These are just a few of the good deeds that were shared with us on Be Someone's Gem Day 2012:
* A missionary visited an orphanage in Thailand, taking gifts to the children
* A college student made a book donation to a book drive sponsored by the University of Southern Mississippi
* A mom took her children to Walmart and paid off two anonymous customers' layaways (mostly toys)
* Clothes, shoes, and a backpack were purchased for a needy student at Oak Grove Middle School in Hattiesburg, MS
* Mint brownies were baked and taken to the local fire station in Starkville, MS
* A third grade class went to The Oaks, a local retirement home, sharing books and stories and songs
* Baskets of homemade goodies taken to 4 shut-ins
* Cookies baked and delivered to the Garden Shop man (He cried when he learned that this family had chosen him to
be their "gem.")
* A generous donation made to Anderson Regional Cancer Center in Meridian, MS
* A cup of coffee purchased for a clerk at Steinmart
* A sixth grade Sunday school class raked leaves for elderly church members
* A high school teacher had her students write letters to former elementary teachers; "They got it," she said, as her
tears flowed.
* An extraordinary tip offered for a server at Cracker Barrel. The server was ecstatic and asked the giver if she could
hug her...
* A meal at Chick-Fil-A drive-thru anonymously paid for by the one in front
* Goodie bags taken to residents of a retirement home in Birmingham
* Students at an elementary school in Hattiesburg, MS donated items for a soldier's Christmas care package; they
filled 4 boxes full! The soldier, serving in Kuwait, is a teacher's son.
* Gifts taken to children in a school and an orphanage in China
* Toys sorted/organized at the Wesley House Community Center in Meridian, MS
* Hoover High School SGA sponsored a toy drive and took donations to the Sugar Plum Shop at Children's Hospital
in Birmingham. This "shop" allows parents whose children are in the hospital on Christmas day an opportunity to
select gifts for their children at no cost to them.
* Hoover High School Senior Class Officers visited a nursing home, helping feed some of the patients. They also
sponsored a children's winter clothing drive, taking a large collection of hats, coats and scarves to students at a
local elementary school.
* Hoover High School Junior Class Officers prepared a welcome basket of baby supplies/books for an HHS student/
single mom
* Goodie bags of Oreo balls left for students during exam week at the Turner Center on the campus of Ole Miss
* $900 from t-shirt sales was donated to the Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham, earmarked specifically for the
Discovery Club program. This weekly after school program in area elementary schools offers children an
opportunity to hear Bible stories, learn Scriptures, and sing songs.
* A group of middle school students made fleece blankets and included them with nonperishable goods for care
packages, sending them to victims of Hurricane Sandy
* Jim's company, Dunn Construction, collected contributions from employees and assembled holiday bags for the
residents of Aletheia House, a substance abuse treatment program in Birmingham. These bags were delivered
to the women on Gem Day. (Great photos in the slide show!)
* Dunn Roadbuilders in Laurel, MS partnered with two mentoring programs in the Laurel schools. Employees chose
a "gem" and purchased gifts for these children. They were delivered on Gem Day. (See the slide show photos!)
* Snack baskets with encouraging Bible verses attached were delivered to oncology waiting rooms at Kirklin Clinic
in Birmingham and Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, MS
* Grace's Kitchen ministry baked dozens of homemade muffins and prepared dozens of trail mix bags for these
baskets
* Peanut butter Rice Krispies treats were made and taken to patients and family members at Birmingham Hematology
and Oncology Clinic
* Students in a high school English class wrote letters to soldiers serving in Afghanistan, sending them through
Operation Gratitude
* Hoover High School SGA made 30 "no-sew" fleece blankets and delivered them to Jessie's Place, a women's shelter
in Birmingham
* A Christmas sing-a-long was organized at a retirement home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The review: "These folks sounded heavenly as they sang, 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing'!"
Many unnamed acts of kindness were done that were known only to the giver and our God...
"I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set pines in the wasteland
the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it."
Isaiah 41:19-20
This Scripture captures the essence of Be Someone's Gem Day for our family: the kindnesses poured out that day were our "pines in the wasteland," as we delighted in knowing that the Lord Himself had designed this day for His purposes and for His glory. As you serve on this day, our prayer is that you may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and He is worthy of our praise.
