SSSSH PO Box 375 Hiram, Ohio USA 44234-0375
SSSSH PO Box 375 Hiram, Ohio USA
44234-0375
A world-wide, secret society encouraging everyone, through anonymous acts of kindness, to embrace all humanity, celebrate diversity, and instill in ourselves and others compassion, creativity, persistence, and sacrifice - the true values of being human.
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Remember, it's a secret! |
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Some
of the good-deed letters received at the Hal Reichle Post
Office Box 375 and at the SSSSH Website from secret
members of SSSSH!
(arranged by date received)
To help navigate through these received good-deed letters, they are bookmarked by date and by special event.
SSSSH letters from Events
Cleveland Plain Dealer - Front Page - Easter Sunday 2003 Response Letters
AN ONGOING ANONYMOUS ACT OF KINDNESS
On snowy days when I leave work I don’t only clear off my car, but the car next to me.
Reichle was described as a rascal by Roger Cram. He would appreciate this: Years ago I spotted a lonely bare weed growing thorough a crack at the intersection of Rt. 77 and Brookpark Road. This weed looked like a stripped down Christmas tree. It was just over a week until Christmas. So very late one night, I believe it was about 2:am I proceeded to decorate it with bulbs and roping. I hope it brighten a few people over the next week.
4-21-03
Hello,
I read the article about your beautiful Hal in our Sunday newspaper on Easter morning. I always try to do good deeds and now I will try and do more because of Hal. Today I called our gas company and paid in full a family’s (I know is struggling) gas bill, I didn’t want anyone to know, but I wanted the family to know it was paid so they wouldn’t have to worry. The customer service lady put me on a conference call with the lady of the house and let her know that her bill was paid in full and her account that was about to be turned off was settled. The sound of my friends voice on the other end of the phone brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Hal!
My friend has two young children and a difficult boyfriend, so to hear her smile made my day.
God Bless
Hals Friend
4-21-03
I THINK that I was Reichle-"ed" on 4-18-03 at a Taco Bell in Strongsville OH. Without knowing what I’d ordered, the person in front of me in the drive-thru line PAID for my meal!
Needless to say, we were flabbergasted. Two days later I read about Reichle’s Anniv. In keeping with protocol I’ll just sign this, Thanx.
4-22-03
Dear Mr. Cram
I read with great interest the article in the Chronical-Telegram on April 21, 2003 about the secret society called SSSSH. Please accept this measly gift ($50.00) to help your cause. Of course it is anonymously given as in keeping with your society. I think this is a wonderful way to keep his memory alive. I lost a brother in 1967 in Viet Nam and, although I can’t say he was as generous as Hal Reichle, struck a cord in me. Right now I don’t have a lot of spare cash but I’ll donate more in the future. I would appreciate to know if you have received this. Please write a letter to the editor in care of the Chronicle Telegram, Elyria, OH and I will continue to send what I can when I can.
Sincerely,
SSSSH new member
April 23, 2003
Read with interest the article in the Plain Dealer. It renewed my feeling of this method of helping others. My involvement has to be very limited and this article, I hope, will spur me into more actions along this line.
Several years ago I had a young lady working for me who seemed to be living under a black cloud. Wanted to attend college and did but just was not college material. Unfortunate love affair and marriage, etc. Also very little finances. I found out she loved cars and found out what type of car she drove. She then was employed at a shopping mall with a pretty low-paying job. I found her car and it was unlocked and put some money in a glove compartment and don’t thing she ever knew how it arrived.
The only other deed is a poor woman to whom I delivered Meals-on-Wheels. She is a paraplegic and one of her pleasures was watching the Cleveland Indians on TV, but this past year they were only on cable, which she could not afford. Had cable brought to her. Hope to do more.
Anonymous Good Deeds done in the loving memory of Hal Reichle:
When it’s a windy day, or perhaps a garbage man has been hurried and over worked, and I’m driving down "that street", I stop, no matter what, and place the "can in the street" on the lawn of the house of its rightful owner. On a very windy day, that may mean several inconvenient stops. No one sees me, nobody need know, right Hal? God blesses every good deed with secret grace.
*****
Our mayor and 3 other members of our church are in the military service in Iraq. I leave a 3 liter drink or a gift basket or toys for the kids at their offices or homes.
Men in the work release program do work around town cutting grass helping move things all sorts of jobs. I give them a drink or a book every month when I get my little check – (disability check). There’s 5 to 7 men on the work force. I share my poems with any band that comes to town.
To share like you requested and to honor Hal is a very good idea. I’m sorry Hal was killed. He was a nice person acct’s to the news story. Sincerely, ?
My ex worked on helicopters in ‘Nam and thru his 22 year stay in the Army.
April 30, 2003
I cut the grass for my Dad.
I took in the recycle bin for my Dad and the garbage can.
I put the music papers the right way.
I let someone use my pink marker.
I collected the chalkboards off the floor after Peace Club.
Picked up boards after Peace Club.
May 2003 Good-Deed
Letters
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May 1, 2003
I let Maddi borrow my sharpener.
I let sumwun named Abby bore my craons.
I said thanks after someone led me their pencil.
Someone let me use their pencil.
I let my friends us my markers everyday.
I straightened music books.
I helped pack and stack the music books.
I let someone use my markers.
I let someone borrow my markers.
I let everybody use my markers.
I gave someone a piece of food.
I organized the books in the music room.
I loned my markers to a friend.
I got erasers and one pencile for a first grader.
I helped three people with the math.
I cleaned a table for my Mom and I.
I picked up someones pen.
Helped someone with their project.
I helped a little girl on the monkey bars.
May 2, 2003 go to top of page
I gave someone a piece of food.
I got some ones lunchbox because they forgot it.
I brot in the garbage at my Mom’s in Leroy.
When I was done with math I helped other kids who were stuck
on it.
I picked up all the scraps in art class on the floor.
