Submit your picture and story by emailing us!
 |
Connie This was taken at Target where I purchased two Gift cards for two families I adopted for Christmas. This was part of the Pay it forward from the Oprah Show. Update: Connie delivered 10 copies of "Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill" to Toys for Tots today! |
 |
Ann This is a picture of me (right) and the school counselor. The following is an email from a teacher that has the student in class: The young man that we took up money for to fill his propane tank is smiles from ear to ear. He came home from work and he said, "We don't know how but our propane tank was filled up." My dad was mad at my mom at first because he thought she charged it, but she didn't. The delivery man showed them the ticket and it was paid in full. He said, "Wow Mrs. ******,I can't tell you how nice it was to have a hot cooked meal from the REAL stove and to take a Hot bath." I just replied that it must be an early Christmas present. Yes, this is because of this great faculty. If you get down, think of the boy that can now take a hot bath and have a hot cooked meal because of you...thanks. |
 |
JEN In the first picture, I'm dropping off clothes, boots, hats, and gloves to Goodwill. The second one is me dropping off canned food at my daughter's school for the canned food drive. cities or states, this is i |
 Lisa & Kaitlyn My daughter Kaitlyn may be more than a little spoiled, but she also has a heart of gold, and therefore, raises money for local charities and also contributes by donating toys or other supplies during holiday drives. Here she is pictured in her Blake Shelton Wrangler Hat with her Blake Shelton Care Bear (given as a gift from her Aunt Brandy) along with the toothpaste that her fourth grade class donated to families in our area that needed just basic supplies. Each grade in her elementary school supplied a different necessity ~ something simple, but something that another family will treasure. When Kaitlyn walks by The Salvation Army bell ringers, she always puts her own money in their kettle ~ even if she only has a quarter. If I offer to give her money to put in, she will use it but always puts her own is as well! Last year, in addition to choosing an angel from the angel tree, we gathered gifts from our home (slightly used, toys received but never taken from the box as well as new items that were purchased) and took them to a local domestic abuse shelter to try and make Christmas a little brighter for families who were staying there. We certainly aren't rich in money, but we're rich in many other ways so I try to teach my daughter to pay it forward in whatever way she can, no matter how big or how small. |
|
|
Amy Here
I am with my angel tree gifts. I have on my PJs and Blake's 30th
Birthday shirt.
|
|
Crazy Connie
Here I am with 6 overloaded (heavy, too!) bags of
clothing for donation to the
Volunteers of America, whose services include
aid for:
- Disadvantaged and neglected children and youth
- The elderly
- Persons with disabilities
- Homeless individuals and families
- Men and women re-entering communities from prison
- And many others
I have been the recipient of many thoughtful, above and
beyond gestures from my community after a motorcycle accident that killed
my husband in 2004, who left behind (at that time) my 4 and 7 year old
daughters and I. The local community, radio station, and ABATE motorcycle
club all rallied to hold a benefit for my girls and I, as well as provide
Christmas for us that year. Without any of that happening, I am not quite
sure how we would have made it through that first year. Thankfully, it
wasn't something I needed to figure out.
So, 6 bags of clothing is a good start, but I am not, by
any means, through with my pay it forward. |
|
Kim The secretary at our church does a ton for so many people. Well, a few months ago her husband fell off a ladder and hurt his shoulder. It is still not right and his work is physical. He's still working, but since he can't really use that shoulder...takes longer, so he can't work as much. They have no insurance either. A friend and I went grocery shopping and anonymously...well, except for you guys :)....we left the groceries, and some other goodies, at the church under the Christmas tree....it was great fun!! |
|
|
Vela Here's my friend/co-worker Jenny and myself (in the BSer shirt!) in the food pantry we operate here at work. On December 1 we collected over 10,000 items as part of our holiday gathering. We do this at least twice a year, and as of today when we went to the pantry those 10,000 items are now gone and just had to be restocked. This goes on all year and we all do what we can, but we feel like we're swimming upstream. We even have employees that have had to take advantage of this program. Here at Community Action we really are about community. |
|
|
Carol, Debi & Patti
This holiday season, a little girl in Oklahoma City gave herself a present – a membership in Girl Scouts.
