ask and you shall receive
A big part of my job involves taking my clients out into the community and participating in various activities - or I make this a big part of my job anyway. I want these kids to have a perspective that is larger than their trailer or cramped apartment. I want them to have an awareness of, involvement in, and concern for, the community at large.One of the tricky things about activities is that they usually involve a cost. True, there are countless parks and hiking trails and waterfalls that we can visit for free, but rainy days seem to turn into "I'm going to end up paying to do something with this child" kind of days. Due to this fact, I have started to drum up support and tap into local resources, in the form of discounts and free things. It's something I enjoy doing, because my wallet thanks me for it, but also because I have this nagging suspicion that everyone (including business leaders) actually wants to do good. Sometimes these business people don't realize that they want to do good until I guide them to that realization, but I believe in my heart that most people really do want to help others. I may be naive, but I'd much rather be naive in my universe than bitter and resentful in someone else's.
Today was a successful day in the area of drumming up support. I called the owner of the local bowling alley and talked to him about 30 minutes. We talked about all kinds of things, but the focus was on the kids that I work with, the wonderful social and physical benefits of bowling (yes, it was a little bit of a stretch for me, but I'm learning that I can give a pretty good salespitch), and the benefits for him if he helps us. Then this afternoon I went and met with him for a bit, taking with me one of my clients who had never been bowling before. The end result? We worked out an arrangement where everyone from my agency (some 80+ employees) can take a client to the bowling alley, show their work ID, and bowl for about 60% less than they would otherwise be able to.
The even better end result? The owner (Nick) feels good because he's helping kids, I feel good because I'm able to take kids to do something fun and don't have to pay as much when doing so, and my colleagues think I'm cool because they're just plain smart.
At our team meeting today, I shared the news about the arrangement, and basically everyone asked me how I did it. It's amazing to me - I have been with the agency for exactly one month ... some of these people have worked there, and lived in that town, for two years ... and yet somehow it didn't occur to any of them to just get out there and TALK to people. I took Hannah bowling last week (you can see a couple pictures here) - it was her first time, and we had a blast. But I felt REALLY old when I saw the prices for bowling. I really do seriously remember when it cost less than $3.00 to bowl a bunch of games AND rent shoes. Prices sure have gone up! Anyway, that day I got the owner's name and phone number and began the dialogue ...
I don't understand if it's laziness, apathy, or just plain foolishness that prevented anyone else from simply talking to a very nice man about maybe giving us a break on the price. It was a natural thing for me, just as it will be when I go and meet with the owners of several local restaurants, the skating rink guy, and a few pottery places and art studios. What kind of life does one live if they hesitate to connect with another person? I firmly believe that people are the best resource around. We have so much to offer each other, if only we'll all just get over ourselves and ask.
Lots of stuff going on, including a magnificent thunderstorm. The covered part of my deck is calling me - time to grab a mug of tea and answer.
But first, some GREAT quotes from things I'm reading ...
We have much to be judged on when he comes, slums and battlefields and insane asylums, but these are the symptoms of our illness and the result of our failures in love.
- Madeline L'Engle
... for some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid pieces of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet you or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die. They are full of the things that you don't get in real life--wonderful, lyrical language, for instance. And quality of attention: we may notice amazing details during the course of a day but we rarely let ourselves stop and really pay attention. An author makes you notice, makes you pay attention, and this is a great gift. My gratitude for good writing is unbounded; I'm grateful for it the way I'm grateful for the ocean.
- Anne Lamott
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