I am still working on responding to so many of your truly inspiring emails and comments. Thanks so much. So many of you are planning to participate in June 15th’s Worldwide Day of Giving. I can’t wait. The more people you tell the more amazing this could be. Imagine if this goes completely viral and people all over the world are doing this. I will tape a short video explaining the Worldwide Day of Giving and post it on YouTube. Several of you have asked for tips on how to approach someone successfully; I will post some tips and other helpful information on www.yearofgiving.org and on my Facebook page.
Last Saturday I took a walk around the city and spent some time in front of the White House. I often take it for granted, but it is pretty amazing to be able to walk 10 blocks and sit and relax in front of our President’s home (ok, so sometimes it’s not all that relaxing with thousands of people taking photos). I found a man sitting on a bench and I approached him to participate in the Year of Giving. He was with a few other people and said he had to go. I was disappointed, because he was from Canada and I don’t have any Canadian recipients yet! (That’s ok, the Caps beat his team in hockey that night!)
Javier and Lindsay with their $10 in front of the White House (Photo: Reed)
Then I found Lindsay and Javier. If they didn’t know better they would have thought I was stalking them because we later found out that I almost ate lunch at the same place they did, instead I ate across the street. Anyway, the couple is from Portland and Javier was here attending a geography conference and brought his wife along and made a mini-vacation out of it while grandma and grandpa helped them out by watching their two children. They went to the National’s baseball game (I was also there…seriously I was not stalking them), toured the US Capitol, took a river cruise on the Potomac (I was also on the river boat…ok, not really, I just made that up), visited several museums, and then ended up sitting on a bench in front of the Obama’s pad at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
This couple made me appreciate the city I live in so much. They were so impressed with how nice people were to them here. They talk about their impressions of the people of our nation’s capital on this video…which could almost be a commercial for Destination DC!
As for the $10, they plan to give it to one of the nice people that have helped them during their stay. I walked with them to look for a woman they told me about, “C. Thomas”, who works for DC’s Safety and Maintenance organization. She was no longer there, but they told me how she helped them earlier in the day and even gave them a hug when they left! I am going to write to that organization and tell them what an impression Ms. Thomas made on Lindsay and Javier!
We then walked over to the Metro station where we said goodbye and they headed back to their hotel in upper Northwest, DC. What a nice couple. I wish they lived here so they could be my friends.
Year of Giving 
I think that will be a really good day for all. I work as a volunteer for USA Cares they help Military Families. We try to do fund raisers to help the families and on that day I want to try and do something special for a Military family in need.
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue-It is not Obama’s Pad. It belongs to the people who pay taxes.
Love what you are doing! Keep going…………….
Wow… You do know that Reed has a college degree, and is a pretty smart guy? And you are aware that the Obama family has the luxury of living there and calling it home until 2013 or 2017, right?
Reed,
Thanks for recognizining the difference between Portland and “Portland, Maine”. Yes, the city was named in a coin flip (over Boston), but it truly is THE Portland!! 🙂 Just kidding, Nor’easters……
I’m glad you’re such a sports fan. Now I can catch the wrap up on the DC teams just by reading your daily blog!! 🙂
I hope Lindsay and Javier bring your brand of Aloha back to the great NW…..
Best,
I have sent the string for the web site to dozens of my friends and asked them to calendar it for June! I think this is a great way to help people! Believe me, $10 is a God-send when you’re broke and struggling. Been there, done that.
The couple is from Portland, OR? Really? I live in Portland and I don’t really understand what they’re talking about… lol. I’ve been on the MAX numerous times and have never really seen a “fight.” People here are friendly and actually I’ve heard from a variety of different people who have visited (or currently live here after traveling all over) that Portland people are extremely nice. Hmm. I wonder if they’re talking about the same Portland… :p In fact, my neighbor has been to 49 out of the 50 states and they said they are so thankful and blessed to live in Portland and after traveling everywhere else they would not pick anywhere else to live.
I’ve been to Portland, OR three times… and all three times I stayed 2-4 days. The people are very friendly there, and I have been in many parts of the city, and never felt anything but welcome and safe.
So sweet they were going to continue the giving! 🙂
Hey there! I didn’t want to make Portland look like a bad or unsafe place in our video. My point was to express how we felt that our trip to DC was above and beyond what we expected. I felt the people of DC went out of the way to make us feel welcome and help us get around. I had been to other places on the east coast and didn’t have the same experience. I felt very safe on the metro and wanted to express that to others who had not been there or experienced that. When saying the max is unsafe- I have seen that there are alot of people that just hang out at stations or on the max, which causes problems to where I prefer not to take it as a source of transportation, I have seen verbal and physical altercations. In DC, everyone I saw was traveling to a destination and not lingering around. Yes Portland Oregon is a great place and I have lived here my whole life and many people move here because they love it so much. We do have some pretty good beer here in Portland too, hard to find in DC 🙂
Hi all. This is Deana (the grandma who babysat Lindsay and Javier’s children while they visited DC). I love the idea of the “The Worldwide Day of Giving.” It was so exciting to hear about your website and what you are doing. I know Lindsay and Javier had a fantastic time in Washington DC. My husband and I traveled there 2 years ago and can’t wait to return. Watching the video you made of them talking and sitting on the park bench made me want to return even more! And that picture of them holding the $10.00 in front of the White House is priceless! Keep up the good work. Truly inspiring.
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