Dak News and Interviews!

What to share first? 
Isn't that a great position to be in? I'm feeling super blessed with kindness today. I struggled with posting yesterday in honour of World Kindness Day and all, but here at Deliberate Acts of Kindness our default position is that everyday is world kindness day, kindness isn't random it is a conscious choice that inspires human flourishing.  

So to begin, we have a school board, yes an entire school board, from Jacksonville, North Carolina - Onslow County Schools - that have just received their first shipment of customized dakbands!

We cannot wait to see the stories, and travels, of all the dakbands that will connect Onslow County School children and teachers to their community and the world. When you receive a blue dakband be sure to share your story on the website!

  
Another great dakband story deserves some attention and page time. A few months ago I received an order for some bands from an organization called the KarmaKlub. An initiative that a couple of mothers were inspired to launch a few years ago. I thought it would be great to do a little Q & A with Julie, one of the founders. Here it is:
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Can you tell us a little about your organization and how it can to be?

The karma club was formed when myself and Tanya decided to turn our kids weekly "play date" into something more meaningful. We decided that instead of playing, the kids could come up with ideas on how we could give back to our community through acts of kindness. That was 7 years ago and we are still going strong!

How did you come up with the name for your project?

I have always believed in Karma, and thought it was important to teach our kids about it. The name just came to me one day and I liked it...Karma Club, kids for kindness.

How does kindness support your philosophy?
Our motto is "kids for kindness"...so everything we do is based upon how we can spread kindness to others.

How did you learn about the dakbands?
I learned about DAK bands when I received one from my niece in Yellowknife. I immediately realized that it would be a great fit for our club--and so I presented it to them. (did you read that, Yellowknife!!)
Does wearing the dakband contribute to your personal outlook and awareness as far as kindness is concerned?

Wearing the band reminds me to be on the lookout for kindness in action.

Have you given a dakband away yet?

No, I have not given mine away yet--as I still need to register it!

Anything else you would like to add, please do.
We have told the kids that there will be a prize awarded at the end of the year for the person whose band has travelled the farthest. It will be interesting to see what comes up.

Thanks for everything you do. Julie

Julie, thank-you, and everything YOU and KarmaKlub do - you make the difference!                                                                                                     

Trick or Treat!

This post is like Halloween, full of goodies. I have pictures, newspaper articles and messages from parents who attended the Cinderella Event with their daughters. I have to admit to some hording, thinking that I have a virtual vault of blog posts with all this material, but truth is I'm having a hard time finding time to unlock the vault :) So I'm going back to my original analogy and dumping all the goodies into the trick-or-treat bag. (that way the vault is empty and I don't feel guilty! - there is method to my madness)

First of all I want to share a wonderful article that appeared in the Oakville Beaver a few days before our event. Kara is on the right, I am on the left. (I'm not sure why we both look like we have double chins - cause we don't - really).

Next, I've created another slide show with pictures that Sandy Middleton provided (Sandy was one of our jewelry managers - note all the pictures of the beautiful jewelry that was donated!).




Finally I've saved the best for last - it's kind of like digging into that trick-or treat bag and finding one more Kit Kat bar (or in this case TWO because there are two very special notes to share!!) Last week a friend dropped off the Letters to the Editor page from The Toronto Sun. I've been meaning to scan it and post it to our site, but I'm glad I never got around to it because yesterday a friend forwarded this email to me (which was forwarded to her from someone else......you get the idea....)

Subject: Cinderella Story - success...

Just read this letter in today's paper! Sounds like this Cinderella Story was a success based on this thank you note?! Brings to mind that these acts of kindness not only help and impress the girl who receives the outfit, but their entire family...No doubt understanding how meaningful this is, these folks who received the gift will 'pass it (the attitude) forward' when they have the opportunity...   Ann


WONDERFUL GENEROSITY

Last week, my daughter brought home a notice from school about an event called "A Cinderella Story," where young girls who could not necessarily afford a dress could find something to wear for their upcoming grads. My daughter is in Grade 8 and I was wondering how to afford the cost of a new dress, etc., with all the other day to day expenses already weighing me down. This notice was welcome news. On arrival and as we got to the front of the line, I was advised the dresses were not just reduced in cost, but were free. Not only that, but each young lady had a personal shopper to help her find the right dress, and they were also able to get shoes, a purse, some jewelry, a wrap/shawl and some make-up as well, all free. My daughter was overwhelmed, as was I, by the generosity of the donors of these items, and the time and effort involved by all those volunteers who made it possible. I want to thank everyone involved in this endeavour and all the people involved in "Random Acts of Kindness". It is comforting to know that in times of financial hardship, there are people and companies so willing to give. My daughter is ecstatic about the outfit she chose and I am grateful beyond words.

