Past Contest Entries
Here are some Good Deeds that some of our past contest participants have performed.
July 29, 2009
1st place winner: Nicole of Ohio offers hands to children and families in need
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.
July 29, 2009
2nd place winner: Natalie of Ohio helps a lost woman
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!
July 29, 2009
3rd place winner: Brian of Ohio prepares meal for the family
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.
July 29, 2009
Arnold of California volunteers for food back to help the hungry
I have been volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank and Glide Memorial with my school and on my own as an individual. I did it because both of these places help those less fortunate and in order to remain active they count on volunteers and donations. With the unemployment rates rising, there is a higher demand for food and less items being donated. I want to help in anyway I can so I volunteer my time and I know I am helping a good cause. Glide Memorial allowed me to take a look at those I was helping so I was able to see my works in action.
I got involved at Second Harvest Food bank from a friend of my moms. I learned how important their volunteers are and how badly they need the help. It is a nonprofit organization. I have collected canned goods and brought them on the days I volunteer. Every once in awhile I see a homeless person and it just wants me to help more. With my help, I know they can have food and not go hungry.
July 29, 2009
Celine of Arizona donates birthday money to good causes
Good deeds make the world go round. Witnessing a good deed is like finding a four leaf clover; rare to find and exquisite to behold. Most good deeds go under the radar and are not noticed, but now is the time to be the change and unveil a good deed that I performed and the reasons and results that followed.
A couple months ago, I was watching American Idol and it was the Idol Gives Back episode where viewers can call a number and donate money to various charities of the show. I had just received some birthday money, and I wanted to share it with those less fortunate. Without hesitation I called the ten digits on the television and donated $100. The motivation behind my action was that I wanted to do my part and help others. I felt it was my duty to aid others instead of spending the money on trivial items such as new, unnecessary clothes. Hopefully the money improved the life of someone, or at least gave someone hope that help is only beyond the horizon. If my donation brought a smile upon the face of someone where that is an uncommon expression, then the $100 went to good use.
Although my good deed did not help millions of people, it certainly helped someone around the world. Even something as small as holding the door open for a stranger can have a domino effect that results in good deeds occurring left and right. Everybody needs to get up and make good deeds an everyday commonality leaving the spotlight for rare and unique findings to four leaf clovers.
January 12, 2000
Some Older Contest Entries
…I do not know any of the children that received our gift and I am sure that I will never meet them. But I thought about them on Christmas Eve and how excellent they must have been to get our notes and to have a bright, cheerful place to lay they head on that special night…
Katie Faunce, 13 years old
…In conclusion my good deeds spanned 21 months of love, care, and assistance of my grandmother.Even though grandma’s care was a family effort, my good deeds were an integral part of her final months.I did it for me and to help my family out. My actions were based on my caring, positive attitude. I am always one for helping people in need.The result was I became a stronger person and I still love to lend a helping hand. Someday, we will all need a helping hand, and I hope my children and grandchildren will do the same for me.
Danielle M. Wenger, 15 years old
…My good deed was: giving the present my mom was giving me to another person. We gave the little girl socks because she didn’t have any. It made me feel good and happy, even though I knew I wouldn’t get any…
Madisyn Achter, 6 years old
…Elizabeth won’t ever be normal again, but I do know that her story needed to be told and everyone needed to know what happened to her. I know that by doing this it would help her feel better about herself and she would feel the love from people about how much they care by sacrificing their money in her behalf. Our school raised over three thousand dollars for her and other students for the future that day. Knowing that I did all that for her and others I didn’t even know was the best experience of my life, an experience that I will never forget! For the first time ever I felt I had actually made a difference and helped a friend…
Kasia Neville, 17 years old
…One day I saw a man sleeping in a box. It made me sad because it was very cold outside. Then the next day my mom and I were at the sports store and I saw these things called body warmers. It made me think of the man sleeping in the box. I thought if he could have those warmers at least he could be warm for a little while. My mom and I talked about it and we decided to ask people to give us money so that we could buy gloves, socks and body warmers for homeless people. I sent letters to all the people we know and asked for money. I have raised $608 so far. In January we took the money and bought the gloves and body warmers. Then my whole family went to where the homeless people are and we handed out body warmers to about 50 people… I have decided to keep raising money and to write to kids at other schools to see if they want to join me…
Jeff Gould, 16 years old
…The good deed that I’ve done involves working with senior citizens. Two or three times a month I volunteer my time at a local library and teach patrons the basics and how to use the Internet at their library. I’ve been doing this for the last nine months and enjoy assisting them a great deal. Each time I sit down with them in front of a computer and show them what the buttons do and teach them the basic terms of the internet. If the patrons know the basics I try to give them a more in depth experience and try to answer all their problems that they have encountered on computers and can also find specific things with them on the Internet. What happened as a result is not that I was paid or that I received public recognition but that more people in the world have the opportunity to use and access the information that’s available to them through computers…
Brad Yuronich, 14 years old
…Last summer I came up with the idea to raise money for the Bellevue Hospital Pediatrics. I decided to sell lemonade,crafts and ask for donations when my city had the town garage sale. I sold most of my crafts and lemonade to my neighbors, family and friends. I set my goal for $50.00, but at the end of the summer I had made $104.26. I gave all donated money to Mr. Reddig the hospital director...