The following links are yet further examples of exceedingly abundant blessings of that day:
* A missionary visited an orphanage in Thailand, taking gifts to the children
* A college student made a book donation to a book drive sponsored by the University of Southern Mississippi
* A mom took her children to Walmart and paid off two anonymous customers' layaways (mostly toys)
* Clothes, shoes, and a backpack were purchased for a needy student at Oak Grove Middle School in Hattiesburg, MS
* Mint brownies were baked and taken to the local fire station in Starkville, MS
* A third grade class went to The Oaks, a local retirement home, sharing books and stories and songs
* Baskets of homemade goodies taken to 4 shut-ins
* Cookies baked and delivered to the Garden Shop man (He cried when he learned that this family had chosen him to
be their "gem.")
* A generous donation made to Anderson Regional Cancer Center in Meridian, MS
* A cup of coffee purchased for a clerk at Steinmart
* A sixth grade Sunday school class raked leaves for elderly church members
* A high school teacher had her students write letters to former elementary teachers; "They got it," she said, as her
tears flowed.
* An extraordinary tip offered for a server at Cracker Barrel. The server was ecstatic and asked the giver if she could
hug her...
* A meal at Chick-Fil-A drive-thru anonymously paid for by the one in front
* Goodie bags taken to residents of a retirement home in Birmingham
* Students at an elementary school in Hattiesburg, MS donated items for a soldier's Christmas care package; they
filled 4 boxes full! The soldier, serving in Kuwait, is a teacher's son.
* Gifts taken to children in a school and an orphanage in China
* Toys sorted/organized at the Wesley House Community Center in Meridian, MS
* Hoover High School SGA sponsored a toy drive and took donations to the Sugar Plum Shop at Children's Hospital
in Birmingham. This "shop" allows parents whose children are in the hospital on Christmas day an opportunity to
select gifts for their children at no cost to them.
* Hoover High School Senior Class Officers visited a nursing home, helping feed some of the patients. They also
sponsored a children's winter clothing drive, taking a large collection of hats, coats and scarves to students at a
local elementary school.
* Hoover High School Junior Class Officers prepared a welcome basket of baby supplies/books for an HHS student/
single mom
* Goodie bags of Oreo balls left for students during exam week at the Turner Center on the campus of Ole Miss
* $900 from t-shirt sales was donated to the Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham, earmarked specifically for the
Discovery Club program. This weekly after school program in area elementary schools offers children an
opportunity to hear Bible stories, learn Scriptures, and sing songs.
* A group of middle school students made fleece blankets and included them with nonperishable goods for care
packages, sending them to victims of Hurricane Sandy
* Jim's company, Dunn Construction, collected contributions from employees and assembled holiday bags for the
residents of Aletheia House, a substance abuse treatment program in Birmingham. These bags were delivered
to the women on Gem Day. (Great photos in the slide show!)
* Dunn Roadbuilders in Laurel, MS partnered with two mentoring programs in the Laurel schools. Employees chose
a "gem" and purchased gifts for these children. They were delivered on Gem Day. (See the slide show photos!)
* Snack baskets with encouraging Bible verses attached were delivered to oncology waiting rooms at Kirklin Clinic
in Birmingham and Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, MS
* Grace's Kitchen ministry baked dozens of homemade muffins and prepared dozens of trail mix bags for these
baskets
* Peanut butter Rice Krispies treats were made and taken to patients and family members at Birmingham Hematology
and Oncology Clinic
* Students in a high school English class wrote letters to soldiers serving in Afghanistan, sending them through
Operation Gratitude
* Hoover High School SGA made 30 "no-sew" fleece blankets and delivered them to Jessie's Place, a women's shelter
in Birmingham
* A Christmas sing-a-long was organized at a retirement home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The review: "These folks sounded heavenly as they sang, 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing'!"
Many unnamed acts of kindness were done that were known only to the giver and our God...
"I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set pines in the wasteland
the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it."
Isaiah 41:19-20
This Scripture captures the essence of Be Someone's Gem Day for our family: the kindnesses poured out that day were our "pines in the wasteland," as we delighted in knowing that the Lord Himself had designed this day for His purposes and for His glory. As you serve on this day, our prayer is that you may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and He is worthy of our praise.
The following links are yet further examples of exceedingly abundant blessings of that day: