Pat's "The Good Life": Another important vote

Ace Hardware in North Platte has six specially decorated Christmas trees inside the store at Parkade Plaza.

Decorated Christmas trees aren't unusual at this time of year, but the difference with these six trees is that they were decorated by six nonprofits in North Platte as fundraisers.

Now it's up to you to help choose the winner by putting your dollars and loose change in the bucket beside the tree you like best. There are big buckets beside the trees and when I looked the other day there wasn't a lot of money in any of the buckets.

These organizations - Rape & Domestic Abuse Program, Lincoln Connection (homeless shelter), Food Pantry, Bridge of Hope, Children's Museum, and the Lincoln County Historical Museum - have needs to be met all year long. They don't get to take a day or a week or a month off; their needs continue every day.

So do me a favor and stop in at Ace Hardware and vote with your money.

However, you'll have another chance to help these organizations. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 1 p.m., these trees will be auctioned off, with Brad Stickelman as the auctioneer. If you don't have a tree at your office or home yet, here's your chance to have a pretty tree AND help a worthwhile nonprofit.

Lincoln Connection (homeless shelter)