Acts of Kindness from Around the World, Motivating People to Help Others

Share Your Story

I am continuously amazed with the selfless acts performed by others, and know that hearing them can help inspire others. I am collecting those stories
as I talk to people around the country. Please add your stories of hope, courage and change to those below.

SPECIAL! Don’t Change The Channel in the Classroom

Randall Middle School in Lithia, FL.

2nd Grade Classroom in Akron OH.

Scroll down to view other stories.

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Nancy, OH

July 12, 2010

I am part of the missions committee at our church. This year we have started to assist members in our church. We started by weeding an elderly ladies flower beds. She spent the whole day on her porch while we were there. She was asked several time if she wanted to go in the house but she just kept saying NO. It was the first time I’d seen a smile on her face. Then we started to work on and elderly gentleman’s house. It was litterly falling down around him. We started by replacing his back porch and putting a railing at the front. We also did many other jobs. Then we spent another day fixing his second floor which had a hole in it. He hadn’t shave in months so one of the younger men shaved him and several friend made sure that he got to go out to eat while we were there. The repairs continue. Even one of the members has been back several times to mow his yard. The young man that shaved him the first day goes back every Friday and shaves him. Guess What? I saw him with a smile for the first time in years. What a a little kindness can do. The smiles were all we need to make it full filling for the workers. We have not only made a difference in the lives of two of the people in our church but in return it has made a difference in our lives. And the neighbors’ lives also. The other night one of the reporters for our local paper, who is his neighbor wrote about it. She said that we didn’t need to look far to find someone to help.

Bill, NC

June 23, 2010

After a phone call today, I find my thoughts dwelling on something not necessarily related to business but just to being a good “Citizen & Person” in general.

Let me ask you a serious question…how many of us truly practice RAK (Random Acts of Kindness)? In this, I mean those acts that have no thought as to what we ourselves might gain but how we can truly bless or benefit another person…

You never know how something you say, an act you do or a kindness shown might affect another person in a positive way…I hope each of us practice this daily. As I write this, I’ve just gotten off the telephone with someone who is about die of cancer which has wrecked his body ( I had no idea of this either) but in the conversation this friend & customer related how much that my staff and I had meant to him and how we often “Lifted Him Up” on some of his darker days…(we had no idea)…

Lets all remember to walk the walk and not just talk the talk…

I wish you a great, blessed and prosperous day….now go practice some RAK!

Sincerely,
Bill Warren

Nancy, OH

June 18, 2010

I thought that singing in Canton, Ohio was exciting. It doesn’t beat the experience we just had in NYC. 250 voices sang “Sing For The Cure”, words by Pamela Martin and music by different composers. We earned $18,000 for the Susan G. Koman foundation. I guess that we can’t forget that we earned over $12,000 in Canton for the same cause with only 105 voices. It has been something that we can be proud of. The chorus in Canton was the dream of our choir director Christine Allison. She knew what music could do for people and wanted to put a choir together to benefit others. We have been singing together for one year and have put on two concerts to benefit the Koman Foundation and The American Heart Ass. In September we will being doing a concert to benefit Juvenile Diabetes. I don’t know what the future will hold for the choir but I know that God is doing great things with us. To view our website go to A Chorus for a Cause. We also have several number on You Tube.

Pamela, NC

May 30, 2010

This week Charlotte was getting a lot of rain. Great for the grass!! I was headed to work out class when sitting at a stop light at Fairview Road and Randolph Road. I saw a woman walking on the other side of the street without any umbrella. It was raining even harder now. I thought wow that stinks! She must be getting soaked! A minute later I saw her slow down to a car that was also stopped at the red light. Someone handed her out the car window an umbrella!!!!! OMG I really thought what a sincerely kind act that was. It made my heart smile.

Thanks Pam

Kevin, FL

May 7, 2010

It was during lunch at RMS that i heard the lunch lady tell a girl that she needs 25 cent and so right before she left a told her i have that and so she got herself a lunch for the day.

Cerrin, OH

April 27, 2010

I picked up the bin basket for 100 book challenge.

Madison, OH

April 23, 2010

I helped my friend Morgayne when she fell off her bike.

Joe, NC

April 20, 2010

CHARLOTTE, NC – Carolinas Home Opportunity Fund (CHOF), a subsidiary of Grubb Properties, and Habitat Charlotte are happy to announce the purchase of several homes in the Charlotte area. CHOF, an investment fund purchasing bank-owned, single-family homes, recently went under contract to acquire eight homes in a bulk sale from a local bank. Because four of the new homes did not meet CHOF’s investment criteria, Habitat Charlotte was contacted to see if they would be interested in participating in the purchase. After inspecting the homes and their location, Habitat readily agreed.

CHOF Fund Manager Joe Taylor states, “We contacted Habitat about participating in our bulk purchase because we knew these homes would be of great value to them. A typical four bedroom home costs Habitat Charlotte $85,000 – $90,000 to build. Because of the bulk purchase discount that we negotiated, and the bank’s willingness to let us assign part of the contract for these four homes, Habitat was able to purchase the properties directly from the bank at $55,000 per house, ultimately saving their organization over $100,000 and helping four families achieve home ownership at a significant value. It’s a real win for the neighborhood also by having homeowners occupy the formerly foreclosed and vacant homes.”

Merritt Card, land acquisitions manager of Habitat Charlotte states, “When Joe Taylor of Grubb Properties brought these homes to our attention, it created great interest because we were searching for four bedroom units and to find four units together to be purchased at the same time was truly exciting. After inspection, we did indeed, readily agree to the purchase. I think that closing on four new homes located together at the same closing was certainly historic for the Charlotte Habitat affiliate if not for all Habitat affiliates.”

Habitat Charlotte was able to use a Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant from HUD, a federal subsidy targeting neighborhoods with high foreclosures. This allowed Habitat Charlotte to purchase the homes without using any of its capital funds. Habitat Charlotte closed on the homes September 9, 2009 and two new families have already moved in. Several of Grubb Properties employees assisted Habitat Charlotte with improvements to the new homes by building utility sheds.

Lisa, NC

April 13, 2010

My name is Lisa and in 1998 I found out I have Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD for short) which is life-threatening. Cyst grow on your kidneys and completely take them over and destroys your kidney function. When my kidney function dropped down to about 25% I was told I would have to go on dialysis. Meanwhile, Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, where I was being treated, gave me packets to have potential donors to complete and send in to be tested for a match. When I was giving out the packets my boss asked me where his was. He had told me when I was first diagnosed with PKD that he would donate one of his kidneys to me. I didn’t take him serious. But to make a long story short, he completed one of the packets, sent it back in and was a match. (Now they told me at Winston; “when we test to see if someone matches we check six (6) antigens and out of those 6 if we find that one (1) matches we can still do a transplant.” My boss, (Chris) and I matched THREE (3) out of six. On May 28, 2007 we were admitted to the hospital and on May 29th the transplant took place. Chris is doing great and I feel the best I have felt in years. Talk about an answer to prayer and a wonderful blessing….. Also, I have to put a plug in for NC Donate Life. April is National Donate Life Month and we need to make as many people aware of how important it is to become a donor whether it be a living donor or deceased. People can become an organ donor by going to the website www.donatelife.org or tell your local DMV Inspector.

