we hate that phrase yet?) and anxiety that we all felt, how do I even try to articulate the kind of year that The Humanity Preservation Foundation – HPF for the cool kids – had?

For a lot of us, 2020 was about survival.  Whether it was surviving a conference call with your boss while the kids are having an epic lightsaber battle behind you.  Or going into the office every day because you work in food service and people gotta eat.  Or maybe losing that job and not knowing exactly how the electric bill is going to get paid, we ALL had our battles.

What ended up motivating me to write this letter?  Well, it’s the fact that so many individuals embraced those battles and seem to be coming out of COVID a stronger person for it.  Seeing people take the time to grow closer with loved ones (I know I did) search for a deeper meaning and refocus on what is important gives me hope for the future.  There wasn’t a lot of quitting that’s for sure and there was some remarkable progress made as a species.

As a nonprofit, I was never afraid that HPF was going to quit this year, but I was worried that we may become one of the 40% of charities that had to close their doors this year because funding was gone.  Instead I was able to witness a very passionate group of volunteers step up and decide that we were going to make “lemons out of lemonade”.  A group that has been making weekly Zoom calls cool before it was cool.

There were a lot of Firsty Awards handed out to say the least.

The list could go on, but what I want to mention is that at this year’s OTA Masquerade Ball, I left all of the attendees and those that tuned into the livestream with a challenge.  I asked that everyone try and make one small step on a daily basis that exemplifies living your life with an Orange Heart.   Living your life with an Orange Heart can mean whatever you want it to mean.  Personally, I try to focus on strengthening the relationships that are important to me and not being so negative.  It’s making that little bit of extra effort that can sometimes go a very long way.

Have you been keeping up with your challenge?  If not, how are you going to live with an Orange Heart in 2021?  I would be curious to know, so try messaging us on Social Media or sending us an email or tweeting us or all that other good stuff.

I wish you a truly healthy and happy 2021 and can’t thank you enough for choosing to follow along on this wild adventure.  Just remember, there is no light without darkness and I can’t imagine happiness without some sorrow.

Thank you from the bottom of my Orange Heart.

Charles “Buddy” Custer

Executive Director / Co-Founder

BCuster@HumanityPreservationFoundation.org