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Letter of the Day - A 'real kick' from two brothers
THE EDITOR, Madam: IN THE October issue of the Reader's Digest I read where Brian and Steven Bruckbauer were vacationing in Jamaica in 1997 and saw local kids playing soccer using plastic bottles and cardboard boxes. They returned to Fort Collins, Colo., and collected used balls, took them back to Jamaica the following year and gave them to the kids who were more than happy to receive them. The brothers have since been asking for donations and have met with tremendous success. My congratulations to Brian and Steven Bruckbauer now 14 and 8 years old. As I read the article a flood of emotions came over me, first when I saw the words "vacationing in Jamaica" I thought, there goes another negative. However, when I read the story a feeling of warmth came over me, I was struck by the creativity of our Jamaican boys who did not allow the lack of a ball to stop them from enjoying a good game of soccer and no doubt building their skills/expertise in the field. Then, I consider the creativity and goodwill of young Brian and Steven who used this to inspire them to reach out to these boys. They could have laughed at the situation but they took positive steps without much fanfare. This reinforces my belief that we can make a difference if we demonstrate spontaneous goodwill. Before we dump a good meal as "left-overs" identify a needy person, maybe one of the street children and give it to him/her, you may not be able to feed all but one will do. Select a messy part of your community and concentrate on keeping that little area litter-free, someone else may join you after a while or the perpetrators may just stop. Comb an old person's hair, bathe a child, compliment someone as you go through the day. This will enhance our self-esteem and enable others to benefit from our efforts. I think we have a lot of "Brians and Stevens" in Jamaica; let us be one. Again, congratulations to the Bruckbauer brothers. I am, etc., FAYE WALTERS (MRS.) #106 Daisy Close Braeton, St. Catherine
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