Four friends, a group of Veterans, and a day to remember

Words cannot express today. Today, on the anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, 2001 we celebrated and thanked the women and men who served our country and protected our freedoms; we being three amazing friends and myself.

Nancy Wallace, Renee Hoyt, Lauren Wallace, and I all showed up at the New England Center and Home for Veterans in Boston for the opportunity and pleasure to serve lunch to approximately 118 Veterans.



Nancy, Lauren, Renee

We not only served the meal to the Veterans, but we had the honor of thanking every single one of them for their service.

One gentleman not only thanked me (which surprised me) for the special meal and told me how much us being their made their day, but he came back after eating his lunch, shook my hand, and told me that our support put a smile on his face. I have to tell you his man brought tears to my eyes.

It wasn’t all tears. There were hair nets, and gloves, aprons, and grins. There were a lot of laughs, and, handshakes, a lot of getting trays so a Veteran could pile on the dessert (cupcakes from http://nancysmarshview.com/) or carrying trays to a table if someone needed help. 

Cupcakes for dessert


It was tugging chocolate lollipops from their stands or handing a Veteran extra sodas so he could stick them in his toiletry bag and take back to his room for later.

There were discussions of football…thanks to all of us girls wearing New England Patriots’ T-shirts. Quite the icebreaker.

Ice cream line

At one point when I was handing out ice cream, CJ Beck, the Philanthropic Officer at New England Center and Home for Veterans (community.support@nechv.org) and organizer of the hosted meals program and I were chatting and he asked me what I thought. With no thought necessary, I responded, “Who wouldn’t want to do this every day.”

You will walk in nervous, excited, and not knowing what to expect. You will walk out feeling as if you just spent the best few hours of your life with the most amazing men and women you will ever have the privilege to meet.



New England Patriots' shirts

If you are tempted to do this and I hope you are, you will find it an amazing experience for yourself and the Veterans you will be serving. These folks are deserving and thankful knowing that someone really cares.

Honestly, there are no words to express this experience other than maybe honor, respect, humbling, emotional, and the best thing I have ever done.

I cannot wait to do it again! And we will, in December. If you would like to contribute to that event and be a part of thanking our Veterans, please go here and make a donation: https://www.youcaring.com/new-england-center-and-home-for-veterans-578096



Packing for the event

Just because!



New Year's Resolution of Kindness

Happy New Year! and Welcome to 2016!

How many of you make a New Year’s Resolution? I’m guessing there is a large show of hands. And of course you have every intention of keeping them. I can tell you the first week of the New Year and sometimes even the first month is packed at the gym. But then it dwindles.

The dreaded New Year’s Resolution.

How many of you keep your New Year’s Resolutions? I’ll bet there are a lot less hands in the air. Or maybe you keep some but not others. Hey, some is better than none, right?

Me? I like New Year’s Resolutions for the opportunity to take on a challenge. Do I stick with them? Yes. Why? A resolution to me means growth, personal growth.

Each year I like to learn or try something new, something to take me out of my comfort zone and expose me to new people and new adventures.

This year I’m doing something different. This year it’s not just about my own personal growth, it’s about giving back, paying it forward. It’s about random acts of kindness. It's a New Year's Resolution of Kindness!

Yes, this year my plan is to do at least one random act of kindness a week. That’s 52 random acts of kindness in 2016. If you are afraid you can’t do it every week then pick one month and do one random act each day of that month.

On my birthday I will perform one random act of kindness for each year in my age. Nope, do not ask. I will not tell you my age. Let’s just say it will be a very busy day giving.

I would love for this idea to spread and see more of you do this so please pass the word and let’s make 2016 a year of giving.

Below is a list of some ideas to help you get started. Please share your own ideas or acts of kindness.

 Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness:

1. Start a piggy bank for a cause
2. Leave a copy of an interesting book on a train, bus, or in a coffee shop
3. Pay for the drinks on the next table at a café or restaurant
4. Call a grandparent
5. Thank a police officer or firefighter
6. Share your umbrella
7. Pick up groceries for a neighbor
8. Bring co-workers a special treat
9. Help someone load groceries into vehicle
10. Bring flowers to someone
11. Pay the toll for the car behind you
12. Leave a generous tip for a server
13. Help someone with yard work
14. Thank a volunteer
15. Adopt a soldier: http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/
16. Adopt a platoon: http://adoptaplatoon.org/site/
17. Read to the elderly or a child
18. Return a shopping cart
19. Volunteer at a food bank
20. Leave change in a vending machine or parking meter
21. Use your vacation days
22. Hold the door open for someone
23. Let the person behind you go ahead of you in line
24. Donate clothing
25. Leave quarters at the laundromat
26. Buy a lottery ticket for someone else
27. Buy a cup of coffee for the person in line behind you
28. Write a thank you note to a co-worker
29. Give up your seat for a stranger
30. Say “please” and “thank you” … a lot
31. Send a gift anonymously
32. Compliment a waiter/waitress/server
33. Give another driver your parking spot
34. Give a landscaper a bottle of water
35. Treat a friend to the movies
36. Pick up rubbish in the road and put in a trash receptacle
37. Tell your family how much you appreciate them
38. Leave warm clothing on a bench with a note letting the finder know that it’s theirs to use or giveaway
39. Donate to your favorite charity or donate to my site for Team RWB, which supports our Veterans.   Denise's Team RWB donation site
40. Tweet a compliment about a vendor
41. Put your cell phone away
42. Give chocolate…generously and often
43. Stop to have a conversation with a homeless person
44. Write a positive review for a book or a product
45. Adopt a rescue pet
46. Leave a bag of microwave popcorn at your local Red Box movie rental stop
47. Listen to the person sitting across the table from you
48. Donate a race entry fee to the next random person
49. Plant a tree or flower
50. Make two lunches and give one away
51. Give directions to someone lost
52. Donate canned goods to a food shelter or at your local grocery store
53. Buy lemonade from a kid’s lemonade stand
54. Leave a nice comment on a blog
55. Wash your neighbor’s car
56. Keep a pen on hand – lend it to people when needed
57. Call your mom
58. Give someone a hug
59. Smile. . .a lot