8/26/96    Every Wednesday during the lunch, the school that I go to gets a school bus and all those who want to take a trip to the nursing home.  The elderly people there count on us every week.  It is so nice to brighten up their day with a simple "hello, how are you feeling today?"  It makes us feel good about ourselves when we see how much they appreciate our coming.

8/22/96    Having sold everything and come down from Connecticut to go to school at UTEP, I found myself at the end of a 60 hour bus ride with no money what so ever. I had nowhere to stay and no money for my dorm deposit so I called a foundation in town that helps with security deposits. By pure luck a retired professor answered the phone and told me that I did not qualify because I was not a Texas resident. He said to call a friend of his at the campus and maybe he would know of an emergency fund at the campus. When I called he asked me to come to the library and talk. When I arrived all that was waiting for me was a personal check from him for the amount of the security deposit!!! Talk about someone who deserves nothing but the best in the world!

8/21/96    I was at a camp for three weeks this summer and we made a trip into the nearby town. It's a beautiful small town. We went to a tiny  church for morning mass and then we went to a few stores and the most beautiful park. I was feeling so great, so I wanted to make other people feel happy so I went to the variety store and bought a "thinking of you" card for my best friend and a bunch of post-it notes. I went around and put encouraging messages all over the camp. I hope I made someone happy that day.

8/16/96    In February, my school did a huge random act of kindess.  While some of us were doing a five-mile fundraising walk, the rest of us were visiting seniors at a rest home.  A local pizza restaurant gave us a
pizza lunch, and a soda manufacturer gave us cases and cases of 2-litre soda!  After lunch, we walked up to the old crest wall at our dockyard and restored a lot of the faded crests.  They were so big, we had entire classes (sixteen to twenty-eight in each) working on one crest!  The people who take care of the dockyard were so grateful, they allowed us to paint our own school crest on the wall.  This our second random act of kindess.  It's more fun when the whole school is involved.

8/8/96    When I was 17, I was driving down a side street of a small town with a friend of mine.  We noticed that an elderly women was push mowing her yard.  It was a very hot and humid day.  My friend decided to stop at the local Dairy Queen and buy some drinks.  We took one back to the lady.  While she enjoyed a cool drink in the much needed shade, we finished mowing her yard.  We never caught her name, but after that day, every time we drove by, and she happened to be outside she smiled and waved.And felt good and at the time, Ididn't understand why my mom wouldn't say who sent the washing machine, but now I see that that was my mom's random act of kindness.  To this day my aunt still thinks my grandma bought the washing machine, but my mom never says a word.

8/7/96    When I was 7 or 8 my Grandfather died of a heart attack.  For my birthday that year, I asked that instead of presents I would like a donation for the Heart Society.  No one had to give anything at all. I just had a box on a table in the foyer where people could place a donation if they wished. I raised about $100.  The Society wrote me a letter of thanks back.  That really felt good.

8/7/96    Once when I was about 6 years old, I went over at one of my friend's house.  I didn't know my way around her neighborhood at all.  We decided to jumprope around her block.  We went around once and she was tired, so she went inside.  I really wanted to go around again, so I did -- by myself.  All of a sudden I was lost, all the houses looked the same.  Which one was hers!? I sat down, not knowing what to do.  An elderly woman out walking her dogs came over, and helped me find my way back to the house.  She went out of her way, to help me -- we need more of this kindness in our world.

8/1/96    This random act of kindness didn't happen to me, but to my school teacher.  She told us about it and tried to encourage us to do random acts of kindness.
    My school teacher is always one of the last teachers to leave the school.  One cold winter day, it snowed and sleeted ice all morning all morning.  She dreaded going outside after school and having to stand out there scraping the snow and ice from her windshield.  When she finally got up the courage to go outside she found, to her suprise, that someone had taken the time to clear off all the windshields, front and back, of all of the remaining cars in the parking lot.  She was very delighted to be able to jump right in her car and drive home.

8/1/96    One VERY hot summer day, my friend and I decided to set up a Kool-aid stand along the roadside to make some money.  Just down the street, there were some construction workers fixing the road.  They looked very tired and they had been out in the sun all day.  A little while later a woman stopped and bought 4 glasses of cherry Kool-aid.  She walked them down the street and gave them to the construction workers for free.  My friend and I were very suprised.  It inspired us so much that we gave HER a free glass of Kool-aid.  Later gave some more to the construction workers.

8/1/96   One time at a church softball game some kids(about 10) just started following me around, these kids all look up to me and it makes me happyto know that I am admired so much. After the game all these parents started coming up to me and saying thanks for watching my kids.  I just told them no problem, because it really wasn't.  Kids are fun to be with. I love kids and one day (I'm only 14), I want to have a whole bunch of em' or just have a child care program or something like that.
Annie Smith                Oklahoma

8/7/96    At the time of your birthday, Christmas, or any other time where you recieve presents, choose some that you can deliver to a Shelter, or Salvation Army.  The children will be so grateful for some toys.

8/7/96    If someone has their hands full, offer to give a hand.  Help them carry groceries, open doors for them, just little things can help others out a lot.