Andrew Jackson Brampton

THANKS ANDREW! We really appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge how the event touched you and your daughter. She looked like a princess!!

THANKS ANNE for that insight - that is EXACTLY our hope!!

Then today I received this note, also forwarded to me.........Trick-or-Treat. (You'll have to come back to see this note, I'm waiting for the individual's permission before posting it)

Permission granted:

My daughter and I recently attended your dress giveaway for girls who needed prom or graduation dresses. After spending an absolutely delightful afternoon finding a dress, we enjoyed watching the pleasure on other girls faces as they left with their treasures. The dress my daughter found was exactly what she wanted but was a little too small but I felt someone could alter it. My mother in law has never been very close to our family for a variety of reason but she a whiz with a needle and thread. The joy on my childs face as the dress was transformed into perfect fit is priceless. However the ultimate prize was the fact that my daughter asked her grandmother to alter the dress and has showed such thankfullness that the relationship with my husbands mother has permantly changed for the better. Not bad for one little dress that cost so little but has had huge rewards.
Thank you for organizing this event and please know the dress will be return to you next year along with half a dozen others looking for a new home.

WOW - THANK-YOU for sharing the story of your family's healing. Kindness is always the first step to peace!


Kara and I know from our volunteers how moved they were by the experience, but I really hope that letters and notes such as these affirm the power of kindness to change lives and build community!

Radio Interview

My radio interview with Matt Galloway of CBC's Metro Morning is posted (under podcasts). Please have a listen. It is short, but sweet.

Listen!

This morning I did a radio interview on the Metro Morning show. It was at 6:15 in the morning, which means I left my house at 5 am, and my bed at 4:20. Just in case any one is wondering, Starbucks is not open at 5 am (in Burlington) - or Toronto for that matter.

I was thinking on my solitary drive into the city, at such an ungodly hour, that one advantage would be the parking. However, I arrived at CBC studios with barely five minutes to spare and not a parking lot in site. So I parked under the Metro Hall building thinking I am very clever because it is just down the street from the John St. entrance I was told to use so early in the morning. Unfortunately, the Metro Hall building is enormous, and no one is there at 6 am. I found myself pounding on the Tim Hortons retractable metal barrier while shouting, not attractively, "Excuse me, Excuse me...Can someone please tell me how to get out of this building?" Thankfully, someone did. But the entrance I so cleverly assumed was John St., was in fact Wellington St. Now I am ungracefully running through the very empty halls of CBC (yes I am in a skirt and some not-very-practical-but-very-cute boots) shouting, "Hello, Hello..." To whom, I don't really know. By now of course it is past the 6:00 am arrival deadline I was given. Fortunately a kind man named Gord found me and took me to the studio.

Despite the flustered start (quite literally, listen to the interview) the interview went very well. We have received numerous emails, calls and orders, so somebody is awake at 6:00 am :). I have arranged to post the interview under our podcasts so please keep an eye open for it in the next day or so!!

If you want to read a wonderful story please check out band #142406 and enter the number in the box that says Dak code.

First Pod Cast

Finally!! Our first pod cast. Please see the link under our podcast heading in the left column.
Kara and I 'interviewed' Lisa Philp, president of Transitions Group North America. Actually it is more of round table discussion than an interview. Lisa is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, visionary, mother, and did I mention that she is driven- in a good way! She keeps a journal by her bed, so when she wakes up in the middle of the night with some amazing idea, she can write it down. (When I wake up in the middle of the night it is usually to wrestle the covers away from my blanket hogging husband!)

Lisa learned about the dakbands through Kara, and she immediately saw the application to the corporate world. Within a few weeks, she had completely incorporated the dakbands into her company. She ordered custom bands in her company's colours (purple and green) with custom hang tags. She even had posters made and inserted material into her brochures and presentations. But what impressed me the most was how she walked the talk, using them personally everyday. You'll even hear her mention in the interview that she bought dak outfits, so she could coordinate her entire 'look'!

Lisa's approach to doing business is about creating relationships, teaching and modeling those positive relationship skills for her clients and community in general. Please have a listen, she is really inspiring. She knows and understands the profound impact that kindness can have on staff, on clients and subsequently, the bottom line.

