A Boy and His Bike

Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE used things!  Used furniture.  Used cars.  I mean heck – the outfit I have on right now is almost entirely USED CLOTHING!

But I do believe that there are some things in life that it is nice to experience NEW.  And one of those things is a shiny new bicycle.

That’s why when I saw a social worker from a local school post in a Facebook group recently that she was she hunting for a used bike for a student who had outgrown his, I knew Kindness Activist money needed to jump in!  If the boy needed a bike, the boy deserved a NEW BIKE!

I contacted the social worker and we worked out a plan.  She asked the boy’s mom for bike details (size and favorite colors) and also asked an extra question – favorite snack (cuz if you are going to ride a shiny new bike, you are going to get hungry!).

I know nothing about bikes, so I reached out to Bayley, a neighbor who (in my mind) is a bike expert.  He and his wife bike all the time.  They can often be seen with their sweet little daughter in a big cart, biking along.  Bayley even hauls furniture and other bulky items by bike!  He rocks.

I found a bicycle online that I thought looked good and ran it by Bayley, who approved.  He reminded me that any kid with a bike also needs:  a lock, a pump with a gauge, and a helmet.  And Bayley offered to come over and work with the boy, Jaden, to put the bike together when it arrived (and teach him how to do it)!!  I was so excited!  (I also realized that any super cool kid with a bike also needs lights to put on the spokes of the wheels!!)  So, I ordered everything, plus some vitamins that Jaden’s mom said he takes.

BIKE DAY finally arrived!!!  I had wrapped the other gifts, but the bike box was too big to wrap (plus, he knew he was getting that part!).  Jaden brought 2 of his buddies and his mom with him and we had a fun time!!  There was the big “unboxing” of the bike, unwrapping of the gifts, then a little craft project until Bayley arrived.  Then the 2 bike guys went to town! 

It was so sweet seeing Bayley on the porch, showing Jaden where to put screws, letting him screw it all together, grease the bits that needed greasing, etc.  At one point, Jaden came over to the table where his friends and mom were working on a project for me and whispered to his mother, “Mom, when the bike is all finished, can I RIDE IT HOME???”.  He was so excited!!  His mom said that sadly, no, the roads were too busy and he wasn’t experienced on the bike yet, so riding home wouldn’t be possible.

A proud Jaden and Mom

Well, leave it to Bayley…  He offered to RIDE HOME WITH JADEN!  Turns out they live close to one another.  So once the bike was ready and all of the other gifts had been packed in the car, the two bikers pedaled off.  It was a great afternoon, and I think Jaden will spend many summer hours riding that shiny new bike.

 

Off they go!!

Kindness Activist funds used:  $386.38

A Facebook friend reached out recently and explained that she was trying to help another woman escape an abusive relationship.  Abuse has skyrocketed since Covid – these long periods of being in enclosed spaces together, many people losing their jobs, and money being tight has been hard on many couples.  So, relationships that were abusive before are even worse now, and this woman really needed help. 

These situations are not something you can “fund raise” for in public, either.  Abused partners often need to sneak away very quietly and quickly, so as not to be traced and re-abused.  It is horrible.

I was glad that my friend knew Kindness Activist was a safe place to reach out to, and happily donated $300 to the complete the fund that was needed to get the person to safety.

I do not know the woman who needed assistance, but I know other people in abusive relationships.  It is such a tangled, complex web - it must feel impossible to leave sometimes.  But if you are in an unsafe situation, there are resources to help.  If you need help, please visit https://www.thehotline.org/ (from a public computer, not your own, to protect your browsing history) or call them at 1-800-799-7233 (1-800-787-3224 for TTY users). 

Kindness Activist funds used:  $300

 

Kindness Yard Sale Update - Sleds, Food, and Hope

Here is an update on expenditures from the Kindness Yard Sale!  Check out some of the ways money raised at the sale has been used to spread kindness!

- You may have seen Little Free Libraries.  They are small “libraries” outside of homes.  The concept is that people can take a book or leave a book.  They are popular in my area and so, so fun.  Well, I saw a twist on the concept!  A woman in Omaha posted, “Sleds for Little Free Sled Library - ISO extra sleds. I know people have complained about a shortage of sleds this year, so I’m putting this on our sledding hill in Black Elk Park (above the north baseball field). If you’ve got extra sleds, I’d love to add them.”