May 4, 2003
I sang "Old devil moon" in front of senior citizens
at the Slovene home for the aged.
I did great things today.
May 5, 2003
I helped pick up stuff.
I helped Mrs. Stow pick up her papers when she droped them.
I organized very messy ruler shelf.
May 6, 2003
I helped my neighbor take weeks to the compost pile.
I bought a book for my friend.
May 8, 2003
I said thank you to my Mom for taking me to the skating party.
I helped that some one at my house to help her hide from her
mom.
I gave a skating stiker to my kindergarden friend.
May 9, 2003
I said God bless you when Jeremy sneezed.
I made a Mothers day gift for my Mom.
May 10, 2003
I helped my Mom in the garden.
I made my friend a newspaper guy to replace the one he lost.
May 15, 2003
I cleaned the twesers for Mrs. Onderision.
May 19, 2003
I helped my teacher with passing out papers.
I cut this dude grass and he did not know.
May 20, 2003
I folded socks without being told.
May 27, 2003 go to top of page
Picked up some coats that others had knocked off the coat
racks.
I picked up a lunch box and pot it bac.
I picked up a coat.
Helped a student who has a broken arm gather up his belongings
and bookbag.
May 28, 2003
I gave a card to a sick person unknowingly.
I picked up someones pencil.
May 30, 2003
I let my teacher walk in front of me, so we didn’t bump into
each other.
I organized the books to make the room look nice.
I let someone use my pencil.
I let someone use my markers and borrow my pencils.
Someone sent me a nice note to brighten my day.
Someone rounded up some huge storage cabinets for me.
A student used his work time to help another student who was
having difficulties, without being asked.
A student gave up her free time to prepare materials for a
class craft project.
End of letters describing "Pulling a Reichle" received from an Elementary school.
May 6, 2003
Hi Roger,
I just read the article in People magazine and I am smiling from ear to ear. I love what you do in honor of your friend, Hal. I try to teach my daughters on a daily basis to do for others just because they can. We here in Chicago would love to become Reichlites and wondered how to go about it. There is nothing more satisfying than making someone’s day just a little brighter. Thank You for what you have started, I hope it becomes infectious.
LP
June
2003 Good-Deed Letters
June
2, 2003
RE: A REICHLE
Dear Alana and John:
We have enclosed a $50 donation to the Aquatic Club (OAC) to honor the many hours both of you donate to the youth swimmers in our community. Since you have taken over the leadership of OAC including coaching, it has grown in the number of swimmers in the program and the number of meets OAC sponsors. Both of you have spent countless hours of your time coaching swimmers, managing OAC and officiating at swim meets. Your dedication and hard work has come to the attention of SSSSH. Attached is a little explanation of SSSSH and Hal Reichle.
Yours in Service,
Hal Reichle
Chief Warrant Officer, US Marine Corps
June 4, 2003 go to top of page
To: Roger Cram
I read about your SSSSH group in People and found it very inspiring. We now need more of this kind of human kindness. I’d like to participate in my area-can you send me any information or a newsletter"
June 11, 2003
Dear SSSSH
A police officer friend of mine recently sent me an article about your acts of kindness on behalf of the memory of Hal Reichle. My friend is a pretty sweet guy himself. Please accept the enclosed in his honor. Please send him a note telling him that a donation has been made in his honor. I would appreciate that. Thank you
June 16, 2003
A dear friend with three mentally disabled sons (all grown and living with her) was locked out of her car in the parking lot of a restaurant where we were meeting for lunch. She is a widow with a very small income. Since she doesn’t belong to AAA, we called the police, who said they were unable to give us assistance, but gave us the number of a man who does that kind of work. His charge was $53.50 which I was happy to pay for her. She, of course, is unable to repay me, and I certainly didn’t expect her to. My sincere condolences to the family of Hal Reichle.
June 16, 2003
Reading about your SSSSH organization in People Magazine and the Cleveland Plain Dealer inspired me to do recent acts of anonymous kindness. They were simple ones that made me feel good.
I was driving back to the Cleveland area from Pittsburgh, and I anonymously paid tolls for the drivers behind me. I did that at two tollbooths. It’s not much, but I hope the people who didn’t have to pay their tolls were pleasantly surprised.
I think it’s terrific to honor your late friend, Hal Reichle, in this way. He sounded like a great guy, and he truly lives on in such tremendous acts of generosity that your organization inspires in people. I plan to continue to do these anonymous acts of kindness myself. it’s a privilege to be connected to such giving people as yourself, even in a small way.
June 16, 2003
I read "Secret Service" in Jun9 People magazine. I hope you get this letter since you stated no return addresses or signatures and you left no real address to contact you. I would however like to receive your newsletter.
I know the feeling of doing good deeds and not taking the credit for them. I work for an airline in Chicago Small Package Dispatch and last Christmas I bought presents for my co-workers working third shift regularly and even the Security Guards. All gifts had a personal meaning and I even bought myself one. Then I had a friend of mine not known to anyone else dress in a Santa costume and deliver to us while I was on duty. No one knows that I was responsible yet today six months later and I don’t think I will ever tell.
Not only is it fun with the people who received the gifts that no knows who the giver is, we have customers still asking if we ever found out where our Christmas presents came from.
Secret Santa
June 19, 2003
Hello, My name is Sandi. I was reading through
the June 9, 2003 issue of People magazine. I saw the write up on Hal, and all of
the kind deeds others were doing in his honor. I had a question…I wanted to
know how I could get an issue of the news letter of good deeds that the family
issues, and also, wanted to let them know how great I felt reading the article.
I am a mother of a disabled child and this story just was amazing. The kindness
this gentleman had, and the friends that carried his message was more than words
could say. Any information on how I could become more involved I would enjoy
reading. Thank you in advance, Sandra.
