happydollars.org

Sometimes just a small effort is enough to make a big difference.

As a community service organization we work every day to balance the needs of our families, our businesses, our community and the needs of communities around the world.   Each of us has to consider how to spend the 24 hours a day that we all have. 

Sometimes trying to get the balance straight can be discouraging.  Sometimes a project does not have the impact that we would like, sometimes we neglect our family or our business, and feelings and our pocketbooks get hurt. 

Our goal is to help make the world a better place.  We want to see that people in developing nations are able to build the infrastructure that will make their populations healthy and improve their lives.  We want to see countries around the world eliminate diseases like polio.  We want people to see the value of working together to achieve a goal; to see how amazing it is when a community comes together.  These are often big complicated goals.  They require the cooperation of many people over a long period of time.  They require that people put their own lives to the side.  The goal is to have a big affect on as many people as possible. 

But what makes a successful event?  How much money do we need to raise, how many people must your event touch?  One?  One million?

Before you answer that question, let's take a step back and look at the goal... to make the world a better place. 

In 1789 George Washington became the first President of the United States of America.  The United States of America, this young group of upstarts from a backwoods continent on the "other" side of the ocean.  He was not perfect.  He would probably be the first to point that out.  Washington repeatedly tried to pack his bags and head back to his beloved home, Mt. Vernon, but, he persisted.  He understood one thing, his decisions were going to have a big impact on lots of decisions, and lots of other people.  Above all, he set out to create precedence.  He could have become Emperor George Washington... good for him, bad for us.  The royalty of Europe viewed him as a fool and a footnote.  In their eyes, it would not be long until the American experiment fell back under the control of one of the powerful European crowns.  His decision to be a "President" made it clear that the government was there for the people, not the other way around.  He put the people of this fledgling republic before himself and because of that we did not fall back to the crowns of Europe.

"I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government."  Henry David Thoreau was a man driven by ideals.  He saw the world around him as a glorious wonder to be observed and appreciated.  He spent his life writing, and working in the family business, manufacturing pencils.  Once, he quit a job as a school teacher rather than administer corporal punishment.  To some his writings might be considered anarchistic.  He preached civil disobedience; the act of showing dissent by peacefully refusing to follow the laws set forth by a government, that a group, or individual, may have a moral obligation to protest.  To others his works were a map to freedom. 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a lawyer.  He trained in London and was called to the bar in 1891.  In 1893, at 24, he was working for a law firm in South Africa when he tried to assert his British Citizenship.   He was denied its' rights and protections, because he was Indian.  His experiences in South Africa opened his eyes to the inequities of the world and led to his crusade for Indian independence.  His work began with a small act of discrimination against him and led to the fight for independence for India.  In his struggle he chose to fight, by not fighting.  His movement was based on peaceful descent; civil disobedience.  He was one man and he moved a nation.

In December, 1955, 26 year old Martin Luther King, Jr. found himself in the middle of a protest, a protest that he did not start.  It began one day when a woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to white passenger.  Her refusal to accept the status quo crippled the Montgomery Alabama transit system.  It led to the Supreme Court ruling segregated buses were unconstitutional and thrust a young preacher into the spotlight.  In December 1955 King had been leader of his church for less than a year.

Today, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks are iconic individuals who took part in a watershed moment in U.S. history but, have you ever heard the name Claudette Colvin?  She spontaneously refused to give up her seat on a Alabama bus to a white person 9 months before Parks.  She was a 15 year old unmarried mother.  At the time, civil rights leaders did not think that her case would be strong enough to pursue, but Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. were well aware of the risks that she took by sitting still.

I think that we can agree that all of these people were courageous historical figures.  They left their mark on the world through their actions, and millions of lives were affected by the things they did.  Can we even conceive the world that existed before the American Revolution?  Would any of us accept a life in caste system or as a colonial subject?  Would we allow ourselves to be relegated to the role of second class citizen, indentured servant or slave?

It is easy for us to look back on the progress that our world has made in the last three hundred years and think that we would have pushed against those horrible things.  But would you really?  Would you have risked your land, your family's well being, your life, to stand up to the British Government as a traitor?  Would you have taken beating after beating and years in jail to fight for thousands of people who you have never met?  Would you have sat on that bus at fifteen? 