She wanted to be part of Girl Scouts, but her family didn’t have the $10 membership registration fee that the national organization requires. But that didn’t stop her efforts. For several weeks before Christmas, she saved every penny, nickel, dime and quarter she could put her little 3rd Grade hands on. Finally, she had enough.
So she counted out all the money, put it in a zip lock bag (even stapling the bag closed to make double sure none of the coins slipped out), added her membership form to join Girl Scouts, and then took the bag to the Girl Scout representative at her school. She was so proud that she saved up all her coins to pay for her membership – and we are proud of her too.
To honor her dedication and efforts to be part of a great girl organization like Girl Scouts, Blake's fan club team (Carol, Patti & Debi) chipped in and purchased a Girl Scout sash for all 46 of her school troop members. These girls attend an inner-city school where money is tight. In fact, if it wasn’t for this little girl’s determination, she probably wouldn’t have been able to join Girl Scouts.
Now, all the girls who are members of her school troop for Girl Scouts-Red Lands Council in Oklahoma City will have a sash where they can put all the badges and pins they earn as a Girl Scout.
If you would like to help a fellow Girl Scout in this girl’s council, go to www.redlandscouncil.org or call 800-698-0022. To find a council near you, go to www.girlscouts.org. |
|
 
The Brown's
The Brown girls, Melanie, Karen & Allison from Canada, went to their local shopping area and grabbed 3 paper angels from the tree. You can tell they had Blake in mind as one of their angels is named Austin! Good going girls! |
|
|
Brandon & Sherry
I have been doing this for a couple years now, and recently got my 7 yr old involved, To let him know that it is much better to give than to receive!
This wrapped present Brandon is holding is
for a homeless man. Every year I bring him a thick, stuffed flannel
shirt. We try and do what we can, This is just one of the things we do
for someone in need and very special. We also look in on him throughout
the year. I, like others that have mentioned, I am no where near being
through with my paying it forward either.
|
|
|
My husband Carl and I donated to the Christmas Fund at the church my in-laws attend in honor of them. We know they don't really want any gifts, so we told them we would donate to the charity of their choice for Christmas. Today at church we did just that- that was their choice, it is a Christian Christmas Fund (I'll try to get the official name). I don't have a picture of us doing it, but wanted to let you know that is how we decided to pay it forward. It felt really good, and his Mom cried when she saw the amount. I like this!! I'm gonna do it every year! |
|
|
I am surrounded by all of the gifts and supplies that my Mom, Aunt and I collected to give to families in North Carolina who were particapating in the Paper Angels Organization there co-founded by a friend of mine, Ashley Benfield. I have always tried to draw off of the Angel trees and buy for children whenever possible, but this year really touched my heart. One teenage girl asked only for body lotions and sprays, while another wanted Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pajamas for a trip she will be making to the hospital. I couldn't find the pj's, but did get her some and a Jr. hat. It was after already "adopting" these two girls that I learned of a family of five...a mom and four children ranging from 2-15 that had asked for assistance last minute. All they were really asking for was necessities...toilet paper, shampoo, etc. There was no way that I could deny this family what we take for granted every day. My mom and I joined our monies to buy them the tub of supplies that you see, as well as some small gifts for the children. I can only hope that this made their Christmas a little merrier....because it sure did mine!! |
|
|
In the small, southern town of Waverly, OH, the Masonic Lodge has a tradition of collecting new &/or gently used toys and preparing food baskets that are delivered to needy families at Christmas. My late uncle, Frank Taylor, who was a member and past President, gave us an opportunity to become part of this tradition. For the past few years, my family & friends have been collecting toys and even their children have begun participating in the spirit of giving. My niece & nephew enjoy sharing their toys with other kids who are less fortunate. Not to interfere in their belief of Santa, after they have gathered their toys, they leave them under the tree for "Bernard, Santa's Chief Elf" to pick up and take back to the North Pole so they can be delivered by Santa on Christmas Eve. I have quite enjoyed playing "Bernard" and watching their reaction to the note he leaves telling the kids how proud he is of them and how pleasing it is to God. Of course, they also enjoy the snow (flour) foot prints he leaves behind! My parents and I then take the toys, replace any batteries and prepare them to be taken to the lodge. We hope to increase the participation and amount of toys taken each year. |
|
I will have to say I am not so sure I am "paying it forward