Brad Yuronich, 14 years old
…Two years ago, at the age of sixteen, I moved out of my home in Memphis, TN to live my grandmother. She had a heart surgery just months prior and needed someone to take care of her.She would have died with in hours if the doctor had not had a funny feeling about it all. She had to be put on home dialysis since her kidneys weren’t functioning right.The last two years have been hard, and a little stressful but I wouldn’t change a thing.The little elands to run, doctor visits, and simply cooking and cleaning are the easiest things to deal with. It is the surgeries to keep her going and healthy that is hard. I am a senior in high school doing everything I can to get good grades, but still have to work two jobs outside of home to help with bills and groceries.I love my grandma with all my heart and hope to be there for her always. Going to college next fall is the one thing that would make her the happiest. She is strong willed and doesn’t want to hold me back. We are alike in many ways: strong, stubborn, loving and kind. She has been my good deed for two years, and still going…
M. Reno, 16 years old
…When Hurricane Mitch occurred in Central America and destroyed part of Central America, I went into action and organized a collection of food and money in my school. The things my partners and I collected were sent to the American Red Cross to help the people who were in need due to this hurricane. My satisfaction in this activity was when my partners and I delivered the donations to the people in the American Red Cross and they told us those donations would help so many people.I am also involved in the elementary school near my home. I volunteer at this school and tutor kids of all ages. Seeing the progress of these kids fills me with satisfaction and it motivates me to help more people. In actuality, I am focused in helping a friend who needs my help. Only a few months ago that my friend received the news saying that she has the disease Luchemia. I have been with her in the hospital, in her home, and I have taken friends and school teachers to let her know she is not alone. My satisfaction is seeing a smile on her face and help her in her struggle against Luchemia…
Anna Hernandez, 17 years old
…There is so much joy in being a peer mentor that I would recommend anyone to the position. I was matched with three young children whom I spent quality time with for two years. My goal was to be a role model for them and to set a good example of how to make the right choices in life. These children were referred to the Marshfield Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program because of risk factors that indicate the possibility of teen pregnancy or fathering a child. The mentoring went beyond just the pregnancy prevention. I had to establish a trusting relationship with each of the members I was matched with since trust is very difficult for most of the children… I chose to be a peer mentor because I know how important it is for there to be someone in every child’s life whom they can talk to and look up to. With so much violence in today’s world, I feel all children deserve guidance on making the right choices in their life on their own. Being a peer mentor, I wanted to make a difference in each of the children’s lives…
Kristi Bohnert, 20 years old
…In my opinion a Random Act of Kindness is something you do for someone or something for no reason. You do it because you want to, or because you know it’s the right thing. You do it because it helps a friend or a family member, or even the earth. Sometimes you do it to make someone happy when they are sad. Random Acts of Kindness are just plain good deeds. I did a good deed that would make someone who’s having a bad day, have a good day. I thought that I should say “thank you” to people that help. When I got of the bus I would say “thank you” to my bus driver, Dave. When my mom served dinner I would say “thank you”. I would say thank you to people that handed out papers in school. I think that helped them in the day, because they would say your welcome with a smile on their face. I felt great knowing that I was making people happy and feel good inside…
James Madole, 11 years old