A LITTLE FREE SLED LIBRARY!!  I contacted the woman, got her address, and used Kindness money to send her 3 shiny new sleds.  She was thrilled!  When she got them she said, “Thanking post.  Susan, you are amazing! These sleds are nicer than anything I would have bought, even for my own kids. I’ll put them out after tomorrow’s snowstorm.”

These are the sleds purchased with Kindness Yard Sale money!

Omaha has gotten a LOT of snow this year so I bet those sleds will be well used by the time Spring rolls around.

Money spent: $123.02

- The night before Thanksgiving we found ourselves in the grocery store.  As we went to pay, I noticed a couple checking out with one item:  half a pumpkin pie.  After they checked out, they stopped to peruse the beautiful live Christmas trees in pots.  They were quite tall and lush – very, very pretty.  I watched as they examined all of them, then came back to the one they obviously loved.  They talked quietly to one another, then turned to leave.  I rushed over to them, “Are you going to buy a Christmas tree?” I asked?  The woman smiled shyly and explained that they were not.  As they turned to go, carrying only half a pie, I decided that they needed the tree.  “Wait!  I have a Christmas gift for you!”.  We rang their tree out with our purchase as they looked at us with wide eyes and huge smiles.  They thanked us repeatedly as they took their new tree with them.  It was such a nice way to get into the Christmas spirit.  From the looks of things, I imagined them spending Thanksgiving with just the two of them.  I hope the Christmas tree brought them some special holiday joy.

Money used:  $25

- A woman in a local group asked if anyone had a special stroller buggy board that could hook to the back of her baby stroller.  It would allow her to have her older child stand on the back while she pushed the newborn baby.  No one replied that they had one to give her, so I ordered her one off Amazon.  She was thrilled!!  When I dropped it off her husband was outside hanging Christmas lights, and he “God Blessed” me several times.  This was money well spent.

Money used:  $105.99

- A neighbor was trying to make a Fairy Garden for two small girls who lived nearby.  She asked if anyone had any Fairy Garden supplies.  Well, that seemed like a request that needed to be filled!!  I bought supplies and several neighbors made and painted beautiful little treasures for the garden.  One woman even used a 3D printer to make a fairy house!!  We ended up supplying that garden with a lot – a Grandfather clock, 2 houses, a tiny mirror, a bed…  Those fairies had to be very pleased!!

Perhaps this is one of the fairies who visited...

Money used:  $35.58
(Value of fairies: priceless)

- Another neighbor was collecting items for a homeless shelter in Washington DC.  One thing she asked for specifically was new socks.  Homeless people often have issues with their feet because they may not change socks daily, and their feet sometimes get and stay wet inside their shoes, so clean, new socks are a premium.  I ordered 30 pairs of socks for her to hand out.  She was very thankful.  And really, doesn’t everyone deserve fresh, clean socks?

Money used:  $90.05

- Having lost 2 family members recently, I am involved in some grief support groups online.  I saw this post in one group: 

“My brother died at 47, unexpectantly, last September 12. The very next morning, I went to the school and informed all of my niece's instructors. I specifically made sure she had enough lunch money so she didn't have anxiety over not having lunch money at their cafeteria.

Last Friday, my husband had a stroke. He is still in the hospital and making progress. I now have custody of my niece and had to work the election yesterday. My daughter came home with lunch money due - I forgot to send her money. I realized that there is no one left to help, like I did. I am feeling so alone right now. There isn't anyone to run help here, or can you get this, or anything. I hate this so much. I have to pull myself together. I own my own business and time off is money, but I am emotionally so exhausted and the feelings of grief are just overwhelming.”

My heart ached for this woman.  It was not money she needed, but SUPPORT.  I contacted her and asked if I could send funds to replenish the school lunch accounts.  She was amazed that a stranger across the country would offer support.  I hope that she is feeling better these days.  Grief is a long, long journey.

Money used:  $200

- This expense was a fun one, because it turned out to be kindness begetting kindness!  As we were checking out at the grocery store one evening, I saw two young adults checking out.  They seemed to be being very deliberate with the purchases.  I approached them and asked if they minded if I paid for their groceries with Kindness money.  They stammered, smiled, and said sure!  Then they explained that THEY were being kind by shopping for their GRANDPARENTS!!  Isn’t that the quickest kindness boomerang you have ever heard of??  I loved it!

