Before I get into that, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Kelly and I love to volunteer and give back to the community I live in. I find that the person or organization I'm giving to is actually giving back to me simply by allowing me to share in their joy and help to put a smile on someone's face. And well, that feels good.
So, now, how did this whole blog thing start?
One night, I was sitting at my computer...and then it was 4 hours later... no really. That's the truth. I had no plans on starting anything. Just sat down to check my email and... well...something had been on my heart lately.
I have always felt that my spiritual gift is encouraging others to give and sharing my experiences hoping to inspire others. We all love to give back in different ways. Food banks, church ministries, hate crime prevention, teenage pregnancy, banning bad design.. (ok so that isn't totally a 501(c)3, BUT, the designer in me says it is a worthy cause! There are definitely design hate crimes out there!) Point of the story is, giving back makes us feel good. Even though receiving is nice, it is far more rewarding to volunteer or help a friend in need.
I had this crazy idea to work at 50 different non-profits for 50 different Saturdays just learning about what they are doing and how they are helping in the community. I have been in the same town for 28 whole years of my life and there are STILL community groups I've never worked with. Think of all the good ONE person could do in ONE year in ONE community if they gave up their Saturday every once in a while. And what might happen if others saw that and were inspired to give back too. My first thought was "Wow that would be a lot of Saturdays." and then I thought "Wow we could help a lot of people."
I want to take every opportunity I can to volunteer and share more with readers (assuming I'll have more than one) about things they can do to give back in Central Florida. Every cause is one worth helping move forward if you're passionate about it, but I want to educate myself and others on those niche community non-profits that don't always get an interview with Oprah or 60 Minutes. Plus, we're all passionate about different things. Maybe a group of moms would like to donate diapers to a shelter. Maybe you have a soft spot for kids with disabilities. There is a REAL non-profit who makes paper out of elephant poop. I'm serious!!
Most of you know that I work in Marketing. Frequently I'll get a message to post something on my Facebook or Instagram to spread the word. It is a blessing to have so many who believe in what you're doing. I am using this blog to focus on community outreach, helping people understand products or organizations, sharing intel and information to provide VALUE to my readers. I want to share information that puts others in a better position than myself and ultimately... GROW PEOPLE.
This thought stems from when I saw Seth Godin at the Inbound 2013 Conference in Boston. He and others are sharing more and more about the marketing movement to ::gasp:: BE A HUMAN BEING AGAIN... and to humanize marketing. Put a face and a name with your brand. I don't mean someone famous (because who can afford that). Someone we, as consumers feel like we can resonate with. A modern day Betty Crocker. I feel like that is a big reason why Twitter is so successful. Because users have access to PEOPLE that they feel give them value and purpose in life.
So this got me thinking about myself as a human being and forced me to revisit ... what is exactly my purpose for the next 30 years? What kind of human being am I going to be?
And with that, this blog was born. (ta. da....)
Then I randomly decided to make a top 10 list...
10 things I want to accomplish in the next 30 years:1. Memorize my family recipes.
2. Teach good design vs bad design to anyone who'll listen.
3. Learn to love everyone no matter who they are or where they've been.
4. Show that there is value in results, not the procedures and policies you set in place to get there.
5. Eat real fish and chips (in the US because I'm terrified of flying overseas).
6. Read the Bible in a year.
7. Be memorable.
8. I SHOULD give up diet soda...but I wouldn't call it a want...
9. Be better at sending cards and notes.
10. Inspire others to give and learn.
So, there it is. The purpose. To show "It is more blessed to give than receive" and how giving back can CHANGE you in ways you never thought possible.
So here goes.
Kelly
P.S. Check out Acts 25:30... that had something to do with it too.
P.S.S. What I'm going to write about...
Mondays - Inspire
Tuesdays - Storytime - Guest Blog Feature
Wednesdays - Find a Flyer - I'll be looking all over town for a flyer asking for your help!
Thursdays - Give
Fridays - Help! I need...
Saturday/Sunday - Bonus Blog!
I had this crazy idea to work at 50 different non-profits for 50 different Saturdays just learning about what they are doing and how they are helping in the community. I have been in the same town for 28 whole years of my life and there are STILL community groups I've never worked with. Think of all the good ONE person could do in ONE year in ONE community if they gave up their Saturday every once in a while. And what might happen if others saw that and were inspired to give back too. My first thought was "Wow that would be a lot of Saturdays." and then I thought "Wow we could help a lot of people."
I want to take every opportunity I can to volunteer and share more with readers (assuming I'll have more than one) about things they can do to give back in Central Florida. Every cause is one worth helping move forward if you're passionate about it, but I want to educate myself and others on those niche community non-profits that don't always get an interview with Oprah or 60 Minutes. Plus, we're all passionate about different things. Maybe a group of moms would like to donate diapers to a shelter. Maybe you have a soft spot for kids with disabilities. There is a REAL non-profit who makes paper out of elephant poop. I'm serious!!
Most of you know that I work in Marketing. Frequently I'll get a message to post something on my Facebook or Instagram to spread the word. It is a blessing to have so many who believe in what you're doing. I am using this blog to focus on community outreach, helping people understand products or organizations, sharing intel and information to provide VALUE to my readers. I want to share information that puts others in a better position than myself and ultimately... GROW PEOPLE.
This thought stems from when I saw Seth Godin at the Inbound 2013 Conference in Boston. He and others are sharing more and more about the marketing movement to ::gasp:: BE A HUMAN BEING AGAIN... and to humanize marketing. Put a face and a name with your brand. I don't mean someone famous (because who can afford that). Someone we, as consumers feel like we can resonate with. A modern day Betty Crocker. I feel like that is a big reason why Twitter is so successful. Because users have access to PEOPLE that they feel give them value and purpose in life.
So this got me thinking about myself as a human being and forced me to revisit ... what is exactly my purpose for the next 30 years? What kind of human being am I going to be?
And with that, this blog was born. (ta. da....)
Then I randomly decided to make a top 10 list...
10 things I want to accomplish in the next 30 years:1. Memorize my family recipes.
2. Teach good design vs bad design to anyone who'll listen.
3. Learn to love everyone no matter who they are or where they've been.
4. Show that there is value in results, not the procedures and policies you set in place to get there.
5. Eat real fish and chips (in the US because I'm terrified of flying overseas).
6. Read the Bible in a year.
7. Be memorable.
8. I SHOULD give up diet soda...but I wouldn't call it a want...
9. Be better at sending cards and notes.
10. Inspire others to give and learn.
So, there it is. The purpose. To show "It is more blessed to give than receive" and how giving back can CHANGE you in ways you never thought possible.
So here goes.
Kelly
P.S. Check out Acts 25:30... that had something to do with it too.
P.S.S. What I'm going to write about...
Mondays - Inspire
Tuesdays - Storytime - Guest Blog Feature
Wednesdays - Find a Flyer - I'll be looking all over town for a flyer asking for your help!
Thursdays - Give
Fridays - Help! I need...
Saturday/Sunday - Bonus Blog!
