Spreading joy at Vancouver Police Department

Yesterday, Vancouver Police were visited by a joyful group of elementary school kids who showered Happy Packets on the West Precinct.  Heart-covered bags for every employee of the Vancouver Police Department–caringly stuffed with personalized notes of appreciation, a Hersey’s chocolate kiss, a Bit-O-Honey and a Love Your Life card from The Joy Team–were handed out, left on desks or put in mail slots.

The personalized notes were written by members of The Junior Joy Team and close to 300 elementary school children from Hough Elementary in downtown Vancouver. Hough is partnering with us to boost our efforts of spreading joy, optimism and inspiration to millions.

Can letters and drawings from kids bring smiles to people who deal with trauma and crisis on a daily basis? We’ve been told they can! Here are a few comments we’ve already received:

Thank you so much for the card from Linessa and the other kids. You all made our day when we got into work tonight. Tell the kids that the reason were out here is for them. God Bless all of you. -D.

Thank you for the great picture, the letter, and the candy. I really appreciated it! I have the picture up in my office. -D.

I work for the Police Department and missed your visit yesterday. However, I did get the gift bag with the pretty picture drawn by Ellie. Please tell her that I loved the picture and really appreciate that she took the time to make it for me. Keep up the good work! -A.

I have to tell you, it was completely our pleasure!

Want to see some of the photos from the day?  Here’s the Facebook album.

The Junior Joy Team spread joy to all 260 employees of City Hall in February and created a video about the power of positive words in March.  What will we do next? Stay tuned…

One of the heart-warming drawings from a Hough Elementary student

We’re going to Hough Elementary (go Hough Hawks!) today for our very first JOY Assembly, and we are super excited!

Nearly 300 students will learn why joy matters, hear from The Junior Joy Team members who go to school there, and learn more about the second recipients of our Happy Packets: The Vancouver Police Department.  Officer Tina Smith will talk to the kids just before they go back to there classrooms where each student will write a personalized note of appreciation to every person working for the Vancouver Police Department.

Wow. Just think about it.  300 kids, all practicing gratitude, performing an act of kindness, and spreading joy–all at the same time. That’s a lot of concentrated positive energy, and we are so thankful to be part of it.

On May 2nd, after The Junior Joy Team has caringly stuffed these personalized notes into our Happy Packets, we’ll get to deliver them to the Vancouver Police Department. The kids will meet the Chiefs of Police and even get a little tour while spreading their joy around. How awesome is that?

We’re spreading joy, optimism and inspiration to millions.  Wanna help?  You can donate any amount to help us with our joy spreading programs, or inquire about how to make in-kind donations. We need candy for our Happy Packets, Love Your Life cards (printing donation) and other goodies we can use to spread joy around.

In Council Chambers with Mayor Leavitt

The very first Junior Joy Team project went so well that the heart of the city was swelling with joy.  The kids had so much fun sharing smiles that Junior Joy Team member, Carter Jacob asked before walking out the door of City Hall, “Can we do this again tomorrow?”

And as for the folks at City Hall, did it make a difference for them?  Here’s what a few of them share with us:

One of the cards to be given out on February 13

The Junior Joy Team will be planting our first seeds of joy in the heart of our hometown: Vancouver USA’s City Hall. We picked February 13th, the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, to do our very first Junior Joy Team project. The inaugural group of 10 Junior Joy Team kids, ranging in age from 6 to 11, will deliver little packets of happiness to all 260 city employees working in City Hall. Starting with Mayor Tim Leavitt and City Manager Eric Holmes.

The packets, hand-packed by the kids in heart-covered bags, include cards with positive messages and drawings from the children (like the one pictured above), a Bit-O-Honey, a chocolate kiss, and a “LOVE your life” card from The Joy Team. Before scattering joy on the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, the kids will learn about each city department housed at City Hall and how the work of those employees improves our lives.

We think it’s a great way to start this young group of joy spreaders. And we think it’s an exceptionally great way to start Random Acts of Kindness Week.

What are your plans for February 13 – 19?

Amy Bebo
Cedar House Media
Dana Damara
Michele and Brian Larsen
Carol McKeag, CPC
Jennifer Powers
Cherie Waatti
Zen Flow Yoga

Thank you all for starting 2012 by helping us spread joy, optimism and inspiration! Thank you, thank you!