Money used:  $32.68

- I have never been an online shopper, but Covid has changed that.  And one thing I learned is – you can shop anonymously for other people’s wish lists!!!!  Talk about FUN!  One evening I was feeling down and knew that a dash of kindness would cheer me up, so I hunted for an Amazon wish to grant.  I searched for someone with my last name who had a special occasion coming up.  I found one!  Lauren appeared to be graduating from nursing school!  Here is the note I wrote with the gift, a keychain she had chosen:  “Lauren, I don't know you, but found your gift list on Amazon. I run the program "Kindness Activist" - sharing kindness with the world. I saw you're graduating this year! GO YOU!! You Believed You Could - and you DID!”

Money spent - $15.18

- Spousal abuse has skyrocketed during Covid.  Being pent up in the same space, often 24/7, has been disastrous on many relationships.  So, when I saw someone trying to find furniture to set up an apartment for a woman who had gotten out of an abusive relationship, I knew Kindness money was needed.  The woman had broken free and was setting up her new apartment with her one year old child. 

I can’t imagine how hard that situation must be.  It was almost Christmas.  It was cold.  And she was alone with her little one.  People pitched in toys, clothing and furniture.  And I used Kindness money to get a small Christmas tree, poinsettia, and grocery gift card.  Did she NEED a plant (poinsettia) in her nearly bare home?  Probably not.  But I like to think that a bit of LIFE – the green and red of the plant – brought her joy.  I hope that the support she got from the community rallying around her helped her get started on her new journey.

Money spent:  $57.98

Thanks again to everyone who shopped at the Kindness Yard Sale, donated, played 2020 Sucks Bingo, and joined in the cause in other ways.  There will be more fundraisers and opportunities to get involved soon.

I will try and do better at writing here.  There are stories of Kindness Yard Sale purchases from NOVEMBER that I still haven't shared!  I will catch up!  

And please, keep your eyes open in your own community for ways that YOU can spread kindness.  It doesn’t have to involve money.  Maybe you can hold the door open for someone.  Let someone in front of you in traffic.  Or make eye contact and smile at a stranger.  Kindness is contagious – spread some around, you will be glad you did.

The Magic of Santa

And then there was – that holiday season I was SANTA…

Like most of my “projects”, this concept started small and seemed totally do-able.

          SET UP A LITTLE TABLE AT THE FRONT GATE WITH EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR KIDS TO WRITE LETTERS TO SANTA.  Special chair.  Paper.  Envelopes.  Crayons.  Pencils.  And the all-important – MAILBOX (complete with flag to put up once your letter was inside).

 But once the letter writing station was mounted, I started on my other “brilliant” idea…

                 A LIFE-SIZED ADVENT CALENDAR, with different special treats, many of them gift                         wrapped and tied with bows, for every day of December!!

 I think you can predict where this is going…

And if your mind went straight to the work and the hours and the scotch tape and the wrapping paper and the confusion – well, you wouldn’t be alone.  And I will get to that.

But first.  First, let’s start with the MAGIC…

This holiday season will be one to remember.  I am a believer.  I am a believer in all things sparkly and magical and slightly quirky.  And this holiday season reinforced my beliefs 1 million times over.

Let’s talk about the Santa Project.  It has brought me so much JOY!! 

Since the first letter to Santa was “mailed” in our special mailbox, I have been SHOPPING (online).  Shopping for mostly toys, all requested in the letters, some of which I had never heard of and had to Google to figure out what they even were (Wild Kratts??  Plants Vs. Zombies??)  And you would think the shopping would have been my favorite part of the project.  I mean, shopping for over a hundred kids, FUN right? 

But actually, it is HARD to pick a favorite part of the Santa Project.  There have been so many amazing bits and pieces – reading the kids’ letters, wrapping and tying ribbons and bows, secret phone calls to parents to decipher phonetically spelled wish lists…

But I think if I had to choose, my very favorite part has been WRITING LETTERS BACK FROM SANTA FOR EACH CHILD. 

