Next time you run into a homeless person be sure to ask where he keeps his large flat-screen T.V. Seems everybody has one. Or so some nice church ladies say.

This is one of the responses my busy little wife gets, as she tries to peddle a bunch of tickets to the local churches, as part of The Gathering Inn’s annual fundraising drive (they gather in the homeless at local churches).

As part inducement to make this charitable contribution, they’re having a drawing for a big flat-screen T.V. Big mistake!

A lottery? Egads! You’d think she was unloading stolen watches.

How do you say, “Fundraiser?” Fundraiser, fundraiser, fundraiser. Like you need money to buy food for these folks.

Yeah, we know money is tight because of the rotten economy. As a matter of fact it’s producing more homeless, and it’s even tougher on them.

It’s a fundraiser, folks, in a good cause. The ticket is evidence of a donation; even the IRS understands that.

Ask your pastor for a couple of tickets, and if you accidentally win that big, flat-screen T.V. you can always donate this unnecessary second one to some homeless person who doesn’t already have one — if you can find one.

Pious platitudes don’t fill empty tummies.

ARNE CELICK, Auburn