Spending time outdoors, chatting with friends & enjoying a treat never grows old, but hectic lifestyles don’t often leave us room to recapture the same magic fostered by those childhood experiences. As we age, however, priorities shift & often we find ourselves coming full circle. With that in mind, perhaps it’s time to apply a “make-over” to our past playground fun?!
Unbeknownst to our supporters, their acts of thoughtful generosity helped shape these new "MTRF twists" on the fun we had back in the good ol’ days! Recently, we received a pleasant surprise when one of our donors, Marc Rayburn, took the time to complete a brief form that instantly DOUBLED his donation through employer matching benefits! Just like that, his $100 became $200 and 20 extra sandals were on the feet of excited recipients!
So what’s the connection to DOUBLE-DIP Ice Cream cones, you ask? Well, that 2nd dip of ice cream always costs more, but in MTRF’s “makeover version“ (aka “Double the Donation via Employer Matching”), it doesn’t cost qualifying donors an extra penny. AND here’s the best part: the joy of seeing those matching funds warms BOTH the hearts of our donors AND the recipient families -- DOUBLE goodness all around! (Does your employer offer donor matching? Click HERE to find out).
TIN-CAN PHONES…really?! It’s hard to believe we used to play with those, especially in this day & age of phones the size of card-decks with texting & LD calls included, right? No matter how we slice it, we cover allot of ground through telephones & networking! A heartwarming example of this approach unfolded when one of our supporters, JoAnn, reached out to a large circle of her past co-workers (all of whom get together to celebrate birthdays) and told them about the water wells MTRF donates in Cambodia. They loved the idea, pulled their donations & “just like that” a family in Cambodia is now enjoying their gift of fresh water on a daily basis!
If every person reading this quickly made a few calls to their phones’ “built-in” contact list, word would spread EXPONTENTIALLY. The beauty of “playing telephone” is that it’s simply about telling your OWN version of the story - and the rest will unfold on its own. Who knows? Perhaps the “receiver” of your call may decide to be a “giver” - just like JoAnn’s friends! Best of all, unlike the tin-can version, actually CALLING someone is optional these days, so if time is short, a quick text of our website URL (www.ramsey.foundation) with a one-liner saying “check this out” would be a much-appreciated, PRICELESS gesture!
In closing, we’re left with LEAP FROG! Who didn’t LOVE flying through the air with abandon, while our buddy “supported” our adventure?! Naturally, within seconds, we traded places & supported their leap up & over “the hurdle.” It was a great feeling to quickly travel across our own back yard AND BEYOND, laughing the entire way. As adults, we can experience the same exhilaration by “PAYING IT FORWARD”! By helping another - this time by donating life sustaining water, mosquito nets, educational/housing aids - we’re providing that baseline “support” that enables others to “leap forward” in their lives.
Dedicated MTRF supporters, Don & Karen Hellwig are committed to PAYING IT FORWARD & are phenomenal examples of a couple that “walks the talk"! Their immediate response to our newly added "WElcome HoME" program is covering the full supply costs for a family to construct a new home in Cambodia (photos to be shared upon completion). This "Pay it Forward" concept was also beautifully conveyed by Art & Janis Carty, whose most recent well banner (of several) reads: “Paying it Forward - From Our Family to Yours.” So very well put by yet another generous couple who adheres to this principle!
Are you ALSO interested in having some fun with these new MTRF “childhood memory” make-overs? Please join us, by:
- Turning Donations into “DOUBLE DIPS” (Click HERE to see if your employer offers matching)
- Playing “TELEPHONE” for Exponential Reach (please text: www.ramsey.foundation to your circle or call them!)
- “Leap Frogging” the MTRF way by "PAYING IT FORWARD" (check out our online DONATION center)
There’s nothing quite like taking a trip down memory lane with a new twist!