Dexter, Ft. Bragg

April 13, 2010

One humid Friday afternoon in august, it was coming to the end of a long work week. I remember calling my wife asking her to pick up a six pack of beer and some brats because I would be coming home soon. Unknowing to me to me those brats and beer would have to wait another eight months to be eaten and I would not physically see anything again. It began with routine work on a demolition range on Fort Bragg that turned out to be a complete disaster for me and some of my fellow soldiers, the explosive that I was working with blew up in my face and I lost my eyes forever. This event gave me a new prospective on life, at first I didn’t know what to expect but now I realized that it is not the end of the world. I taught me a valuable lesson which is “life comes at you fast don’t take anything for granted because it can all end at a moment’s notice”.

I met Jenn in January of 2008 when my fellow wounded warriors and I were invited to come to Charlotte for an all expense paid weekend and attend the Panthers playoff football game. For me I could not believe it, I was wondering who in their right mind was going to sponsor such a trip. It was a phenomenal experience thanks to Jenn she definitely helped bolster my self esteem during a time when I was down in the dumps, going in and out depression from losing my eye sight. From that I knew that there were still good people left in the world, Jenn did everything possible to make sure that we were comfortable. This has now turned out to be an annual event so I look forward to seeing Jenn at least once a year it is like she is my Santa Claus because every time I see her something good happens. That is good and uplifting for a blinded veteran. That simple act of kindness changed my life forever and now I have a lifelong friend.

Amy, NC

April 12, 2010

wow…this is an amazing way to share great stories and realize how one person can make a difference!!! As the Wish Manager for Make-A-Wish Foundation I have literaly so many stories I could share…..however in a turn of events– I would like to share this one…

Almost 14 years ago I lived on Hilton Head Island, loving life, living on the beach, waiting tables (making more money than I knew what to do with) but all the while, my passion and love was for children. I had the opportunity to nanny for an incredible family who had recently moved to the island. They had an infant and a 4 year old. I instantly fell in love with them. The kids were so precious..2 little girls. I found out that the oldest had been through a lot in her young years that would prove hardships in the future. She got a gerbil and named her AMY after me!!! One evening I received a phone call from her parents…and she wanted to talk to me! “AMY is dead…” over and over…I tried to console her but she was broken….long story but soon after that I moved ….and didn’t keep in touch…but often thought about the family. Now 14 years later we have reconnected on Facebook!!! I found out that the youngest is doing fine and about to turn 14 and the oldest is about to turn 20!!!! Made me feel very old….but in speaking to her mom….my heart was so full. She couldn’t believe I remembered “Amy” the gerbil…she then went on to tell me what an impact I had on that young child’s life because she had 4 gerbils after that, all named “Amy”….I was shocked!!! It made me cry because after all these years I realized that I made a difference in her young life…I wish I could get into more detail but its very sensitive. I am now planning a trip to Hawaii where they live now to reconnect with the family. I cant wait to see the precious child I once cared for who is now a young adult. Its proof positive…do the right thing…be in the moment and do what you CAN to make a difference….its a ripple effect…do GOOD and those you touch will learn and also want to do the same….thanks Jenn for helping us spread good stories of good will. I could write all day!!!!

Kenna, NC

April 11, 2010

My name is Kenna Holtzclaw and I am a sophomore at North Carolina State University. When I was ten years old I was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. I was told that I had a 43% chance to survive and that I would need to have an adult protocol of chemotherapy since this was not a disease normally diagnosed in children. I was diagnosed on a Monday, admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, had surgery on Wednesday and began chemotherapy on Thursday. For the next seven months I was in and out of the hospital receiving chemotherapy as well as treatments for many infections I developed due to how low my blood counts were. I was approached by someone from the Make-A-Wish foundation a few months after my diagnosis. I was told that I could receive a wish and I needed to be thinking about what I would want. I kind of forgot about Make-A-Wish throughout the rest of my treatment and when I was done I was approached again. With the hickman catheter that I had in my chest I was unable to swim in fresh water and I knew that I wanted to go on vacation so I wanted to wait until the tube was removed. I wished to go to Hawaii and was surprised on live television when my wish was granted. My family and I went in June of 2002. It was the best vacation I have ever been on. Everyone treated us like we were the only vacationers there. I remember going to the car rental office and them seeing “Make-A-Wish” on our paperwork so they upgraded us to a convertible. Can you imagine, driving around in a convertible in Hawaii for a week? It was awesome! While in Hawaii I swam with dolphins, went snorkeling, went to a Luau and rode horses to Captain Cook’s monument. The trip was so much more that I could have ever dreamed of. Throughout my treatment I met many wonderful kids who were also battling cancer. One of my dear friends, Will Dicus, also received a Make-A-Wish. He wished for a “Pimp my Ride”. I was there when he was surprised with his wish and the look of joy on his face was almost like getting my wish granted again. I love that I was able to see the power of Make-A-Wish in a child’s life as well as experience it. This organization really does make dreams come true and I am so thankful that I can share my story and be involved with Make-A-Wish in any way. I am now majoring in Biological Sciences and Spanish and adopting a minor in Non-profit studies. I hope to attend Physician Assistant school upon graduation from NC State and would love to work in a pediatric oncology clinic. I will continue volunteering for Make-A-Wish and keep them close to me throughout my life because I can honestly say my Make-A-Wish was one of the best experiences of my life and I will never forget it.

Kelly, NC

April 11, 2010

Since the birth of our second son at 31 weeks in 2006, we have supported the March of Dimes walk, but nothing could top the first walk that we did. He had only been home for a month and still wasn’t even as big as if he had gone to term, but we put his in the stroller for the walk. We were amazed at how all of our friends and family started gathering one by one and were overwhelmed at the size of our team. We continue the tradition to this day by walking each year, but I am always stunned at my friends’ continued devotion to the cause.

Trent, NC

April 8, 2010

We are a contracting firm in Charlotte, NC. We have a wonderful team of long term and dedicated associates, that we try to take care of. In 2008, we thought it time to try to use our network and asset to give back to the community or people in Charlotte, US, Anywhere… we didn’t know yet and it didn’t matter. So we started reaching out to organizations.

