Celebrating Nelson Mandela With 67 Minutes
On Nelson Mandela Day we remember and honor a man who dedicated 67 years of his life to making the world a better place. In the face of injustice, Mandela never backed down. In response to those who tried to silence him, he chose to speak louder.
In honor of Mandela and the 67 years he spent fighting injustice, we asked you to commit to dedicating 67 MINUTES (or less) of your day on July 18th to making the world a better place. Today, we share some of our favorite responses.
“What counts is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” – Nelson Mandela
On Nelson Mandela Day, I will…
“I will ride my bike to and from work and otherwise walk wherever I need to go, I will have a plastic-free day by bringing reusable containers to any takeaway foods and avoiding anything wrapped in plastic. Next, I will make a donation to send a girl to school and to the bail project. I will plant some bee friendly flowers to put on the roof of my apartment, and buy a seedling of a tree to plant whenever I find a suitable forest. And finally, I will be grateful to people like Nelson Mandela who continued to stand-up, despite being continually pushed down, and who forgave and focused his energy on helping bring change.” – Laura
“I will leave 3 positive notes in 3 public places in honor of my 3 uplifting and motivating children. I will donate a bag of clothes. I will make a donation to the Men’s Mission that will buy some meals for the men who find refuge and shelter there.” – Jen
“I will make sandwiches and pass them out to the people without homes in my neighborhood.” – Alex
Laura volunteered her time with the Mutomo Mission Hospital in Kenya. Where would you donate your time?
“I’m planning to donate some old clothes and begin regularly using a reusable coffee mug. I’m also planning to go on evening walks where I will pick up any trash that I see.” -Nick
“Donate my time and money to charities to help in my community.” – Robert
On a medical mission trip, Beverly and her fellow volunteers, donated “spa” supplies to a local home for elderly community members . They spent the day treating these deserving people to a spa day!
“I will cognizant of polluting and the amount of waste I produce. I will also be sure to recycle!” – Jill
“I can give a homeless person a granola bar or piece of food if they’re hungry.” – Katie
“Pick up garbage along the roadside.” – Matt and Nathalie
“Donate older clothes to a homeless shelter.” – Bianca
We are thankful to be a part of a global community that gives back. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the problems in the world, remember the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”