|

Special Pondering: Can One Person Make a Difference?

Today's pondering question is “Can one person make a difference?” My answer is YES and here is why:

Last May, I was on Twitter in a hashtag community when a new person popped in: Dave Reynolds. He was pretty new to Twitter so I befriended him as did many others. Over the last eight months, Dave has evolved into a very special social media personality that is using his influence to help his community. I'd like to share Dave's story with you.

Dave lives in Campbell River in British Columbia on the east coast of Vancouver Island with a population of approximately 30,000 residents. In these tough economic times, many people are having a hard time feeding their families and the food banks are not filled with enough food to provide for the families in need. Dave was a DJ at a local radio station and for the past three years he has helped fill the food banks. But this year was different.

When Dave started the first year, he helped fill a 53 foot truck in 11 days using the local media to help him.

Last year, Dave filled the same truck in 8 days.

And this year, using the power of social media and the network of friends in Dave's online community, Dave Reynolds' filled THREE trucks and raised over $1,000,000 for the Gold River food bank. This will provide 9,000 family meals! People called from all over the United States and Canada to make donations to Dave's cause. Dave used hashtags on Twitter, #RiverReliefTruck, #CampbellRiver and #UsGuys, to rally his virtual troops and his friends did not disappoint him.

This is the power of community (online, virtual community as well as real life), using your social influence for social good and how one selfless, hard-working person CAN and DID make the difference. Not just on the 11 days that he lived on that truck and was on the air but Dave Reynolds will be at each of those 9,000 meals that the families have because of this River Relief Truck program.

Special thanks to Dave Reynolds' friends (who I also have the pleasure to know) for their efforts to help him achieve their goals: Sumner Musolf, Stephen Caggiano, Libby Baker Sweiger, Ty Sullivan, Brandie McCallum, Denise Barlow and Matthew Browne. There were many more online that helped Dave through his entire 11 days of this amazing food drive.

The world needs more people like Dave, his crew of helpers on the River Relief Truck, his online friends and the local grocery store Save-On that worked with Dave. I can't tell you how proud I am to call Dave my friend. Dave doesn't just say “be the change” he IS the change.

I created a Storify to show some of the tweets from this highly successful eventΒ called One Person Can Make a Difference.Β I hope you enjoy it.

I can't wait to see what Dave will be up to next year! Super sparkly #TiaraTip to my friend Dave Reynolds!!

β€œThe purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some links for Dave:

2011 River Relief Truck from Sean Smith on Vimeo.

Campbell River Mirror Reynolds' River Relief Truck a Big Success!

Check out Dave's cool bio hereΒ and tweet him here!

If you liked this article, please give it a thumb upΒ Β inΒ Stumbleupon. Thanks!

 
Article by Peg Fitzpatrick
 

8 Comments

  1. Beautiful post PeggyΒ @PegFitzpatrick:twitterΒ , so heartfelt and well deserved.Β @997dave:twitterΒ Dave Reynold has the biggest heart of anyone I know and the chops to make this happen. He is amazing and so are you! Love you both! Libby

    1. Thanks so much Libby! We are truly blessed with a wonderful community of amazing friends.Β 

      Thank YOU for all your support and friendship.
      Peggy <3

  2. There’s a biblical saying that says something like, “Help one person and you help the world.” YES – one person at a time. If EVERY ONE did that, we’d run out of people to help!

  3. I love the post Peggy!!!! Β I shared it with my Milton Hershey Alumni community, all 1,020 of them, because Dave is SO living in the spirit that Milton Hershey created his Legacy with.

    1. Thank you so much for sharing it with your community Amy. Dave did an amazing thing and gave so much to his local community but also inspired so many people as well. When you help someone else, the gift really is to yourself as the joy of giving far outweighs receiving.

  4. To me the message is clear… never underestimate the power of an idea backed by a community that resonates with it.

    Thanks for the early morning inspiration. Consider this shared πŸ™‚

  5. Even more important. Success leaves clues. For those that are struggling to find a way to turn around their situation, environment, etc… they should call up his show, listen to his archives, or interview him. We need more Dave’s in the world for sure.

Comments are closed.