by B.A. Belthoff
How many times have you witnessed a tragedy on the television and thought you wished you could do something? How many times have you heard a story about a family who fell on hard times and wished you could help? How many more times will opportunity present itself before you realize, you can help?
The power of one.
We all have it within us to make a difference in someone’s life. Sometimes that difference starts with a small gesture. Giving a passerby a smile may be just what they need in that moment. Taking an extra second to hold the door for the person coming behind you may at first seem polite, but it too, may be just what they need.
Sometimes we witness the power of one on the national stage. Remember in December of 2019 when a genuine, and at times emotional, Joe Burrow accepted the Heisman trophy. In his acceptance speech, Burrow used his platform to bring attention to a very real and pervasive problem in southeast Ohio. The poverty rate in Athens county, Ohio, is 26.6%. Based on 2019 records, that percentage is more than twice as much as the national poverty rate of 11.4%. In his speech, Burrow informed that “… many children go home to not a lot of food on the table and hungry after school.” It’s an area of the country that seems to have been forgotten.
Using the national stage as a catapult, Ohio University graduate Will Drabold started a GoFundMe page for Athens County Food Pantry. Within four days, the page had raised over $400,000. Drabold’s idea to try to make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling grew to be larger than the volunteers at the pantry could have imagined. Food insecurities still exist in Athens County – and elsewhere – so if you have the means, please click the link to donate there, or donate to a food shelter near you. The national poverty rate had been declining for five years, but in 2020, that rate rose a full percentage point. Your donation, large or small can make a difference in someone else’s life. Be the one.
Having national news coverage isn’t a requirement, however. Sometimes all it takes is one person, one idea, one small gesture and a little effort to put the wheels in motion to bring about positive change for others.
The bicycles you see in the pictures above are the result one person’s idea. Charles Bourgeois is one of my husband’s golfing buddies. He simply asked if anyone wanted to chip in to purchase a couple of bicycles to donate to Cypress Ministries, a local faith-based organization that supports those in need in our community. A desire to bring a little bit of happiness to a few families became larger than any one of them would have imagined.
It started small, with about 40 bicycles being donated the first year. Last year, the number of bicycles grew when more golfers learned of the charity and wanted to be part of the effort to make Christmas Day more special for a few children. This year, donations collected exceeded $15,000. The money raised enabled the group to purchase 165 bicycles and helmets of differing sizes. The overwhelming response is from a bunch of guys and gals who get together to golf on weekends, and it all started because one person had an idea.
It just takes one person, one idea to make a difference. One small step can make a huge impact. And it doesn’t just have to occur during the season of giving. Any time of year is the perfect time uplift the life of another. How can each of us, Be The One?
The Beth-Ann Alternative 