Kindness Yard Sale - Money Raised, NOW WHAT?

Whew, the Kindness Yard Sale is finally almoooost over!  It actually happened a couple of weeks ago (June 8^th), but we have still been picking up from it, giving items away to neighbors, and donating left-overs to Goodwill.  I just came back from mailing an astronaut suit that was donated for the sale to be used as dress up clothes by 3 super cute little brothers, and the beautiful bracelet that a friend bought in the pre-sale online auction to her.  Tying up all of the loose ends of the sale.

Which leads up to – WHAT TO DO WITH THE $1552.76 RAISED TO SPEND ON KINDNESS???

I didn’t imagine that it would be so difficult to dream up fun, creative, and meaningful ways to use the funds collected, but it is!!  Here is a tally on what the funds have been used for so far:

·         $20 (and a welcome card) was tucked into a donation of clothes going to a family that just immigrated to the US from Albania.  A kind neighbor is helping them settle in and had come to pick up clothes for them.  $20 is not much when you are starting over in a new country, but I hope it helped them feel WELCOME and at home in America.

·         $6.99 was used to purchase a dozen roses at Trader Joe’s and hand them out to patients at a cancer center.  My sister is undergoing treatment for glioblastoma (brain cancer), so we are often at the center for her scans, bloodwork, and appointments.  While she was in getting an MRI last week, my other sister and I walked around and gave patients roses with encouraging notes attached.  It was touching – I would like to do some more of these visits and handouts.  One woman was sitting with a friend/relative in the radiation waiting room.  She was bald from treatment and had a b-i-g 3 ring binder next to her that said “breast cancer” on the top (and “&*$% cancer” on the spine).  When we handed her a rose, she smiled and teared up.  I really think little actions like that can give a person a boost of energy to get through the day.

 ·         $25 was left tucked in an envelope at the place where we get our haircut.  It was addressed to “Client of Gilbert”, and we asked our fabulous stylist (Gilbert) to give it to whoever he sees next.  This note was included: 

"Dear Client of Gilbert –

SURPRISE!  We want to help you pay for your haircut!!  Here is $25 to put toward your services today.  We love Gilbert and how he does our hair, and you must, too, or you wouldn’t be here!!

Have a great day.

P.S. – Give Gilbert a good tip please!  He deserves it."

 ·         $20 was left in the produce section at Trader Joe’s in an envelope addressed: TO YOU, TRADER JOE’S SHOPPER with this note: 

“Dear Person Buying Produce at Trader Joe’s –

SURPRISE!  We want to help pay for your groceries today!!  Eating healthy can be expensive, and you deserve the best.  So here is $20 to help when you check out.

Have a terrific day!!”.

At first we left it under some containers of mushrooms, but we watched a while and no one spotted it!  We left the store and came back about 2 hours later and STILL no one had found it!  So, we moved it to the English cucumber section, really out in the open.  Then we hid and watched and person after person walked by it and didn’t see it.  Remarkable!  How much must we all walk by in life everyday and MISS??  Finally, a shopper saw it and opened it.  The cool thing was that she was in a wheelchair, so the envelope was at EYE LEVEL for her.  I hope she liked it and used the money when she checked out!

So, $71.99 has been used for Kindness so far , and there is a lot left!  I can’t wait! 

Pssst - if you are in the Arlington, Virginia area and driving down Walter Reed/Fillmore, be sure to stop at the LINE before the corner of 2^nd and Fillmore…  Just a little hint, some kindness might come to a few drivers tonight or Friday who actually stop at the line and don’t block the buses trying to make the corner…  😊