Good Deeds – Pay it forward.

Dear guys,

Whilst we are all in the wealth creation business I am one who is a firm believer in scouting “Good Deeds”, a concept again nicely highlighted in the “Pay it forward” movie.

http://payitforward.warnerbros.com/Pay_It_Forward/
http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/home.html

With our investing as well I believe that there is no reason why we can’t do a “Good Deed” everyday. Why can’t we be doing a “Good Deed” that can benefit either 1) Where we live or 2) Where we invest?

The little things that we do can certainly make a difference and benefit local communities.

I walk around my area on a daily basis. Everyday I pick up rubbish and put it in the bin. Why? Litter attracts litter and correspondingly the less there is the less that will be left there.

There is certainly a difference where I frequently walk, and the start of more good things to come.

What other types of good deeds are you doing to make a difference in the local community? How can we be encouraged to do more, to invest more back in?

Some thoughts……….

Cheers,

Sunstone.

Sunstone

I get regular emails from "Heroic Stories"- which are just stories of ordinary people who have done something special (maybe just oce) in a way which has made a difference to another person. Just ordinary, everyday "heroes".

http://www.HeroicStories.com

A neighbour and I spent months lobbying for Broadband services in our niegbourbood. We both had contacts that we put pressure on (ie. asked very nicely) and helped to justify the request. Needless to say, a small works project was completed and we now have a happy street.

This value adds to lifestyle & contributes to marketing or complexes due to yet another available service. I then did a letter box drop to neighbours to inform them of the new service because Telstra said they wouldn't.

I think neighbourly conduct has waned in recent years and I also think 'good deeds' should/do get passed around.

And remember: it doesn't take $$ to contribute to others good fortune.

We work long hours at work and 6 dys a week however I still manage to find the time to do volunteer work. My work mates think I'm weird bacause I want to help people rather than using what little free time we have doing stuff for myself (ie playing golf and going out with them).

They think that all we need to do as a 'responsible citizen' is to buy a badge or a ribbon to support a cause. I think this may be a little short sighted in some respects because for a community to function people still need to actively participate. I guess it comes down to doing all you can in your own situation......

Cheers and beers
Ecogirl

Dear guys,

Some nice touches on the contributions.

And remember: it doesn't take $$ to contribute to others good fortune.

Click to expand...

Yes 1+1 =3 if you have an open mind about building a bigger pie to share.

Some things are worth much more to others than their $$$ equivalent.


Who else has some feedback? I'm sure that we have a lot of others who could give worthwhile contributions on this one.

Cheers,

Sunstone.

There are plenty of things we can do to help our community but one of the
most important and rewarding ones is to invest in our youth's education.

By sponsoring a dissadvantaged Aussie kid through the Smith Family's program
"LEARNING FOR LIFE" kids who have little hope of going to school can
continue their studies and become better citizens.

Tax deductable $27/month for high school kids,
cheaper for primary school kids.
Smith Family Ph:1800 633 622

Great idea Sunstone.

I definitely feel blessed, and make a point of sharing that when I can - and not just in $. Sometimes it's just helping a friend, even though you don't really have the time.

If more people thought of others a little bit more (even empathy would suffice), the world would be better.

Peace all

Simon.

My wife was instrumental in kicking off our local Neighbourhood Watch and she is still on the committee. Benefits to the community:

1. We all know each other a lot better - we care for each other more.
2. We watch out for each other's properties (nearly all PPORs) and became suspicious when unknowns enter the street.
3. We have a better relationship with the Police and they seem to give us priority if an incident occurs. We report suspicious persons, people shooting up, etc.
4. Crime, especially break-ins, is significantly reduced - safer place to live.
5. I would imagine property values could be higher.

Some really great responses here - it's always great to read about things like this. I feel one of the best things about help others out - and not expecting anything in return from them - is the feeling we get ourselves from doing an unselfish act for someone else. Studies have shown that doing good deeds for others helps us to feel better about ourselves and more positive about our lives in general. So when you're helping someone else, you're also helping yourself. Yet another on the long list of reasons to do something for others.

Hi All

I don't have time to do volunteer work but I try to help anyway I can.
I mentioned the Smith Family's child sponsoring program.
Those who join the program remain anonymous.
We only know a first name and the general location of each other.
No pictures or addresses are involved.

I sponsored a boy from a disadvantaged family for several years and it gave
me such great pleasure seeing his progress at school. I was so excited about
this and as I had cash to spare I decided to sponsor a girl too.
(It was during my positive cash flow years

I was very disappointed when the boy decided to leave school after Year 10
but I didn't give up, I then sponsored a girl from up the coast but her father
later got a better job so she wasn't eligible and dropped out of the program.
I was very annoyed as I didn't mind continuing with the sponsorship
but the Smith family rules didn't allow it.

