I think it’s fair to say that most people have heard of “paying it forward”. Well, “paying it backward” isn’t as big a stretch as you might have guessed. At the end of the day, it’s still about sending good deeds to random people for no other reason than the hope they might pass it onwards.
That being said… we had a few logistical questions that came up in conversation and we thought it best to put them down on paper.
Our Top 3 FAQs…
Does it have to be 500 (+) coffee buys in a row? You bet it does! A good deed is a good deed with or without a world record, but since we’re shooting for the record, we’re hoping to have over 500 consecutive coffee buys without interruption.
Does it have to be coffee? No. If you’re craving a caramel macchiato (I do not pretend to know what that means), you’re welcome to it. If the person if front of you only brought a twoonie, well let’s just say - Daily Challenge will help with the whip cream.
Seriously, what time does it ACTUALLY start? We’re storming the doors at the stroke of 1pm. That being said, there will be plenty of action in the hour leading up to our first coffee buy. Rest assured, if you’re there at noon you’ll be entertained. For goodness sake though - don’t aim to be later than 1! Consecutive coffee buys are a tough gig when we’re all fashionably late!
If there are any other lingering questions (I’m sure there are), feel free to write them in the comments and we’ll be sure to explain them the best we can.
We think you’ll really like this video, Do Gooders! “Hey World (Don’t Give Up)” by Michael Franti and Spearhead is 4 minutes of inspirational, beautiful music and evocative visuals about social change and civic participation.
Michael’s soulful song paired with reggae rhythms will take you on a road of trust, compassion, optimism, forgiveness and love for the enduring spirit of mankind. Check it out and let us know how it made you feel!
Recently, a world record was set in Mexico City. Nearly 40,000 people gathered in the city’s huge central plaza to lock lips in the name of peace this past Valentine’s Day. At first, it had been an act organized in response to the rising drug violence in Mexico that claimed over 6000 lives last year - although the tipping point may have been when the local mayor tried to ban kissing in the public square.
Whatever way you slice it - there were reasons abound propelling this record to fall. And fall it did. Previously, the record had been set in Britain when 32,648 kissed simultaneously in a seaside town West of London.
Two Saturdays from now - Toronto will have the same kind of opportunity. Pay It Backward Toronto isn’t about driving coffee sales and believe it or not, it isn’t just about world records. It’s about being kind. What I’m looking forward to the most, are the hundreds of moments where one person will turn to the next and say “May I get this for you?”
It’s not only Friday but it’s also the first day of Spring! Let’s celebrate with some good news, shall we?
This week’s Good News Report features stories of inpsiring kids, humans and a wild Orangutan working together to save lives and a store that gives away it’s wares!
“80% of people are hurt by words. Research shows that only about 20% of children and adults are able to handle put downs without emotional pain and psychological damage.” California Task Force for Personal and Social Responsibility.
Isn’t that an incredible statistic? It was among several in the rolling credits of Who You Are DOES Make a Difference. This 6:30 minutes of goodness is a cross between the movie, Pay-It-Forward, and the video, Validation.
On February 16, 2006, in Rochester, New York, Greece Athena’s basketball coach thought it would be great for their team manager (and autistic teen), Jason McElway, to play in a game. Jason showed everyone how much he could shine with only 4 minutes left before the buzzer went off, Jason shot SIX 3-point shots!
How did this happen? “I was hot as a pistol,” explains Jason.
Check out this 2:45 minute CBS newscast and see how wild the crowd goes with each basket!
Daily Challenge member, Jenny Foster, wrote us and expressed her enthusiasm for Pay It Backward Day; and being a dedicated and forward-thinking Do Gooder, also voiced her concern about the possible environmental impact of the event. Thank you, Jenny!
So let’s hear everyone’s ideas in how we can make PIB Day a green event! Here are some of the more obvious options:
Bring a reusable cup.
If you don’t have a washable takeout mug, recycle.
Carpool with friends.
