we said thanks…oh, yes we did
February 5, 2012
photo by Sandra Culp Marr
I love it when a mission is so simple and small that it holds its own kind of beauty and unexpected power, maybe it is the kind you just stumble upon. I think when we connect to our most basic shared humanity, magic always unfolds. Two weeks ago, we invited folks to join us in thanking Garbage Collectors around the nation for their important work and place in the world…and boy, did you ever. Stories and pictures came tumbling in each day.
The kind people at GOOD helped spread the word, kids in schools all over made cards for their garbage man and school custodians, and lots and lots of people passed the word on to family and friends. The mission traveled further than any we have ever done…and while numbers aren’t totally in yet, we are estimating close to a 1,000 friends joined us.
Some garbage friends were so busy they didn’t even see the signs, others stopped and chatted, some even came back to thank us…and now more than ever, we are longing to be connected in new and meaningful ways. Kindness is growing bigger and moving faster than I have ever seen..it’s so, so good.
Thank you for being part of this with me…and thanks to all our new garbage collecting friends, we are grateful for you.
And a special thanks to Vejay, Lionel and Joe for taking the time to talk to me and inspiring this mission, we hope you know and feel our respect.
Kindnessgirl 
February 5, 2012 at 10:27 pm
That is SO amazing! I’d heard of this from the Cheats Movement’s blog 🙂 So cool!
February 6, 2012 at 7:47 am
I loved this idea and galvanized myself into action. I wrote, I waited, I hung around the trash bin all day hoping to catch the Trash Guy but he didn’t arrive on his usual weekly schedule. He came the next day instead while I was busy with a customer and missed him. The following time the same thing. My now bedraggled card ‘travels’ with me and I’m going to nab him this week! In fact, I love the ‘thank you’ idea so much I’ve now made and put in my bag a little selection of cards to be ready at any given moment to pass on to someone who looks like they may need a little thanks and gratitude 🙂
February 6, 2012 at 11:10 am
I live in Richmond, too, but I posted this on my blog and on my Facebook page, and at least three of my NC Facebook friends re-posted and told me they were going to participate. So there’s no telling how far the “garbage gratitude” campaign went. I made cookies for my garbage guys—and for the recycling guys, too, since it was recycling week. Thanks for kick-starting this campaign…great idea. I may even do it on a regular basis now. 🙂
February 14, 2012 at 1:35 pm
I LOVE this! I am so sorry I missed the big day but I made my own today and blogged about it here: http://onetomorrowatatime.blogspot.com/2012/02/share-love.html
Thank you for the inspiration!
February 20, 2012 at 10:52 pm
I posted this idea on my Facebook and several people jumped up and worked with their kids to make thank you notes for their sanitation workers. I also made a notecard for my garbage can, a thank you. I think it was a touching thing to do and am looking for the next unthanked group to make sure they feel the love too… 🙂
I have a pic but I am not sure how to post it. 🙂
April 28, 2012 at 7:02 pm
[…] So as I thought about this I had the idea to borrow a brilliant idea from my friend Patience (aka Kindnessgirl) who suggested a period time to thank our garbage collectors. (You can read more about it at A Kindness Mission for Garbage Collectors and we said thanks…oh, yes we did). […]
August 29, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter group?
There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content.
Please let me know. Thanks
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