Congratulations to Margot, the winner of our $75 giveaway. I offered to send her a gift card for Amazon.com, but instead she asked that I send the money to the Altrusa International Foundation.
Altrusa sponsors book drives, organizes blood donation drives, volunteers at free health clinics, and more.
Although it has chapters across the world (including several in New Zealand and one in Ukraine), its focus is on the local community. The chapter based on Temple, Texas (population: 66,000), for example, “adopted” a local family that needed help, giving them furniture, rides to work, and other assistance.
That warms my heart. Margot won a contest and choose to share her good fortune with others.
In the wake of some tragic events that have happened in the U.S. recently, its important to focus on the fact that millions of people are making the world better, in ways both large and small:
- The stranger who taped plastic over an open car window during a rainstorm, along with a note that said “Didn’t want your car to get wet. Have a nice day!”
- The hurricane victims who handed rescue workers four or five bags of diapers and asked the rescuer to gift it to “someone who needs it worse than we do.”
- The man whose co-workers donated their vacation and sick days to help him get paid throughout his prolonged hospital stay.
These are the stories that happen everyday. It doesn’t make the headlines. But these small, kind acts comprise our world.
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P.S. Margot requested that her donation go to the chapter based in the City of Temple, in central Texas. I’ve posted a screenshot of the donation for the sake of full transparency, which is one of my core values.
If you want to review the Altrusa’s financial statements, they’re posted at Justgive.org.
I started volunteering in July and it is one of the most worthwhile experiences. Although your time is worth more than a check, I think I am getting more than I am giving in terms of satisfaction.
I love that! If we listen to the media, we are doomed to live in an evil world, but there is so much good as well. We need to focus on that more!
Thank you Paula and Margot for your generosity!
Good things do indeed happen everyday. Last Monday, my mother assisted a friend of hers who is wheelchair bound to a haircut appt. When they arrived they had to wait for the person before them, a young man, to finish his cut. When he was done, my mother and her friend complimented his haircut. Then my mother and the stylist turned to the task of getting the friend into the barber chair. The young man, seeing them struggle, helped them out.
After the haircut, my mom and her friend stopped to pay…and found out that the haircut had already been paid for. Could they pay the tip? No…that had been taken care of too. My mother and her fried wanted to know who this kind soul was. Naturally, it was the young man. Turns out he is a local firefighter (so not wealthy, or anything) who is known for “random acts of kindness”. AWESOMENESS! He made their whole week.
@Jen – That is such a sweet story. I’ve heard of that happening at random moments — such as strangers who pay for someone’s meal at a diner. I love these random acts of kindness.
Thanks for the warm fuzzies. One of our favorite local christmas charities faced an extremely acute need this year, and when word got out, the whole community stepped up. It was amazing to watch strangers who had never been associated with the charity walk in and hand over hundred dollar bills for needy families all day on Saturday. That’s what Christmas is about.
@Mrs. Pop — If I could “like” your comment, I would. Your community set such a beautiful example.
Therein lies the dichotomy of human beings; we are capable of such beautiful dreams and such horrible acts…
Thank you Margot–Altrusans give around the world to enhance their communities. Projects in the Central Texas area include financial support for scholarships, support for the local agency supplying the food bank and many programs focused on literacy from kindergarten to adults. Check Altrusa.com to find an Altrusa Club near you.
thank you for sharing this. spreading the word about good deeds helps proliferate more.
It’s unfortunate good news doesn’t always make the headlines.
It is so wonderful when you see people doing nice things. It is hard to see sometimes because of so many bad headlines in the news. Thank you for bringing this to light.