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June 23, 2009
Tuesday June 24, 2003
July 2003 Good-Deed Letters
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July 2003
July 2003
July 2003
Several years ago, just a few weeks after the September 11 attacks, my husband
and I took a trip to Italy. We were somewhat apprehensive about leaving
the country and we were more observant of those around us. We
were particularly interested in the thoughts and reactions of other Americans
traveling abroad.
On our last night in Siena, we found a casual, bustling
restaurant popular with the locals and were lucky to get a table. The
food and wine were excellent and we were enjoying ourselves when we noticed a
table of American college students nearby. Each of us observed to
ourselves that they seemed to be ordering sparingly to save money. For
some reason, my husband asked if I thought we should pick up their check.
I had been thinking the same thing, so we did exactly that when we paid
our own bill. We asked the waiter not to tell them that their bill was
paid until after we had left. It was our hope that this would allow them
to order a little more.
We
still wonder what moved us to do that, but we agree it was one of the most fun
things we have done on the spur of the moment. Maybe it was the spirit
of Hal Reichle?
August
2003 Good-Deed Letters
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August 23, 2003
Dear SSSSH:
I was in a nice restaurant with my wife and saw a man eating by himself. I told the waitress I wanted to secretly pay for his meal and gave the waitress a Hal Reichle card to give to the man instead of his check. Soon the manager came over to my table. She was so touched by what we were doing and she stated she saw the People Magazine article about SSSSH. She was even more surprised that a member of SSSSH would show up at her restaurant pulling Reichles. The manager was so touched by what we were doing that she picked out another table where a couple was eating and decided to buy their dinner too. The manager asked me for more Reichle cards. I saw her a couple weeks ago and she stated she goes through about 20 Reichle cards a month and that she needed more.
September 2003 Good-Deed Letters
October 2003
This letter was received from the e-mail box at SSSSH
Comment:I read the article in People magazine and I thought it was fantastic. Since then when I was
on vacation in Bar Harbor, I saw a older lady taking care of a breakfast bar and decided to
pull a Reichle on her. I had an envelope with the money and a copy of the article about Hal,
delivered to her by our waitress. The waitress was delighted to be part of this and was sworn
to secrecy and asked if I had another copy of the article, which I did. I think you have
another convert :) As for the lady that received the envelope, she was amazed and said,
"Nothing like this has ever happened to me before!" Everything went great, the waitress
does not know my name and Nellie never saw me. I will be doing this often :) High School Good-Deed Essays go to top of page
October 17, 2003 The following short essays are colored in blue and are writing assignments given to high school student somewhere in the USA. They were to go "pull Reichles" (anonymous good deeds) and ten write about their experiences. The anonymous high school teacher then mailed the essay's to the Hal Reichle post office box 375 in Hiram, Ohio 44234.
October
17, 2003
SSSSH Writing Assignment
Everyone is entitled to a small gift of appreciation. People in our society need to know that they are valued by people for doing small jobs, completing tasks at the office, or just being a good person. Many important people go unrecognized in these areas, and I felt it was time for a change. Thoughts crossed my mind of helping the homeless, giving presents to small children, even rewarding my parents for the guidance they’ve given me that makes me the person that I am today. Although some day I hope to accomplish all of these tasks, I did a very simple gesture that meant the world to an acquaintance of mine.
It all started at work when a co-worker (older than I) explained to me her life situation. Her name is Katie. She described a lonely life and a job that was holding her back from running a business that she had gotten a degree for in college. All of her friends had left her to pursue their careers the year before. My reaction was to let this woman know she was needed in people’s lives. In times when I needed a shoulder to lean on, she had always been there for me. I consider this girl to a very pretty and intelligent human being and I thought she should know how much she is appreciated every day.
As I was passing a local florist shop, I decided to stop by and pick out a bouquet of flowers for my co-worker. I managed to talk the florist into arranging a piece for me using Katie’s favorite flowers. It was sent to her that very afternoon. I stopped by work to eavesdrop on the arrival of the flowers, and got there just in time to see her face light up. It was amazing to me that such a small gesture could make a person realize how great they are. It made me feel fantastic to know that she took pride in getting those flowers and knowing she must have gotten then for a good reason. So many people in our society go unrecognized and don’t fully understand what contributions they add to people’s lives.
One internal conflict I immediately faced, however, was the feeling of selfishness. I wanted Katie to know who had gotten those flowers that day. Any normal human being would want to be acknowledged for doing a good deed. I now understand why these people from the Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal are such great people: a “thanks” is not needed. SSSSH members do not need gratification for their good deeds. Just knowing that they’ve done something for another person is enough. As a whole, I felt great about doing a good deed, but I also realized that I also wanted something out of it, which wasn’t the idea of the project in the first place.
All in all, I realized that although you may do a good deed for another person, recognition for that deed is always expected. Keeping my mouth shut about completing the task was harder than I ever imagined. However, I do plan to carry out more good deeds. After doing this project and feeling so great about what I had done, why should I choose to stop at just one good deed?
October 17, 2003
SSSSH Writing Assignment
The world is full of a different type of people today. Often we don’t find many people that perform acts of kindness for their fellow man. Through my English class, I have found a group of people that still do. I find it amazing that this kind-hearted group takes time out of their own schedules to perform random acts of kindness for others. When I received this assignment I was thrilled to participate in this group’s effort to help others. It took me a while to finally decide what I was going to do. When the right idea popped into my head, I went straight to the drawing boards.
I didn’t want to do something that somebody else would o, so I did something a little different. I decided to help out my grandma for a change. My mom’s youngest brother lives with my grandma and is rarely home. I noticed from daily visits that her garage was very messy from lack of upkeep. So I decided to clean it for her while she was at work on a Saturday afternoon. I took the day off from work in advance to do it. Her garage was full of odds and ends. Everything from heavy machinery to small nuts and bolts scattered everywhere. Her garage is fairly large, so I knew if I organized everything neatly and threw out things that were of no use anymore, it would look great!
