December 13th, 2012

From Francis A. & Julius K.:

The story you told about Theo in class really got to me. It got me thinking a lot. I wanted to give back to the community and to the homeless so since it's the end of the semester, I got 6 boxes of pizza with my swipes and my friends swipes to give to the homeless. 

            I guess they need a break too. It's cold and they deserve a warm meal. Toast to Theo. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers. Take care & see you next semester. 

From the Students of VCU:

I witnessed VCU's generosity when they helped donate over 70 pizzas to local homeless shelters around Richmond. In little over 3 hours there was more food donated then I ever expected and it really made take pride in my community. Because of them, a lot of hungry children had a good meal. 

From Mario Mejia:

For the last year I've been letting a friend live with me whether I'm back home or in my dorm. He isn't sure what he wants to do with his life. He has no one to turn to and talk to for guidance but me. He's unemployed because he doesn't have a stable place to live and along with that he has no money. For food we use my swipes. My dad is homeless and unemployed with cancer. I sometimes wish he had a safe place to be and I'd let him live with me if it was possible, but I live in a dorm. I've been homeless myself so I know what it's like to go through it.

From Alison Henson:

Tonight, my roommate and I decided to buy candy canes for everyone on our floor and anonymously put them on everyone's door and wrote "happy holidays and good luck on finals!" In hopes that it'll give everyone a boost before finals! We had you in our thoughts this weekend! That was our good holiday deed :)

From Kelly Ball:

Hi, Mr. F and family!

In Salyersville, Kentucky there is a brave 9-year-old boy named Dalton, who has been living with Cystic Fibrosis and has become increasingly sick. His doctors think that he only has a couple more months to live. He recently was allowed to come home to be closer to his loved ones for Christmas. Dalton’s last wish is to break the world record for receiving the most Christmas cards (which is 35,000), so I made and sent him a card with some candy in it. I do not know Dalton personally, but his story inspired me, and I just had to do something for him. I’ve attached pictures of him and the letter I sent him. I have also decided that, from now on, I will try to commit random acts of kindness every day in honor of Theo, because your story also inspired me to be a better person.

From Anonymous:

I was walking from the train station earlier after taking my best friend and had a personal pan pizza in my hand. I noticed a homeless man with a sign and he was standing there and so without a second thought I went over and gave him the pizza. I just now realized it was one of the many random acts of kindness that i plan on doing from now until Christmas. My name doesn't have to be in it because I didn't do it for recognition, I just wanted to let you know. Hope your weekend went well.

From Jennifer Lynne Jones:

Recently we became aware of a family of five young children who had just lost both parents within the last year. Our contributions to the foster family's Christmas for these children was the best gift we could ever get because their joy in the love of all these people is simply priceless. We also sponsor a shelter family every Christmas and this year, we'll do it in memory of Theo.

From Michelle Salyer:

I paid money on a layaway for a family I know is having a hard time financially right now. That way I know their kids won’t do without this Christmas.

From Rita K. Mullins:

In Memory of sweet Theo, I made stockings stuffed with candy and girlie stuff and Santa gifts for two little girls whose mom is having a hard time. The look on her face was priceless when I gave them to her so her girls will have something under the tree.

From Gina Metcalf:

When we went to get our Christmas tree at a local ranch, there was a teenage girl working there who was really helpful to us. She was mainly just measuring the trees for pricing. I walked up to her with a Random Act Of Kindness card wrapped with some cash and told her that it was for her but to please only look at it once I was out of sight.
            So beautiful that you do this for Theo and your family. ♥ Thanks for letting us be a part of it.

From my lovely and ever beautiful friend (she moves in mysterious ways), Michelle Beaubien Witte:

"My friend Jonathan Karron is running in the Atlanta Santa Speedo Run tomorrow for CURE Childhood Cancer. I donated in Theo's name and we'll just say this act involves a brave man in a Speedo doing something great! Jonathan is going to think of Theo tomorrow during his run. I do random acts all year with Theo in mind. I liked the idea of getting him involved with this run."

and then later….

"Jonathan raised over $1300 for CUREChildhood Cancer and the event raised over $90,000! Love you Karla, Jamie, Lula and Theo."

From Lisa and Daisy Troop 5107, in Richmond, VA:

This year, our troop has already performed one act of kindness and will be performing another soon.
            The first act, which I will dedicate to Theo and all the children cared for at VCU Health Center that have passed, was to make fleece tie blankets for Child Life. Child Life is an organization at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU that tries to make hospital life more normal for the children there. I knew I wanted my Daisy troop to do some kind of service project to learn how to be "considerate and caring," which is one part of the Girl Scout Law. I learned about tie fleece blankets, saw that they are on the Child Life WishListand voila! we had our "considerate and caring" act. The ladies I have spoken to at Child Life at *thrilled* to be getting more blankets, which makes all the cutting and tying worth it.
            The second act, which I will dedicate to my mentor, Waldo Morales, who served in the Air Force before I knew him, and died in 2005 after contracting a virus helping Hurricane Katrina Victims, was to adopt a soldier. She is a counselor for soldiers that need someone to talk to. We are (I am) writing her letters and emails, and we are preparing two care packages to send her at our next meeting. Adopting and caring for this soldier is teaching the girls another part of the Girl Scout law: how to be "friendly and helpful." Part of the Girl Scout Promise is "to help people at all times" and taking care of our solider is another way the girls can learn to be "friendly and helpful" and to "help people at all times" even if they are strangers.

From Karla Helbert:

I saw on Slice of Humble's Facebook page the call for getting Nicole to Japan. Nicole needs to get to Japan to see her very sick mother right away. I know how important it is to be with a loved one when they are very ill and need you, and you need to be, by their side. We donated to help Nicole to be with her mom. She is leaving tomorrow with her children to go to Japan to see her mother. Our thoughts are with you Nicole.