Just when I thought I had it all figured out..... It seems the free time I had been looking forward to has been almost non-existent.  I can't wait to be able to focus more attention on Taking Back Pacific as it really is my virtual happy place. I appreciate you all bearing with me and just know that is my goal to get back to my favorate past time ASAP! Until then, I hope you all are well and enjoying our extended Summer weather = ) 
    

  When you reach out and lend a hand, you are often times setting off a positive sequence of events which will reach far beyond anything you could have imagined. 
    When I was a young child, my father took us to spend Christmas Downtown Seattle handing out clothing and cash to homeless folks on the streets. What an impact these experiences had on me. I got a lesson about appreciation, compassion, acceptance, empathy, and an early realization about how important community is. There was a man sitting in Pioneer Square on a bench in the cold and alone. At 8 years old, I knew just what I'd give this man. I walked over to him and handed him a new navy blue baseball cap and two $1 bills. I smiled and said "Merry Christmas Sir". He returned the smile and looked at me with excitement in his eyes when he replied so sincerely, "oh thank you child, now the birds won't sh** in my hair anymore!" Of all the folks I met that year, he is the one I'll never forget. It is because of these experiences I don’t walk by folks who are down on their luck and pretend they don't exist like so many others do, instead I look them in the eye and smile when I say hello. I think of that nice man who appreciated the simplest little gift like it was the greatest present ever, every time I lose sight of what's important in life. I think of him when I give the man who is standing at the freeway entrance a couple of dollars and whatever snacks I may have in my car. I think of that sweet man when I'm working on strengthening my community because that Christmas gift he gave me that year really was the greatest gift ever. It's been over 25 years and he still inspires the choices I make. It's because of him that I've gone out of my way to help others. I care to make an effort in my community because my very first community involvement was such a positive experience. All of these years later, the man I met that day has no idea the impact he had on my life. I took those gifts he gave me that year and to this day,  I still pay it forward. 
    Another lesson I learned is to teach my children the importance of community at a young age. It encourages them to think about the needs of others and that's really the foundation of community. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more of Pay it Forward = )

    Get ready for more of Our Community's Finest this week. I look forward to writing these stories as it such a positive way to spend  my free time. The past few weeks have provided little free time unfortunately. Now that the new school year is off and running smoothly, things have settled down a bit and I can shine the spotlight on more of the quality folks we are fortunate to have in our community.
    I am also pleased to announce a new addition to the blog titled "Pay it Forward". Has a stranger ever gone out of their way to lend you a hand? Someone who expected nothing in return? Their heart was just in the right place, and for them, reaching out to help just seemed the right thing to do? Well this would be the place to share your story. If the details are personal and you wish to change the names in the story, thats no problem. If you wish to write your story in the form of a thank you letter, that's great too. This is YOUR story and you can give as much or as little detail as you choose. If this person's act of kindness affected a choice you made later on, I'd love to hear about it. The purpose of this piece is to inspire others to "Pay it Forward". Do something for someone else for no other reason than it was the honorable thing to do. No matter how big or small. If they ask you how they can repay you, just smile and say, "pay it forward". This is in no way an original idea, but it sure brings out the good in people. I've heard so many of these stories over the years and everytime I hear a new one I'm motivated to be a better person myself. Never forget that your small act of kindness may be a defining factor in someone else's life. 
    I will post a few stories which reflect the true meaning of "Pay it Forward". Please submit your story by e-mail to [email protected] or via the contact form on the main page. Thank you for reading and enjoy your Sunday = )

As Summer Vacation comes to an end and our kiddos are headed back to school next week, it's a perfect time to contact local schools in search of sprouting community builders. After all, this generation is our future so it's never too early to start recognizing their contributions! We will of course need parent's consent to show appreciation for their child's efforts in  "Our Community's Finest" as another positive form of acknowledging students for giving back to our community. If children are encouraged at a young age to "give back" to their community, it's a great experience for them and it encourages further acts of kindness throughout their lives. If you know of an inspirational child or teen who enjoys helping others in our community, please submit their story via the "contact form" on the main page.
Have a beautiful Labor Day Weekend