In 2006/2007, a new, young associate at our organization was diagnosed (in his lower 20′s) with a Blood Cancer. So for most of his first year of employment, he suffered through Cemo and Work constantly. Well, he recovered and is in full remission. We then interviewed the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He said stated that he had a blood cancer (I originally didn’t know what type of cancer), and that these folks helped him during his struggles. THEN WE KNEW, OUR CALLING WAS TO HELP UTILIZE OUR ASSET AS A BUSINESS AND EXTROVERTED PEOPLE TO RAISED MONEY OR EFFORT FOR THIS CAUSE.

We put together a business plan for a “corn hole tournament” (commonly known as bags). We called on our sub contractors, vendors and customer base. Also, our employees really gave hundreds of hours of their personal time and family time. In 2008 it was a success, not only did we give back in heart and effort to raise awareness, we also raised over $30,000.00. In 2009 we had our “2nd Annual Pitch’n Corn for a Cure” and raised over $40,000.00.

So in two years, with a little Heart, Soul and a Lot of Leverage, we have raised over $70,000.00 for a wonderful cause. People ask why the LLS or why now? This is the deal, if you are asking why, then you are trying to build an excuse. Just start Paying It Forward and the as the Golden Rule tells, it will come back to you ten-fold.

So Much Fun, and because of it, our Team is stronger than ever!

Vickie, ND

April 6, 2010

They call my dad “Mr. Special Olympics.” He has won numerous awards over the years as a coach and a volunteer. He gives so much of his time and love to the athletes, it is contagious. They adore him. He started Camp Soar (Special Olympics Athletic Retreat) 10 years ago. It is a free, week-long, summer camp for individuals with special needs. The campers participate in basketball, swimming, soccer, bocce, tennis, arts/crafts, bingo, computers, bowling, dancing, etc. It is an annual highlight for the campers and volunteers. Every time I see a camper throughout the year, they ask when Camp Soar starts. They can’t wait. Volunteers return every year more excited than the year before. I look forward to helping every year. It is truly one of the best weeks of my year. My dad is quite an inspiration.

Dusty, NC

April 5, 2010

The sparkle in a child’s eyes when they see a Christmas present with their name on it is a priceless gift. This past year my wife and I volunteered to deliver gifts to a needy family via the Angel Tree program that is sponsored by our church. We had bought packages and gifts for this program before; and we always felt really good about going out and buying the gifts, but this was the first time that we were going to take a more active role in spreading Christmas cheer through Angel Tree.

I have to admit that I was a bit worried about delivering the gifts. What would we say? Would the family be embarrassed? Etc. When we arrived at our church the morning of Christmas Eve to pick up the gifts we realized that we had greatly underestimated the generosity of everyone towards this program. We expected maybe a dozen packages and a few bags of groceries. What we found was we two eight foot long tables completely covered with gifts and bag after bag of groceries! In fact, we had to call the program coordinator to confirm that all of the items labeled for the family were truly meant to go to one family.

We loaded everything up and headed to our destination. All of my earlier concerns were alleviated when we knocked on the door and found five very willing young helpers to assist us with the unloading of the packages. The pure joy that was in these young children’s faces was something to behold. I had a package in my hand and read the name of the recipient out to find out whom it belonged to. A little girl, she couldn’t have been more than four or five years old, squealed and said “is that for me?” The look on her face was priceless when I handed her the present so she could carry it inside. At that moment I knew that our family would make delivering gifts for Angel Tree part of our family holiday tradition!

Sarah, FL

April 5, 2010

Last week as my husband and daughter were leaving the house for my daughter’s dance practice, around 3:30pm, my dog must have followed them out of the house without my husband realizing it. As he left, my dog was left outside with no one at home. 3 hours later when I got home I was unable to find my dog. After frantically searching every room in the house, I decided to look outside on the lanai. Sure enough, there was my sweet Jessie hanging out by the pool. I assumed my husband left her out there earlier in the day. When I talked to my husband later I mentioned that when he went out on the lanai earlier he must have left Jessie out there. He replied that he hadn’t gone out on the lanai. So after some discussion we realized that Jessie must have followed him out of the house earlier and been left outside alone. The only conclusion we could come up with was that someone in our neighborhood recognized Jessie and knew she was ours, and put her inside the pool area for us. We still have no idea who did this for us, but I am extremely grateful! Jessie is a very special part of our family and if something had happened to her we’d be devastated. You never know when a small act of kindness will mean something huge to someone else!

Melissa, FL

April 5, 2010

my neighbor took my cat into their home because I could not have it as a pet anymore

Anonymous, FL

April 3, 2010

On September 16, 2008 I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm at home. My sons were at a football game waiting to be picked up, and I found myself unable to get up off of the floor, and profusely regurgitating, not having any idea what was wrong, thinking something I ate wasn’t agreeing with me. Desperately I tried to make several phone calls to find someone to pickup my sons. Finally I managed to crawl to the neighbors home next door (I didn’t know them as I had only moved into my first home in July.) I recall placing my hand up to the window, and when the door opened the last thing I remember saying was ‘I think I’m really sick.’ The rest of this story, I have no memory of but have been told piece by piece. The ambulance was called and I was taken to the hospital. When they found that I had a ruptured aneurysm and their facility was unable to do the immediate surgery required to save my life, I was transferred to another hospital within the hour. My sons were told not to expect me to return as there was a very good possibility that I would not recover. My daughter, in college in Arizona, was called and told she didn’t have 24 hours to get here, as if she waited, she probably would never see me again. My sons are blessed to be in a Marching Band at their school, and several of the members accompanied my boys to the hospital and waited with them while I underwent major brain surgery. My daughter left school and decided that it was best to come home, keep the house going and the boys going at school, and to stay, should I recover, knowing that I would need a lot of help and care during my recovery. (She stayed with us for 2 months.) The students and staff at the school I work for got together and held a walk-a-thon on my behalf, raising funds that helped pay a portion of our living expenses during this time as I was unable to return to work for several months. The students and staff also provided meals which they delivered to my home. The community at large was also very supportive in so many ways throughout my ordeal. Though I still have residual effects from this trauma, I have now returned to work, my daughter not only returned to school, but was still able to complete her academics and will be graduating this year, moving on to a Master’s program in public health. My sons also survived the trauma and will be graduating this year from high school, both going on to college in the fall. Had it not been for the prayers and outpouring of love and support from this community in which I live and work, my survival and subsequent well-being of my children could not have been a story of survival that I am here and able to tell.

Kayden, CA

April 3, 2010

I am still young and haven’t had many opportunities to help people in a life changing way. Reading Jenn’s story has really opened my eyes and realized that there are bigger things in life. I want to try to be a more open person about things and care more for people, Thank you so much Jenn.

Kimberly, NC

April 2, 2010

One day I was at work on the top floor of our building, I happened to look down to see the woman driving a SUV that wasn’t paying attention to what she was doing. All of a sudden I saw her slam into a parked car behind her as she was pulling out of the parking lot. It was very obvious that she felt the impact because I could see her body bounce back and forth after the fact. To my suprise, as she was manuevering to leave instead of parking to get out of her car and check the damage or leave any contact information for the accident! I immediately ran downstairs and blocked the exit of the parking lot!

