Dear Friends and Colleagues,
We are currently engaged in supporting Comic Relief and Red Nose Day, campaign dedicated to raising money for children and young people living in poverty. The inaugural US Red Nose Day will be held on May 21, 2015. OPX is getting involved because Red Nose Day supports children and it’s the right thing to do.
So when we started our fundraising site and organized our support (and put on our red noses!), one of our folks suggested I write another one of my ‘Steve’s letters’ to support our efforts. It sounded like a good idea at the time.
In the past, I would write one of my letters because something happened. Something that I thought needed to be brought to light. But when we had the idea, nothing in particular happened – we had just said yes to supporting a charitable event like we often do. I felt like my letter wouldn’t seem important enough without a bigger picture connection……
But then, something happened – a friend of mine emailed me and apologized for not making a meeting of a charity on whose board we both serve. He was in Guinea, West Africa he said, working out some details to support Ebola relief efforts.
I emailed him back and told him not to worry – we’d miss him, but he was doing important work. Then it dawned on me – this was giving back in the most personal way. Most of us want to give back or help out or whatever we think can make a difference – and for most of us that involves sending money to someone.
But my friend is an example of truly giving back – choosing to serve ‘on the ground’ in a politically difficult place stalked by the prospect of the resurgence of a deadly disease. Why would he do that? Why would anyone?
Did these words go through your head? Passion, Compassion, Humanity, Empathy, Cause, Heart? For my friend, he said yes to all of these – and probably more.
So here’s the question for us – what are we saying yes to?
This year, our yes is supporting Red Nose Day – maybe it’s not being on the ground in another country, maybe it’s not as passion-driven, or dangerous, but it’s still vitally important –since its inception in the UK, Red Nose Day has raised more than a billion pounds to support children over the last 30 years – and this is our collective opportunity to work together to support even more.
The point of my letter is this: in our world of prosperity, we need to find something to say yes to, to commit to beyond ourselves. It doesn’t have to be in another country, like Guinea, it just has to be somewhere.
And this year, for us, our yes will have a Red Nose.
Please join us in the celebration and protection of children.