Still, I didn't give up the co-ordinator found me a girl from country NSW this
time and judging from the school reports I receive she is doing great.

There are lots of things we can do to help our community.
Those who have the time can also do volunteer work which is also extremely
valuable.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Good Deeds

What a great thread.
Just wanted to relate a story that happened to me years ago. I had a funiture removal and delivery business on the Gold Coast, just a one truck operation. I used to do a lot of pick-ups and deliveries for several auction rooms and the auctionerr was one of my closest friends, still is. I used to make a point once a week of doing a delivery for free for one person in need of a bit of a lift or a helping hand. Anyhow, I did a removal for this single woman with a Downs Syndrome daughter, they were the nicest people and it brought more than a single tear to my eye seeing how good a mother this lady was. They only had the barest of essentials in furniture, none of the other accessories that make a house into a home. I went back to the auction room and asked a few of the regular buyers if they could help out and also the auctioneer if he had any stuff that he had there which people had bought but never ever picked up. You should have seen the mother and daughter's faces when I went back the next day with half a truckload of framed prints, side tables, bedside tables, chairs, lamps and a whole swag of nic nacs and ornaments. Boy oh boy, was I choked up when I left that place that afternoon, really got to me. It's amazing how good you can feel from doing a good deed for others. Sorry for waffling on for so long.
JIM

Reading the above post reminded me of the time my daughter had saved all her money to buy a TV. She had a little over $100 and we were at an auction. I was bidding on her behalf and we missed out on the one she wanted, so she was quite upset. Someone overheard and said they had bidded on one earlier and she could have that if she wanted - Free. No need to say I went home with a very happy child. It still works & that was about 7-8 years ago.

If I have received excellent customer service from a business, I make it a habit to remember the person's name. Then I contact head office or their manager, and usually also write a letter/email congratulating them on their service. Someone did this to me once, and I was so grateful and it gave me the motivation to do better at work.

The company usually calls me back to say that they will pass on the message to the employee. Even though I dont get to see the employee's reaction, and doing this does not benefit me directly at the time, I always think to myself that someone else will be the one to help me out in the future. There have been a few times when a complete stranger has helped me out, and I often think that it could be because I did something nice for someone in the past.

When I was about 19 I was working in a real estate agency as a property officer. There was a lady who rented a dumpy flat with her husband. She had 3 young kids and didn't speak a word of english. It turned out that the husband took off back overseas to his homeland and left this poor woman here to fend for herself. I made sure that I made weekly phone calls to the Centrelink office to help her out with emergency rent money, but gradually she fell so far behind in her rent that the landlord started asking questions. I felt so sorry for her that, despite my very poor status at the time, I paid $20 per week from my wages toward her rent, and she never ever found out about it (my boss did and flipped out at me, but I continued to do it). $20 a week isn't much, but my thoughts were 'every little bit helps'...and I felt like i was doing a good deed.

good on you JoannaK,thats a wonderful thing to have done.

Dear guys,

Beech is right.

I am humbled by many of the Good Deeds that others have shared.

We live in a great world. Let's keep on making it better.

Jimmy - Quality stuff is never waffling.

Cheers,

Sunstone.

Beautiful deeds guys.

For me all I have done is returned found wallets and stuff. Always give $ to salvo and do the Red Shield appeal.

I dont know if this qualifies but I use to sell gov property and in the middle of Bathurst NSW I had a magnficent hertiage property (old tafe college) to sell.

But I heard a retired teacher Warren Sommervile had a dinosaur collection worth $30M he wanted to give to the state if it was keep in the local region.

I negotiated a deal where TAFE gave the property to a trust to house the dinosaur museum with Council support.

It opens soon I'm told. Will be the best collection in Aust and one of the best in the world.

Regards Peter 147

Legend award

Jim you're a legend organising that stuff for the lady and her daughter.

double thumbs up for you...

nads said:

If I have received excellent customer service from a business, I make it a habit to remember the person's name. Then I contact head office or their manager, and usually also write a letter/email congratulating them on their service. Someone did this to me once, and I was so grateful and it gave me the motivation to do better at work.

Click to expand...

I worked my way through high school and uni in a hardware store over nine years and a few times a year a customer was good enough to write a letter to the manager complimenting me.

A written complement puts you on top of the world, it makes you work harder and can turn a menial job into a joy. As a result, the ultimate benificery is the customer. I also make a habit of giving good feedback.