Sometimes in life the smallest, quietest people have the largest impact.  They are so powerful in their presence that you do not quite grasp their meaning in your life.  It is the sequence of events that follow that are undeniable.   Allow me to connect the dots of a story of inspiration.  This is about one tiny  girl who rose to the challenge and changed the outcome of the lives of many.  The story of Kayla Hercules is one of everything that is right with this country right now.  May it lift your heart and let you know without a doubt that we are all in this together.

A good friend of mine is a benefactor in the community in which I live.  We have served on committees  together over the years and become good friends.  We have lunch, we attend each others events  and we connect on a lot of different levels.  Linda is amazing.  She and her husband Doug have donated millions of dollars for worthy causes around town.  Linda always encouraged me to help or become involved in the Nan Knox Boys and Girls Club.  One day last spring I decided to do just that.  The club had lost  a sponsor for the club’s aviation program  and was going to try to find a replacement. It was Black History month and the famous Leo Gray one of the Tuskegee airman was also going to be there.   Before I would look for sponsors I wanted to check out the club and get to know the kids.   That is how I met Kayla.  I will never forget it.  Mr Markes Thomas the club director had set up a meeting for me and some of the kids.

Kayla is a tiny person with a soft spoken voice and just a little shy.  She is maybe 100 pounds.  I do not think it is a coincidence that her last name is Hercules.  I met Kayla at the club and we talked about her receiving an award.  The award is the National Award for Academic Success.  Kayla shared with me the impact it had on the club and its members.  Due to this project she helped other kids do their homework and prepare for standardized tests.  No simple feat.  Kayla worked hard on the project and as a result was able to help over 100 kids. She truly deserved the award.  This is not where the story ends, by a long shot.  I asked Kayla what is next for her and she went on tell me “of course college, I am going to be a nurse, then I am going to start my own non profit to help more kids.”  Now I am inspired.   So of course I ask the question, what can I do to help?   Her reply is  “I need cheer leading uniforms for the kids here so I can take them to nationals with me.”    Now you got me… Oh boy .  I love big thinking.

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This  conversation haunted me .  Many times I have asked myself, “how can I serve?”  I knew I had to do something for Kayla.    My neighbor is a football coach at a local private high school.  I saw him in his driveway one day and said “Hey Matt..gotta a second?”  I asked for some old cheer leading uniforms and his response is “why don’t we just do a spaghetti dinner and split the money.” Me  being me was like “heck yeah”  Little did I realize it was going be such a special event.

I went into my office the next day and approached my teammates at work and asked them each to contribute to the cause.  No problem.  Then I called a friend of mine.  Mark Zaden a local musician and asked if he would come and play guitar and sing to the crowd.  His response “No problem.  Tell me when and where and I’ll be there”.  He would be playing at his Alma mater.

I ran into a girl I had met at afriends over the Memorial weekend. We both attended a fundraiser and I  commented on a necklace she was wearing. Stacy replied that she makes them on her dinning room table.  I told her about the spaghetti  dinner and she gladly donated a necklace.  I barely know her.  This really touched me. The kindness of strangers is sometimes more heartfelt.  When things are meant to be, they happen with ease.

I started thinking how Kayla was changing my life because of the good things she did.  Did Kayla realize the ripple effect of her Keystone project?   Now she was touching lives outside of the Boys and Girls club?  Every day as the event was coming closer I just could not believe how easily it was all happening.  Maybe we are more alike than different.  Good people are everywhere if you are willing to ask for help for all the right reasons. If she could help 100 kids, I could ask for help for her cause.

My girlfriends all offered to come and help do whatever was needed.  Coach Dubuc had made a couple of calls and got another sponsor.   The Mayor Jack Seiler heard what was happening and said he would like come by and say a few words. He spoke of role models and their importance in the world.  The words rang true with everyone in the room.  You could of heard a pin drop. His message was clear.  It was clear to the grandparents, parents and the high school kids.  We need to emulate what we want to see in our world.  Be good citizens.  Empower our youth.  Be strong examples.

This little girl Kayla was inspiring people in ways she had no idea.

The night of the spaghetti dinner was more than about cheer leading uniforms. As  the night continued my friend Mark played and sang  and the dinner was served.  A few speeches were made.  Lot’s of pats on the back were passed around.   The auction results were announced.  We did what we came here to do.    While Mark was playing a friend of his came who is also a singer.  He jumped in a did a few duets.   As the night was coming to an end and we were all about to say our goodbyes Dr. Patrick Arnold, the other singer, came to me and said “you know what?  If Kayla is going to be as big as you say she is,  Kayla needs straight teeth. ”  I said explain.  Dr Arnold is not only a singer but also a orthodontist.    Need I say more??    He said “clear it through her parents and call my office tomorrow. ”   So I called the office the next day to get it set up and we talked about the appointment.  Then he said  Julie “I do not know what happened.  I don’t do this.  My mother is the saint. ”  All I could think of is good job Momma!!   You see children do witness, they do listen.   We are more alike than different. We are all role models.  I kept thinking, Wow!  This is incredible.  I asked Mark to play, he said yes, then this happened.  It really does not get better than random acts of kindness in the world. Another stranger totally being in the moment and willing to help.

There is more to this story . A whole lot more about good people wanting to get involved.  Maybe I will write a follow up to the little girl that inspired a spaghetti dinner.  Please remember in this world, every single persons life matters.  We all are in this together.  Were these all random sequences of events?  I do not think so.  I believe that Kayla’s heart and soul went into the project.  Because of her passion, there was no doubt it would be a success.  Her actions behind a innate desire for helping others  made it come alive and give it purpose, not only in her life, but the lives of others.  One person can create a ripple that waves out and crosses all economic and social boundaries.  What kind of ripple are you creating?

The Boys and Girls Club are  doing great things in community’s everywhere.  This is why I have been a volunteer for over 20 years.  In the past, I was more involved on the committee levels .  In the future I want to get to know more about these kids. There is only Kayla and she is special.  She not  only inspired a spaghetti dinner but opened the eyes and hearts of so many.   Mine included.  From the bottom of my heart I want to thank everyone that showed  up and played a part in making this happen.

Who is better than You??? Nobody!