Monthly Archives: December 2015

Week #67 – One Week to Happyness: SPREAD HAPPYNESS!!!

 

Give Happyness-a2

“Spread Happyness!!!” (photo credit: Grace Church)

Week #67 – One Week to Happyness: SPREAD HAPPYNESS!!!

Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Merry Christmas!

I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading about Happyness in Action these past few weeks.  I’ll be continuing to search for and feature individuals in 2016 who take action to Spread Happyness to others.  Remember…if you know someone who embodies Happyness in Action, please send your nomination to grace@spreadhappyness.com!  I’d love to hear about it!

And thanks to everyone who contributed to the 50 for #50 Virtual Toy Drive.  Since today is Christmas Day, I’m going to challenge you to keep the giving going — and spread Random Acts of Happyness this week!  Let’s make it a Happyness Blitz to end 2015!

Your Happyness Challenge for the week ahead: SPREAD HAPPYNESS!  I’m looking for 50 people to spread Random Acts of Happyness (RAH’s) this week!  You can scroll back through previous posts for ideas — but here are the most recent:

  • Gather Together — Invite a solo neighbor or coworker to celebrate the holidays with you.
  • Spread the Warmth — donate blankets or toiletries to shelters
  • Random Acts of Kindness — follow Kindness for Christopher for ideas every month!
  • Toys for Trucks — donate unwanted toys/games, even after the holiday
  • Express Yourself — share your art with someone (or encourage someone else to share).
  • Take Action — see a problem, create a solution!  Set a goal and share with others!
  • Connect — Reach out to someone!  Let them know you are thinking about them!
  • Give Someone Wings — encourage someone to develop a goal and go after their dream
  • Set Priorities — help someone set priorities and create a plan for 2016
  • Plan Ahead! — Happyness is not an accident!  Encourage, support, and connect with others who are setting new goals and making plans for 2016!!!  Take Action — Make it Happen!!!

Are you “Loving Life” in 2015?!  If so — share Happyness with others!  If not — make Happyness a priority in 2016!!!  (And please let me know how I can help!)

Spread Light, Spread Love, Spread Happyness — Blitz your world with Happyness this week!  And be sure to tell us about it in the comments!

12/25/15 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com

50 for #50 Virtual Toy Drive & Happyness Blitz Update  (AS OF 12/18/15):
1. A football, Hot Wheels set, Loom activity set, 500-piece puzzle, toy construction vehicle, mini construction vehicle set, and a tea party set were donated to Toys for Tots.
2. Lego Friends toy donated at Turtleback Zoo Toy Drive.
3. Donation was made to Teterboro Animal Shelter
4. Donation was made to Endometriosis Foundation of America
5. (Who’s next?)

Week #66 – Two Weeks to Happyness: SPREAD THE LOVE! (Happyness in Action with Sarah Harmeyer)

IMG_1487

The Original Neighbor’s Table (credit: Sarah Harmeyer)

Week #66 – Two Weeks to Happyness: SPREAD THE LOVE!
(Happyness in Action with Sarah Harmeyer)

[Editor’s note: Our second-annual 50 for #50 Virtual Toy Drive is underway!  You choose your gift and your location — or some other Random Act of Happyness.  Just let us know what you donated and where…and maybe even post a photo!  We’ve already logged the first ten gifts!  Keep ’em coming!]

Greetings Happyness Tribe!

This week, I am so pleased to announce our fifth nomination for Happyness in Action: Sarah Harmeyer of Dallas, TX for her creation of Neighbor’s Table. Sarah took a simple concept and a sweet memory — and turned it into “A Love Mission” that has kept her (and her family) busy for over four years and just landed her table on HGTV’s “Nashville Flipped!”  She is the “Chief People Gatherer” at Neighbor’s Table — a movement that encourages people to step outside their homes and get to know their neighbors, one table at a time!

And it all started in her own backyard!

Sarah shared her story with me: “The concept of Neighbor’s Table comes from my personal passion for gathering people and my desire to get to know my neighbors.  I asked my Dad to build a table big enough to seat 20. In 2012, I set a goal to serve 500 people at that table, one dinner party after another.  I did it that year, and have now gathered almost 2,000 people since.”

But why a table?

“I thought back to the very best moments in my life and it was always around the table.  It was around the kitchen, planning parties, celebrating other people.  In graduate school I even had a little cafe out of my house and it was the very best year of my life.  So, I started paying attention to when I came alive.  That’s when a friend helped me realize I was a people gatherer.”