I went straight to work the minute I got there. I looked at the project as a weekend football practice, so it didn’t bother me too much. I was also lucky to go on a day that provided great weather for the project. I started by getting all the heavy machinery out of the way first to provide a little working room. I moved the tractor out first, and then I dragged the snowmobile out into the driveway. After that I moved the small machinery like the tiller and the push mower. Now that I had some working room I began to organize the various tools that were all over the place. My uncle had built cabinets in the garage, so I put the larger hand-held tools and machinery in them. Then I cleaned up the toolbox and put away the smaller tools. I then got down some of my grandma’s mason jars from the rafters and used them to organize the nuts, screws, bolts, etc. Once I did that the workbench in the back of the garage was pretty much empty. I used a hand-held broom and dustpan and cleaned off the surface of the workbench.
With all of the tools put away and the odds and ends organized I began to gain some ground on the situation. I proceeded to organize the firewood in the back of the potbelly stove that heats the garage. I noticed that there were many extension cords all entangled throughout the garage. I sorted them out and wrapped them up and put them on hooks in the back. After that I decided to clear out some of the trash. I got rid of a lot of wrappers and papers that were lying around. I also pitched out various unusable tools and old rusty nuts, screws, bolts, etc. After doping that there was only one thing left to do. I swept the garage spotless and then moved all the heavy machinery back into the once disastrous looking garage. I lined everything up in an organized manner and left space for access to the cabinets and shelves. I then packed up what I had brought for the job and left an anonymous note for my grandma to take a look at her garage.
I chose to do this for my grandma for many reasons. My grandma has always been there for me throughout my life. She has always supported me in anything I did. She has always loved my sisters and I since the day we were born. She is everything a person would want in a grandma to me. I only paid her back a small portion of what she deserves by doing this, but I know she appreciated it in more ways than I could understand. My grandma isn’t the type of person that demands a lot from her grandkids when they are over. We have always done small things around her house to help her out, but those were on request. That’s the beauty of this project; it was completely anonymous. She didn’t have to ask me to do it this time, I was provided that opportunity by having this assignment.
Performing this deed made me feel joyous. I realized that for once I did something for someone that was completely unexpected. I left her house feeling great for what I had done. I didn’t mind using my sweat and energy for the project because it was something worth doing. The deed had a lot of meaning behind it. It was heart-felt and sincere. It was by far one of the neatest things that I have done for someone without then knowing about it. The project was great and had a success rating of one hundred percent!
What I learned by doing this is that you shouldn’t take others for granted. I realized that I hadn’t done enough for my grandma, who has provided so much for me. I learned that by doing a strenuous task is not so bad when it has a purpose. It didn’t bother me at all to have to do a physical activity on my day off at all. I learned that doing such acts of kindness could be rewarding in a different way. It provides you with a sense of joy and fulfillment. To me there is no better reward for doing an act of kindness like this.
All together, I enjoyed doing this deed of kindness. It brought me great joy and fulfillment and showed me many things about myself. The project was absolutely successful! After visiting my grandma I found out that she is still baffled on who performed the deed. She has basically opted me out because, she was aware that I worked on weekends. I just sat back and recalled that afternoon and chuckled to myself in amazement.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
Imagine a world in which people never helped each other, a world where everyone had to do everything by themselves. They could not rely on anyone. If this were true, many people would have more stress trying to do everything, while others would eventually just give up. If people did not help others, there would be a lot less joy in the world. Coming upon this conclusion, I was eager to think of a way I could help someone. The Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal “members” are supposed to perform deeds of kindness for total strangers. However, since my grandma had just had surgery, I decided to help her.
My grandma is one who loves flowers. As one takes the first step into her house, the aroma hits you immediately. One look around and the variety of colorful petals reach the eyes. After my grandma’s surgery, however, she was not able to decorate her house as vibrantly as she loves. Because I did not want her to have to stay trapped in her home without the objects that she loves most, I had an idea. I went to the local florist and bought the most beautiful and best smelling flowers I could find. I then asked my dad for the key that my grandparents had entrusted to him. While they were at the doctor’s office the following day, I carefully decorated their dining room. I did not have enough money to buy flowers for the whole house, so I chose the room where they would easily be noticed.
I chose to do this deed for my grandma mainly because I did not want to see her deprived of what she loves most. Even though she did not have to stay inside too terribly long, I still wanted her to feel a little joy while she was there. Also, just having surgery, getting flowers probably made her feel loved. Granted, she also received flowers from others because of the surgery, but since it was anonymous, it was a little more special.
Performing this deed made me feel great inside. I had never given anybody anything anonymous before, so I was a little nervous about how it would go. As I was performing the deed, however, I felt ecstatic that I was hopefully going to make someone’s day better. I only wish that I could have been there to see the surprise and puzzled look on her face as she saw the flowers, with no card to be found anywhere.
This experience made me realize that even the smallest acts of kindness can help to make someone’s bad day, a little, (if not a lot) better. It also made me realize that the more I people, the better they start to feel and the better I feel about myself as well. If I continue to do little acts of kindness, maybe one day I will really make a difference in someone’s life. One person can really make a difference.
Suppose SSSSH were to continue on forever and anonymous good deeds just keep happening throughout the world. If they just kept spreading, then maybe they could eventually get all the way around the world and reach every single person. This could help everyone who is overly stressed, those who do not have family, and others who just never have time. So maybe if a random act of kindness finds itself on a path to you, you should pass it on. Who knows what that deed you perform could bring?
SSSSH Writing Assignment
You don’t always have to receive recognition for things you do to help others around you. Doing something for others out of the kindness of your heart makes you feel great about yourself. Raking leaves for someone who is incapable is a good example of this. When I raked my neighbors leaves it made me feel good because I did something for someone without getting something in return. I chose to rake leaves for my neighbor because he is incapable due t a vision disability. I learned that giving and not expecting something in return is better than giving because you have to.