We cannot forget that each step towards today, was made by men and women making sacrifices, sometimes small, sometimes big.  The line can easily be traced from the decisions of Washington to the freedom of press that Henry David Thoreau experienced.  Thoreau is a visible factor in the life and philosophy of Gandhi, King and Parks, but what about Claudette Colvin?  Like all the rest she is just one person.  A small figure who took a small stand.  But without the others she would never have had the opportunity to take her stand.  Who knows the number of small stands that were crushed without even a passing note in the history books?  Who knows the number that are made each day without a glance?  The number will never be known.  What is known... if the fight is surrendered, the rights of the individual will be trampled by the selfish will of tyrants and warlords. 

The fight for human rights, freedom, and the rule of law continue every day in Iran, Iraq, China, Afghanistan, Uganda, and even the U.S.  We have the power of history.  The insight into the struggles of those that have come before us.  We are members of a powerful organization that has committed volunteers working to make the world a better place.  We can make a difference by working to educate, creating understanding, and making the lives of the people that we touch every day just a little better. 

Big changes are made by taking small stands.

So, is an event successful if only one person attends?  Yes.  Because one person has seen something that they would not have seen if the did not attend.  One person ventured outside of the small box of their everyday existence, they glimpsed the vastness of the world around them.  One person showed an interest in changing the world and one person gave you a reason, and strength, to put together the next event.  If one person benefited from the event, then one person was given the tools to go out and tell another person what they learned... and the cycle continues.  As long as it does, then that helps us to meet our goal, to make the world a better place. 

As I think of my own life, and the long list of individuals that have made me the person that I am today, I am so thankful.  Good or bad influence, they have given me an insight into the world and made me a better person.  I am sure that there are those that questioned the value of their investment in my life, at the time.  I hope that I will help them to recoup their their contribution, by my commitment to the world around me.  I hope that you all understand how important that investment is to the people around you and how powerful.  Do not take your good intentions for granted, never give up.  Thank you for being a part of my life. 

4,000 people holding hands around a lake.  Great.  Why?

Exactly, why?  When you set out to get people to have an effect on anything, you need people to take the step from What? to Why?  Once they ask that question you have an opening to discuss, to excite, to enlighten.

When we set out to raise money to help the people of Haiti we knew that the money raised would provide a momentary fix to an immeasurable tragedy.  In the days after the earthquake the attention that Haiti received was immense.  As the days passed, Haiti dropped lower and lower in visibility.  On the day of Hand to Hand for Haiti another earthquake struck the people of Chile.

Today, if you want to know how the people of Haiti are doing, you have to search for the information. 

Haiti is just one example of a place that needs help.  They need money to solve their problems, but more than that, they need people who have had experience dealing with the big issues that they face, and they need them for a long time.  They need a government to offer guidance, leadership and a rule of law.  They need doctors to see to it that the population is able to function and eventually prosper.  They need income.  Without a sustainable way for the population to support themselves, they will never thrive.  Helping people to rebuild their lives is not a single step process.

As any organization looks for a way to help they need to look at the whole picture.  We are all guilty of having a short attention span.  (As I  write this, I am wondering how many people have read this far into the blog?)  Without taking into consideration the whole picture, there will be no real change.  Peoples lives will not get better and a lot of time and money will be wasted.

When we set up the fund raiser for Haiti we had the advantage that many organizations do not have.  We have a machine.  We have a chain of help that extends from Ellicott City, MD to Sarasota, FL to Haiti.  Each part is looking at the needs of the people and making sure that things are being done well, ethically, and with the end result in mind.

So, on the day of the Hand to Hand for Haiti we had somewhere between 500 and 1,500 people holding hands at Centennial Lake.  Whatever that amount is, we touched people.  We made people aware of the plight of the people of Haiti and we kept the focus on something that was quickly fading.  We have raised over $10,000 so far and we hope to add to that. 

If you were there on the day of the event you got to see a diverse group of people who gave of themselves to achieve a goal.  They stood patiently in the cold to have an affect on something, they felt like they were making a difference and, they did.

So how do you inspire people?  Set a BIG goal and make sure it is clear that you will make a difference.  People want to be part of something bigger than themselves.  You are in the admirable position of being able to provide that.

Rotary Grant Process - Welcome to Change

In an effort help Rotary become a more effective organization, the grant application process has been rewritten.  Right now there are select districts that are approved to take part in the development and refinement of the grant process.