So Sarah’s father built her a custom table.  “I had my first party in March of 2012 and I extended invitations to my neighborhood.  I invited them to step outside their home and meet neighbors, even if they’ve never done so.  To my surprise, 91 neighbors came that night — and the rest was history.”

The first goal: 500.

How did she go from 91 to 500 that first year?  “I told people my goal of 500 people that year and when people know about your goal they ask you about it.  On Thanksgiving Day 2012, the 500th guest walked down my driveway.  There was clapping, cheers, photos and video.  We did it, it became OUR table, not just my table.”  Since then, Sarah reports that almost 2000 people have celebrated at the original Neighbor’s Table.

But Sarah didn’t stop there.  “A couple of years ago I asked my Dad if he’d be willing to build tables for other people.  I got to thinking it would be really fun to cheer people on to love their neighbors and to start their own love mission in their community.”  I asked Sarah about the first table they built after their own.  “The first table we built, after the original, was delivered to a college student in Waco, TX as a surprise from her parents.  We delivered it on October 19, 2013.”

And now?

“We have been building tables from our family barn and delivering them all over the country.  We want to see ordinary people loving extraordinarily around the table.”  There are Neighbor’s Tables currently in 10 states — with a goal of having tables in backyards in every state in the US by 2020!  “The power of community that now regularly gathers at the original Neighbor’s Table has spurred a desire to launch a movement — a love mission, if you will.”

I asked Sarah what Happyness means to her: “Happiness is gathering friends and strangers alike around the table and figuring out ways the entire time on how to love them.  Happiness is cheering others to love.  Happiness is doing the thing that God has made you to do.”

What about you, Happyness Tribe?  Are you ready to Spread the Love?

Your Happyness Challenge for the week ahead: GATHER TOGETHER!  Last week, Aubrey challenged us to put down our devices and spend quality time with the ones we love.  Sarah now encourages us to bring our NEIGHBORS into the mix!  This might be especially meaningful during the holidays — when one or more of your neighbors are alone or distanced from family (or perhaps it’s you that feels alone this holiday season).  Open your doors!  Spread the Love!

“Make time for someone in your community. Look for ways to love those to the left and right of you.” (Sarah Harmeyer)

Spread Happyness — Spread the Love!  Get to know your neighbors this week — and tell us about it in the comments!

12/18/15 by Grace Church
© Grace Church

(Thanks to Sarah Harmeyer for welcoming me to her virtual table!  To learn more about Sarah and Neighbor’s Table, read inspiring stories, or find out how to get a custom handcrafted table for your own backyard — follow Neighbor’s Table on Instagram and Facebook, or sign up for emails or purchase at http://neighborstable.com.)

50 for #50 Virtual Toy Drive Update  (AS OF 12/18/15):
1. A football, Hot Wheels set, Loom activity set, 500-piece puzzle, toy construction vehicle, mini construction vehicle set, and a tea party set were donated to Toys for Tots.
2. Lego Friends toy donated at Turtleback Zoo Toy Drive.
3. Donation was made to Teterboro Animal Shelter
4. Donation was made to Endometriosis Foundation of America

Keep ’em coming!!!

Week #65 – Three Weeks to Happyness: SPREAD THE WARMTH! (Happyness in Action with Aubrey McCarrick)

126 Blankets and Counting! (photo credit: Aubrey McCarrick)

126 and Counting! (photo credit: Aubrey McCarrick)

Week #65 – Three Weeks to Happyness: SPREAD THE WARMTH!
(Happyness in Action with Aubrey McCarrick)

Greetings Happyness Tribe!

Thanks to all who visited and liked Kindness for Christopher’s Facebook Page!  They are only 920 “Likes” away from their six-month goal of 10,000!  Their pajama drive is still underway and they have new projects planned for 2016.  Click “Like” on their page to follow along!

And…our 50-for-50 Virtual Toy Drive continues for the month of December.  You choose your gift and your location.  Just let us know what you donated and where…and maybe even post a photo!  As of today, we are closing in on the first ten gifts!  Keep ’em coming!

Today we are celebrating our fourth nomination for Happyness in Action: Sixteen-year-old Aubrey McCarrick of Hopatcong, NJ — for her third-annual “Spread the Warmth” Blanket Drive.  Three years ago (as a high school Freshman), Aubrey was given the opportunity to volunteer after Hurricane Sandy — and she realized just how much she enjoyed helping others.  On a trip into the city on a cold winter day, Aubrey once again saw people suffering — and tried to come up with ways to help.  Spread the Warmth was born!  That first year she collected 15 blankets to give to the homeless.  The second year…23.  This year she set a goal of 40 blankets.  To date she’s collected 126 — and she’s still counting!!!

