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.