I clearly wasnt thinking at the time because I had my laptop in one hand and waving the other hand as if I was directing her to park…like a crazy person! When she parked and got out, I said ma’am, do you realize you just hit that car? She not-so-politely said; “yeah, you pointed that out already…thanks”!!
I watched as she went into the business below mine and there was this sweet little old lady and her 4 year old granddaughter…it was there car!
I stayed down in the parking lot and wrote down the license plate and car description just to be safe…when the driver left, I went up to the grandmother and asked if she got all the information she needed and if she needed further help!

Fortunately, she got all the information she needed from the “would-be hit & run driver”!

The dent was the size of a basketball in her bumper…

Nancy, OH

April 2, 2010

As a little child I began to sing with the church choir. I haven’t stopped singing yet. Last year a choir director in the area got the idea that it would be nice to have a choir to put on concerts in the area to make money for charities. The first one was a 100+ member choir that earned money for the Susan G. Kohman foundation of Northeast Ohio. We were able to send them over $12,000. I wanted to get into the choir because of my love for singing and because for over 35 years I have been helping people in both employment and in church. I worked at a local hospital and was a paramedic for the city EMS. In church I am on the missions committee and we do a lot to help the people of the town and the nation. It has been to great to be able to combine my love of music and the ability to help others. What a reward it has been.

Tracey, NC

April 2, 2010

This past October my father was hospitalized and every time I went to see him I had to pass the childrens wing, which after 12 days becomes quite a few times,coming and going twice a day. Once my father was released I wanted to say thank you to the staff of nurses and aids that were so kind to him.I kept thinking of the children in that wing that would be hospitalized for Halloween. How they would not get to dress up or go trick or treating or even see their friends or siblings as visitors on this day ,due to the hospital policy of no one under 18 allowed in, due to the H1N1 virus scare. With them in mind I called the hospital and asked if I could donate a few pumpkins carved for them to enjoy, The facilitator said actually the need would be 40 uncarved pumpkins and candy if possible.As I stood next to my client, I am a personal trainer , my jaw dropped I said,” oh sure no problem when do you need them by?” The facilitator said,”Thursday”? I said “oh ok, its Tuesday, I have two days no problem”. When I hung up I turned to my client and said ,”they need forty pumpkins and candy by Thursday, Yikes!,” she said ,”I’ll bring 5 and I bet your other clients will also”.This is when the act of true kindness started in my eyes.

As my clients came in for the next two days I told them in passing what had transpired and if they had an extra pumpkin maybe they could bring it in for the children.I know you thinking, an extra pumpkin? who has extra pumpkins sitting around?, But I hate asking people for donations, and how could I word it without saying “can you bring a pumpkin in for this bright idea I had and now I need a lot time help?” Well in two days I probably told about 20 clients and co- workers my story and by Thursday morning I had over 150 pumpkins and 50 lbs of candy on my work stairs. My friends and clients were dropping off 1, 2, 5, 30 pumpkins each, at a time!!!!!!! It was Amazing! I had my own pumpkin patch to deliver to the children along with a store of candy. I knew these gifts would make their Halloween bearable while having to be there.

My friends and clients stepped right up to the challenge without hesitation. I didn’t even have the chance to tell others about it because these few made it happen in two days. It truly was the most rewarding experience I have had. It let me believe in the kindness and giving spirit of people. I am proud to have these people in my life and in my community.One act of kindness can lead to so many!!!

Beth, FL

April 1, 2010

I am a mother of 2 girls, 13 and 6. When my six year old was just two and a half, she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor that required immediate surgery. Because this type of brain tumor was so rare, there was no surgeon on the east coast that would operate on it. My husband and I came across a surgeon in Phoenix, AZ by the name of Dr. Rekate who has dedicated his life and his profession to removing this specific type of tumor in children. Because we lived in Philadelphia at the time, we had to travel to AZ for the surgery and were told that Taylor’s recovery would be 10-14 days. So, my husband and I would have to temporarily relocate to AZ for as long as it took for her to heal. We went to Phoenix in November of 2006, only to return home the next day because our medical insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of the surgery. After returning home, we did a lot of fighting with the insurance company to get it covered and had to reschedule the surgery. However, we lost money on hotel accommodations, airfare, and other travel expenses. So, with the help of many of our friends and family, they threw a fundraiser in Taylor’s honor which raised over $13,000 for us to use towards airfare, hotel, car rental, and other miscellaneous travel expenses for 2 weeks worth of living in Phoenix. Without the help of the fundraiser, my husband and I would have struggled for quite some time after her surgery to get back on our feet after we got home. We are so grateful for the help that people offered our family. Now, Taylor is healthy, happy, and loving life.

Julie, TX

April 1, 2010

As a parent of young children, you tend to gravitate to other parents of young children and everyone hangs out together. Our neighborhood was that way. Several of us moms had husbands that worked nights or were single moms. We played together and grew quite close. When my single friend was laid off, she sunk into a depression and then into alcoholism. Her immediate family would not help. My family pulled together and had her 9 year old son live with us for 6 months until she could recover. My son was 8 years old at the time and my daughter was 13 years old. This made a huge impact on our family and one that will follow my children through the rest of their lives.

Rich, NC

April 1, 2010

When I was much younger, my father would always pick me up from my job in the late hours. This particular night we saw a woman, Star, who was sitting on the curb with backpack. I went over and asked her was she waiting on someone and she responded that she was backpacking to Asheville. My father and I decided that at midnight it wasn’t safe to walk through Charlotte. So we drove her from Monroe to Shelby, with a stop at the Krystals a long the way, to feed her. She was very grateful for our act of kindness. I hope she’s doing well

Vinnie, NJ

April 1, 2010

My brother Jerry is accustomed to helping and protecting others. He’s served our country in Iraq (twice), sifted through the debris of September 11, and has been on countless SWAT missions. During his now two-year battle with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, he protected his young family from worry by remaining optimistic and by holding on to his sense of humor and fun nature. In the next step of his treatment, Jerry will need a bone marrow transplant; the procedure will be an arduous and physical challenge that will bring financial burdens as well. Those of us who know and love Jerry came to realize that, for once in his life, he would be the one needing help and protection. It was an unusual role for him and one we knew he’d find uncomfortable. Employing some minor reconnaissance missions of our own, we compiled a website telling the story of his relentless spirit and encouraging people to purchase a t-shirt and leave messages of support. We also posted a link to the bone marrow registry, a cause that Jerry has embraced to help those who are still waiting for matches. In the first week of their appearance on the web, joinjerry2010.com/ and joinjerry2010.blogspot.com/ were viewed by more than 300 people. An outpouring of love and support has come in. A follow-up face book page had more than 40 fans within the first 24 hours, and several people made plans to register with the bone marrow registry. We are proud of the support received, recognizing that it is a tribute both to the kind of man Jerry is and to the generosity of the human spirit.

