Until the beginning of my travels on The Kindness Bicycle/Kindness Bus Tour and talking with Domestic Violence Advocacy professionals across this country, I had never before heard the term “Elder Abuse” used. It was a shock upon hearing it for the very first time. I had to ask myself, did I just hear that! It has bothered me since and have now heard the term dozens of times. Today I decided to do something about it because I believe that most people are as naïve as me, when it comes to this issue. I decided to call attention to the tragedy taking place in this country with respect to the elderly, by riding The Kindness Bicycle 100 miles, with a very visible sign on the front. The results of my 12 hour ride were astonishing; I never before received so many ovations from complete strangers. For a person to clap their hands or verbally respond to me as I rode by shows a large sector of our society interested in protecting seniors. This is very encouraging, to say the least, but people need to get involved in this issue, across our nation.
Because of the large number of baby boomers reaching retirement age, this epidemic will increase in numbers over the next couple of decades. All of us will know someone or be related to someone who will be abused. The general public needs to be fully aware of this issue to stop this existing immoral behavior and impending social epidemic. With the wealth of information and a lifetime of experiences, seniors are this country’s most valuable resource. They deserve our total respect, it even says so on the side of The Kindness Bus.
For information on elder abuse; visit the National Center on Elder Abuse website at; www.ncea.aoa.gov or you can call to receive further information on elder abuse at; (855)500-3537
Please help us spread our message of a Goal of Kindness to schoolchildren across the country. Your donations are crucial to making this a reality.
Mail donations to:
One Million Acts Of Kindness
PO Box 770054
Lakewood, OH 44107
You can also donate through PayPal:
Bogart is my travel companion on The Kindness Bus Tour for the next ten years. We will be on the road traveling to campuses across the country. Bogart is a eight year old Boston Terrier. He is a great people dog... he loves meeting new people. I am Bogart's fourth owner in his short 8 years of life... Not because of him but because his three previous owner's lifestyles changed after they took him in... Lucky for me!! Bogart is the luckiest, most spoiled dog on the face of the earth. He loves the bus and he loves to travel. Please come and visit him when we are on your campus.
The Blue Bird Corporation donated this amazing bus to One Million Acts of Kindness, allowing us the continue this initiative. It has been painted to closely resemble the original Kindness Bus. It will last well beyond the ten years of this mission. A very big thank you to Blue Bird from Bob Votruba and Bogart too!!
The original Kindness bus has been donated to a professor at Virginia Tech who will use it on campus and at schools in the Blacksburg area. The Kindness Bus will continue to inspire and comfort residents, students and visitors in that area for years to come.
One Million Acts Of Kindness is a goal. A goal for each person to individually perform One Million Acts Of Kindness in their life. Can you imagine a greater goal for one's life? It is a constant mind-set of kindness every day of your life for the next fifty-five years. Doing for others and kindness in your heart for everyone. It is my wish that you will dedicate your life to a charity... finding the passion in your heart for something or someone in need.
As a father of three college age kids I am concerned for the world in which all kids will live. A great way to create a safer, more caring world is for everyone to start their lifetime goal of One Million Acts Of Kindness. So I bought a bus, had about sixty family members, friends and neighbors help paint it and began a ten year journey with my Boston Terrier, Bogart, to college campuses across the country hoping to convince as many of you as possible about this much needed movement for this world. I love you guys too much to sit back and not do anything about this. Let's start a kindness movement in this country today to change the direction this world is headed!! You are the change that this world needs.