I wrote personalized letters in response to each person.  It was soooo fun!  It was the ultimate creative writing project, and I composed some letters I am very proud of.  I do believe that I may have switched some non-believers back into believers, made some believers even STRONGER believers, and well, for those who were obviously in on the “truth” – I made them smile big smiles.

Santa’s letters mentioned special things about each writer, things only Santa would know!  “You did a great job at being kind this year”, “I couldn’t believe how many times you said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in 2020!  I started to keep a list to count them but you said those nice words so often I lost track!’, “I know virtual school is tough – it is hard to pay attention.  But YOU, you my friend, are doing awesome!!”, “Your handwriting is so GOOD this year!  Have you been practicing??”, “Please give that sweet mother of yours a big hug from me, she had had a tough year,” and “My favorite part of the letter was your drawing!  You used PINK, which is one of my very favorite colors.  I showed your drawing to Mrs. Claus and we hung it on our refrigerator.”

But of course, it is 2020…  So not all wish lists were “nice”, and not all were things that Santa could wrap up and deliver in this sleigh.  A few kids asked Santa to cure Covid.  One asked for no-shot hormone blockers (they really want and need the hormone blockers but are afraid of shots.)  One asked for “A German Shepard that my family is not allergic to”.  And one asked for a baby brother.

Instead of ignoring those delicate and difficult requests, I decided to tackle them head-on.  One response to the request to cure Covid was: 

“The first think you asked was that I end Covid.  Oh my little friend, I wish I could.  I specialize in magic and Christmas and toys and joy, and the doctors specialize in medicine.  So, I cannot end Covid, BUT I did talk to some of the best doctors around and shared your wish with them.  They assured me that they are working VERY HARD (barely even taking breaks to eat!!) to find a cure for Covid.  They hate Covid as much as you and I do!!  And they told me to remind you that a vaccine is coming soon, so that is a good step in the right direction.  But, they stressed this part, WE MUST KEEP WASHING OUR HANDS A LOT AND WEARING OUR MASKS!!  Even after the vaccine we will have to do that for a while, until things start getting better.  So yes, it stinks, but we all have to pitch in and do our part, right?  (By the way, you should see how difficult it is for me to get my mask over my big white beard!  I had to have a special mask made.  Luckily Mrs. Claus is great at sewing!)”

The gut-wrenching request for no-shot hormone blockers received this response (this is just part of the letter):   

“Your request of no shot hormone blockers really made me think.  You are right – there SHOULD be no shot hormone blockers!  A pill maybe.  Or a syrup to drink!

After I sat (eating cookies) and thought about it a while, I considered going into the workshop and talking to my elves about making some for you.  But then I realized – the elves make TOYS.  Medicine like hormone blockers is not a toy!  The elves are the wrong people to give that job to.

So instead, I contacted some doctors.  I told them of your request, and I asked them to GET TO WORK on making no shot hormone blockers.  They assured me that they would do some research and try to figure out how to do it.  They sounded confident that they could figure it out but warned me that it would not be easy and would likely take a while.  They need to experiment, test it on people, and get it all approved.  (For what it is worth, I did tell them my deadline was December 25^th, but they seemed to think they would not be able to meet that.)

So, my friend, I am sorry.  I really, really wanted to grant your wish.  You deserve it. Heck, other people deserve no shot hormone blockers, too!  (Excuse me for cursing there, I just got worked up a bit about this.)”

The request for a baby brother got this response: 

“You asked for a couple of things, including a baby brother.  I am sorry to tell you that I cannot bring you a baby brother.  The elves make TOYS, not brothers!!  😊  But I have made a note in my journal that you would like one, and if I find any little brothers looking for nice big brothers I will give your mom a call.“

And what about THIS dilemma – what do you do when a child writes and admits that they were not an angel this year (this honesty was reported in 3 or 4 letters!)??? 

“Your letter made me giggle.  You reported that you have been, and I quote, “goodish”.  Now WHAT, my child, is “goodish”?  It is more leaning toward the GOOD side or the BAD side?  Is it right in the middle?   I would’ve liked a few more details from you…  So, before I decide what to put together in your Christmas box, I will need check my notes from the year.  I keep them in ABC order so that I can quickly read through them if I need to double-check on someone.  Let’s see here…  The “N” section.  Nancy, Ned, Nicholas (oh such a nice name!!), Niquita, and there you are, Noah!  What did I notice of your behavior this year…

          -          You did pretty well at getting along with your little brother

    -          You did not torture your cat

    -          You obeyed your mother (most of the time)

    -          You brushed your teeth before bed (again, most nights…)

    -          You were grumpy a few days

    -          And you sometimes put your dirty clothes in the basket

 I would say that I would give you “good” instead of “goodish” for your overall annual rating!”

