Two friends and myself will meet at our local Starbucks about 5 or 6 times per year. Last January(2008) I came up with this idea: If we can spend $6 to $8 for a fancy drink, why can't we also find a few dollars to help someone out at Christmas time. So we decided that everytime we'd meet at Starbucks we'd contribute $20 each, to a special fund, and comes Christmas 2009, we'd gave that money out, at ramdom. We collected exactly $300. That's $100 each that we had to gave away, days before December 25. My 2 friends bought 6 x $25 gift cards, from a local grocey store chain, and also they got 5 X $10 gift cxards, from Empire Theatre. I handed out 5 X $20 bills.

The experience was heartwarming. We met since, and we're doing it again this year. It's a good feeling, just to gave someone something they can use, and then just walk away. Try it !!!

SM