The goal of this task is pretty simple:

1)  Simplify - They understand that the past processes made things more difficult than necessary.  The result was that the projects were not as affective as they should be and were not as accountable as they should be.
2)  Accountable - In order to keep the strength of Rotary name, it is essential that the process create accountability.  This will bring trust, which will bring growth.
3)  Hands On - Projects that used to be known as "Check Writing" projects will be discouraged.  The focus of he projects should be long-term, sustainable, and measurable.
4)  Grow Rotary - The final part is to help Rotary grow.  The perception of the effectiveness of projects sponsored by Rotary is essential to the growth of Rotary in the future. 

Much of what will take place in the future is going to be pushed down to the club level. Rotary Clubs are going to have to keep track of all of their disbursements, etc.  Any questions about the progress of a project will be referred to the club.  The district would like to review applications, but in reality, the process is now online.  Once a club has been certified they can apply for grants at their convenience. 

This is just a summary.  There are lots of specifics about how the process has changed, but I believe that the goals are good and the process has a good format.  It is going to be interesting!  I can't wait to see what we come up with!

Snow.  We've got it.

We just went through a record snowfall here in MD.  70+ inches in one winter... and we are not done yet.  We got to experience the inconvenience of not being able to go out anytime we wanted.  Our businesses were shut down.  Our driveways are covered with feet of snow.  It sucked.

Today, listening to the news I heard that Haiti is now getting rained on.  People who have no homes have been huddling under blankets and pieces of plastic to try to stay warm and dry.  They are now facing the threat of mudslides.

Outside my window the sun is reflecting off of the tons of snow in my backyard.  There is a mud spot where my truck was stuck.  My arms hurt just looking at the piles and piles of snow.  It has all been difficult to get through, but it is actually really beautiful now.  My family is safe.  My kids are warm.  My friends are busy and they all know that next week will be better.

The government of Haiti has now raised the number of deaths from the earthquakes to over 200,000.  I cannot even conceive what that number means. 

Please don't forget what we are trying to do.  Send this link to your friends, get your buckets, sign up to help.  C'mon Howard County, we are very lucky people.  Let's make a difference!

Once in a while... every now and then... once a week, depending on who you are, you venture into something... impossible. 

If it isn't impossible, you find yourself questioning whether it will ever really come to fruition or if anyone else will see your goal and join up with you.

Along the way, you put a couple of things in place and you hope that someone else sees the merit of your actions and joins in.  Sometimes that wait is a long one. 

If, or when, that first person joins in it is a 'jump up and down moment". 

The Hand to Hand for Haiti event has had a fantastic response from people who see the value of something so big and monumental.  They see the image of 4,000 people, mostly strangers, holding hands around a lake in the middle of the winter and say "I want to be a part of that." 

They say "I want to be part of that" because it is big.  It is much bigger than any one of us, and it will have a big impact on a lot of people's lives.  

I am truly excited about Hand to Hand for Haiti, and I look forward to the event not because of the fund raising goal, but because I love the image of all those people, from all different walks of life, joining together for no other reason than to show support for people who are in need. 

Hand to Hand for Haiti has provided many "jump up and down moments" for me and the members of my club in the short time that it has existed, but, all that said, this entry is not about Hand to Hand for Haiti.  It is about www.happydollars.org.  It is a simple idea really.  Just send us an email or comment on the site about why you are happy?  The goal is, to show that sometimes the little things make a big difference.  www.happydollars.org will be here for a long time after Feb 27th and we hope that people will come back and find a reason to help support our efforts, but mostly... we just want to know why you are happy?

Today we received our first email from someone outside The Ellicott City Rotary Club about why they were happy.  They got it.  This is a "jump up and down moment" for me.

Ken, from the Gaithersburg Rotary Club wrote:  "I am thankful that the Ellicott City Rotary Club has such a creative and ambitious fund raising idea."

Thank you Ken.

Now, to be fair, this person was a Rotarian and he was complimenting our club, but he just took a small step outside of his world and told the rest of the world something that made him happy. 

I invite the rest of the world to join in.  Come on in the water is fine... and we all want to hear how you are doing.

BTW - Happiness is contagious.

