Archive for October, 2010

An Angel Wrote on the Kindness Bus

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

10-31-10I usually like people to ask for permission to write on The Kindness Bus and like to approve in advance what is written. There are now over 250 powerful lessons written in several languages. The most recent was written in a very short span of time, as it appeared as if on it’s own.
“Overcome hatred through kindness; judgment through acceptance; helplessness through comfort; prejudice through knowledge; suffering through peace;
loneliness through volunteering;
grief through the care of others;
greed through charity work;
self-promotion through humbleness; transgressions through forgiveness; Overcome anything through prayer.”

In today’s picture, Bogart looks like he could use a prayer about now!

Who Do I Cheer For?

Saturday, October 30th, 2010

10-30-10Salisbury University was hosting Wesley in football today. A big rivalry which I know very little about. Being at both of these universities during the past 5 days, I don’t know where allegiance should be shown. On which side of the field should I sit? Then it hit me, I don’t have to choose, I’m supposed to be meeting a woman who I met yesterday afternoon. Ginny is from Delaware and is a member of the Order of the Moose. She is getting me information on becoming a member. Traveling to cities I’ve never visited before, may get a whole lot easier. The Kindness Bus will possibly have 2,000 more places to park overnight if accepted into this wonderful organization. I’m embarrassed to say that I was unaware of this organization. They do some amazing work for children and seniors. I will write in great detail about them in an upcoming blog.
Who won the game? Salisbury nearly pulled off a big upset.

South to Salisbury University

Friday, October 29th, 2010

10-29-10Route 13, south of Dover, Delaware to Salisbury, Maryland is peppered with small towns along it’s sixty miles of length. Nearly each one of those towns has an elementary, middle and high school. Stopping in these schools to deliver a couple of Kindness Certificates and Kindness stickers is something I now look forward to on my travels to the next college or university. My contact at nearly all of these schools is either the principal, guidance counselor or secretary. All 12 contacts today and 7 yesterday were thrilled to hear of the Kindness Certificate and of children taking a pledge to personally perform One Million Acts Of Kindness in one’s life. There is one thing which has become apparent in these two days, teachers and staff are tired; they are tired of not seeing enough kindness and respect in their schools. The solution was put in their hands.
One other stop I made was on the south side of Dover at the local YMCA. On my way into the building, I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica and Sarah. Both of them love Boston terriers and thought Bogart was the best looking Boston they had ever seen. Jessica is a pre-school teacher and is going to do her best to try to have her entire school participate in One Million Acts Of Kindness Week.

I arrived on the Salisbury campus to find Shirley, a local student, who directed me to a great spot to take a picture of Bogart on her campus. In the distance, I heard some cheering for The Kindness Bus, I drove to a bus shelter in the campus parking lot to find 30 or so students waiting for a ride to their sailing class. Maybe today’s blog should have been named; Kindness on the High Seas.

Dover, Delaware

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

10-28-10One of the best things about what I do is all of the unexpected surprises. Planning a full day of interaction with students on the Wesley campus turned into a day of discovering Dover, Delaware and some of its residents. The part of this small town near the Wesley campus is very friendly, so many people stop to talk to me about the One Million Acts Of Kindness Bus Tour. By the time I got back to campus it was early afternoon and I still had emails to answer, phone calls to make and letters to write, so I made an executive decision and decided to stay an extra night.
During my early morning, before heading to the downtown area of Dover, I met John, the friendliest security officer on any campus I have ever visited. We had a lot in common, including Boston terriers; Bogart breaks the ice everywhere we travel.
Keith, a freshman from Maryland, said “Everybody’s asking me ‘How can I get a sticker?’, ”  just stop by The Kindness Bus, I told him, there’s plenty for all.
While walking through town, one of the storefronts had art which children from the State of Delaware had drawn, telling of a kind act they had recently done. Of the hundred or so drawings on display, the one which caught my eye was the one which told of a boy who posted “Lost Dog” posters throughout his town for a dog he had found.

Wesley College, Dover Delaware

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

10-27-10The road from Smyrna to Dover has many schools within a few minutes drive; I stopped at every one that I could. Seven Guidance Counselors and Principals along that stretch of road, now know, first-hand of One Million Acts Of Kindness. I love this new addition to my travels.
We arrived on the Wesley campus and immediately had a group of students approach, within moments, the skies opened up, raining down 4 inches of rain in a two hour period. Bogart chose his perch above the deluge, but more importantly, a dog’s eye view of this squirrel friendly campus. The squirrels on this campus are almost trained to eat out of your hand. Bogart, I’m sure, if left to his own resources, would catch one of these tame squirrels.
Even with the major rainfall, we managed to talk with over 50 students on this very friendly campus.

The Police, the Mechanic, and the Church

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

10-26-10You know it is going to be one of those days when you see a police cruiser pull up next to The Kindness Bus at a red light and an officer motioning that he wants to talk. “You need to get that right-side brake light fixed” he said. The Kindness Bus is offered all sorts of courtesy along it’s journey. Police and State troopers know that The Kindness Bus Tour is trying to accomplish some good things. As I say to officers, “I’m trying to reach kids before you have to.” They like the thought of that.
I wasn’t more than a block down the road when I saw a sign for car repair. The Kindness Bus pulled in and I went in to talk with the first person I saw. EL’s is one of those do it all types of places, an answer to The Kindness Bus’ prayers. The mechanic provided some magical repairs which would have made a NASCAR pit crew proud. He had me back on the road and a “keep up the good work, there will be no charge for that” smile on his face.
With no room at the inn; the local Walmart doesn’t allow overnight parking, I had to do some last minute scrambling to find some place nearby in a hurry. Carol Ann Simpers, head of Religious Education at Saint Polycarb Church was the first phone call I made from a long list of churches in the area. Besides providing me with a place to park the bus, she invited me to the classes they were having this evening and I sat in on one of their presentations. What a devoted individual she is, working to keep kids on the right path. With an invitation to talk to the kids on a return trip, this was one of those days. Thank you, Carol.

The Right Driveway

Monday, October 25th, 2010

It gets very dark driving around in the middle of unfamiliar country on a moonless night. Traveling west from the University of Delaware the highway  turned to country roads in a hurry. Invited to park The Kindness Bus at Paws for People, the executive director’s house, Lynne Robinson. I knew from the drive that we were in for a very quiet night. We pulled down a side street and after negotiating a few very tight turns and trying to read mailboxes which were marked on the opposite side, we pulled into a driveway with the right number and looked as described, including the two barking dogs inside. I shut down The Kindness Bus and put an end to a very busy day.
Can you imagine what it would be like if you lived in the quiet of the country and came home after midnight and saw The Kindness Bus parked in your driveway? Dan Lane and Lisa Hower found out what it was like. Total surprise! Lucky for me, Dan and Lisa are about the nicest people you would want to meet in the Northeast corner of Maryland. The Kindness Bus stayed the night and made two more friends. Thank you.