i'm Talkathon

I'm splitting my time pretty evenly between all of them. I pop into the programs every couple days and change my code, so I change where the donations are going.

Let me turn this around. Which cause are YOU supporting? And why?

Let's talk about role models.

I've had some interesting ones. My fourth grade teacher, Mr. DiBiasi, once caught me stealing a pencil. How'd he handle it? He asked me to write, "I will not steal pencils" one time, and then told me I could keep the pencil if I wanted it. I didn't.

Later in life, I had a boss and mentor at Contropic (who I can't name, according to the settlement) who had a much more "relaxed" attitude toward stealing.

The thing is, after the whole Contropic debacle, it was people like Mr. DiBiasi who helped me remember the importance of values. Role models. Indispensible.

Now, imagine you're growing up in a less fortunate neighborhood in America. Say you've got a single parent who's always working, or a parent with substance problems, or neighbor kids who pressure you to do bad things. Where do you find role models?

Boys & Girls Clubs of America, that's where.

They provide safe, positive places for kids who don't have them. They offer sports and art and computer classes and study halls and guidance. They give kids a sense of competence, usefulness, and belonging. They provide something every kid needs-the feeling that someone cares about them.

Club alumni have very strong feelings about their individual Club experiences. Eighty percent said Club staff helped them learn right from wrong. Ninety-five percent said the Club was the best thing available in their community. Fifty-two percent said participating in the Club "saved my life."

That says a lot about this amazing organization, and today I'm going to learn more. I'll be conducting an IM chat with Evan McElroy, Sr. Vice President, Marketing & Communications. Check back to read the transcript.