I am so super excited to introduce you to The Junior Joy Team: a group of children coming together to spread joy, experience the depth of community connection and discover the power they hold within themselves to be happy.

We’ve just had our second meeting today, during which the inaugural group of kids sat down to put joy on paper.  Their works of art will soon be spreading smiles, as the first Junior Joy Team project is set for Monday, February 13th–the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week.

The inaugural members of The Junior Joy Team

Stay tuned for the official announcement about the first Junior Joy Team project.  Meanwhile, we’ll post photos as we go on our Facebook page.

Come out for some Joy & Juicy Inspiration this Saturday with Women of Visionary Influence! I’ll be speaking, and so will the fabulous Susan Glavin of Be The Gift.

Saturday January 7, 2012 at The Melting Pot (downtown Portland near 5th and Park)
11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Come at 11 to meet and greet!
$15 for WOVI Members, $25 for Guests, Includes lunch

Seating is limited. Reserve your ticket now.

Registration closes at noon on Friday January 6, 2012.

Picking up balloons at Dollar Tree

My dear friend and fellow spreader of joy Dana Layon-Damara of Zen Flow Yoga and I, along with our kids, went out to pick up 75 smiley face balloons today. Add those to the 20 already in house and there are now 95 big yellow smiles filling my living room (aka: The Joy Team office).

These balloons, each accompanied with a specially-made card, are destined to to spread joy to every single patient spending Christmas in the hospital at Legacy Salmon Creek.  The cards carry simple wishes of joy and love and will be signed by several folks tomorrow before each are attached to a balloon. We’ll be delivering these bright bundles on Friday to Legacy Salmon Creek and the good people working there will pass them out to each patient on Christmas Eve. Our hope is that these small tokens will bring big cheer to not only the patients, but also to the hospital staff.

A big shout out to Seth (wearing the Santa hat above), one of two managers at The Civic Dollar Tree on West Burnside in Portland. He went out of his way to help by driving around and picking up enough smiley face balloons to fill our order.  He had them filled and waiting for us when we got there.

And some more love to Camille Hollingsworth and CRAVE Portland!  The raffle she held at the CRAVE Chat last month raised $88 for The Joy Team–and almost completely paid for this holiday cheer project.

Christmas is just one week from today and I find I’m singing Joy to the World in my head with increasing frequency the closer it gets. I just can’t help myself.  But because I can’t remember all the words I keep making up different ones. Fun, playful, joyful words.  And I put them down on paper.  Then I invited people to come over and sing them.

We sang. And drank coffee. And ate pumpkin bread. And sang a bunch more.

In the end we came up with a very playful, joyful version of Joy to the World that we hope makes you smile.  Maybe even giggle a little. So, in the spirit of love and joy and laughter, here’s a little ditty we did for you (and for us, too):  Joy To The World ala The Joy Team.

That beautiful, strong voice you hear is Michelle Wirta’s of Spiral Life Consulting. Isn’t she awesome?

Feel like singing along?  Here are the lyrics, along with a holiday wish or two.

Chalk the Walks on August 23rd

Here’s a FUN way to spread joy that the whole family can be part of. All you need is a little sidewalk chalk and about 10 minutes on August 23rd.

Chalk the Walks (a project of The Joy Team) is all about spreading joy, optimism and inspiration through the magical power of sidewalk chalk.

Remember when you were a kid and you’d draw pictures and write happy thoughts with chalk in your driveway and down the sidewalks of your  street? And the adults always smiled when they read the big, pastel-colored messages? This is just like that. Only we’re bigger now. And we don’t have to go in the house when the street lights go out.

The idea is as simple as it was in childhood: write happy messages, have fun doing it, spread some joy while you’re at it.

Then, share your lovely creation by posting it on the Chalk the Walks Facebook page and Tweet about it with #chalkthewalks. By the end of the day, we’ll have a fabulous collection of images from (hopefully) all over the U.S. (or even the world!) spreading joy, optimism and inspiration through the playful, magical power of sidewalk chalk.

Fun, yes?  Yes.

So, what are you waiting for? Go get some chalk!

Need some ideas for messaging? Try some of these.