Tip for a Tuesday....

Be a Helper

Ann Curry, the NBC journalist "tweeted" on Sunday a most wonderful idea in response to the horror of December 14th.  

"Imagine if all of us committed to 20 mitvahs/acts of kindness to honor each child lost in Newtown.  I'm in. If you are RT #20Acts"

She has been re-tweeting the incredible responses she has received and says that tens of thousands of people on Twitter and Facebook not only seized the idea, but increased it to 26, to include the teachers and staff lost as well who lost their lives trying to save the children.  This is a wonderful example of how social media can do so much good!

Ann also posted a quote today from Mr. Rogers, which I found so profound:

"Fred Rogers once said that when he saw scary things in the news as a boy, his mother would say, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"

My tip?  Each one of us can be a helper!

Need some ideas? Here's what I'm working on...

Daughter #2 and her husband contacted one of the funeral homes in Newtown and the two of them have started a monetary collection to help pay for one of the funerals.  I dropped off my donation at lunchtime.  

The 2012 PBA Toy Drive in Bergen County is looking for donations, so I'll be buying several toys to bring to my local police station in the morning.

In addition, I'm also writing directly to my representatives in Congress.

This web address gives you the email addresses of all members of Congress: 

http://www.contactingthecongress.org

Ann Curry has shared stories of people donating to food banks, buying coffee for a teacher in line at the local coffee shop, bringing baked goods to a nursing home, and secretly leaving some cash for a co-worker they know is struggling financially.

The possibilities are endless.  The reward?  Feeling like there is something we can do to try and honor those innocent lives that were lost.