Kids Helping Others

What is the best way to truly make a long lasting positive change in our world? Teach the children. It is one thing to do a good deed for your community or for someone on the other side of the world, but nothing will make a bigger impact than teaching a child the value of helping others in need.

I work with a local Rotary club to do my part for my community and the world but I just had a major realization today about the future of this planet. Rotary International is working very hard to eradicate polio. In 1985 there were over 350,000 cases of polio each year in 125 countries. Today, annual cases of polio paralysis are down to fewer than 1,700 in only 4 countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Nigeria). October 24th is World Polio Day and Rotarian's around the world are working hard to raise funds with the Purple Pinkie Project.

I volunteered to contact one of our local Middle Schools to see how they might want to participate. Before I made the call I was thinking to myself, "Why is Rotary focusing on schools and kids to raise money?" These kids don't care and don't want to give away their money to help kids around the world. I figured that today's kids are selfish and would keep any extra money to themselves.

I fulfilled my obligation and called the principle of the middle school. I was shocked at her response. She was so excited about the project and thought the kids would be too. She said,"We are just finishing a Pink Ribbon Campaign for Breast Cancer that was a huge success. Our kids love helping out on these types of things."

I couldn't believe the excitement and to hear a similar project was a huge success. Was I wrong? Do kids care about others in need? Have I become jaded by how the media reports issues in middle schools and high schools?

Then I went to pick up my daughter from Kindergarten. She brought home her weekly folder from the teacher in her backpack. As a family we went through the contents and I saw a flier on the Purple Pinkie Project. I asked my 5 year old if she new about the project. She was so excited and lit up with a smile from ear to ear as she explained what the project was and how they were collecting money to help sick kids. In fact she was jealous because a little friend of hers happened to have a penny in her pocket and got to be the first one to donate.

I talked it over with my daughter and asked her if she wanted to take money in tomorrow. She said "Yes, I've got pennies in my piggy bank". I told her that is wonderful but I could give her some big quarters or even dollars to take in. She was excited. I said pennies might be enough to help one kid but lets try to help as many as we can. She agreed.

Again, I am blown away at the excitement from kids to help others. If kids have this innate sense of helping others, I say we all should strive to encourage them to do whatever they can. It sounds like there is hope for the future. Talk to your kids and see if you can encourage them to become active with their school and community projects. They are our future.