1st place winner of the Do A Good Deed Contest

Prize: New laptop computer

I guess I wouldn’t really consider what I do a “good deed” but more of a personal fulfillment. My sister passed away on April 29, 2006 after battling a rare form of childhood cancer. She was only 12 at the time and also my best friend. I really didn’t know how to express my feelings during her illness and after her death so I started helping my mom out.

One of my sister’s dreams was to not only beat the cancer but to help other families that went through what we did so my mom started a non profit organization that same year to do just that. Even though I was still angry that she died, I found out that helping others made me feel better. We put on benefits each year to aid specific families, chosen by Akron Children’s Hospital, with their financial burdens. I attend the “Cassidy’s Hope Run” each year that does this. I work from 8:00 a.m. until the event is over, around 6-7 p.m. I work the raffle tables, sell the 50/50 tickets, help with the food and whatever else they need me to do. It’s a lot of work but we also have fun doing it. We then donate all the proceeds to the chosen family(s).

In the winter, the foundation has another benefit for the organization and I also work that as well. During the year, my mom buys or we make gifts for the kids being treated for cancer at Akron Children’s Hospital four times a year. Sometimes we shop together and I give her ideas of what to buy. We also make homemade items such as scarves in the winter.

Another thing we do to help families is each time we hear of a kid with cancer, we send the family a package of stuff like gas cards, grocery cards, and other gift cards for them to use. We also started paying utilities for families really needing it. I believe in some small way – we are making a difference and I’m a part of it. I hope as I get older, my responsiblities will grow. Though I started doing this work in memory of my sister – I’m also helping a lot more families and bringing smiles to a lot of other kids. My mom said that hopefully, when she gets too old – I will be the foundation’s president. I feel that whatever happens in my life, I’ll always be there to help someone else.

2nd place winner of the Do A Good Deed Contest

Prize: Apple iPod

One gloomy Saturday I stared out the window and watched the rain fall. I was very bored. My mom said we could go and run some errands. I said “Why not, what else would I do?”  We got in the car and drove to Buehlers. We got a special dinner for us to all eat. It looked so good! We decided to pick up some books at the library and a movie we had rented. Then we walked out of the library and we heard a car beep right in front of us. My mom and I stopped and looked around. Where could that be coming from, we wondered? An older lady yelled out of her car “Over here!”  We were a bit afraid at first but all she asked was were was Grafton road? We explained to her to turn right and you should get there. She asked if we can show her where it is. We easily lead her down Grafton Road and then we turned around to go home. I looked back and said “Mom, she is still following us!” She said “Alright, Lets just get out and talk to her.”  We got out and the lady was crying and we asked her what was wrong? She responded in a shaky voice that she was lost and could not remember how to get to her house.   We asked her if she knew the name of her street and she said that she did. My mom and I looked and each other with confused faces. We had absolutely no clue where that street was.  She said it was off KellerHannah, so we drove down KellerHannah but that was not right.  She was so sad and my mom and I were trying to calm her down. After that, we drove to the most convenient rest stop we could find. We called our friends to see if they had heard of it. They also had no clue where the street was. He said “How about we just look it up on the computer.” ” Great idea!”  we said. He found the street and he said when you go down KellerHannah and there should be a few side streets. Look for that one. We told the older lady what we heard and we said just follow us. As we went down Keller Hannah we found the street. The older lady beeped her car horn with excitement and showed us her house. The lady parked her car and ran up to us. She was so excited and so grateful and told us that if we need anything you know where my house is! She was safe and happy in her home. We said goodbye and went on our way home. I felt very good after I did this good deed. My mom always told me to try and help someone in need.  Even though I am not supposed to talk to strangers, my mom said it was OK in this case because we could see she really needed help. I helped someone who really needed it and I am glad I was there!

3rd place winner of the Do A Good Deed Contest

Prize: Apple iPod

A good deed is something that comes from the heart, something that truly makes you feel special. Upon doing a good deed you make everyone around you feel happy, including you. The good deed I did was, while my mom was sick with the flu, I cooked dinner for my family. It wasn’t anything huge like donating thousands of dollars to a charity, what it was is something that no one can replace, love.

I did it because it was the right thing to do at the time; my dad was busy with my siblings and it was time for supper. So, I took it upon myself to prepare dinner for my family.

The principles that I based my actions on were simply the morals and values that my family had instilled in me since early childhood. Doing a good deed was something I had been raised to do; and it continues to be a part of my everyday life.
The results of my actions were, and still are, a happy world for everyone I know. My family benifited from my deed, because it freed up time for everyone to relax.

Good deeds reverberate off everyone that they touch, and the chain will keep continuing forever.