Or, how about when the oldest child is the family seems to have stopped believing, but writes a letter to Santa along with their younger siblings.  Only, to point out the fact that they are onto the game, they refer to Santa as “Santa” the whole letter???  I’ll tell you what this “Santa” did – he referred to the child with her name in quotation marks in the whole letter! 

In the end, I wrote 108 individual letters from Santa.  Some people said I should use a template but I was having TOO MUCH FUN writing them!!  Things I discovered about my Santa as I wrote – he is a feminist, he believes in science, he supports equality, and he rewards kids who ask for very little with a LOT (wait until the kid who asked for a single candy bar opens the box fullllllllllllllll of big candy bars!)  I guess you could say my Santa is a lot like me, go figure…

I have gotten to watch several children open their gifts from Santa and it has been beautiful.  There have been literal, LOUD SQUEALS of delight!!!  Shouts of, “He knew!!!  He knew!!!!  He knew what I wanted!!!!”.  Many loud, “LOOK!!!  LOOK!  Look what he brought me!!!”.  It is glorious to witness (usually from hiding behind our venetian blinds to stay out of sight).  And just now I got to talk to a family with 2 kids – one who wrote a very clear letter saying exactly what she wanted (and of course Santa bought) and an older sister who wrote a nice letter but didn’t ASK for anything.  They were searching under the tree for the older sister’s gift when I came outside.  She was resigned to the fact that since she didn’t ASK, she wouldn’t get a gift.  She obviously doesn’t know this Santa very well.  The whole families’ eyes LIT UP when magically the gift for big sister was found. 

I can’t close without going into the numbers, and most importantly, the THANK YOUs.  Numbers first:

-          102 letters were “mailed” in our special mailbox

-          6 other recipients came about organically during the process and got gifts

-          108 Santa response letters were written and 108 people received gifts

-          Because some gifts contained more than one item, I estimate 200 items were purchased

-          Popular items were Lego, LOL dolls, Superheroes, dolls, and princesses

-          6 adults wrote letters (2 did not leave contact info so did not get a gift or reply – well, one will get her gift next month since she requested “a better government”)

-          Children these days are mostly named with names starting with the letters A – G.  There are loads of A and E names!

-          Old fashioned names are very popular again

-          Mad props to the parents who gave their kids the middle names “Adventure” and “Danger” and call them by their first and middle names.  I LOVE that!  I got to meet one of them in person yesterday, too!

Total spent on the Santa Project 2020:  $2408.74 (each gift averaged $22)

I planned on using funds raised at the Kindness Yard Sale to cover this project, but so many kind and generous people pitched in with donations specifically for these gifts!!  A total of $2060 was donated solely for this project!!!!  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the generous friends, neighbors and strangers who saw something magical and pitched in financially to make it happen! 

And THANK YOU to neighbors who answered my urgent pleas for more boxes, wrapping paper, and tissue paper.  Thank you to those who delivered cookies that kept us going. Thanks for the wine (which also kept us going!).  Thank you to the neighbor who gifted me the most beautiful Mrs. Claus outfit ever.  Thank you to the very hard working delivery drivers.  Thanks for the offers to help (which, because of Covid, I was not sure how to accept, but believe you me, if this project happens again you WILL be called upon to wrap!!).  

Special thanks to Elf David who put up with the mess around the house for a month, the late nights, helped track Amazon boxes (3 are still on the way as I type…) and wrapped gifts.

And most importantly - thank you to the believers.  The ones who helped spark my creativity and forced me to come up with many clever stories on the spot (“Ummm, how do the letters get from this mailbox to the North Pole??  Why, ummm, ELVES!  Of course yes – ELVES!  They come during the night and pick them up!!  What’s that?  Have I SEEN them do a pick-up??  Uhhh, no…  No, not yet…  They do it in the dark of night!  I try to stay awake and watch but it is difficult…”)

To my family and friends – our annual “Christmas cards” may be “mid-January cards” this year.  Your gifts have not yet been wrapped or mailed.  But I love you and I miss you. 

