Saturday, July 09, 2005
Bonus post community involvement
I use a company called "GoDaddy" for my domain registrations. I'm up to over 50 active domains with them and have enjoyed their great level of service for years. They are responsive to the needs of the registrants as well as web developers like me. (Now if I could just get them to implement a shared role account management system I'd have no complaints at all. (grin) )
I had logged on to my account manager this morning and notice the new XML RSS feed links. Following those links I lucked up on a jewel of a link. It was the personal blog of Bob Parsons, GoDaddy founder and president. There are a number of great and motivational articles for business owners and I would recommend it to anyone.
But what has me all touchy feely at this point is a blog post that was relatively hidden in the link list of the right. Listed under categories, and behind the "in the community" link was an article about an outreach to homeless young adults and his personal involvement. He writes (at length) about this important community service and how he donated large amounts of money. But then he writes about how he and his wife took a day off of the big time corporate social calendar and rode around town in the HomeBase van trying to help those who would allow it. It truly touched me.
My wife and I went with the outreach van and met these kids first hand. Both my wife and I went out on separate nights with the outreach van. Each of us witnessed HomeBase "in action." We had the opportunity to meet these trapped, homeless kids. I can tell you they are not at all what you would expect. Most are well spoken, and they look just like any other kid you might meet. It was both a surprise, and a genuine heart breaker.
So I replied to his post, (Darn it if I didn't delete my draft) and put a link up at SOKY.BIZ. Really folks, go read his blog, read about this HomeBase in Phoenix AZ and click the donate button. It's the least we can do.
I'm going to do some poking around town and try to find outreach efforts here in our small town. I am already involved in an urban outreach program in Chattanooga TN, but I really need to invest in my own back yard.
http://www.homebaseyouthservices.com/