Aubrey’s mom (and Rob’s classmate) Jennifer McCarrick gave me permission to interview her daughter — and I’m so glad she did!  Aubrey is a busy young lady — active in her high school’s music and drama programs, interning at a recording studio, and preparing to be sworn in to the United States Marine Corps in May!  (Oh…and did I mention she just made the school’s Varsity Wrestling team?!)  I feel pretty lucky to have caught up with her at all!

But first: Why blankets?

“Blankets are very comforting objects,” says Aubrey.  “I figured with the cold, giving someone less fortunate a blanket will let them know someone does think of them.”  Aubrey took her original idea to her mom, who was excited and helped her design a flyer for advertising.  Aubrey then took the flyer to her high school’s athletic director (who’s in charge of all posters) and explained her initial idea and goal.  They set up a collection center at the high school, and the first collection was underway!

But fear moved in quickly.  “One of the challenges I was most worried about was collecting blankets in general.  My fear was running short and having to say to someone I’m sorry, but I ran out of blankets.”

Having a clear mission, and knowing an entire community was behind her, gave Aubrey the confidence to keep going.

“We can do this, if we work together.”

What Aubrey found was that people are very generous.  Many have donated brand new blankets.  Others have given her their entire linen closet!  “The easiest part was spreading the word.  The hardest part was finding room in my house for all the donations!”

This year, Aubrey set a goal of 40 blankets.  Her drive ended on November 23rd — and to date, she has beyond exceeded her goal: 126 blankets and still counting!

What’s the next step?

“The next step is to sort all the usable blankets, wash them, and start making care packages with the essentials.”  Each package will include a blanket or two, peanut butter, other small snacks, toiletries, etc. — to be distributed to those who need it in January (Aubrey’s birthday month).

Aubrey’s formula for Happyness?  “Find something you’re passionate about…and do what makes you smile at the end of the day.  For me, it’s helping others.”

So what about you Happyness Tribe?  Are you ready to help spread the warmth?!

Your Happyness Challenge for the week ahead: TWO WAYS to SPREAD THE WARMTH!!!

  1. This year’s blanket drive is over…but Aubrey still needs help assembling the care packages that go along with them.  Basic toiletries (like shampoo, soap, band-aids) and small snacks like peanut butter and granola bars are needed to make care packages enough to go with each blanket.  (To learn more about Aubrey’s Spread the Warmth campaign, contact her directly at aubreyjoanne@aol.com.)
  2. Aubrey poses a second challenge during this busy time of year: “disconnect as much as you can (from devices) and enjoy your company. Read a book, laugh at your favorite TV shows, or share coffee with a friend.”  In short…be a blanket of comfort to someone else!

“Be the person that you’d want to be friends with.” (Aubrey McCarrick)

Spread Happyness — Spread the Warmth!  Donate blankets or toiletries to those who need it — or be a virtual comfort to someone else!  (And don’t forget to tell us about in the comments!)

12/11/15 by Grace Church
© Grace Church

(Thanks to Aubrey McCarrick for taking the time out of her busy High School schedule to share her story.  And thanks to Jennifer McCarrick for permission to do so!  To learn more about Aubrey or her Spread the Warmth campaign, contact her directly at aubreyjoanne@aol.com.)

50 for #50 Toy Drive Update  (AS OF 12/12/15):
1. A football, Hot Wheels set, Loom activity set, 500-piece puzzle, toy construction vehicle, mini construction vehicle set, and a tea party set were donated to Toys for Tots.
2. Lego Friends toy donated at Turtleback Zoo Toy Drive.
3. Donation was made to Teterboro Animal Shelter
4. Donation was made to Endometriosis Foundation of America

Keep ’em coming!!!

Week #64 – Four Weeks to Happyness: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS (Happyness in Action — with Kindness for Christopher)

(Used with permission.)

(Photo credit: Used with permission by Kindness for Christopher.)

Week #64 – Four Weeks to Happyness: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
(Happyness in Action — with Kindness for Christopher)

Greetings Happyness Tribe — and Happy December!

Thanks to all who headed out to the Chatterbox in August, NJ last weekend.  Amy Wood-Oblen reported they collected 40-50 gifts (and raised over $380 in cash to buy even more) at their Monster Trucks for Toys Event — and that was just on Saturday!  (You can read more about that at Week #63.)