This is a season of magic.  It is not the Christmas any of us imagined, and yet it is Christmas indeed. 

 

 

PIE It Forward! Kindness Yard Sale 2020 Accounting Update

There’s a lot of negativity going around lately, what with Covid raging and the election almost a week away. So, I thought I should take a moment to update you on how I have used more of the money raised at the Kindness Yard Sale! Nothing like a bit of KINDNESS to take the edge off of a tense time. First off – PIES! “What??” you wonder. “Pies? What does PIE have to do with kindness?”. Well, I PIED IT FORWARD! More specifically, I went into our amazing local pie shop, Acme Pie, and left 2 cards (each with $40 in them) for the next 2 pie shoppers to come in. I figured the shoppers could get their pie with that money and use the left-over money to spring for some ice cream to put on top of the pie, a cheap bottle of wine to drink with it, or whatever else they wanted! I have no idea who came in after me to find that their pie had already been paid for, but I can only imagine it brought a smile to their face. 

Total spent: $80

Acme Pies in Arlington, VA are the BEST!

Next up – COFFEE! A neighbor is on furlough due to the pandemic, so has limited funds for groceries. The local grocery store had an amazing sale on bags of coffee, it was “buy 2, get 3 free”!!! PLUS we had a coupon! Well, I couldn’t pass that up! So we got lots and I left the bags of coffee on the neighbor’s doorknob. Boy was she happy. She said she would have enough coffee to last a good long time. 

Total spent: $16 

See this girl? Her name is Bella and she is 14 years old. Not only is she smart, she is also an entrepreneur. She has opened her own online business selling earrings that she creates from fun stuff!!! I donated $50 of the Kindness Yard Sale funds to help her buy more knick-knacks to create earrings. I wish her and her new earring shop well! If you are in the market for funky earrings, you can find her work here:  Bella's Earring Shop

Total spent: $50 

Bella and her dog

I am a sign language interpreter. Professionals in my field, like many others, have been hit hard by the pandemic. Many interpreters freelance – going to doctor appointments, therapy, business meetings, etc. And many of the settings where they normally work have been closed since March. This has meant no income. So, I used some of the yard sale money to donate to a fund started by RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf). The money will be used to support interpreters in need. I am proud I am proud to say that as of tonight, 27 donors have raised over $6000 for the fund. If you would like to contribute to this fund, go here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/registry-of-interpreters-for-the-deaf/covid-19-certified-interpreter-relief-fund Because interpreters are ESSENTIAL. 

Total spent: $50.40 

Image from the RID campaign

The other day I took myself out for breakfast at my favorite local coffee shop for the first time since Covid began. I sat at an outside table, but while I was inside waiting on my order I noticed a woman organizing school supplies by putting them into tote bags. She told me that her name was Anika and that she was starting a non-profit to help underserved youth in our community. She had run a Go Fund Me campaign, hoping to raise a lot of money to buy new school supplies for kids’ whose families could not afford them. Her Go Fund Me did not reach the goal she had hoped, but she was marching on anyway, making as many supply bags as she could. That sounded like just the kind of project that the kindness money was raised for, so I gave her $20 toward her cause. 

Total spent: $20 

Specially packed bags of brand new school supplies ready to be delivered

A woman in our county, Jaimee Wise, recently had a brain aneurism. Luckily, her young son noticed there was a problem and got help quickly. She is in a coma and the family will have a lot of medical bills, so $100 of the Kindness Yard Sale money went to a Go Fund Me for Jaimee. If you would like to help out, too, you can find the information here:  Go Fund Me for Jaimee Wise

Total spent: $100 

This is Tri. She lives in my community. She recently took a big step and sat for her lactation consultant exam. She, like me, is a nervous test taker. So BEFORE her test some Kindness money was used to get her a multi-amazonite bracelet (with the hopes the “woo woo energy” in it would help her be calm and take her test (the website says, If your nervous system tends to run away like wild horses over the hills, this Multi Amazonite Energy Bracelet is the ticket to temperance, hope and a happy can-do attitude. Amazonite is known as The Hope Stone, and this bracelet is comprised of specially selected stones that ebb and flow like sunlight on water and a thousand grains of sand on the shore.” Then, for AFTER her exam, I used a bit of money to get her a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate. She doesn’t get her results until December, but I have a good feeling that she passed. 

