#30DaysOfKindness: Getting to Know Your Neighbours

In true philanthropic fashion, the team at ImageX took part in an event called #30DaysOfKindness. This is a 30-day event in the lower mainland that helps to promote kindness and caring within the Vancouver community. So last Friday, November 9, 2012, the ImageX team chose to get to know their neighbours, "iStepAhead":http://www.istepahead.com/, and throw them a pizza party. iStepAhead, a daycare/development center for autistic children, was thrilled with the event and had such a great time playing games and enjoying pizza with the team at ImageX. All the staff at ImageX and the kids at iStepAhead would like to extend our thanks to Marc at "30 Day Adventures":http://30dayadventures.ca/ for the awesome opportunity. This will definitely become a yearly event for the ImageX team. See "the original post from Marc":http://30dayadventures.ca/30daysofkindness-getting-to-know-your-neighbour-with-imagex_media/ which he's graciously allowed us to repost here: "Today’s #30DaysOfKindness is definitely a get outside your comfort zone kind act. My partner on this kind act is Image X Media, a Drupal web design and development company. I was at an HR conference at the beginning of October with Image X President Glenn Hilton and shared my idea about doing #30DaysOfKindness with him. Glenn’s comment to me was how can we be involved, we are in! Six weeks later and after much internal discussion the team at Image X Media came up with their kind act, Get To Know Their Neighbours. Like many businesses Image X takes up space in a business park. A two story complex of buildings made up of a large variety of companies that have nothing what so ever to do with each other. Except of course a shared address and postal code. Image X shares a wall on the second floor with 1 Step Ahead Service Inc, an early intervention centre for children with Autism and other developmental disabilities. A few phone calls between 1 Step & Image X took place to make sure that the kind act would not be disruptive to the kids and also to make sure the parents were comfortable. APPROVED! Thanks to my Zipcar I joined the team just as it was time for the work day to close. I met with Brett who was already with a big bunch of balloons for the kids. We gathered up the team and made a "short little video":http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pTD2zcsDDcU to introduce you to them before we went next door. Down the stairs and around the corner, up the stairs and we have arrived at 1 Step Ahead. Glenn, Brett, Gabrielle and the team immediately went in and started to play with the kids and introduced themselves to the parents and the 1 Step staff members. We started off with a game of Go Go Stop. Haha those kids moved fast. I think they were also starting to warm up to the new people in the room. Our next game was Duck Duck Goose. This was a big crowd favourite and we played at least 10 rounds with laughter from everyone. In fact I think the parents watching really enjoyed seeing their kids so engaged. After exhausting the Image X team out we switched gears and moved from physical games to a more mentally stimulating one. Construction! Which team could build the tallest structure using only dried spaghetti noodles and miniature marshmallows. These kids built some pretty amazing structures. Story time! Showing skills and a talent I did not know he possessed, Glenn gathered up the kids and his team, turned down the lights and told from memory a Dr. Seuss story. The room was as quiet as a mouse… Last but not least it was sing a long time. Once again lead by their fearless leader Glenn both the kids and the Image X team jumped in enthusiastically. Now what do you do after games, story time and singing songs? Pizza of course! Pizza for everyone. While the kids enjoyed their pizza we put on a new movie for them to enjoy and hopefully settle some of their energy down, it was time for us to leave. Throughout the time I was there I saw the Image X team engage not only with the kids but also with the staff from 1 Step Ahead and the parents. Does this mean that Image X team will go over weekly and play with the kids, I doubt it. It does mean though that these two teams have now met, shared an experience and I’m sure when they bump into each other in the parking lot a few smiles will be exchanged. So I challenge you to get to know your neighbours. Introduce yourself, smile, invite them to your holiday party open house. You never know who you’ll meet and what impact they could have on your life. I’m so grateful that you are taking a moment to follow along on my journey. Don’t forget to get it live via Twitter and Facebook and if you are inspired to get involved you can still sign up for some days here. I’d love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment on what kind act someone did for you or that you passed on so we can spend the kindness."