$4 Of Kindness

This post is not an accounting of how Kindness Activist money has been spent, but rather an amazing tale of how some money was raised.

A Deaf family lives in our neighborhood.  I don’t get to see them often, but I love it when they stop by.  They have two little children who are adorable and I enjoy chatting with them.  I am an ASL/English interpreter, so use ASL often, but only with adults.  I mainly interpret in corporate settings, which means big words and lots of acronyms.  But these little kids come over with their bright smiles and teeny tiny hands signing and it just makes me smile SO BIG! 

Both children have cochlear implants (devices to help them use the hearing they have).  Given that, they usually do not sign but rather use spoken English.  But when they come visit us, I sign with them!  Last year they could sign some but were much more advanced in English than ASL.  But last week when they came to visit, they were signing with me!  They could understand my signs even when I did not speak English and would reply in ASL instead of spoken English.  It was so fun chatting! 

Which leads me to the main point of our conversation…

Meet Brian.  Isn’t he adorable???  He is 6 years old.

 

He knows all about the Kindness Activist work.  He came to the Summer Pop-Up for Kindness this summer and blasted everyone with water guns and played in the sprinkler.

The other day Brian’s mom Katie told the kids that they were going to clean out their toys and donate some to the Kindness Yard Sale to raise money for kindness.  They set about to work.  But Brian ALSO put some money in his pocket (or fist?  I am not sure)…  And not just any money, not money he had gotten for doing chores or allowance.  This is money he EARNED. 

 His mom told me that he had come inside the house recently and told her that he had, “Started a business!”.  Here is what the little entrepreneur did:

HE SET UP A STAND TO SELL COLORED POPSICLE STICKS!  Brilliant!

His mom explained that he had a sticky note at his stand by the popsicle sticks that said “$3 or $1 or $10”.  She said, “So funny… but ambitious!  He got a surprise when a mystery customer left some Euros in the cup, then a friend stopped by, bought some and said he would give them to his cat. “

So when it was time to drop off donations for the Kindness Yard Sale, Brian grabbed the proceeds from his business and brought them with him.  His mom explained to him that the sale had not started yet, they were only bringing things for the sale, which would be later in the month.  But Brian told her that he wanted to donate the money…  And he wouldn’t take no for an answer!

As he jumped out of the van he handled me his crumpled up dollar bills.  I counted out $4!!  I, like his mom, explained it wasn’t time for the sale yet.  I told him to keep his money and use it to buy things at the sale!!  But NO, Brian was here to donate money to the cause!!!  He insisted I take the money! 

So I took it, added it to the accounting file, and traded it for 2 popsicle ice pops (one for him and one for his sister). 

Isn’t that the sweetest thing ever?  He donated his hard earned money.  It is another example of ,“People give what they can”, in this case, even children.

As we chatted Brian and his sister looked around at donated items a bit.  I showed them a huge pink Crayola crayon (about as tall as he is) that is a bank.  He loved it and wondered if he could buy it at the sale.  As they got back in the van, he found another dollar (probably dropped into his car seat!) and wanted to hand it to me to donate.  “NO BRIAN!  SAVE THAT FOR THE KINDNESS YARD SALE!  Maybe you can buy that pink crayon bank!!”.  “How much is it??” he asked excitedly.  I reminded him at this sale, people pay what they would like.  He held up his crumpled bill and said, “ONE DOLLAR??”.

Yes, Brian.  One dollar.  Your dollar (and the 4 others you donated) warm my heart and remind me that children are watching.  They are learning.  And they will make our world a better place.

Brian's donation.  See the red smudges on one of the bills?  :)  I am guessing 
that is from his popsicle stick business...