Michele and Alex, FL

March 31, 2010

My Adult Bible Fellowship at class cooks and feeds the homeless on a quarterly basis. The adults in the class who have children also bring their children along to help prepare and serve a meal to those less fortunate.

We also enjoy adopting a child at Christmas time every year that is in need of “Santa”. Alex and I enjoy selecting the child, going out and shopping for him or her, and lastly delivering the gifts and spending time with the family.

Daryl, NC

March 31, 2010

I was running a few weeks ago in uptown Charlotte and was headed across a large bridge over a major highway. As I crossed the bridge, I noticed a young man standing in the middle. He had a hood on and his pants were baggy. I could not see his face and I thought that he might be laughing on the phone by the sounds he was making. As I got closer, I noticed that his foot kept lifting to the railing and that he was not laughing but crying. I passed by him and then stopped. I turned back and said “Are you ok?”. He shrugged me off and tried to move away. I proceeded to tell him that I am a stranger and he never has to see me again. After a few minutes of convincing, he opened up to me, telling me that he was 18 years old and his parents left a long time ago. He lives with his sister. His parents did not care about him and his sister has a family and does not have time for him. He told me that he was only happy for 1 minute every day, and the rest of the day he was miserable. So quickly, I came up with a mission for him. I told him he needed to go to a church. I suggested that he not go for God. I told him to go and talk to the clergy and find out in what ways he can help people. I suggested taking meals to the elderly or serving in a kitchen. The main goal is just to help people as much as you can for the next 6 months. Next, I told him to find me and tell me if he has found any joy that he was missing. After I had walked him off the bridge and told him the location that he can find me at work, he smiled really big and said “I will see you in six months, thanks so much.” Personally, I hope to see him when the time comes.

Brandy, NC

March 24, 2010

Jenn’s dedication to help Blake and his family was my inspiration when the opportunity presented itself. I had first met Shannon Richards with her friends and family on St. Patrick’s Day 2007. Her family had come down from Connecticut to celebrate her 25th birthday and more importantly, that her cancer was in remission. Shannon didn’t look like someone who I thought would have just battled years with cancer. She was beautiful, had so much energy and laughed at everything!

I found out in August that Shannon’s cancer had returned and it didn’t look good. She was in Charlotte and her insurance wouldn’t approve the cost of transporting her to be closer to her family, who was struggling to keep their jobs and also be with Shannon. I thought of Jenn’s volunteerism, and I immediately orchestrated a fund-raiser. I was completely shocked at how much people wanted to help! The date, venue and media coverage were secured and I then networked through my friends for silent auction items, started a My Space page and designed a logo and flyer. We raised $3,400 that day to transport Shannon.

Unfortunately, Shannon lost her battle with cancer. But there were several beautiful things that came from knowing her: One is that I found out I can make a difference. And my friends found out they can make a difference. Since then, several have branched out and started their own philanthropies, from starting other fundraisers to helping displaced workers find new jobs. I’m proud of all of us, and know that we have the capacity to help when the opportunity presents itself again. Thank you, Jenn.

Rich, IL

March 15, 2010

When I moved to Chicago in 1999, I decided to start having an annual Christmas party; first for the employees of the company I worked for and later, as I got more established there, for colleagues, clients, and friends.

Being 1/4 Italian, we are always prepared with more than enough food and wine at a party, however partygoers, not wanting to come emply handed, would show up with beer, wine, and food to the party, which left me eating leftovers for a week afterwards and in many cases, throwing a lot of prefectly good food out because I just couldn’t eat it all. Around about 2004, I decided to mention on the invitation that, as much as I appreciated people bringing food and drink, we always had a ton of leftovers, and that it would be much more appreciated if they would instead consider bringing a toy for the local Toys For Tots drive. That year, and every year since, friends and family have contributed about two carloads (and my car can hold quite a bit!) full of toys for the drive.

I like to bring the toys to the dropoff site at an “off time” when people aren’t around, so the next day people walk in and there is a full box of toys. Maybe Santa and his elves stopped there!

Jerry, NC

March 10, 2010

I was stationed in Baghdad, Iraq for four months during the summer of 2007. We were living not far from the banks of the Tigris River which separates “The Green Zone” and Sadr City, one of the most dangerous places in Iraq. It was not uncommon for mortars to be regularly fired from Sadr City . Very often, these mortars fell short of their target and landed on a narrow strip of land between the Tigris and the concrete walls of The Green Zone. One day, Mike, who was assigned to my group, came upon an Iraqi woman and her two young boys, ages 5 and 7, living on this narrow strip of land. Their home was a hut that was literally made of mud and stones, with no floor. The father had been killed during the initial invasion. The family had no place to go and simply prayed that the mortars continued to miss their hut. Amazingly, the boys were very happy. They always had a huge smile and big hug ready to great you with. No shoes, few clothes, no playstation, and very happy. Makes you think.

Upon learning of this family’s plight, Mike initiated a plan to get them out of Iraq and into a camp in Jordan. This was an extremely difficult task that required team work and a lot of leg work, organizing, planning and fund raising. We raised money form them in Baghdad and I called my church in Charlotte for help. They sent my $1,000 a few days later, after asking only a few questions. Are they Gods children, do they need help, and is $1,000 enough?

Through Mike’s extraordinary efforts, and the generosity of many people, including my church, the family was safely relocated to Jordan. The last I heard about them is that they had settled into a nice area, the boys were in school and the mom found a job. All because Mike, saw people that needed help and reacted. Reminds me of someone I know.

Kent, OH

February 24, 2010

Last week my wife nicole and the kids went to the library and checked out a few books. In the two minutes allowed to find something for herself while the kids whined and complained she grabbed a book she thought looked interesting and checked it out.

I apparently thought it was interesting, so i picked it up off of the kitchen counter and thumbed through it and was captivated by $200 in cash sitting between the middle pages.

It was not ours. We contacted the Library who called the previous person who had checked it out. She said it was hers. So we took it back and were admittedly anxious for a thank you. The Library did say thank you, but not the trumpets or parade we secretly wanted.

Anyway, a week letter a note came in the mail from the person who had accidently left it in the book – they had been short on their mortgage and she was afraid to tell her husband that she had lost $200 he had given her. She was thankful – Guess that was the trumpet blaring we were originally thinking of!

