Good Deeds, Pass Them On

Since this is the season of giving, I was wondering if anyone else has done good deeds for someone? If you haven't, here's a reminder that good deeds always reward themselves. Go out there and do it! It doesn't have to be anything big, even the little gestures can brighten someone's day... (Psst, tell us what you did for ideas for everyone! It's not bragging - really!)

I'll get us started. This actually happened a while ago, but it still counts. We were shopping at Just For Feet for shoes for Earl, and I was counting on his taste being so high that I would need a coupon I had for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. While we were checking out, right in front of us was a family buying shoes and coats for their two little girls. I overheard the total, and could see Dad cringe a bit. I'm sure you know what happened next, of course I offered my coupon to them, and both parents were completely startled, but very happy to use it.

Earl's good deed was much simpler. We were in Sam's Club and there stood a woman looking at the computer games very perplexed. Earl talked to her for a good ten minutes, telling her which games were good for which age groups, which she should avoid, which could teach a little as well as entertain. She left with an armful and gifts and a smile on her face.

That was so sweet of you to give that coupon to that family! That has inspired me to do something, but I dont know what yet. I do always give money to the Salvation Army people standing at the door of walmart supercenter. The last time was last Friday when I went to get the groceries. If there are any ideas on what I can do for anyone, they are more than welcome!

Thanks Heidi for bringing up such a good topic for a thread - I am sure a lot of people will get inspired by your sweetness!

Ok...I'm not sure if this counts, but I know it makes me feel better when I do this for people. I work for Wal-Mart Pharmacy and I see first hand how much the elderly pay for their prescriptions plus the over-the-counter stuff that they need. There are tons of people who ask me where certain products are and I always show them where the "generic" or store brand products that are the same thing. It's amazing to see how many people (mostly the elderly) don't realize that the store brand is the same thing as the brand name. Legally those products have to be the same thing or else they can not advertise it on the box. Some of those cute little ladies and men get so excited that I just saved them a couple of bucks...to them a couple of bucks is a lot. It just makes me feel good that I helped them save a little money that they could spend on their groceries and etc. Oh...My favorite story about saving someone money just came to mind. This little lady name Ila was getting a blood pressure medicine that cost her over $100 every month and it just happened to be released in the generic form the day she came in. It ended up only costing her $30 per month with the generic and she was so tickled pink about it...she gave me a hug and thanked me for saving her $70! She had tears in her eyes and I could tell that it meant so much to her...I could tell that she didn't have much money to begin with and this will help her a lot. These are the things that keep me going to work everyday. Most of the time, we don't get treated that good and one great thing like this makes up for a hundred times being treated nasty.
Just thought I'd share this with you...

Even though I try to stay out of there, every time I go to Petsmart, I try to use coupons for food and litter. Whatever I save, I donate to the collection box for local pet charities. I do this all year. I usually manage to save 3 or 4 dollars each trip, so hopefully it adds up over the course of the year. I have banned myself from there after today's visit, so I guess I will have to find another way to donate.

I helped collect toys and money for The Chum/City Christmas wish and money for the Yonge St Mission (for Christmas dinner for the homeless).

My husband is a pastor in a very small church,so not only does he have a Sunday Service ,he has started a food pantry and has helped a lot of people out at his pantry,he has sent a couple to a bigger pantry,when his run.s short,has even driven some people to it when they did't have a car,to get there.

I give food every year during the holiday season.

During the year, I always pick up a few extra tins with my normal grocery shopping. Then when the Easter or Christmas food drive starts I have a whole load to give.

I always believe in dealing with good Karma....send positive actions out, receive positive actions back.

It is so heartwarming to hear all the nice things you have done for people!!! I am not sure what I can really add, other than yesterday at the grocery store there was a little old lady and her husband shopping, and looking very perplexed, and I asked if everything was okay, turns out they were having trouble finding things, so I helped them find some of the things on their list, even though I don't work there. Nothing much, I know, but it's all I could think of right now.