Teacher Interview

Today we have an interview with Linda Kiefer, a Montessori teacher from Illinois. Although Linda and I have never met face to face, I feel like we know each other very well. We have a 'virtual' friendship kindled by the dakband project but anchored in Linda's complete absence of technical expertise (she contacted me initially to tell me she could not register the bands she had purchased - and she purchased a ton of them!), and my obsessive need to ensure that every band and story is in fact registered! There were a few evenings when I was tempted to jump on a plane and fly down to Illinois to register all the bands myself.

Through all this I have been moved by Linda's perseverance and commitment to the project. Despite the difficulties, she had a vision that was bigger than the problems. Here is what she has to share with us:

Interview Questions:

1. Linda can you tell me a little about yourself: what grade you teach, how long you’ve been a teacher, where you teach, children, interests....
I'm one of those people who's always going to be in school. I have a Master's in Speech and Language Pathology, a year of post-grad work (which would only have made it easier to work grant to grant), worked in California for a few years was a long-term sub at Michigan School for the Blind, and then switched totally to Medicine for about 8 years. I worked as a Surgical Physician's Assistant for many years in Baltimore, MD until after the birth of my second child, when I decided to be a full-time Mom.I still dream of another Master's that marries Montessori with Special Ed. As it stands, I'm Montessori certified for grades 1-6 (with non-readers to those at the 10th grade level, and those doing rudimentary addition all the way to algebra).

As life would have it, times changed and I found myself going back to school and being a single Mom. I had one multiply impaired son, and another with ADD; it was time to see what I could do that used my backgrounds, but kept me close to the boys. Thus I found Montessori, and all it entails, including allowing children to do everything that they're able to do, and encouraging a life of peace and conflict resolution.


2. How did you learn about the dakbands, and what was your initial impression?
In my continuous studying, I came across TRIBES, recalled that one of my sons had been in it quite successfully, and I was off and looking for more information. Last Spring, as I was planning for my class for this year, I came across dakbands and the whole concept of changing the way children see their world by changing how they live it. I was psyched and wanted to start it then, but decided to wait until this fall.

3. Who did you buy the bands for and why?
Initially, I decided to use our class (one of two first to third grade classes), and the newly established Middle School (4 kids), along with all Elementary Staff and the Middle School Teacher. I chose to kick it off with a food drive for the local food pantry, rewarding children who brought something in, with their first pair of dakbands. First I had to explain the difference between "random" acts of kindness and sincerely directed "deliberate" acts of kindness. What I thought was going to be a hard and even impossible task, the children took to as though they always knew it deep down, and simply needed to have it brought to the surface. I'm so proud of them! These children, aged 6-9, knew more about kindness than many adults that I know.

4.Can you tell me why you feel the dakbands are an important tool for kids/families?
No longer do I find the "tattling" or looking for differences, but I find the bands have brought us closer together as a team and as classes (it's spilled over to adults and other Elementary classes!), and made teaching so much more pleasant. Sometimes it's been my roughest gems that have the more tender hearts and are willing to share their bands and tell others what they saw. We meet several times during the day, reviewing the schedules, but also reviewing good times and positive behaviors. I'm so very proud of these young people, carrying forward their new-found ways of Being, which is what it's become.


5. How have the children in your class responded to the bands.
They were taught how to register their bands, and a letter went out to parents explaining the concept, but these children actually couldn't *wait* to hand off their bands when they saw good things happening. They knew that they could follow their bands if they registered them, but excitement overcame all and I was amazed at the things they wanted to recognize in another

6. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I gave a set to my youngest son this weekend as he helped a grocery store stock boy with some runaway carts, not expecting anything in return, just knowing it was the right thing to do. He stood stock still for a moment, then asked quietly,"These are for *me*?". I smiled and hugged him and said they most certainly were--and they were his to pass on to other people that he saw doing genuine acts of kindness, with nothing expected in return. He stared at me, then excitedly returned an "Oh!", as though a light bulb had just gone off. What a grand sight to see.

That's what keeps me going on tough days; I know that we're making a difference in the way these children see their world now, thanks to a few wristbands and kindness from fellow students. I hope that this goes on all year--I'll buy more if I need to! If we can't change the children, how in the world can we change what we want our future to be?

Thanks for helping to get it moving in all of our classes, Elaine. I really think this is going to create a change in our future.

Talk about touching a life by teaching....


Please remember to share a story for our giveaway.

Please see the story attached to band #38738.