Noelle, NC

February 10, 2010

I recently learned that a close friend, who is a single mother, suffered a large flood in her home, due to the recent rain downpour on Sunday night. Just before heading to bed, she thought to check the basement since the rain was heavy and she had experienced several previous water leaks. From the moment she discovered the incoming water, it was less than 30 minutes until her entire (finished) basement was soaked in 4 inches of standing water. Foregoing sleep, she spent the rest of the night and into the wee-hours of the morning, removing the water all by herself. She then took her child to school, still running on empty and had to miss work to continue her efforts to dry the basement. All Christmas and other storage boxes were soaked and each and every item had to be sorted and repacked. Upon learning of her ordeal, two of her friends and I banned together to pick up dinner for her and her son, numerous plastic bins (for reorganizing and repacking the soaked boxes) and headed to her home for “operation clean-up.” One friend tackled the kitchen and upstairs living area, while one spent the evening playing games with her son, while she and I tackled the basement, repacking items into bins. We, then, moved our efforts to her laundry because many clothes were affected by the flood. She had spent her day off work, doing multiple loads of laundry. We helped her by folding all the clothes and sorting through to make things a little easier for when we had to leave. While we didn’t really do as much as we would have liked, our small effort allowed her to see the “light at the end of the tunnel.” As a single mother, working full time and still working out the details of her past marriage, she was overwhelmed by the magnitude of damage and work that lied ahead. Our efforts, as she said to us in her very poignant “thank you” note, restored her hope and gave her the momentum she needed to move forward again. What was truly a small act of kindness on our part was, for her, the act of us climbing a mountain on her behalf. The joy this brought, in helping her, restored my faith as well. We all need help and it’s nice to know that a small outreach can make such a big difference for someone. Don’t listen to me, she said it best: I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to have the three of you show up and lend me a hand. I am going on fumes and about at my wits end and somehow, you managed to pull me back into the realm of “it’s possible.” You three ladies are my heart – I type this with tears, only because I am moved beyond comprehension at the meaning of your actions. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Just when I felt like I had no one to depend on, it is yet the fairer of the sexes that stands up and says “let’s do it” and actually gets it done. You go, my sisters! Love you very, very, very much. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much for tonight.

Erica, NC

February 6, 2010

One of my best girlfriends was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in May of 2009. In September of 2009 she lost her fight leaving behind a four month old daughter, 7 & 5 year old boys and husband. Annie had just turned 35 in August. Annies husband owned a construction business that had already seen the devastation of a tanking economy and when he decided to take time away to spend with Annie for those last four months, you can imagine what it did to their financial picture.

I watched an amazing outpouring from a community that didn’t even know this family. A local barber in the area heard of Annies sad story and threw together a barbeque that raised over $10,000 in half a day. I watched neighbors write checks to cover utilities, house payments, give their time to clean their house, cook dinner for the family every Thursday for months.

I spent the last three weeks of Annies life by her bedside every night. Through this unfortunate event I realized this…we all work so hard to accomplish “things” in our lifetime. Whether it be careers or material things, but what I learned was this. When it is your time to go, to leave this world – it doesn’t matter how you got that promotion, how much money you made, the car you drive or the house you live in. What really matters are the lives you touched along the way, how much you loved and the nice things you did for others. Those are the things you will be remembered for.

My life was forever changed through this tragedy and I know the others that were involved and watched a community pull together to lend support to a family in desperate need will be changed as well. You can’t witness something like this and not want to pay it forward….

Katie, NY

February 6, 2010

I was so touched a couple weeks ago to see 2 little girls selling lemonade and brownies to raise money for the victims of Haiti. I live in New York City so it’s not often that you find lemonade stands on the sidewalks, outside of apartment buildings, but the cramped and crowded sidewalks didn’t stop these girls from doing a good deed.

Fred, NC

February 6, 2010

A few weeks ago, I had to go look after my mother-in-law who has Alzheimer’s. She couldn’t be left alone while her husband made a second trip to the doctor that day. She doesn’t realize where she is anymore, much less who her husband and children are. She’s even mistaken me for a deceased son-in-law from 30 years ago. So we chatted while my father-in-law was gone and I realized that you have to play along with their forgetfulness to keep them at ease. So I tried to talk to her about actors from the past and friends from her hometown, deceased or living. It helped a little but her husband was taking longer than I expected. I can’t rush it, he’s 88, she’s 82, and he needed a break from her more than I probably realized. God bless him. The woman he has loved for over 60 years doesn’t know who he is anymore. Sometimes she knows who he is and dotes on him as well. We still chatted once he got home and I asked to see if he needed help before I left. He was very happy to have a break, whistling as he walked in the door. As I was leaving, she called me by her deceased son-in-law’s name and I just went with it. I told her my wife and I would stop by next weekend, my father-in-law was hoping sooner than that. Any visit from us is a well-deserved break for him.

Brent, NC

Through our local church, every year at Thanksgiving, we buy groceries for complete Thanksgiving meals and deliver to all the families at a nearby apartment complex. At this particular complex, there are a lot of needy families who can’t afford a traditional Thanksgiving meal. This past year, we supplied more than 200 Thanksgiving meals. It only took individuals and families making a commitment to supply one or two meals. Not a major commitment to make our city a better place to live to a few needy families. Making a difference is not hard, especially if we work together.

Anonymous

My father died almost 7 years ago at 55. My mother is doing well because of her friends. I live in a different city and my brother lives in another state. Over the holidays my mom had to have last minute knee surgery. Because of the short notice, I couldn’t organize an extended trip to take care of her. I was releived when her friends planned to stay at the hospital with her during Christmas week for the 7 hour surgery. It has been a month since her surgery and her friends love and service has been constant. They grocery shop for her, make her meals, take her to physical therapy, take her to her doctor appointments, and come by every day to change her ice for her knee. Even though a husband’s presence can’t be replaced, it is amazing to see the love that her friends show. It brings tears to my eyes to think how much they had to put on hold in their lives to make my mom’s easier.

Linda, NC

Over the years I’ve learned the importance of looking up! When you look up, you see lots of little opportunities to help out others. I remember sitting in my car one day in the grocery store parking lot. I was about to leave when I looked up. What I saw was an elderly woman struggling while trying to unload her buggy. Sometimes the process of unloading while navigating the buggy and the car door is hard for me, much less someone more frail. I noticed right away someone walking by her and I thought they would help… but they didn’t look up. Another person did the same before I could get out of my car and walk a few spaces over to her. I did startle her at first, but when she realized that I was there to help her she was so thankful. Looking up for me is like not changing the channel!

Gary, NC

My wife (Beth) is the most amazing person I know. In 2005 shortly after hurricaine Katrina, she went to New Orleans and spent 10 days helping the animals that were displaced because the storm, in addition, for the past 6 years Beth has hosted a Samaritans Purse gathering at our homefor her clients, friends and family to participate and bring shoe boxes full of items for the less fortunate children of the world, on average she has collected over 60 boxes each year. She continues to exhibit random acts of kindness in any way she can from helping local charities with time or money, recently she made a large monitary contribution to help the people of haiti.

