Not having a bicycle to ride and having a 6 month, 7,400 mile Kindness Bicycle Tour a month away, can be a little bit unnerving. I have been getting some riding in over the past couple of months on a bike which was loaned to me by a local physical therapist named John. During this time, I have come to know nearly every bike shop owner and employee in the area because of my frequent visits to find a suitable used bike. A couple shop owners spent the time checking with their manufacturers to see if they would like to donate a bike, to no avail. Requests of this nature are quite common as there are many people who ride for many worthy causes. Enter John again, John with a very big heart. I received an email from Melinda who works with John about wanting to sell me his bike at a ridiculously low price. This bike is a high quality, top of the line bike which will serve my needs on my ride across the country. Enter Melinda again, Melinda with a very big heart. She says that there is no need in paying John because she is going to make up the difference. Two individuals with two very big hearts.

For the next 2 weeks, The Oprah Network will feature One Million Acts Of Kindness in a sixty and ninety second public service commercial. The commercials will run many times during the course of the day. Gina Fortunato filmed us for 2 days this past fall while we were in New York City. What a great way to spread the message of kindness across the world.
Thank you to the Oprah Network and Gina. I am hearing from many people who have seen the commercials. This is a huge help to my mission and my heart is filled with gratitude.

I am not one to promote many commercial undertakings on my blog but every now and then I am asked to do so. In 4 days, Deborah King’s book “Be Your Own Shaman” is being launched. This self-help book is a must read. Being kind to one’s self is needed to be able to truly be kind to others. Taking time to discover the power you have to help yourself and others, through the passion you have for what you believe in, is some of the best medicine all of us can have in our lives. I believe it is the first step in being kind to yourself.
Friend and New York Times best selling author Marci Shimoff who featured One Million Acts Of Kindness in her best selling book “Love For No Reason,” sings the praise she has for Deborah King’s work. “Deborah King is an amazing teacher with a powerful message of living in the moment. Spend a few minutes with her and get ready for a paradigm shift!” You can’t get a better testimony than that!
Great success with your new book Deborah, here’s to hoping you sell millions of copies.

The art of a hand written thank you is gaining popularity again as the impersonal nature of internet email is just that. I am grateful for the kindness of strangers which seems to becoming more prevalent as time goes by on The Kindness Bus Tour. The list of those who have helped us during the 2 months we have spent in Florida is a long one. I have decided to rekindle my interest in the hand written thank you note. As I travel north for the next 2 weeks and during my 6 month Kindness Bicycle Tour from May 14th until mid-November, I will have plenty of opportunity to write hundreds of much deserved, hand written notes.
My favorite thank you cards are made by www.gratitudedesigns.com The artist even donates a portion of monies to the Flawless Foundation to help children in need. There are beautiful caring people everywhere I travel.
The Kindness Bicycle Tour begins in 5 weeks.

This Saturday, April 11th, The Flawless Foundation will celebrate its most recent accomplishments at its 2nd annual Perfection Party in New York City. A panel of health professionals will discuss topics titled, “The best kind of different.” Anyone interested in children’s mental health should consider attending this event or an event in the near future.
The motto, “The Flawless Foundation is deeply committed to humane, compassionate care for children with brain disorders,” sums up precisely, the importance of this foundation’s accomplishments. Founder, Janine Francolini and a talented group of board members prove everyday how deeply committed they are to this very important cause.
Please take the time to visit their website; www.flawlessfoundation.org

The Kindness Bicycle/Kindness Bus Tour leaves New York City in 38 days. I am riding a bicycle 7,400 miles for survivors of domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse. The abuse of our children needs to stop!! Please click on the box above this blog for more information.

Pulling The Kindness Bus into the Salvation Donation Center was as if I was dropping off a movie star at the Oscars; the paparazzi was all over us. Volunteers and donors came over to us to see why such a beautiful bus was making a stop at their center.
Two weeks ago I received a donation of gently used stuffed animals from a 7 year old named Corinne. She asked me if I could donate them to a hospital for her, I had to do the next best thing when the hospitals said they couldn’t take them, I took them to the local Salvation Army. Melissa and Barbara, workers/volunteers said the stuffed animals would go needy children. I’m sure it is the next best thing Corinne had in mind for her wonderful donation.

The Youth Guidance group in Vero Beach is dedicated to serving the needs of nearly 700 children in this area of Indian River County. I was invited by Dee Giannotti, one of the long term board members, to speak to the teen mentoring group of children and adults. The teen mentoring group of youth guidance meets once a week and the message I have dovetails with what they are accomplishing as they “expose the children to as many life enriching experiences including developing personal life philosophies,” as Dee puts it.
My talk was about trying to inspire the children as well as adults to live their lives as role models. I handed out Kindness Certificates and was thrilled when some of the children asked for multiple copies for their siblings and friends. After dinner everyone talked about the next kind act they were going to perform.
Thank you to all board members and executive director, Barbara Schlitt Ford for the invite to address this group and thank you to Ginny Rhodes for capturing as many of us as she could in today’s photo.