 

We had another meeting with the Howard County Parks and Recreation yesterday. It was a really great meeting. The level of professionalism and coordination within that department is remarkable.  When you are responsible for monitoring as much as they are and a group walks in and says “We want to gather 4,000 people in your park... in February.” you would expect them to react with a long effusive belly laugh. (Maybe they did, but they were at least polite enough not to do it in front of us.) They were very helpful and were able to pinpoint a series of organizational issues that we need to resolve to get this thing together. Thank you to everyone at Howard County Parks and Recreation!

We have a traffic flow plan, we have all the buckets filled (Each group that signs up will receive a bucket with 25 bracelets and all of the necessary infomation.), the website has most of the necessary information posted, we are waiting on the final “all set” from the online credit card processing company and we are ready to go!

Thank you to all the local businesses that have already signed on. We will be putting together a thank you page to make sure that we recognize the extraordinary amount of help that we have received. Also, thank you to the other Rotary Clubs that have signed on in leadership roles, Clarksville and Ellicott City Sunrise.

This event is turning into a real inspiration. Not just because of the compassion of the individuals involved, but because of the intense dedication of each person who has committed to help us meet the deadline.

Charge On Stalwart Volunteers!

Hand to Hand for Haiti is Rolling!  The date is set, February 27, from 1 pm to 5 pm.  We have support for Howard County Recreation and Parks, Eyre Bus Service, Kendall Hardware, Kids for Peace, The Clarksville Rotary Club, The Ellicott City Sunrise Rotary Club, Rotary District 7620... and more are joining up everyday.

We have taken on a task that may seem to be impossible, but the outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming.  There will be several big updates on the website over the next couple of days.  Make sure to check back with us often.  There will be information on how to register, how to get to and from the event and how to make a donation. 

Attempting an event, that may be impossible to pull off, is a frightening undertaking, but it is nothing, compared to the suffering that is taking place in Haiti.  We hope that you will help us by spreading the word, donating your time to help us organize participants, and giving to the cause. 

Please make others aware of this site, and check back with us to see our progress.

Keep on moving, keep on moving!  This week we have meetings with Howard County Parks and Rec and several other community groups about what needs to be done to move this event forward.  Hands for Haiti has been preliminarily scheduled for Feb 20th.  That is less than a month away!  We have lots to do. 

The date has been set for the Invisible Children Event.  Please join us on Sat March 13th to learn about an initiative to make the lives of children in Africa better.  

So far we would like to thank Howard County Parks and Recreation for their input and guidance and Kendall Hardware in Clarksville for donating 200 paint buckets for us to use to distribute our supplies!

Make sure you stop by and let them know how much you appreciate their support.

www.kendallhardware.com

The Ellicott City Rotary Club has endeavored to attempt a fund raiser of epic proportions.  With the pressing need of those who have survived the earthquake in Haiti, the club has set out to bring together 4,000 people to show support and to raise money for the rebuilding of Haiti.  The idea is to have everyone gather at the lake at Centennial Park and form a human chain.  From hand to hand we hope to show the strength of our diverse community, the hope that can spring from disastrous events and the power of what can be achieved when people work together. 

We are currently talking with other local organizations, churches, and schools in an attempt to bring together the force of all of Howard County's many volunteer organizations.  Our website will soon be active to accept donations.  All funds collected will be sent to relieve the suffering and help rebuild the country of Haiti.

Please check back often, we will post progress of each step.  As soon as there is a date, we will make an announcement to the local media.

If you would like to participate, please email: info@happydollars.org.

Thank you!
    

Every day there is someone in need.  Somewhere there has been a mudslide, an earthquake, a fire, a drought.  When these events take place the world is spurred into action.  Too often these events catch even the most organized groups by surprise and more often then not, help is a long time coming.

Over an over The Ellicott City Rotary Club is approached about taking part in fundraisers to help in these type of situations and many others.  More often than not we are caught without an infrastructure to start the fundraising.  We realized that we needed a way to say to people who wanted to help, go to this place, read the information and let us know what you can do to help.  That is one of the reasons for the establishment of this site.

The second reason is to ask people to celebrate with us.  So many times in our lives, good things happen and we want the world to know.  Come here and tell us about it so that we can share it with the world.  It is a simple thing, but it is a big thing.  No matter how small it can make a difference in so many ways.