Heading west through the hills of western Pennsylvania, the weather began to lift, allowing me to make a short visit to this college. With classes starting in a week, this campus has begun to see the return of it’s students.  Devi Wintrode, director of campus ministries, met me on her way to her office. She was excited at the thought of another year beginning. She took a stack of stickers to pass to her students. David and Dabney, two students were admiring the bus were I happened upon them. They thought The Kindness Bus Tour was a great way to reach students across the country. A few of the marching band members expressed the same sentiment a while later. The visit to this small private college was a welcoming event. Thanks to all.

Three simple words…… Plant a Tree.   But it says a lot about the hope for a brighter tomorrow. Every generation wants to create something for the future. Something which stands for improving the world on many levels, as an individual or an entire generation. The young man who wrote these words is about 12 yrs old, with a lifetime of planting trees ahead of him. Planting trees of caring for mankind and the environment from a young, kind heart. This is the wish of this younger generation. It is an insurance policy for the uncertainty that the future holds. An act of kindness which will bear fruit for generations to come. Everyone should,   “Plant a tree, in fact, plant an entire forest of trees.”
Cental Park, near the entrance to Strawberry Fields, always offers a melting pot of individuals and families from across the world, tens of thousands of them for me to interact with. I love New York.

What happened? Wasn’t it just May?
New York City seems that it is filled with college students, getting their last week or two of summer break in before the new school year starts. I have met hundreds of students from schools across the country this past week. It is such a pleasure to see the wide interests these students have. It is also a pleasure to see the passions they have for so many of those in need. Students tackling big issues across the globe with great abandon. I am impressed. On Thursday morning there was more than usual of these students with their “heads on straight.” Two students from Quinnipiac University, Vanessa and Amanda, stopped by The Kindness Bus to get a detailed account of my travels and to get a photo account of every detail on the bus. With young adults such as them, it is encouraging to know that they will help to guide the direction in which this world is heading.
Once again, The Kindness Bus, Bogart and Bob are having great success at the corner of West 72nd & Central Park West. Thank you to all the “locals” who say what a pleasure it is to have The Kindness Bus Tour in their neighborhood.

While visiting New York during the month of June, Odyssey Network interviewed me for a small piece about kindness, this link is the short video  feature posted on their website and You Tube,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHN09vPnxEw

On September 21st, International Day of Peace, this group is promoting one minute for everyone, to pray for peace in their own way. They are hoping one million people take part. Visit their website, www.amillionminutesforpeace.org and make sure to read their column called, Eleven ways to act in peace.

Today we began our visit to the Police Precincts on Manhattan. Just like our visit to all 49 fire houses in June, we came here to thank those who put themselves in harm’s way for our safety. Since we have set up shop on the border of Central Park during many of our stays in Manhattan, we have decided to start here, right in the heart of this city, at the Central Park Precinct.
The precinct is housed in a temporary building as the original century-old architectural gem gets a total overhaul. Miss Williams, who makes sure the building is spotless at all times, met me at the front door. We talked during her entire break about One Million Acts Of Kindness, she even invited me to the Harlem Festival next year. I went inside to find a flurry of activity, keeping Central Park safe for everyone is a 24/7 job. Sergeant Ringhauser was at the front desk with several others as all listened to every word I said. I got many thanks and many thumbs up as I told them “I’m trying to reach kids before you have to.”  Bogart and I made our way back to the park with a new-found appreciation for what these people  do, as an uncooperative man was brought in, in handcuffs.

This amazing dog keeps doing what he does best, getting people to look our way. He is the ultimate conversation starter. It seems when you have a Boston Terrier, everyone in the world owns a Boston Terrier.  Bogart has led many people to me. People who probably wouldn’t stop by, do. He is the main attraction; if he somehow learned how to drive the bus, I would be out of the picture. Bogart’s latest mark was Larry the Cable Guy. Bogart and I were walking through the park and he decided that he didn’t want to walk any longer. I held Bogart as I walked right past Larry who was filming a cooking show for the History Channel. One thing led to another and Larry and I ended up talking about cooking food on the bus which doesn’t have a kitchen. Maybe the scene will make the cut and maybe it won’t. I’m hoping Larry will Git-R-Done.
The thousands of people who passed by the bus today were so complimentary in their actions and praise. This is the easiest hardest job in the world. I’m just trying to Git-R-Done.

They are everywhere you look throughout Central Park. Pedicabs being driven by mainly young men from across the world. Tourists getting shuttled on a guided tour of many of the popular sites in and around the park.
It started with one, on my last visit in June and has spread to several since. Many of the pedicab drivers have chosen to place a One Million Acts Of Kindness sticker on their coach. I talked with some of those drivers and they say most of the riders mention them, plus the thousands who see them in passing.
I am now on a new mini mission; I am going to convince as many drivers as I can to add a little kindness to their coach. Thank you to all the drivers for helping to get my message to others.