Debby, it's those little things that can really brighten up a person's day. The big things are great, too, don't get me wrong. You probably helped those people more than you know. I mean, I didn't do anything extraordinary by giving that family my coupon. It saved them $10, but it wasn't some great feat. It sure did brighten their evening, though. Besides, how many people passed by that couple looking that way and did nothing?

I went to a nursing home and painted Christmas scenes on the windows, it was really rewarding. My friends and I also got together with the art teacher from our school and fixed the local nativity scene. Someone poured gas on the Baby Jesus last year and set his head on fire, and it spread to the three Wise Men. They only needed a little bit of TLC, and some new clothes. (And the baby got a new paper-machÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] head). I helped out with the school's food drive. I call bingo every Thursday at a different nursing home, and I was dressed like a Reindeer two weeks ago, and last week I went as Santa Claus.

This is all so nice to read...

I donate food and clothes for the less fortunate as often as I can.

But this brings me back to my past and somedays I wish I had the time to do all of this again.

I was a volunteer in a hospital in the city. I used to spend most of my weekends (usually from 11-2). All I was asked to do was spend time with the elderly. The floor I was volunteering on was the one with terminally ill patients. It was a fact that this was to be their final home and I more or less just sat with whomever wanted or needed someone to talk to. On a sad note, I had a hard time letting go of them because became too attached. Some were around for months, and some were gone within a week of my meeting them. There was one particular lady that I will always remember. She was in her 80's, blind and was very ill. When I would visit, she would ask that I comb her hair and then hold her hand... Her family was far away and although they came to visit, it was not on a regular basis. I was her only regular visitor. It was really special. When she passed on, I really did mourn for the friend I made.

When I moved here, I volunteered at the Manor. I did everything from decorating, visiting, feeding, manicures. Some days, it was the same as at the hospital, I would just sit and chit-chat.

Anyways, with my job and my boys, I find I don't have the time to give that they request (the people that run the place). They need someone who is there at a certain time on a certain day. And of course, they want a friday morning at 9:00am. I work.

So, my volunteer time with the elderly has ended for the time being but I do try to help as much as I can, when I can.

Geeeze....sorry for rambling, this brought my memories back.

That is so nice of you both to do those things! Working with the elderly is so rewarding I think!

I am a listening volunteer for Samaritans - an organisation based in the UK but with international links to similar organisations within other countries. Samaritans offers someone on the end of a telephone 24 hours a day for people suffering emotional distress and for people who are suicidal - not to talk them out of suicide but to support them emotionally through the crisis. We also are contacted through e-mail (lots from outside the UK) and have people who come to the local office to see people face-to-face.

The organisation's web-site is: www.samaritans.org.uk

My local office has a fairly large voluntary work-force, so we only have to do 4 hours per fortnight (I work, so I "do" a Saturday) and do 9 all-nighters (10pm to 8am) a year.

I got to an age where I wanted to give something back to the community but didn't want to wipe bottoms or rattle a tin on the street corner. And supposedly I'm a good listener.

There is a myth, in the UK, that people who volunteer for Samaritans aren't allowed to tell anyone what they do, but the choice is for the individual volunteers. I tell my friends, but I don't wear a sandwich board.... The service is confidential, as in I will talk about "difficult" calls to my co-volunteer or to the internal support-network, but never to anyone outside the organisation.

I don't think it is the amount of time or the amount of money you give - it is that you do give something of yourself, whether it be £1 once a year or ten minutes to talk to a lonely neighbour.

Dan just cleared out his closets, and we have 3 large bags of clothes marked for the Salvation Army. I did the same thing a few months ago.

This will require some background. A few months ago, Dan came home from work at night. As he was parking (we have to park on the street), he bumped the car behind him. It caused a little scratch on the other car, no big deal. The car's owner was there, and he wasn't happy. Dan gave him the necessary info, and said he'd take care of it if the kid wanted him to.

The boy still called the police, Dan sent the ticket back in not guilty, and went to court the other day. The boy got some estimates and called today. Dan called him back, but the boy was distracted because somebody broke into his van last night. They left the door open so he had a dead battery. So Dan offers to drive over and give him a jump. I think he was worried the boy would think he did something to the car. But since it is Christmas, Dan is in the giving spirit.