true inspiration

Each One for US All was an inspiration that started from a personal experience. One day my town of Yardley, PA was hit by a pretty serious flood, affecting the areas of our town close to the banks of the Delaware River. This flood didn't actually affect any of my personal belongings but I was affected personally. First hand I saw the displacement of families, the wonderment of outsiders and how something so terrible could bring out something so inspiring,,, the core of what we are as human beings, the need to help others who are less fortunate.

My wife Jacqueline is a great person, some call her a saint based on her everyday activities at our daycare but bottom line, she is a great person. That one day in September she showed me how one person can change many by just offering to help.

During what was suppose to be her 40th Birthday bash, planned for months but falling just days after the flood, she couldn't just celebrate as others in our town were devastated. She decided to utilize her celebration as a central meeting place in our town to connect people, people in need and people who wanted to help. No technology, just a table on the corner of our street with a piece of paper, one side showing people's needs, the other, what people could offer. We purchased a roll of raffle tickets for a 50/50 and invited all to take their minds off of the flood, grab a bite to eat and connect with those eager to help. With amazement, a buzz was created and we found ourselves being bombarded with support and offerings to help those truly affected. People donated sofas from their living rooms, beds from guestrooms, televisions, appliances, toys, clothes,,,, the list went on and on, we crammed a garage donated by a local church and spread the word.

We spent night after night manning the garage as the donations poured in and townspeople picked from the items to get their lives back in order, a true testament of how we need to help others but more importantly, how we want to help others. The flood waters receded but the flood of human spirit grew and changed me forever.

DD