Take transit.
Please share how you plan to reduce your carbon footprint for the PIB Day event!
For all of us social media junkies out there - it’s that time - the time for everything-you-could-ever-need-to-know-about Pay It Backward Day!
We’re quite sure that all y’all will snap away with cameras and tag whatever you please, but if you’d be kind enough to include “pibTO” among those tags, we’d be ever so grateful.
For the Twitterverse - you can follow @doonegood for real time updates and subscribe to the #pibTO feed to get all the good stuff in one spot.
For the social networkers among us (I suppose in 2009, we’re all just known as “people” by now), the event attendance and updates are being conducted on Facebook right about… here.
And for the very thorough… you can find the Daily Challenge Video Archives here and the Photo Gallery here.
If you have some additional places where you like to hide things, don’t hesitate to leave us a comment and a map to get there.
An inspiring story of love and strength, this video shows how a father-son team defy the limitations of disability. Team Hoyt has run 85 marathons so far, competed in 212 grueling triathlons (a combination of 26.2 miles running, 112 miles bicycling and 2.4 miles swimming) and 4 Ironman competitions. Together, they’ve tackled mountains and traipsed 3,735 miles across America.
Oh, did we mention that Rick can’t walk or talk?
When Rick could communicate through technology, he said, “Dad, when we were running, it felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore.” That was all the motivation his father, Dick, needed to start Team Hoyt. In 1992, they qualified for the Boston marathon and finished only 35 minutes short of the world record. When someone suggested Dad racing on his own, he replied, “No way.”
Team Hoyt’s message: “Everybody should be included in everyday life.”
It’s true. Records are set so that we might aspire to do better. So that we have a threshold worth crossing. To inspire us to do a little more, be a little greater, and etch our legacy a little deeper into history.
At Daily Challenge we understand that we’re lucky. We have a network of people within earshot - all of whom have something propelling them to do such things as break a world record. So that’s just what we’re going to do!
It’s official now. On April 4th at 1 p.m.sharp, the single longest “pay it backward” coffee line will begin at Second Cup on Queen and John Streets in Toronto. If you’re wondering “what in the heck is a ‘pay it backward’ coffee line?” then you may want to check out the first daily challenge we ever released.
Partners & Sponsors
We’re also pleased to announce that the Second Cup franchise, where we’ll be hosting the event, will be donating 50% of all proceeds to the SickKids Foundation! We couldn’t be happier to have found a business willing to match the compassion of our “Do Gooder” network, and to have the beneficiary be a local charity. We’re also excited to have the Freestyle Soccer team on board and will keep you posted as more day-of entertainment rolls in (stay tuned to our events page).
Back to the record for a moment. Our team of dedicated researchers (i.e. the google) has discovered a world record of 490 “pay it backward” coffee buys. Please make sure you come out and help put Toronto in the books for good (I love puns!). You can confirm your attendance through our Facebook event and get the latest news on our event page.
To recap all the need-to-knows…
What: A record-breaking day for good deeds (more than 500 “pay it backward” coffee buys). When: April 4th @ 1 p.m. (the festivities will kickoff at noon and we will be storming the gates at 1 p.m. sharp). Where: Second Cup at the corner of Queen St. & John St. in Toronto (beside MuchMusic). View Larger Map
How: Add your name here to confirm your attendance and get the latest news on “pibTO” as it comes available. Why: Because doing some good feels pretty freakin’… well… GOOD!
This is the official blog for Do Gooders. It is the vehicle for the Daily Challenge story and the tool to get you directly involved in the project so you can become part of the story, too.
I think it’s fair to say that most people have heard of “paying it forward”. Well, “paying it backward” isn’t as big a stretch as you might have guessed. At the end of the day, it’s still about sending good deeds to random people for no other reason than the hope they might pass it onwards.
It’s not only Friday but it’s also the first day of Spring! Let’s celebrate with some good news, shall we?
Daily Challenge member, 