Curtis, FL

I received a call from my oldest son, the family dog had dissapeared. It was a rainy night and late, most copy stores were closed. I was fortunate enough to reach an employee at a local Kinko’s. He agreed to receive an email photo and assist me in creating a “lost dog” flyer. This employee donated his time, materials and products, and sent me on my way FREE, he only asked that I go and be a hero to my children and find the dog!

Betty Lou, Maine

I don’t have a great story, but I volunteer at our local food bank two days a month, and stock the shelves twice a week. I see the many hungry people, and feel good that I can help just a little bit. Thanks for all that you do.

Ben, NC

Three years ago my mom asked me to join her Circle Up friends & family team and run in Komen’s Race for the Cure 5k. I had just started running again a year after ACL knee surgery and thought it would be fun to race. As part of the race you enlist friends and family to sponsor you as a way to raise money for Komen. The first year I raised some money, ran the race and had fun. Breast cancer didn’t really register on my radar at that point in my life and it wasn’t until after the race while at Circle Up’s post-race brunch that I really started to understand how many women are affected by breast cancer. Breast cancer has affected my family directly; my mom’s mother died of breast cancer when my mom was 26 years old (on my first birthday), as well as her aunt. In addition, my mom’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 20′s, but fortunately was a survivor. The most amazing thing about Circle Up is the number of survivors and supporters that participate on the team. In the end, I was motivated to do more the following year. The past two years I have worked harder to raise money to find a cure for breast cancer; last year I was the 38th highest fund raiser in the Charlotte race and this year was fortunate to raise even more. The Circle Up team with 300 friend & family members raised over $100,00 in this year’s race. It was painfully evident this year that as much money is raised, there is still no cure — one of the survivors that Circle Up was founded for over 10 years ago died two weeks before the race this year. The most significant thing I have learned over the last three years with Race for The Cure is that there is no amount of money too big or too small because you never know which dollar will help find the cure. I encourage everyone to find a way to help out. If not breast cancer, then find another cause close to your heart to get involved with.

Angelina, NC

My name is Angelina and tonight I had most of my hair cut off. I am nine years old and last year I didn’t know what the word cancer meant,until now. In the last year five people have been diagnosed with cancer in my life. Sonya is my pen pal who is nine years old and lives in England. She has incurable leukemia. She wants to be a dancer and a singer but she knows she can’t. She wrote to me that she has no hair, but that her daddy told her she is beautiful just the way she is. Ms. Susan, my next door neighbor had breast cancer this year. She had to take medicine called chemotherapy and her hair fell out. She has now finished her chemotherapy and her hair is growing back. She had a mastectomy, which means that she had the breast that had cancer removed. My Auntie Tia came to visit me this year and told me she has had two different types of cancer and she has survived them both! My Nana found out this year that she had cancer. She caught the cancer very early and they were able to remove it. She was very lucky that she does not have to have chemotherapy or any of the drugs that make your hair fall out. Mrs. Linda is my biggest story. Ms. Linda is my best friends mom. She has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It was really scary the day that she came over and my best friend and I helped shave her head. She also got the H1N1 flu. She had to go to the hospital for six weeks. They had to put her on machines that would breathe for her and she had tubes in her throat. The doctor’s didn’t think she would live. It was a very bad situation and it made me really sad. But she is strong and is getting better. Her hair is starting to grow back and I am so glad she is going to be ok. Cancer has really touched my life. I know there is nothing I can do about it but by donating hair I can at least HELP. From what I have been through this year, I know it is a good thing to give up my hair, so I am not scared.

Chuck, NY

One day as I was driving into town, I noticed a woman with a small child standing at the bus stop. It was raining and she had no umbrella and was trying as best she could to cover her baby. I recently had the pleasure to hear a well known TV personality speak and as I passed the mother and child, I remembered her remarks about random acts of kindness. So, I turned around and drove back to the bus stop where I stopped and asked if she would like a ride to the uptown transit center. She answered a very quick, “yes, please”. so I took them to the center. She sweetly offered to give me money for gas but I obviously said ” no thank you”. I did not know that cars were not allowed in the center so I turned right in and proceeded to drive through. At that time she said’ “you cannot drive in here”. We were approached by two transit police officers signaling me to stop. The lady quickly got out and quickly explained to the officers that I did not know the rules and that I was simply trying to help her. The officer said “that was a nice thing to do” and allowed me to proceed with out incident. She thanked me and walked away. They were safe, warm and had shelter from the rain. I left with a feeling that made the rest of my day great and on top of that, the sun came out!

Ann, SC

Early this summer, my husband and I were walking into a local church to have lunch (they serve up a mean, Southern cooking buffet). As we walked in, I noticed a young woman who had the cutest pair of turquoise (my favorite color!) flats on. I said, “Wow! What great shoes you have on” and she turned to us with tear filled eyes and asked, “Do you know of anyplace I can get some help to pay my rent so my son and I won’t get evicted?” And then she fell to the ground and began crying uncontrollably. It turns out she had already been to Crisis Ministeries and they had paid her electricity bill. But she had not been able to find help to pay her June rent and she had 3 days before she and her son would be evicted. She had just gotten a new job at WalMart in the University area (I confirmed that) and was about to be able to take care of herself and her son except she couldn’t pay that one month’s rent and that was going to get them evicted. We got her name and telephone number and I told her I would call her later that day after I made a few calls. After confirming that her story was true (including calling her landlord), my husband and I decided we had to help her. That was our job – and that’s what the good Lord wants us to do….to help each other. I have spoken to our friend a couple of times since then. She and her son are doing fine. She loves her job and is in school at DeVry hoping to graduate next year. She was sooooo grateful and overwhelmed that 2 strangers would pay her rent for her so she and her son wouldn’t get evicted but my husband and I thought we had no other choice. It was our duty to help her and anyone else we can – but for the grace of God go I.

Pam, OH

Many years ago when I first relocated to Charlotte I found myself living with a roommate and making very little money. Determined to stay in Charlotte and become successful I knew I was never giving up. On a trip back home one year I shared a story with my grandfather that I really loved being in Charlotte but I was living with a roommate and sleeping on a single mattress in a one bedroom apartment. The mattress springs were coming through the mattress! It did not make for a very good night sleep. He said to me “Pammy, take this $100.00 and go back to Charlotte and buy yourself a new mattress. I want you to have a good night sleep”. So I did just that. With the help of a friend I marched myself down to the nearest mattress store to buy my new mattress. Hoping that it was not going to fall off the top of my 1979 rusted out Oldsmobile Cutlass, we made it. Over the years my husband would always nag me to get rid of that mattress and I never could. Even though it sat in a closest doing nothing I could not bring myself to get rid of it. Until one day my mother & I were cleaning out that closet. My husband said yet again “Why don’t you get rid of that mattress it’s taking up so much space. Why don’t you give it to someone who could really use it! A light bulb instantly went off in my head. Of course give it to someone who really needs it. The next day I decided to call the Mecklenburg Emergency Housing office. I told them my story and they instantly had a client to give it to. With the help of my neighbor, Gary Schrieber we loaded that mattress and box spring in the truck. I called my husband that morning and told him, I have Grandpa in the car with me. I felt such an awesome feeling knowing that I was helping someone who really needed it just like me several years ago and I know Grandpa is smiling at me from heaven.

