With the belief that positive influences by a parent, in a child’s life, can bring nothing but goodness to that child, we are going to try to help all parents nurture those positive influences. Raising a child is something so important that it should be not taken lightly. You are a role model to your child throughout your life. Taking a vow to remind yourself throughout your life is what I am trying to accomplish with this new feature.
We are going to add four “Parent’s Vow” documents you will be able to access from the homepage of our website. Mother to Son; Mother to Daughter; Father to Son and Father to Daughter documents will be able to customized with a picture of you and your child, your child’s name and your signature. We ask that you frame these, hang them in a prominent spot and use them as a reminder, as you view them everyday.
These documents should be added to the website in the very near future.

I have traveled to many cities across the eastern United States and am hearing from many people that the economy is getting worse, not better, for them. I have been seeing in local newspapers that there are more people looking for help, with fewer resources to help them. Talking with a local man in Wilmington, he shared that he had never seen it so bad. Many of the local charities are cutting some key services. This is true in every city across our nation. We both came to the same conclusion; It’s time for all of us to pull together as a group. If half of the money a charity receives is cut, twice as many of us need to volunteer for that charity. The sense of neighborhood that can come of this economic downturn can be remarkable if this ends up being the case. Making good from bad is always good.
 Today I was at The Boys and Girls Club in Wilmington. My plans to do service work in Savannah for Thanksgiving week have been changed as there are 10 days of volunteer opportunity right here in Wilmington. Mr. Lofton and Richard from The Boys and Girls Club are having no problem keeping me busy. Luckily, the weather has been just warm enough for me.

The Community Boy’s and Girl’s club in Wilmington, NC is a place for kids to come after school for recreation and after school work. Two hundred children with a staff of individuals who keep the place running like clockwork. The need is incredible, but somehow things get accomplished. I was told by the director yesterday, as I was dropping off some stickers and Kindness Certificates, that “they sure needed an act of kindness.” I asked what he meant specifically, and he took me outside to the “kindness compound.” The property outdoors has a baseball field being completely replaced. Near the field are a few structures which need cosmetic attention. I arrived this morning with kindness in my heart and a paintbrush in my hand. Looking around, I thought to myself that it could take days to accomplish all of his wish list. I worked until mid-afternoon and visited two schools nearby to tell them of One Million Acts Of Kindness.
 Today was a very big day of emails and phone calls. There are also some wonderful things in the works for the upcoming summer of 2011. You will be the first to know when the plans are confirmed; they may be confirmed by the end of the month.

Everyone at University of North Carolina, Wilmington was so unbelievably friendly it is as if they are all cut from the same cloth. I pulled The Kindness Bus in front of the Fisher Student Center and set up shop with Bogart. The steady stream of students were off the charts excited about The Kindness Bus Tour. Corbin and Taylor were two of the first students who were floored by the travels of The Kindness Bus. We talked about the goal of One Million Acts Of Kindness and how it parallels what they did as Eagle Scouts. Kindness is a life-long core value. Jenna and Lauren are two students who stopped by to give their well wishes to my mission. This campus is filled with great kids; someone is doing their job correctly.
 Moments before firing up The Kindness Bus a student named Carly caught my attention as she was in awe of seeing an answer to what she had been thinking. She wants to change the world in a big way by getting involved in a grassroots movement. One Million Acts Of Kindness is in her sights. So many great kids on this campus.
 Earlier today I was invited by Shieka, a local resident, to visit The Community Boys and Girls Club where she works. I went there at day’s end and met the director, I will be staying in Wilmington an extra day for some work needing to be done at the club.

When The Kindness Bus is in an area for as long as it was in Jacksonville, you know that you are being looked after. I headed out of Jacksonville this morning but did a U-turn at the city outskirts almost forgetting some important business. Bogart and I headed back to the Jacksonville Police and Fire Department to give thanks for the eyes which watched over us for the past 12 days. Mary Bond the secretary at the Police Department couldn’t have been more interested in The Kindness Bus Tour. She said she appreciated all the good which could come from One Million Acts Of Kindness. She is going to hand out stickers to the force. I had the same success at the Fire Department.
We finished visiting the three Dixon schools in Onslow County, before heading south towards Wilmington. Late in the afternoon, we drove by the compound of three Topsail Schools in Hampstead, NC.  There was no way we were going to not stop at these schools right along our travels. We did our 2nd U-turn of the day and had 3 very interested contacts at all 3 of the schools. Kindness knows no borders.

Bogart and I had a short day with only 4 schools to visit, before getting ready to leave tomorrow morning and visiting the last few Onslow County Schools as we head south out of town. Jacksonville has been over the top friendly. It could be due to the lengthier visit, or the visibility of being in the Veterans Day Parade. Everybody loved The Kindness Bus Tour in Jacksonville. This will be one difficult town to leave, with all the connections we have made. Our stay has been a comfortable one thanks to the great staff at Courts Plus, a family activity center with all types of exercises for everyone. It was the perfect “find” for my lengthy stay. They really came through for me.
During my nearly two week stay, I’ve been trying to find time to visit some of the Veteran’s memorials in Jacksonville. Today was that day; we visited the Vietnam, Lebanon, and 911 monuments. I highly recommend these powerful memorials which pay tribute to those who protect us.

When your day starts with two Marines offering all the praise you could ever imagine, you know a big day is in store. Bogart was the main catalyst to prompt the young men to come visit at the start of the day. They had seen The Kindness Bus on several occasions and finally saw me behind the wheel as I backed next to their car. It’s good to know that the country’s safety is in the hands of proud men like them.
Before heading to Swansboro, to visit with the Cub Scouts, an angel fell from the sky for The Kindness Bus Tour, more about this and the good which will come from it this weekend.
The Cub Scouts, Pack 215 from Richlands, NC held a weekend camp on some of the most breathtaking property you will ever see. What I realized during my visit that the Cub Scouts is all about family; Moms, dads, brothers and sisters joined the Pack to spend time as community with all of the other member families. I was honored to be invited to talk with all of those present at this wonderful outing.
Other than forgetting to take a picture of 100 Cub Scouts in front of The Kindness Bus and forgetting to write the two Marine’s names down, it was a picture perfect day.