Monday afternoon on my way home from football practice, I noticed that the blind man on the corner’s leaves were quickly covering his yard. I thought that since he was incapable of raking his own leaves, I would rake them for him. I raked the leaves into a big pile and took them to my house, where I made an even bigger pile, containing my leaves and his leaves for my little sister and her friend to jump in. Later that evening when the girls were done playing in the leaves, I once again put the leaves into piles and then took them to my backyard to burn.
I chose this task for a couple reasons. One of those reasons being that this man has always been a good friend of our family and in the past he has helped us in many ways. When he does favors for our family he has never once asked for anything in return. Another reason is that he can’t complete this task and if I was in his shoes, I would want someone to help me without expecting something back.
Once this deed was completed I felt like a great person. It made me feel like I made a difference in the world. I did something that will affect someone else in a positive way, which made me feel wonderful. It made me feel important, because I made a difference. Now that I have helped others, I hope the hospitality will spread and more people will do the same as I because they can and not because they have to.
Completing this task helped me grow stronger as a person. It helped me understand why people do things for others out of the kindness of their heart. It really made me realize that life is too short to be greedy, so you should always do unto others, as you would want them to do unto you. I know that if one day I became blind I would want someone like me helping me because they are capable of it and I’m not. It taught me to be a good person and help out as much as possible and not expect anything for it. It also made me realize how important it is to help, it doesn’t just affect the person you helped, but it’s a good way to be a role model and a leader.
Helping people has an effect on many people in many ways. It affects the person you help in a positive way, because it helps them out and makes their day easier. It also affects people around you, because it shows them how wonderful it is to help others and how it makes people feel. It will not only affect people around you, but it will affect you as well. It makes you feel important, because you made a difference in someone else’s life. Doing a deed for someone who is incapable and not expecting something in return, in my opinion, is one of the deeds you can ever do for a person.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
Has there ever been a time in your life where you were short on money? You try to pay for many things with whatever spare change you have in your pocket. The dollar bill section of your wallet has moths flying out of it because it’s unused. Just about every teenager and many adults experience this t least once in their lifetime. Since I know that I am not the only one that experiences this, I thought I would help someone out that might be in that same boat.
My good deed was to help pay for something everyone over the age of sixteen deals with: buying gasoline for your car or truck. I went to the gas station to fill up my truck with gas. While I was filling up with gas, I saw a person driving an old beater car pull up for gas. He looked like he could use an extra five dollars. The car was in such bad shape I couldn’t tell what kind of car it was. The driver was not wearing very good clothes either. Since we were the only two customers, it was very likely this person was going to walk in to pay for their gas after me. When I paid for my gas I gave the cashier an extra five dollars. I asked him to give it to the next person who came in to pay for gas and to keep the gesture anonymous.
I chose to do what I did because there are many times I go to buy gas and feel like I don’t have enough money. Lots of times I wonder if my gas will last from one allowance to another. Sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t, I feel really vulnerable. Running out of gas is a real fear for me. I’m afraid of getting stranded and having to walk the highway at night to get help. When I saw the man in the beater car, I figured he must have that feeling a lot more often than I do. Because he was so poorly dressed, he probably is concerned about having enough money for a lot moiré than just gas.
Helping another person made me feel better about myself. I know I made a difference in someone else’s life. Even though it wasn’t a big gesture, I know it mattered. I sat in my truck to watch the man pay for his gas. He pulled out his money to pay for his gas and the cashier told him about the five dollars. The mans’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. He walked out to his car with a smile on his face. I drove away feeling pretty good about the experience.
This experience strengthened my opinion that people deserve to be treated with respect. I learned how little things count and make a difference in someone’s life. I’ve also learned that even if you give a little bit, in return you get a whole lot more. The more you give, the more you can receive. The littlest things you do for someone will pay off big time. Even if it is just giving a person some money to help the pay for gas, or simply helping an elderly person, the pay off is more than you can imagine. I am not talking about a money type of pay off, I am talking about a spiritual and inner-self pay off. Because I paid for someone’s gas, somewhere down the road someone will do something nice for me. I like the way it feels to do something nice for someone else, too!
Feeling good inside is something that cannot be accomplished with money. The feeling that comes from knowing you made a difference, and seeing the expression of joy on someone’s face after you helped him or her is priceless. Even if it is as minuscule as giving five dollars to help another person pay for their gas. Remember, somewhere down the road a good deed that you have done for someone else will bring a something good back towards you. When someone does something nice for you, it’s probably because you did something nice for someone else.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
My “Reichle Deed”
Once the temperature rises to around the 100-degree mark, Grandma and Grandpa Whitman will start their journey from Arizona to Illinois. They have a regular ritual for closing up their Arizona house and likewise, their Illinois house, when returning. Everything must be put up and out of the way. Floors must be mopped, bathrooms cleaned and carpets shampooed.
It was the dirty carpets that gave me my “Good Deed” ideas. When my Grandparents started preparing to return to Arizona, a job my grandmother does weeks in advance, the “dirty carpet” problem arose. The Friday Grandma wanted to call the cleaners to come, was the same weekend Grandpa had tickets for a Cubs game in Chicago. After much prodding Grandma gave in and off they went to the baseball game and spending the weekend there.
Since I knew the “dirty” carpets was something Grandma wanted clean. I decided this would be my good deed (and also my way of paying Grandma back for all the apple pies she bakes me). I called by Uncle John and borrowed his rug cleaner and supplies. After a quick lesson on how to use it, I headed to Grandma’s house. Little did I realize how much of a job this would be! First I picked up all her throw rugs, then vacuumed the carpets before I started to scrub. Starting in the living room I worked my way through the house and finished up down the basement steps. It took me most of the day, but it was worth it.
When the job was done the carpets looked really good. I was anxious to see what Grandma would say. I was at the house the day they came home from Chicago. Grandma came in the house through the kitchen and right away smelled “soap”. She couldn’t believe the job was done. Just seeing the look on Grandma’s face told me all my time and aching muscles were worth it.
