Happy New Year!!    

The Gives Back team is really looking forward to fun, inspiring, and giving opportunities in 2010 as we spread positivity through service. 

  Welcome to our monthly “The Good in Giving” newsletter, we’ll share upcoming gives back event options with you, a Giver profile to get to know the Giving Team better, and comments on past events to let you know what people get out of giving.   This is your team, your newsletter, so let us know how we can serve you to be the very best Giver. We’re always looking for new giving opportunities and people who would love to lead them, participate in them, so share…share…give…give.   I am excited to give with you in 2010 and getting to know you each better.   

Hugs, 

Cathy Volunteer Coordinator Cathy@positive-focus.com 

  Upcoming Gives Back Events:   

January: 

9th: Feed the Hungry, Feed the Soul 

 16th: Feed the Hungry, Feed the Soul 

 17th: Free Hugs 

 17th: Feed the Hungry, Feed the Soul 

 30th: Feed the Hungry, Feed the Soul 

Giver Profile:   Name: Ira Aronson 

City: Chicago 

1. I volunteered at these PF events: I have volunteered for free hugs…this is an ongoing source of joy, senior bingo…what a blast this was as I met and served the legendary Ronnie Whoo (Chicago Cubs most famous fan over the last 30 years), I volunteered at the St. Benedicts Church serving the homeless on both Thanksgiving and Christmas and on January 9^th of this year I’ll be serving at the food kitchen.  

2. I volunteer because my soul recognizes at a very deep place that life is about helping out our fellow man, especially to those who are less fortunate than I am. I have always been someone who likes to help others out in small ways but recently I have awakened to a place of higher consciousness that recognizes I’m able to serve a lot more than I’ve been willing to in the past. I am committed to continue to give back and volunteer on a regular basis. It’s fun, fulfilling and very rewarding to know that I’ve made a positive impact on someone’s day. 

3. My favorite volunteer experience has always been free hugs! For anyone that’s had an opportunity to do this event they know how much fun it is to give and receive the beautiful energy and higher vibration that is exchanged in a genuine hug. However, I would have to say that my favorite volunteer experience was feeding the homeless people at St. Benedict’s church on Thanksgiving and Christmas. My spirit soared to levels unimaginable as I had an opportunity to serve people who didn’t have all of the things that I have. With no home, no family and no food the people that I served truly appreciated and warmly received my service to them. I felt appreciated in a way that I hadn’t experienced before.

 4. When not volunteering, I like to: I am committed to building my personal coaching business. This is a new venture for me that commenced November of 2009. I have felt the calling and am moved by spirit to help individuals move through transitional phases of their life. As I continue to grow, transform and change myself from the inner work of my spiritual practices it allows me to become a beacon of light and love to support others. 

I also enjoy being in the outdoors when the opportunity arises. I’m all about having fun experiences which can be anything like walks in nature, bike riding and walking along the lakefront, musical events at Millennium Park, art fair’s, festivals, museum visits and just about anything that relates to exploring and learning about life.

 5. You might be surprised to know that I enjoy meeting new people all the time and look to create a spiritual family of like minded souls. 

What our Free Hug Givers are saying: 

 Wonderful experience! People were in a great holiday mood.

 Free Hugs was absolutely INCREDIBLE! I had the best time of my life today giving Free Hugs and sharing some love, just because! The location was perfect and the weather was not that bad. I have never hugged so many different people that I didn’t know at one time in one place. The smiles, the laughter…it was truly a beautiful day. I am looking forward to participating in more Free Hug and other events in the near future.

 

Always so much fun to be with the fun PF group and sharing good cheer With the added bonus of an awesomely fun Salvation Army Bell Ringer—it was a blast.

 

Lots of love share today! We kick off the holiday season right!

 

This was one of the single, most fulfilling days of my life!!! I celebrate life with family and made new friends!!!!!!! How sensational!!! 

 

Free hugs was a notable success today. Goodwill, cheer, and holiday spirit were shared with all those participating. Many people passing by enthusiastically responded as positive energy circulated among us. It was an enjoyable experience, indeed, and the heartfelt love is now increasing exponentially.

Spreading Kindness One Hug At A Time.