North American Liberty Belles and "PIF"

http://www.checkswing.net/profiles/blogs/liberty-belles-in-las-vegas 

Bikes and "PIF"

Dear PIF:

Wow!  What a wonderful website.  My family and I watched the movie a number of years ago.  My kids loved it but felt it was too sad.  They were a little young at the time, I think.  They are 10 and 11 now and Paying it Forward is our way of life.

My kids are being raised by parents who regularly give of our time and talents to our community.  Since we use a lot of our time and talents to help our community - it stands to reason that we aren't using them to make money for our family - sometimes that's a challenge, but it never stops us.  Our kids don't spend weekends on the computer or video games or at the skate park - they come with us to help out with whatever activity we've got planned.  

Our school had a big Spring Fling carnival this past weekend and our theme was Healthy Community.  We had our friend Shawn Holiday from Cycles 4 Hope come out and work on kids' bikes for free.  Mercy San Juan Hospital's SafeKids program gave us 50 bike helmets to give away.  The Hub bike shop of Roseville, CA  paid one of their employees to come out for the day and fit the bike helmets so the kids could truly be safe.  Shawn did a free raffle of 3 girl's bikes and 3 boy's bikes!  The kids loved it!  We live in a lower socio-economic neighborhood.  Everyone right now is hurting.  This event really lifted everyone's spirits.  My daughter (age 10) ran our rummage sale booth for our Relay for Life team (American Cancer Society) while my son (age 11) helped the third grade teacher with her Jelly Bean Class Toy Store selling gently used toys to help raise money for class field trips.  

My family and I are working on our community garden - the very FIRST one of its kind in our city.  11 years ago when we moved into our modest home in Citrus Heights, CA we met a lovely lady named Julia Moncrief.  She was in her early 80's at the time and could no longer garden.  She helped my husband and I build and plant our very own raised beds in an unusable portion of our little lot.  She taught me about tomatoes, beans, corn, squash and about how to keep the bugs away without using chemicals.  She and I would go to the farmer's market every Saturday at 7am in the summer.  She taught me how to make fried green tomatoes.  She passed away 4 years ago from cancer and I miss her so much.  We decided to establish the Julia Moncrief Garden Scholarship to help offset the cost for two seniors who want to have a plot at our new Sylvan Ranch Community Garden.  It will be a cost of $50 per year for our family but we will find a way to do it in Julia's memory.  We feel strongly about paying forward the love of gardening and the gifts of the earth that Julia shared with us.  In addition, when she passed, her family gave me her gardening reference books.  These books will become the foundation of the Sylvan Ranch Community Garden's lending library (as soon as we raise enough money for a TuffShed to put them in!)

 
Thank-you so much!

Laura A. Taylor

Jake McVey Recording and "PIF"

Hi! I work with a new rising country music artist named Jake McVey. Jake has been touring full-time for the past 2 years, doing over 300 shows per year at various venues across the United States. Jake, originally from Iowa,  believes in the Midwest vales of hard work and determination to accomplish your goals, and his schedule proves it!   

In February of this year (2009) Jake visited a nursing home where his grandmother resides and did a free acoustic show for the residents and staff there. He and his band had a great time entertaining them and giving back a little to his hometown area. The residents and staff were so appreciative! In response to that, Jake and his band decided to launch a "Pay it Forward" tour in addition to their already busy schedule. In the towns that he visits, we arrange for he and his band to do a free show at a nursing home, veterans hospital or school in the area. This new tour has been met with open arms from the places they go! In fact one staff member wrote the following in response to their visit:

"Woody Hayes was a college coach who is best remembered for winning five national titles and 13 Big Ten championships in 28 years at Ohio State University (Feb 14, 1913- March 12, 1987) He popularized the term with one of his famous quotes, "You can never pay back; but you can always pay forward." Jake has a tremendous amount of talent and can reach any population of people that he performs for. It is heart warming to see a young man truly enjoy sharing his time and talent with the elderly population. This group of individuals  faced many hardships in their day and opened their homes and offered the hands to assist many others in their lifetime. I truly believe that our elderly cherish activities that involve our younger population and make the elderly feel special. Thank you Jake and band members for providing this memory to the many people living here at Halcyon House.