Grandma left town without knowing who it was that did the good deed, but hopes they will show up next year when they’re ready to leave again. She doesn’t really know it was me, but I think she suspects.
October 17, 2003
SSSSH Writing Assignment
SSSSH
I know that people say that life is too short, however, this does not apply to all. When you have people that think life never ends, it is saying that life is not as fulfilling as it should be. I believe that no one should have to go day after day hoping to die because they are unhappy with life. I am sure that is the case for the many people that commit suicide. I bet al they needed was someone who cared enough to lend a helping hand, or give an ac of kindness. This brings to mind the old people who may be feeing sad and lonely. These are the people I believe should be cared for more than anyone else. Most of these people were born back in the 1920’s or even the 1910’s, so you can just imagine what they must have gone through. All of us know how much can happen within just a couple of years. All of these elders have fascinating lives and stories to share if only people cared enough to take the time to get to know them. I believe that the elderly deserve to have a little sunshine in their lives, and I am just the person to give it to them and let them know there are people that care.
Everybody deserves a little spark in their life, but I believe that no one deserves it more than the old. There are many things a person can do to let the elderly know that we are thinking of them, but no matter how many ideas you come up with, they may not always work. For instance, one night it had just finished raining and a couple of friends and I spotted an older lady walking along the side of the road. We had driven by her once when we decided it would be nice if we could give her a lift. We turned around and pulled up to the lady to see if she wanted a ride. She was a little cautious, and declined the offer. I don’t know if a carload of teenagers disturbed her, but I know that it is the thought that counts. A few days later, I thought of an idea that would do more than leave a memory, it would leave a reminder. This idea was to make bookmarks. I absolutely loved the idea because I know that many older women and men do read in the many hours of spare time they may have. So my idea was to make bookmarks, take them to a nursing home, and very carefully place them on the door handle so that no one would see me do it. Making a bookmark leaves a lasting memory because every time they open a book and see the bookmark, they are reminded that knowing that someone cares about you.
Doing a good deed can consist of just about anything that someone can think of. I wanted to do something for the old people in nursing homes that would leave them with an everyday reminder that someone out there cares about them, even if they might not know them. I also chose to do this because I was able to get the sense of the atmosphere of a nursing home and to get a feel of what it might be like to live there. I am not really saying that I would want to live there, but I wanted to get a feel for what people who do live there do for the rest of their lives. During my one-hour visit, I learned that seniors are very nice people. They are the kind of people that would say hello to you if you happen to pass them. I also learned that a simple, inexpensive gift or the sharing of time can be one of the best and most expressive gifts to give. Yet, mainly, I learned that no matter how different people are, each one appreciates knowing that someone has thought about them.
I have to say that this is one of the best things that I have ever done for someone (actually about 30 people), and it feels great. I feel as if I might have an impact on someone’s day and the way they may think about strangers, since they received caring thoughts that could have been done by anyone. It was rather scary to place the bookmark on the doorknob for fear that someone might walk out and see me. It did work up my nerves a bit, but that is the challenge, to keep it anonymous. I am glad that I was able to do this for someone who actually needs it. It makes me wonder how many times someone might have paid for someone else’s dinner or may have done something nice for another person. It makes me think twice before getting angry with someone because that person just might be the one who helped you.
Anyone who has done an act of kindness or good deed knows that, not only is it rewarding, but it also makes the world a better place. A good deed done might result in a good deed to come. Your act of kindness might just influence someone else to do his or her own act of kindness. If everyone continued to pay it forward, then it could happen. And if it did happen, the world would be a much better place.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
SSSSH
A deed is an act of kindness toward someone. Helping people has a positive effect on other people when they see that someone in dire need has been given a kind helping hand. Also, performing good deeds can boost one’s self-image, their own confidence level and just the plain satisfaction of being a kind, unselfish person. We need to recognize the good people in our society who do the everyday good deeds for others.
When I found out that a family in my church had their house burn down, I felt a great sadness for them. To help them, I and several others (teens) had the idea to start a collection jar to help acquire funds for them so they could rebuild their house. Through raising a little amount of money for them, we all hoped that it would make the family feel a little more at peace about what had happened. Even though we didn’t tell them we sent the money to them, we knew that they knew that it was our church family and the help of God which had helped them. I wanted to help them a lot for the reason that they and their children had lost everything that they owned. What was left of their house had to be torn down for there was no way to build off the former foundation. Nothing was saved from the fire except their dog, which had escaped through his dog door.
After helping raise money and sending it to them, I felt a great excitement come over me. There is no means to describe the delight the family partook in once receiving our gift. Just getting that family a little closer to having their home back, made me feel quite blissful. I knew what I had dome came from the heart so I knew what I did was in fact a good deed to carry out. When the family cam e to church the next Sunday, they assumed the money had come from someone else at the church and had thanked them for this kind gesture. After hearing their well spoken thanks to whomever gave the money, I felt like a better person and was glad that I could give the little help I could.
I have learned that in helping others, you will receive self-satisfaction. Through the power of giving, I and several others have made a few other peoples’ lives a little better and made their experience minute in their hearts for the time. While accomplishing this small feat, inspiration to others to help has occurred. When others see that we have helped, even just a small amount, they will want to do the same to help anyone out. The SSSSH is a good thing in that now people have more of an urge to help, just for their own satisfaction.
While I was helping to raise and give money to that family, I felt that it is much better to give than to receive. Finding and helping those in need is just part of the SSSSH principles. People get so involved in what they are doing, where they are going, and what to do next, they don’t think about those who could utilize that little bit of help or that small boost of confidence. I’m glad that in having to write this paper that I did something good that could be respected by many and look forward to doing more good deeds in the future.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal
Good deeds are sometimes had to come by these days. Helping others who are in need is very important. Some people do good deeds for recognition, while others stay anonymous. Doing an anonymous deed is a way to feel good about yourself without making a big deal about it.
The Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal is an organization that performs good deeds for random people without letting then know who did it. The reason this organization came about was because of a man name Hal Reichle, a helicopter pilot who died in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm. People knew Hal for his kindness towards others. As a way to keep Hal’s spirit around, people perform these good deeds, but instead of using their own name they replace it with Hal’s.
Today being young and in college is difficult. You are very busy and don’t have a whole lot of time for anything, especially cleaning. Someone really close to me started college this fall. He is living on his own for the first time and cleaning isn’t his specialty. Consequently, for my good deed I decided I would go to his apartment while he was at school and clean his apartment the best I could before he got home. This wouldn’t have been difficult to do if he lived in Bloomington but he lives in Indianapolis. This made my time schedule a little tighter but it worked out.
First, I had to figure out how to get into the apartment without asking him for a key. I decided to call his roommate and tell him I had a present to put in his room and asked if he would leave a key outside in the mailbox for me so I wouldn’t ruin the surprise. His roommate said that wouldn’t be a problem.
Now that I had that taken care of, I had to figure out a time schedule. He leaves for school about 1:45PM and it takes me about 2 hours to get to Indianapolis. I get out of school every day at 1:30PM, so I decided to take off right after school. I ended up getting to his apartment around 4:00PM. The key was in the mailbox as planned so I unlocked the door and went to work. I didn’t quite know what I was in for. The place was trashed. There were dishes piled in the sink, clothes all over his bedroom, and the floor needed to be vacuumed terribly.
I first started in the kitchen. I got all the dishes rinsed and started a load in the dishwasher. Then I cleaned off all the counter tops and took out the trash. When the dishes were done, I put them all away and swept the floor. My last thing to do was mop the floor and then I headed for the living room. The living room wasn’t too bad. It just needed to be vacuumed and straightened up.
Next was the bedroom. I didn’t even know where to start. After I looked around clueless for a while, I decided to start with the dirty clothes. First I put all of blue jeans in the washer. While I was waiting for that load to get done, I made the bed and vacuumed. When the jeans were done, I put them in the dryer and started a load of shirts.
The next task was his bathroom that was in his bedroom. I wiped down the sink and counter top and put things away. Then I sprayed down his shower with bleach and water and rinsed it out. I took the rugs and vacuumed them and mopped the floor.
Now all that was left was to wait on the laundry. When it was finally all done, I folded all the clothes and put them away. By this time it was a little after 8:00PM. I did a short run through of the apartment to make sure I had gotten everything. Right before I left, I wrote a little note on their message board saying, “Thank Hal.” I’m sure that really confused them but I liked it. Then I headed for home.
Doing a good deed for someone else really makes you feel good about yourself and lifts your spirits. It is important to help others, whether they are people that know you or complete strangers. The Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal is a wonderful organization. Hal Reichle will forever be remembered because of these people and the good deed that they do. The important thing about good deeds is that if you receive one pass it on. The longer the chain goes, the better the world will be.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
The Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to Hal
What is a friend? I define a friend as a companion you can always count on through all your trials and tribulations, no matter what situation you’re in. Having a friend like this around is truly something special because you know that whatever you need, your friend will be there for you. I met a friend like this about two years ago. I had always known Matt Nelson because he was always the funny guy at our school, and he made everybody laugh. I really didn’t get to know him though until we both started working at the school for a summer job. After that, we really got to know each other and a great friendship then blossomed soon after.
During the first summer of working at the school we were both sophomores in high school, and we were sixteen years old. At the time my sister and I were both sharing a car and unfortunately, she was older so she got to use it for her job. When Matt found out about this he generously offered to pick me up for work every morning of the summer. I really didn’t think this was a big deal until I got my own car the next summer and realized how much money gas was and how big pf pain it was to drive out of your way to pick someone up.
When I though about secretly doing a good deed for somebody, I knew I wanted to do one for Matt. I also wanted to do a good deed for his car because after work we would always make it dirty because we were in our work clothes. At first I wanted to fill his car up with gas, then I realized you need money for gas! One day after school Matt had football practice and left his keys in his car. I then took his car to my house and washed the outside, and vacuumed out the inside. I then returned his car to the school with about ten minutes to spare.
I chose to do this Matt to kind of repay, and thank him for always giving me rides. After a while I stopped asking him for rides because he would always be at my house, right on time, no matter what. He never complained, or acted like it was a big deal to do this day after day. During the summer I never really said ‘thank you” to him, so this assignment gave me the opportunity to do so.
Eventually Matt found out that I was the one who cleaned his car, and he was really happy when he saw it. I learned that doing something nice for someone makes you want to do nice things for other people also. Inside it made me feel good about myself because I never did thank him up to that point. Even though cleaning his car wasn’t a big deal, it still made both matt and I feel good about ourselves.
When I first received this assignment I honestly thought I was going to just blow it off and make something up. Then I thought about the last time I did something good for someone else, and I couldn’t think of anything. It’s funny how a deed so little can make a lot of people happy. When I first did the good deed I thought Matt would just be happy, but in the end I was also happy with myself. Doing something nice for somebody else can make you a lot happier, because you know you made somebody happy. On the whole, this assignment showed me the importance of other people, and how good it feels to make them happy. By doing good deeds you make other people happy, and you truly feel good inside about yourself.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
Thousands of children are
born in the
I cannot imagine what living in a low-income family where parents neglect children would be like. I grew up in a household where food was never scarce and clothing was always provided. It is scary to believe that some babies do mot receive fresh diapers when needed and have sufficient clothing to wear everyday.
The Secret Society of Serendipitous Service to hall is a group that promotes performing good deeds to people who are often in need of a little assistance. About a month ago, I was in a Key Club meeting in my high school. I heard about a family in the community who had recently had a child and needed help purchasing diapers and clothing for their baby boy. My first thought was that it was horrible that these people had a child at a time when they were not financially stable and prepared for a lifetime investment that a child brings. However, as I thought about it more, I realized that by asking for help, the parents are creating a better life for their child.
