HelpOthers.org: Acts of Kindness

When I was a young girl I spent a lot of time with my Grandparents, and they lived in a community specially for the elderly, and near to an old peoples home. I remember myself and my sister,playing our instruments for them, encouraged by my grandparents. They used to tell me that if some one elderly engages you in conversation, to make time for them, as you might have been the only person they got to talk to that day. I've never forgotten this, and still spare time to chat with an elderly person if they do engage me in chat. So when I saw "make a suggestion for how your community would benefit from a $100, I immediately` thought of the elderly.

As one of the lucky people to win a $100 dollars for my community, once converted to UK currency it worked out at £56, I then contacted my local community centre, and explained about HelpOthers, and what we as a group were trying to do. I then told them how I had made a suggestion, that if I had a $100 dollars to benefit my community, that I would use it to benefit the elderly who were alone, and had no family.

I then asked them if there was someway I would be able to do that through them, and they said that they did do things for the elderly at least once a week," could we do something a bit special?" I asked them " so they would all benefit from this donation", " yes of course we could do a buffet and dance" the centre Manager told me.

I thought this was a fantastic idea, and a very worthwhile use of the money, and so it went towards food and beverages to cater for about 30 elderly residents. A poster was put up to announce the buffet and dance and it was arranged for an afternoon. They also put on bingo with winners being able to win a hamper or a bottle of spirits.

I went up to see how it was all going and it turned out to be a very enjoyable afternoon, and I was very pleased to see that the people I wanted to benefit, had a wonderful and enjoyable time. It reminded me that you are never to old to have fun, and I knew my grandparents would have been very proud of me, and the feeling I had that I had helped to make this day for them, was overwhelming and very fulfilling. It also helped me to remember, that whatever is going on in the world, we can and do make these kind of differences to peoples lives, with an "Act of Kindness", but we never realise that the biggest kindness of all, is seeing the difference we make anonymously and without condition.

I was very pleased to represent our group in this way, and to be able to show that you don't need to give a lot to get a lot, because what you get back is priceless!

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