1. First things first. Take a first aid course. Be ready to help someone in
an emergency situation. Don’t assume someone else will be able to do it.
2. Be a hero, donate blood. Better yet bring a friend. Can you imagine the
publicity the Red Cross could get out of a photo of a half dozen RLSH at a
drive?
3. Look for paint, not pain. Go on a graffiti patrol. You don’t necessarily
have to get rid of it yourself. Document it and report it to the town/city
officials. Some places, like the City of Boston has a special graffiti phone
hotline.
4. Serve up kindness. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or free community
lunch. What could bring a smile to a downtrodden face more than a hot meal …
having that meal served by a caped do-gooder of course.
5. Brown-bag it. Put together a meal in a paper bag, write “for the homeless”
on it and leave it where a homeless person can find it. (credit to Knight
Hood)
6. Get around. Walk around your neighborhood in order to get to know your
neighbors. You can find out who needs what kinds of help and meet people who
might be able to help in the future.
7. Be a “Super Scout”. Aim to do one good dead every day. It could be as
small as holding a door open for someone or returning an empty grocery cart to
the store entrance.
8. Curb appeal. Offer a free lawn mow or snow removal for a neighbor who
might have trouble doing it. You could also offer to sweep the walk or wash
windows. If they want to reward you have them pay it forward.
9. This is a job for … Trash-man? 1. Get a garbage bag. 2. Go outside. 3.
Pick up trash until you fill the bag. Picking-up trash is about the least
glamorous thing I can think of, but it can still inspire others to be less
apathetic.
10. Clean house. Go through your stuff and set aside anything you don’t
really need or want anymore. Take it to a Salvation Army or other charity store
and donate it. This one gives you a clean room and the feeling that you’ve done
something good. Talk about win/win.
11. Cut back on the caffeine. Skip your coffee/soda habit for a week and give
the money to a charity you believe in. You could also buy it and give it to
someone who can’t afford it.
12. Go back for a second course. Take a CPR class. Go back to number 1 for
the reasons.
13. Speak up! The next time you hear someone say something you know is just
plain wrong, call them on it. Write a letter to the editor at your local paper
to bring attention to a problem you see. You don’t need to wear a cape for this
and, somehow, that seems more heroic to me.
14. Be prepared. Put together emergency preparedness packs for home and
travel. Put aside a little extra for others. If you are ready for a disaster you
can better help those that are not.
15. People watch.
Visit these sites to see if you recognize a missing person. http://www.amw.com; http://www.namus.gov; http://www.missingkids.com.
There are more sites if you look for them.
16. Get out the vote. If you are old enough to vote, VOTE. Encourage others
to vote. Pass out literature showing how to register. Democracy works better if
everyone participates.
17. Do the write thing. Everyone loves to get real mail. Write to someone who
doesn’t get out much, an old friend or a member of the armed services. Every
letter you send will brighten up someone’s day. Don’t forget about
postcards.
18. Food, glorious food. Organize a food drive. It could be as small as your
classroom or office. If you can go bigger try to get the whole school, company
or place of worship involved.
19. Walk the walk. Many charities have walk-a-thons to raise money and
awareness for their cause. Put on your best cape and most comfortable shoes and
join in. Once again a crowd of RLSH will really get some notice for the
cause.
20. Now you’re cooking. Make a meal for someone who can’t get out or has
recently suffered a traumatic loss. If you don’t do the cooking at home it might
be a nice gesture there too.
21. Will someone think of the children? You may still be young yourself but
there is always someone younger. Visit a children’s ward, tutor someone, read
stories at the library and/or be a mentor. Spending time with kids is a top way
to prevent crime in the future.
22. Cleaning up litter or organizing clean up events
23. Volunteer at your
local libraries
24. Volunteer at a nursing home
25. Organize a blanket and
clothing drive for local shelters
26. Help find missing persons by flyering and
asking questions
27. Give out sandwiches, blankets or other emergency items to
the homeless
28. Donating blood
29. Be a volunteer firefighter, police
officer, EMT or any other civil service programs
30. Participate in
pre-organized charitable events
31. Collect canned food for your local food
bank
32. Collect money for a charity of your choice
33. Collect toys for
children
34. Contact your local board of education and participate in drug
prevention
35. Become a big brother/big sister
36. Do minor things for people
to generally improve their day, such as helping to carry heavy loads, helping
ladies across the street, buying people who work outside coffee on a cold day,
etc.
37. Handout, post and/or e-mail wanted posters of known criminals
38. Join your local neighborhood watch group
39. Volunteer your services to local church groups; they know people who need the most help.
40. Las, but certainly not least, something many take for granted: Be a hero for your family. Your friends. Their families. Be a hero for the guys at work. Commit yourself to your little spot on the earth. Changes will occur. More rapidly than one may expect.
Stay true. Stay free. Stay safe.
--Hero Man
Subject: WAYS TO BE A HERO WITHOUT USING YOUR FISTS 
Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:51 pm
