I met Jacqueline in Wright Square in the Historic District of Savannah. She was sitting quietly, crocheting on a bench, slowly creating perfect articles of clothing. This wise woman sits on the same bench, in the same square every day, paying compliments, every so often, to people walking by her. I decided to spend some time talking with this beautiful being today.
Jacqueline saw the signage on The Kindness Bicycle and my shirt and told me she had seen plenty of bullying in her life. She was a counselor at a teen camp for quite a few years in Hot Springs, Georgia. She said one of the things which helped the most to deter bullying was to keep kids busy with doing activities. “Kids have too much time on their hands,” she said. The kids in her charge used to have to clear their own paths in the woods and build their own structures to camp in. She said there isn’t much of that sort of stuff for kids anymore. “Everything is done for them nowadays,” she added. Wise woman.

There were over 16,000 visitors in Savannah today, many of whom took part in the race in the perfect “Savannah Visitors Bureau” weather.
I must have talked to 300 people today, leaving me well short of the miles I hoped to ride on The Kindness Bicycle, but I probably had 16,000 views.
Two of the kindest couples one could meet, talked with me this morning before venturing out.
Brian and Heather from Charlotte, NC were taking photos of The Kindness Bus from inside a local restaurant. I went in and gave them an information sheet and a great conversation ensued. Heather works with very young children, helping them get a good start to their lives. I gave her a copy of “Bogart Begins His Kindness Adventure.”
Rich and Dolly from Florida had two daughters in the race today. Dolly is a retired teacher. The two of them were so complimentary about the mission of One Million Acts Of Kindness. Our conversation was very inspiring.
Kate a beautiful woman from London was bullied by the boys for having red hair, freckles and a space between her teeth, she said that look wasn’t a popular look in England and she was made to feel the lesser for it. She credits her parents love and involvement in her life. She was deeply moved by the signs on The Kindness Bicycle and Bus.
Heather has had 36 foster children in her care over the years near Savannah. From an 3 day old infant, to a teen just out of jail, her compassion for children has given kids in need in this area a new lease on life. She is filling in the big gaps that parents often times create for kids.
Lisa, a Counselor from EDS, a K-8 school in Chatham County, loved the idea of a goal of kindness for her school. She is going to promote The Kindness Certificates to all of her students.
Chris who is 18 and originally from South Africa was bullied for weight and other issues. He said he got by, by sorting through all the stuff people were saying about him, and because his parents taught him to believe in himself, he realized how little of what was said was true.

To begin today’s blog, I would like thank the kindness and generosity of a few very considerate individuals. Tyler and Janell a young married couple from Savannah were so engaging and interested in One Million Acts Of Kindness, it was a joy to meet and talk with such caring couple. Evan and Rachel told me that they sat and read the many quotes on The Kindness Bus, they watched as a steady parade of individuals photographed, posed in front of, read or smiled at the words written on its exterior. Thank you to both couples.
I arrived at the university campus to the big interest of those who saw The Kindness Bicycle for the first time.
Shine and Elana we’re thrilled to see such a sight on their campus. Shine said, “What you are doing is really good.” Brenda Warren, the assistant basketball coach offered advice to those who are having problems with bullying or who might be considering suicide, “Talk it through, don’t keep it bottled up inside.”  She was a special needs teacher in high school and knows first hand how common bullying has become in schools.
Michelle at the Tiger Express on campus flagged me down as I rode by. One of the waitstaff said, “I can’t understand how kids can keep killing themselves like this.” Clearly, something needs to be done in a hurry.
On my ride today I was interviewed by WSAV news reporter, Tracy Haynes. He has 2 young children and agrees that having a goal of kindness can have a huge impact on anyone’s life. What a great father he must be.

This is The Kindness Bus’ 5th visit to Savannah but it is the 1st visit for The Kindness Bicycle. I visited this campus, where some of the most creative people come to hone their talent.

http://www.chagrinvalleytimes.com/NC/0/4742.html

This little town has a big heart. From the moment I rolled The Kindness Bicycle out, I was met with applause from a passing cars’ passengers. What a great way to begin a great day.
Rachel a volunteer from the Sumter SPCA stopped by The Kindness bus to offer Bogart some treats. She is a huge lover of animals and enjoyed sharing stories of her family’s pets. She made a donation for one of the Bogart books and even came back later in the day for another copy. Visit www.sumterscspca.com to see the great work they are accomplishing.
Kayla and Kayla from The Shoppe on Brooks, were face-painted for Halloween and posed for today’s picture. Ruthe, the owner of the Shoppe, was so moved by the ride, she made a donation.
I stopped by the Manning Firehouse and 3 schools in this town and received the “Red Carpet” welcome. Christina, owner of the local cafe, insisted on buying me coffee, and Deanna, a local mother of two girls, dropped off a gift card from a national coffee chain. The Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce loved hearing of my travels in their town.
Erin Chandler of the Morning Times was enthused about including her hometown in our travels and is writing an article in her paper. Thank you to Lonnie and Duncan a couple of local residents, who volunteer in their retirement.
Thank you to everyone who helped to make my brief stay in this very friendly town, as good as it could be.

I got an early start to the day and made my way to Florence, SC to visit the Francis Marion University campus and put some miles on The Kindness Bicycle. This town is challenging for bicyclists with some roads that are shared designation but I deemed it too chancy to ride on. I headed to the campus in The Kindness Bus and tried to find an area with high visibility to park, during which time I had some great conversations with students about One Million Acts Of Kindness. I couldn’t find a spot suitable on campus so I decided to go to a busy area of town to park and found a perfect spot. I rode far less than I wanted to today, but found the busiest spot where The Kindness Bicycle and Bus got the most views.
At day’s end, I met Perry Bell, a local resident. He just couldn’t believe the sight of The Kindness Bus and Bicycle. We talked for a half hour about many great things. It was a great way to end this day.

With the southern edge of Hurricane Sandy creating wind and rain in southern Virginia, I drove The Kindness Bus to the Duke campus in Durham, North Carolina. The rains were gone but the high winds persisted. Riding The Kindness Bicycle was a challenge but proved to be appreciated by all I spoke with. With the temperatures barely in the 50s and windy conditions, most of the conversations with students were on the short side but my message reached hundreds of students today.
Will, a master gardener, and Betsy, a volunteer at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the Duke campus, some of the most beautifully manicured grounds, loved the message of kindness on their campus.
This afternoon I headed to the NC University campus nearby. I kept a low profile as a popular student lost his life over the weekend. I attended the memorial in the late evening hours at the Student Union building to pay my respects along with hundreds of his fellow Tar Heels.