Delivering Shine
Close your eyes for a minute and imagine that for one week, every time you opened your mailbox a flood of bright yellow envelopes spilled forth. And then imagine sitting down in your living room to open them and, one after another, realizing that each envelope contained a handwritten letter of gratitude from someone who appreciated you.
Imagine that each scripted letter shared another person’s thoughts about why you shined and how you made the world a better and brighter place.
Imagine being the recipient of the Yellow Envelope Project – an idea started by the House of Shine seven years ago. Now imagine that the people receiving these letters of gratitude aren’t the noteworthy people you read about in the morning paper or who have earned features on the Today show. They aren’t people with plaques on their walls or buildings erected in their names. They aren’t any of those people, because most often those people have already received recognition and affirmation somewhere along the way.
Instead, imagine the recipients of’ these letters are everyday people. They are baristas, mail carriers, teachers, coaches and childcare providers. They are people who do their jobs like they are rock stars because they can’t imagine doing it any other way. Their standards are high, their tolerance for mediocrity is low, and they continuously find ways to make a difference because shining is just a part of their DNA.
They are the Chad Hollands of the world. For many of us who live in Westlake, we know exactly who Chad Holland is. He is the restaurant manager at Vaquero Club, and he exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond. But even if you aren’t a member of Vaquero, you can still appreciate the spirit of excellence he so exemplifies.
Chad makes each family feel like a valued member of the community. His specialty is providing unparalleled service by accommodating any request lobbed his way, no matter how unusual or how last minute. In a world filled with people who jump at the chance to explain why something can’t work, won’t work, or why it isn’t their job, seeing Chad in action is both inspiring and refreshing.
So join me for the month of June in flooding Chad’s work mailbox with letters of gratitude sealed in yellow envelopes (or white envelopes decorated with yellow markers or stickers). Whether you know him or not or have been the direct recipient of Chad’s generosity, please take :live minutes to jot him a note. Encourage his spirit of excellence and let him know all the ways you think he shines.
Mail your letter of gratitude to the address below between June 1 – 30, 2016:
Chad Holland
2300 Vaquero Club Drive
Westlake, TX 76262
Claudia Beeny
Founder and Executive Director
Posted on 6/1/16 1:00 pm by Claudia Beeny in: Yellow Envelope Project