And…our very own 50-for-50 Virtual Toy Drive continues for the month of December.  You choose your gift and your location.  Just let us know what you donated and where…and maybe even post a photo!  I’ll tally up the info and post a running total each week, with a grand total at the end of the month!  (As of today, we are already a half-dozen gifts in!)

Today we are celebrating our third nomination for Happyness in Action: The D’Amico family of Mount Arlington, NJ — for creating the Kindness for Christopher movement after their 10-year-old son died in a boating accident just five short months ago.  Kindness for Christopher encourages everyone to practice a random act of kindness on the 24th of every month (Christopher’s angel date).  It has since gone international — collecting nearly 9,000 likes on its Facebook page and was recently featured on Fox News and in other major media outlets!

Laura D’Amico, Christopher’s mom, was kind enough to share with me the details of how this all got started…and what keeps her going only five months later.

“A friend of ours knew that Christopher was a one-of-a-kind kid.  We started doing things in his name.  We wanted to honor him, and his kindness.”

A month after the accident, the D’Amicos were out-of-town and looking to do an act of kindness in honor of Christopher on that significant date.

“It was July 24th, a month after Christopher died.  We were in a restaurant and saw a mom come in to order food for her family.  She had a boy with her around our son’s age, so we looked in her direction.  She was agitated and yelling.  We looked at each other and said, let’s pay for their dinner tonight.”  The D’Amico family did just that — and told the woman why.  “She was having a bad day, her kid was getting on her nerves and our act of kindness made her stop, take a deep breath, and realize what she had and what we didn’t.”

The D’Amicos continued the tradition.  They chose the 24th of each month as Kindness for Christopher Day to honor their son, rather than dwell on the tragic accident that happened.  “It made people uncomfortable talking about the accident and that our son was gone, but it made them smile and want to do kind things in his memory.  That was cool and it was catching on.”

They launched a Facebook page — and started getting the word out.  Since then, there have been food drives, memorial concerts, donations collected for people in need — and countless random acts of kindness on Christopher’s behalf on the 24th of every month.

“Our son will pop an idea in our heads and we will go with it.”

Most recently…that includes a pajama drive to benefit children in local hospitals.  The D’Amicos aim to collect 1,000 pairs of pajamas to be delivered just before Christmas.  The drive runs through December 10th — and to date, they are well on their way.  “Our son wore pajama pants more than anyone…they made him comfortable and happy.  For children in the hospital, why not make them a little more comfy and happy while they are in a not so fun place?”

Granted…grief is a not-so-fun place, too.  I asked Laura what inspires her to continue to follow through, even when it’s tough.  “We have helped and touched so many people since this has happened to us.  It is showing people that everything is going to be ok.  It’s hard not having him here but almost feels like a part of him is still here with kindness.”  Making other people smile, even if it’s just for a moment, brings them happiness.

“The hardest part is not having our son with us to see what an impact he has made.  We have to believe that he is somewhere watching this incredible movement.”

So what about you Happyness Tribe?  Are you ready to help spread some kindness?!

Your Happyness Challenge for the week ahead: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS!!!  Do something kind for someone this week.  It doesn’t have to cost money…it could be a kind word, holding the door open, picking something up for someone.  Better yet — do one thing a day to make someone smile!  Kindness for Christopher suggests 24 to 24 — 24 Days to Kindness starting on December 1st and leading up to the 24th, which is Christmas Eve.  (And Megan Sheakoski at Coffee Cups and Crayons gave me permission to link you to her free printable advent calendar to count down 24 Days of Kindness starting on December 1st.  Check it out here!)

“Be kind…it doesn’t cost a dime and it makes you feel great too!”

Spread Happyness — Spread Kindness!  Practice RAK’s this week — or all month long!  And tell us about in the comments!

12/4/15 by Grace Church
© Grace Church

(PS: Special thanks to Laura D’Amico for taking the time to share her story!  To learn more about Kindness for Christopher, the Pajama Drive, or to share your Kindness for Christopher stories: visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/Kindness for ChristopherD)

(PPS: And special thanks to Megan Sheakoski at Coffee Cups and Crayons as well — for permission to use her 24 Days of Kindness link!)

50 for #50 Toy Drive Update  (AS OF 12/12/15):
1. A football, Hot Wheels set, Loom activity set, 500-piece puzzle, toy construction vehicle, mini construction vehicle set, and a tea party set were donated to Toys for Tots.
2. Lego Friends toy donated at Turtleback Zoo Toy Drive.
3. Donation was made to Teterboro Animal Shelter
4. Donation was made to Endometriosis Foundation of America

Keep ’em coming!!!