Sincere thanks,

Mary Geil CTRS "

This is just one of many positive comments Jake has received from the recipients of his Pay it Forward initiative. We weren't aware of your foundation until the band saw a banner of yours posted at a casino they were recently performing at. I wanted to let you know that many good people are doing wonderful "Pay it Forward" events across the US and Jake is one of them!

Good luck with your endeavors and if we can be of any help to you along our path, please let us know!

Thanks so much

Amy Martin
Jake McVey Recording

Philippines and "PIF"

March 30, 2009
by: striker_jem

Pay it forward refers to repaying the good deeds one has received by doing good things for other unrelated people.

The “pay it forward” concept was popularized with the book Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde, which was later made into a movie with the same title.

The idea that you are giving back after having received is wonderful. The fact that it is to three other people is a great reminder that it is better to give than receive.

Accordingly, practicing the “Pay it Forward” principle will make you alert to unexpected kindness from strangers toward you, and you may find yourself becoming more grateful for everyday kindness and consideration from people you don’t even know.

But here’s one unique way to start the principle. A young professional distributes ballers bearing the “Pay it Forward” phrase to encourage those who will receive it to do good deeds and be thankful that there is someone who will be willing to extend help even in simple ways to make a positive difference and could change the world. The gesture made is very timely in observance of the Lenten Season.

John Carpio, fondly called by friends as RJ gave ‘Pay it Forward’ ballers with a concept that those who have it must pass it over to another person who did something nice to him/her instead of saying thank you!

It is a reminder that everyone must not feel obligated to help others because a simple act of kindness was received; but rather, creating a social responsibility and a desire to help others in recognition of the help one has received.

Donovan // PIF and FOX 5 Las Vegas

Fox 5 Vegas report on Pay It Forward Day - Las Vegas.  

http://www.fox5vegas.com/video/19367981/index.html

West Boca Raton High School and "PIF'

These 2 pictures represent the Pay it Forward Initiative that began in 2007. Zack, pictured here, was one of the first students at West Boca Raton High School to receive the Pay it Forward Bracelets. It's amazing what a little white band can do to people. But Zack wears two of them. He also won a huge award his senior year for helping a friend overcome a substance abuse problem. I would love to encourage people to keep hope alive and never give up on anyone. Zack didn't and he saved his friend's life. He is an inspiration to us all and I am know these bracelets put him in the right mindset. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! ~Mrs.Donney

Walk Now for Autism and "PIF"

North Linden Elementary and "PIF"

Those quotes are awesome. We had such a great day on Thursday (Paying It Forward). I took a few students from North Linden Elementary and we visited a retirement home and passed out friendly letters that the students in our school had written. We went when they were serving lunch to all their residents, so the students walked around and visited with all of them. They all enjoyed it so much. After that we went to the YWCA (the largest family shelter) in Columbus and dropped off about 500 books that the students donated. They were so impressed with the amount we were able to raise. We also took a tour of the facility and I could not believe how much it impacted my students. The whole way home they talked about different things we could collect for the shelter the next time we do a service project, and about how they want to go and volunteer. It was amazing. I just wish all of our kids could have experienced what they did. It really makes an impact when they see first hand how their efforts really help others.

Thanks again for your help. The bracelets are working out great. The students love them, and are really going out of their way to earn them. Thanks again.

Nicole

KUTV and "PIF" It's Official

Pay it Forward Day in Salt Lake County

http://www.kutv.com/content/news/topnews/story/Pay-it-Forward-Day-in-Salt-Lake-County/pHHdSuBjNEGivicoizR37w.cspx