For my SSSSH deed, I purchased diapers and a few outfits for the family in need. I have worked at my church nursery with toddlers for two years, and over this time period, I have fallen in live with kids. I decided to perform this certain deed because it makes me feel so good to know that I have done something nice to someone much younger than myself and it fulfilled my obsession with baby clothes! Through working with kids in my church, I have realized how precious toddlers can be. It is hard to believe that some families may not be able to look at their child with love and pride but instead as an investment that they cannot afford.
Simple common deeds make you feel good no matter how big or small they may be. Buying supplies for a couple who just recently gave birth to a son makes me feel like I’m doing my part to give this child a future. Although I will never meet this boy or his family, I know that I brought a smile to his parent’s faces, which could not make me feel better.
Like most teenagers, I work extremely hard for my money. Over the summer, I was working three part-time jobs so that I could have an income that would last me until next summer. Often, I have caught myself being very selfish with this money that I earned. I am usually not willing to spend it on anything that is not necessary for me. Through performing my SSSSH deed, I became a little more understanding of why someone would donate to charity or spend money on a random person of whom they do not know. I learned that every once in awhile, it is pleasant to do something nice for someone that needs assistance.
Someday I will have children of my own. I am well aware that kids are a huge investment and I hope that my husband and I will never have financial difficulties which require us to cut down expenses so much that we could not provide for our children. However, it is comforting to know that there are people who care about each and every one of us in this world. I know that if necessary, there is someone who I can turn to for help. Performing a good deed is something that makes everyone feel good and the SSSSH group is helping to keep anonymous deeds alive in this country.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
In today’s society it is common to see people perform acts of kindness only if they receive recognition or benefit themselves. It is difficult to find someone performing acts of kindness for no apparent reason. I admit that I haven’t thought about this in the past. But this assignment caused me to reflect on the meaning of kindness, selflessness, and service. I now feel kindness for reward is an act without valor. It has no meaning. It makes no difference in either person’s life. What has happened to “it is better too give than to receive?” Are we placed here only for our own enjoyment? Or is there a higher purpose? Surely, Gods looks down and sees the selfishness and self-absorption of today’s society and is disappointed in our actions. The great truth to be learned from this assignment, and in God’s plan, is that giving blesses the giver as much, if not more, that the one who receives the act of kindness. By being kind to others, I gain satisfaction and self-esteem for myself. To be a better person, I only have to give of myself for the benefit of others. What a great lesson to learn!
I had a chance to perform a random act of kindness for a complete stranger recently. I’m not sure why I picked a stranger for my act. Maybe it was because I wasn’t sure that the outcome would be. Would they think my act stupid? Would they make fun of me? If so, it would be easier if it came from a stranger. Knowing I wouldn’t see them again added to my willingness to stick my neck out. It would hurt too much if I did something for someone I cared about and they reacted poorly. So, I picked a safe target.
It all started when I was at the Amoco Gas Station. I noticed an elderly man outside filling his car with gas. It was a fairly cold morning and the man did not have a jacket to keep warm. Maybe that is what made me notice him. After I paid for my gas, I again noticed the man. This time he was slowly walking toward the front door. Something about his walk made me have compassion for him. At that moment I went back to the counter and told the clerk to give five dollars to the man about to walk in the door. When I said this, the clerk gave me a blank look as if to say “What?” I again requested she give the money to the man and please not tell him who it was from. She reluctantly agreed, still bewildered by what I was doing. I thanked her, held the door open for the man and said, “How’s it going?”
I smiled and went to my car to wait for the man to come out. A few minutes later I saw the man walk out of the gas station doors with a confused smile. He was laughing mildly to himself as he got back into his car and drove away. I’m not sure what he really thought about all this. Maybe he just thought it was his lucky day. Maybe my gift made his day brighter, maybe it didn’t. I don’t know. I will never know. But I can imagine!
Did I waste my time and money to help an absolute stranger? Absolutely not! I felt if I could do this simple task to improve his day, just for a moment, then my assignment was fulfilled. I chose to do this small task rather than an extravagant one because I felt it came more from the heart to do what I did. I just wanted to show a little respect for an elderly man who may not have been shown proper respect recently. The elderly often get ignored. This is especially true by people my age. We make fun of their wrinkles, their facility, and their slow motion. But as I watched him walk to his car, he seemed to me to be a little brighter, more upright, maybe showing a little more life. I felt good for him. I had tried to put into action what I have learned from the Bible. And, in turn, that’s when I learned something myself. Feeling good for a stranger made me feel good about myself. I have found a way to make myself happier, just help someone else.
If you have never done a random act of kindness, you should! You will feel like a brand new person just from the look on the person’s face. It felt as if I gave the man everything I owned, even though I just gave him a simple five-dollar bill and a smile. There are no real words to describe the satisfaction you feel when you know you made a person smile and helped him to have a better day.
I was reminded from this experience that it is truly better to give than to receive. I don’t need worldly recognition to feel good inside. God knows my heart and wants me to watch for those in need and help whenever possible. In return, he gives me a blessing that cannot be taken away. I think the trick is learning to watch for those in need. We get so tied up around our own thoughts and actions that we do not look at others. I will try to be more aware of other’s feelings. I want to encourage instead of tease. I want to inspire instead of pointing out imperfections. I am young with few resources, but I am reminded that little things can and do make a difference. Hopefully, my act made a difference to the old man. I know it made a difference to me.
SSSSH Writing Assignment
Everyone gives a favor to at least one person in their lifetime, but they might not even realize it. People perform good deeds all the time, and sometimes they are not always rewarded for the little things. Even if it is sharing a piece of our favorite candy, helping someone with his or her homework, or making a person smile. Those activities are done daily and no one ever gets any credit. Everyone should be rewarded for the deeds that make others feel warm, fuzzy, and good about themselves.
“Hey, you sweet young lady! How are you doing tonight?” said Vernon, a regular customer