I’m finding that visiting a town for a 2nd and sometimes a 3rd time pays high dividends in the form of people wanting to help The Kindness Bus Tour in any way possible. So many individuals have offered compliments, treats for Bogart, meals and even lodging to help make our travels a bit more comfortable. This is a huge inspiration to me.
I see many of the same people a 2nd time around and make many new connections when I visit these towns. Three very excited people, who thought One Million Acts Of Kindness was a perfect idea to reach others were, Mark, Shannon and Eric. They put a couple of our stickers on their car the moment they took them. Thank you to all of the helpful people who add comfort along our journey.

The State of Missouri lost a bus, the world gained a bus.  Nearly 2 years ago I drove 4 hours from Chagrin Falls, Ohio to Fowlerville, Michigan to buy what might quite possibly be the most popular school bus on the face of the earth. It was just an ordinary smaller sized bus that I had big plans for its future service. It was still just an ordinary bus even after it was painted a light blue sky color, appropriately named “Soar.” The magic began when the first words were painted on it’s exterior, as if it were a canvas.
The life we lead remains the same until we affect change. The change you make can have powerful implications. A plain bus, and you, can go through life without having an impact. Add a little passion and you change. Add a lot of passion and you change the world. Wear your passion on your sleeve for the world to see. You can start changing the world with just a little paint on your canvas.

Heading further south in Florida, a great place to spend a day is Delray Beach, especially when it is my birthday weekend and also when it is the 2 year anniversary when Bogart and I joined forces at his age of 1 1/2. After this sunrise, which I waited for for a half hour, only to be obscured by this container ship, I met Christina and her dog, Holly. Christina has been following the travels of The Kindness Bus Tour on the internet ever since we have visited Michigan State, her alma mater.
After a long week of wrapping up One Million Acts Of Kindness Week, Bogart and I are going to relax this weekend, especially since it is the (you fill in the number) anniversary of my 39th birthhday.

I meet many remarkable people along my travels who have accomplished and are accomplishing some great things. Sometimes I read or hear of worldwide organizations that have been formed by a single person to help others around the globe. Other times a sentence or two a person says can have a very profound impact on others.
I met a family of four today who made an impact on me. The two teenaged children of this mom and dad were connected with doing for others because of the connection with their parents. The positive involvement of a parent in a child’s life gives a child the best possible chance of being a help to society.
The thought the father imparted to me made me realize the fortunate upbringing these two kids experienced. He said something to the effect that, everyone should eliminate one negative thing they might do during the course of the day and replace it with a positive. These are some very lucky kids.

Thinking that The Kindness Bus was about to be ticketed tonight, I went out of the building I was in, to see if could plead kindness. What appeared to be 2 unmarked police vehicles had me hurry to try to intervene before the ticket was written. By the time I had made it out of the building and down the stairs, the vehicles had left. Approaching The Kindness Bus, I could tell that a ticket or some sort of warning had been issued. To my astonishment, a ticket had not been issued and the vehicles were probably not police vehicles but some local residents on the street I had parked. Vero Beach has some very generous people.

Great things are possible because of you. Unfortunately, most times it takes a tragedy to get involved in helping others find comfort from your caring acts; other sometimes it takes a planned event to create an awareness of the importance of your much needed involvement.
Raising an awareness with One Million Acts Of Kindness Week and Random Acts Of Kindness Week which take place the same week of the year, create an awareness in people. There should be kindness weeks all year long. No matter the goal of the organization, people being kind toward one another is the ultimate outcome.
A realization of the amazing things you can accomplish in your life is the first step in a direction which can have a positive impact on millions of people. With the entire world connected by the internet, a great need can be met globally.
Thank you to all of the well-wishers and their expressions of success for One Million Acts Of Kindness Week, our expectations were surpassed and your accomplishments reached around the globe.
I also wish to thank everyone who helped to exponentially spread word of this mission. People who used whatever means to connect with their circle of friends and inform them of the importance of taking part in this week.
Teachers in classrooms, involving their students with a worthy lifetime goal, are to be commended for taking the time to help their students find a cause for which they could best use their combined efforts. Just the thought of educators and students working together on a community effort is a “lead by example” lesson not learned from a book.
Unknown, is the impact of any kind act, and to me that is my favorite part. Not knowing how far-reaching your kind gesture’s impact will be is the beauty of altruism, for kindness is truly contagious.
Don’t ever expect anything in return for your kindness, know that by doing, someone is benefiting. Keep doing deeds knowing that you are making a difference in a big way.
Every child and every parent who got their families involved in One Million Acts Of Kindness Week, Thank you. Knowing that families are taking part working together to accomplish a common goal for the betterment of others is reason enough for me to grow One Million Acts Of Kindness Week to as many people as possible.

Arriving in Fort Pierce, Florida this morning, it dawned on me that there are people from twenty two countries represented by this year’s One Million Acts Of Kindness Week. From Australia to Scotland and Haiti to Africa individuals and groups are performing kind acts over and above what they normally would around the world. This amazes me to no end.
Nearer to home, there are several groups taking part for the 2nd year in a row. Life Care Centers of America is one of those participants, this year with fifty two of it’s facilities taking part. Last year one of their facilities updated an entire Firehouse. This truly is a company which cares for people and cares about people. A very big thank you to Paul Zani for making this happen both years.
Determined and focused to do great things for this world, Justin Graves from Virginia Tech signed-up his German Club to renovate 3 local day care centers. Justin also works with Sandy and Jen from the YMCA at Virginia Tech and once again is coordinating One Million Acts Of Kindness Week on his campus. It is from a conversation Justin and I had that gave birth to this week.