Nancy, NC

I had a close co-worker that was struggling from a friend that just had died suddenly. On my way to work, I stopped by the Farmers Market to get her a bouquet of flowers. I had a rough week too and decided to buy myself a bouquet. When I got to work another co-worker was telling me that her friend was dying of cancer. She had been staying with this friend at the hospital at night, leaving the hospital at 5AM, driving 20 miles home to get her 2 children off to school….all this time she was working her full time job. I gave my bouquet of flowers to this co-worker and said you need and deserve these flowers more that I do…….then I gave her a hug.

Paige, NC

What started out as a simple request for a 5-year-old to collect some change while holding her first-ever Lemonade Stand, sparks a charitable wave our family could have never seen coming. On a very predictable summer day while driving home for naptime, our 5-year-old asked if she could put together a Lemonade Stand, the kind she had seen other kids do many times on our neighborhood corners. This was not a surprise. AnneLeigh loves to work on new projects. What was the surprise was that she didn’t want to make her own money to buy the latest toy or her most recent “want.” Instead she was looking at a desperate, national “need” that even some adults have not been able to open up their eyes to, especially as we are all just trying to stay afloat in these tough times. From the backseat, AnneLeigh said, “Momma, I want to have a Lemonade Stand and Yard Sale and give all the money to sick kids.” We could have said something like “what a nice idea, maybe we can get to that some time” or we could have explained to her that we really didn’t have time to do anything right now. Instead, we came right home and started researching organizations that could be potential beneficiaries. After listening to her options, AnneLeigh decided the Make-A-Wish Foundation Central & Western North Carolina Chapter was the perfect fit. Her dad asked her why she chose Make-A-Wish and she said, “Because I know if I was as sick as those kids, I’d want someone to grant me my wish.” She decided she wanted to raise $199 so that she could send as many Wish Kids to Disney World as possible. Little could any of us imagine that young, naive goal would soon be realized and even shattered! AnneLeigh immediately got to work by holding conference calls, touring the local Make-A-Wish offices for tips and supplies, and enlisting bakers and area business donors along the way. My husband and I gathered the details and information and simply sent out the call for support through email. Although we were not surprised that friends and family here in Charlotte and across the country answered that call by offering up items for sale, baked goods and cash donations, the extent of their generosity blew us away! Even before the weekend event kicked off, AnneLeigh had already collected $439. The first afternoon, she collected an additional $442. We wrapped up Saturday morning with another $483. That short weekend event totalled $1,364 to donate to Wish Kids. Amazingly, though, it did not end there. We continued to get phone calls and emails asking if it was too late to help. Of course, we agreed to extend our donation period. In the end, AnneLeigh’s “1st Annual Lemonade Stand and Yard Sale” raised $3882!!! While we are thoroughly in awe of the donations that AnneLeigh’s event brought in, we are even more thrilled with this wave of generosity we feel. We know that we have a very special, HUGE-hearted little girl. But, I think this experience shows so much more about the quality of people who surround us. Friends and neighbors young and old stopped by to drop off goodies, bring an extra table or just to lend a hand and offer support. The checks, well-wishes and prayers poured in from as far away as North and South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Kentuckly, Florida, Arizona and even England! AnneLeigh had the idea, the plan, made the contacts and gave us our marching orders. Michael, 3-year-old sister, Juliann, and I just obeyed what God had put on her young heart. As I type through my tears, I feel so gracious that she is mine to call “daughter.” My 5-year-old philanthropist may have just answered her own wish of sending Wish Kids to Disney World. Her next wish — that other kids, even as young as she is, will hold events like hers around Charlotte and around the country so that even more Wish Kids will get to smile. I am certain this is just the first of many charitable ventures AnneLeigh will have in her life. As a postscript to our Make-A-Wish adventure, during a recent trip to Orlando our family was blessed with a visit to “Give Kids the World.” It’s the bright-colored, smiles-all-around Village where Wish Families and other families facing life-threatening illnesses are welcome to stay as they escape what has become their daily nightmares. If you ever have the chance to research or visit or volunteer at “Give Kids the World,” I am certain you will be fulfilled even more than many of those children and their family members.

Sarah, NC

My name is Sarah and I was a morning radio host in Charlotte NC for 10 years.One day about 8 years ago I answered the phone in the studio and it was a listener, Teresa, who had heard me talking about Charlotte’s Susan G. Komen – Race for the Cure. Teresa had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and was pretty scared about her chemotherapy that was about to begin. I asked if she wanted some company during her treatments and a few days later I was sitting next to her as she got her chemo. We became good friends and I joined her for her treatments as often as I could. Last month Teresa learned that her cancer has returned. I’m ready for more long talks and shared Popsicle’s in the chemo room if she wants me there.

Lesley, TX

I do not like to toot my own horn, I was so inspired by your story I had to share with you what happened at Wal~Mart. A woman, her husband and 2 kids (young girl and boy) were in line in front of me. She had her money stacked on the counter, she knew exactly how much she had and she was adding in her head what the total would be. It ended up being more than what the woman had. She had said to the cashier, take this off (eggs), take this off (cans of tomato sauce), take this off, we are talking about $4. I am looking at this young girl and she is looking at me. At this point I looked in my somewhat empty wallet and found $4.00. I handed her the $4.00 and said take this. Of course she said no, I said take it. I am thinking to myself today I have $4.00, tomorrow I may not. She took the money and the woman hugged me and the little girl hugged me and the husband mouthed “Bless You”. I even told her to keep the .32 cent change. I felt good about doing this. I don’t think I will forget the woman and her family. I shop in Wal~Mart weekly and I look for them.

John, NC

There is a little girl in Charlotte who is battling cancer for the second time. Ellie Potvin continues to battle cancer everyday with strength and courage. As her mom and dad battle this disease with her some new heroes have emerged to help her parents battle the ugly medical bills associated with cancer. The Charlotte Checkers have announced that November 8th 2009 will be lift up Ellie day. All tickets purchased through the Liftupellie.com web site will have a portion of proceeds donated to help Ellie’s bills. So many other volunteers are stepping up to assist with this great event. The Ardrey Kell Lacrosse team has already had many volunteers sign up to make the day a success. This day will be a success because of Charlotte’s kindest people who know that we all have to lift up Ellie.