Total spent: $23.99 

Tri, soon-to-be LACTATION CONSULTANT!

That’s it for now. More stories coming soon, including a re-telling of a recent Kindness Activist fundraiser – 2020 Sucks Bingo!! Until then, please keep spreading kindness. The world really needs it these days.  And if you know of someone that could use a little kindness, send me an email at:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com.  I am always looking for good ways to throw kindness around like glitter.

Sweet 16 Kindness

I really believe that the vast majority of people WANT to help, want to be KIND.  But sometimes we get so busy and overwhelmed by our own lives that it is hard to see where we can help out in someone else’s. 

But when people are brave enough to raise a hand and ASK for a little assistance, kindness and love overflow.  It’s beautiful!

And that’s what happened recently here in Arlington, Virginia.  A mom contacted me and explained that her daughter’s 16^th birthday was coming up.  She wondered if there was any way our community could help make it a SPECIAL day for the girl, even though Covid restrictions are still in place and money is tight.

And do you know what?  That’s all that was needed.  An ASK.  A clear request for what would be helpful – a blow-out party for a special girl turning 16!!!

A group of 18 women had been working together to help another family.  I posed the question to them – would they like to work on a 16^th birthday party, or were they “helped out” from the other generous things they had been doing for the other family??

I bet you can guess where this is going, can’t you?  Those 18 women rolled up their sleeves and went to WORK!!!  “What is her favorite flavor of cake??”, “What does she enjoy doing??”, “What is her favorite color???”…  Messages and questions flew for days!!  We were ENERGIZED – we had a MISSION!!!

And even though we all had our own things to be worried about – sick family members, school starting, house renovations, work, etc. – having this PARTY to plan seem to give us energy and life!!  I don’t think any of us KNEW the birthday girl.  But we had all turned 16 before.  And we all wanted to make it a special day for her!

Each person pitched in.  One offered to make cupcakes!  One ran to the store to find a shirt in just the perfect color for the birthday girl!  One asked other people to donate items that the girl would like!  And piece by piece it came together – like a big birthday puzzle!!  The birthday girl had a wish for special shoes.  She had picked out some really cool Vans.  So, one group member scoured the internet and found the same exact shoes locally.  And even though she was super busy building a little schoolhouse and taking care of her family, she drove out and got the shoes.

Beautiful necklace for the birthday girl

Perfect make-up case for a strong woman

A member of our community heard the birthday girl liked skateboards so donated his longboard!  A member of the small group and her boyfriend had the equipment needed to make personalized vinyl letters to decorate it and spent HOURS getting them just right!  The longboard turned out PERFECTLY!  They also made the plain shirt into a printed workout shirt with the birthday girl’s favorite Bible verse on it! 

Longboard BEFORE

 

Longboard AFTER!!!!

Donated gifts came in – books, journals, beautiful photo prints….  Some gifts were purchased new with money raised at the Kindness Yard Sale.  And everything was wrapped carefully (and fancy!) to surprise the recipient.  20 presents were ready to surprise a special stranger.

Gifts just waiting to be opened!

A time and location was set.  A photographer was sent to the location (my partner, David 😊 ).  And 4 cars met up.  One was decked out with a sign and big bow.  One had HAPPY BIRTHDAY blaring from the speakers.  With secret messages to the mom, we headed over to the house.

And the birthday girl was SURPRISED.  She was HAPPY.  And she was GRATEFUL.

Here is a video of how it all went down.  You will smile if you watch it.  It will remind you that there is good in the world.  Drive By Sweet 16 Birthday Party Video

You only turn 16 once.  And I would like to think that the kindness of strangers made this girl’s 16^th birthday a memorable one.

Happy birthday, G-Zel.  We were honored to be part of your special day!

If you see a need in your community, reach out.  And if you could use a bit of assistance, ASK.  Don’t be embarrassed or afraid.  Because there is an army of people around you just waiting for a call to action.  We all want to help.  And who knows, maybe your request will be the one that makes us smile so hard our cheeks hurt.

Kindness Yard Sale Money spent on birthday gifts - $87.58