Community service: Not Just A Fad

Since September 11, 2001, it has become fashionable to do community service. It is unfortunate that for decades prior to that date community service was left to a very small percentage of our population. I for one have an extensive list of community involvement, and have for many years. My involvement has served me well in many capacities.

When is the last time you reflected upon your life and said, “I feel good, life is great, and I like who I am”?

In 1994 I reflected upon my life and I was not happy with my personal direction. A more coarse individual had replaced the refined gentleman I was in college — one who was being shaped not by people with interests of advancement in education and passion, but by those who were more content with just getting by. I was not developing as a human being and I even felt that my wife didn’t like who I was becoming.

I am a true believer that you must help yourself. Help rarely comes knocking at your doorstep just because you need it. My decision was to find people to spend my time with that were above me in the personal success chain. This didn’t mean they were rich, but rather enriched with the better part of humanity

At first I spent time with other small-business people in my community. I noticed that some of them were not the type I wanted to be, but others were. The common denominator shared by the better of my new friends was community involvement.

The more time I spent with those special people the better a person I became. By example I learned that which escapes most others: kindness, giving, value of life, the true meaning of freedom, trust, loyalty and the desire to help others, just to mention a few. Some of my best friends have come from contacts that I have met in community service. We are not just talking about fair weather friends, but friends that enrich my life. These are people of moral depth, perseverance, love of life, and with a passion to succeed.

It makes me feel liberated to help someone who needs it. In 2000 I was running for state assembly in a district where my party was out-numbered 4-1. I was walking neighborhoods, knocking on doors introducing myself, when an elderly gentleman, who was sickly, widowed, and had no other family, asked me to sit and talk with him for a few minutes. He told me of his disease and his inability to get to the doctor for his appointments, or to the pharmacy for his medicine.

I let this man know that I cared and I gave him two telephone numbers. The first was the name of a town employee who handled senior transportation issues and the second was my cell phone number to call me if he had any problems. The gentleman now has access to all his medical needs.

It is funny how it happened over time. People started to look at me differently. I was finally earning the respect that I always wanted. My special friends regard me as one of them, my customers feel more confident in my business, my employees are more confident in my leadership, and I believe that even my wife feels that the problems of life are much smaller because she has me.

Throughout these years I was building my business. I was using the most powerful arsenal known to me: my will to succeed, the teaching and tools of Stan Golomb, and one I didn’t realize — all of the people I met in my community involvement. These people had become a sales force that couldn’t be beat.

We turn on the television and we see commercials complete with actors, sports figures, and others that the marketing community believe we respect. They know that if we respect the front man that, chances are, we will buy the product.

I bet that if you were out running errands one day and met one of these individuals that you would be even more likely to buy their product. Don’t you have a product? I know I do, and I meet people every day that need my product, and once they meet me, they are more likely to buy my product. How these people view me is important, and they tell their friends about my business and me.

A few years back Sister Diana Dolce S.S.J., a special person, opened a school called Hope Hall. It is a third through ninth grade school that teaches children with social learning issues. It is a wonderful school, which has helped many families in my community.

This year I developed a new program, a holiday season charity, and named Hope Hall as its benefactor. This program was started in early Thanksgiving and ran through December 22.

It is a simple program. A customer comes to my store with an order of $20 or more, and I give $1 in the name of the customer to Hope Hall.

In the front of my store is the “Big Board” – a poster-size dollar bill – where signatures of the participants are collected. It is surrounded with little lights and my counter staff love to shows it off. I sent a press release to the local papers to kick off the event. After all, I want as many participants in the program as possible.

I also send out coupons explaining the program and offer $5 off an order of $25 or more. Involvement in the program brings out the better in people as they enjoy the feeling they get by signing the Big Board and knowing that they are helping a good local cause. They view businesses that have helping programs as pillars of the community.

I believed a successful business would make me happy, but it didn’t make me complete. Community service not only helped complete me but also made my business more successful.

When was the last time you reflected upon your business and your life? I urge you to do so and to consider your customers and your community. I serve my community and it serves me well.