The Winner Is.....

We have decided to send a set of dakbands to everyone who left a comment on our first post! (if you haven't already, please email me your address and we'll put those in the mail on Monday)

I thought it might be a good idea to give a brief 'how to' for those of you who have never experienced the dakband exchange.

Once you receive your set of bands - there are 8 in a set - you go to our website and click on the track your dak tab, on the track your page you click on create an account. Once you have created your account, you register your 8 bands - it is a very simple process. Now the fun begins. Wear the bands in pairs on your right wrist (I usually wear 4 to 6 at a time). As you go about your day look for people doing kind things for other people. It can be as simple as holding the door, or as generous as paying for someone's groceries. Approach the person you witnessed being kind and offer them two dakbands. I usually say something like this, " Hi, I just noticed that you held the door for that woman. I'd like to give you these two dakbands because we are encouraging kindness in our community. One is for you to keep and one is for you to pass along to someone else you witness being kind!" (of course, if the person you approached, didn't hold a door for someone this wouldn't be appropriate.) I usually don't say more than that. However sometimes the person is so excited they'll start up a conversation at which point I often point out that they can go to the website (on the bands) and share their story.

I have given away so many bands I've lost count, and the reacton is ALWAYS the same. People are moved, they are encouraged, and most importantly they are now emboldened to encourage someone else because they have experienced how it feels to be applauded for their kindness. I once had a woman who was moved to tears when I gave her the bands and she said to me, "Can you imagine what the world would be like if each of us gave a pair of these away every day?" The next day she ordered a set for all her children and grandchildren.

If you haven't started with a new set, but receive a pair for doing something kind, the process is the same. Go to the website, click on the track your dak tab, create an account and type in the numbers of the bands you received and share the story of how and why they were given to you.

Anybody can go to the track your dak page on the website and see the stories and travels of the bands. By clicking on Organization, and/or Communities as a starting point you can see all the bands (and where they've traveled) that originated with a particular organization or community. When you roll over a point on the map, the story of band appears!

Well, that's it for Lesson One Small Bear! You may try it now.....

Please check out band #23134 on the track your dak page.