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Delaware Township, NJ Community Day: Saturday, September 27, 2008
Global Make a Difference Day: Acknowledge U Marathon - 10/25/2008
Have you ever felt like you want to make a difference in the world? To be a contribution to humanity? Jack Palis, of Delaware Township, New Jersey, never envisioned that he would create a local community project, much less a global one when he sat in on a communications course. Now, he is spearheading a project called Acknowledge U to create connection and relatedness in our communities – our towns, at work, at school, and in our families - through the acknowledgment of others. Participation only requires communicating/interacting with another person. In any community. Anywhere. It has no bounds, so why not see how far and wide we can spread acknowledgement? Maybe the impact will be felt around the world.
We all see the impact of the lack of connection between people everyday. Neighbors don’t know one another. Kids in school stick to their groups or some kids aren’t welcome in any group. We don’t take the time to know our colleagues at work. We don’t talk to family members. But somehow we opinions of people we don’t know and we’re quick to be critical and judgmental. Our daily conversations revolve around being cynical and resigned; there’s an absence of acknowledgement and seeing the value of others and ourselves.
The premise of the project is straightforward: by acknowledging others we create a connection and relatedness that didn't exist previously such that people take on a greater awareness of the contributions of others and of themselves. The act of acknowledging someone has an impact on both individuals.
Acknowledgement can be done in many ways. A wave, letting someone go ahead of you, saying hi, introducing yourself to someone new, congratulating someone for an achievement, sharing your heart, expressing what you see in another, or thanking them for making a difference in your life.
Here's what's at stake:
How about saving one teen's life because he/she no longer feels isolated or shunned?
What if two neighbors actually find out that they have common interest and form a friendship?
How about stopping one act of violence in the workplace or at a school?
What if two communities groups were able to resolve long-standing differences?
What if two world leaders acknowledged one another and a conflict came to a halt?
The alternative is that our communities and families continue to grow apart and that rates of depression and violence increase.
The project will kick off on September 27 at the Delaware Township (New Jersey) Community Day, with a global Acknowledgement Marathon – to acknowledge as many people as possible in 24 hours - on October 25, 2008, USA Today’s National Make a Difference Day. Participants in Jack’s project will be encouraged to acknowledge people that they would not typically acknowledge: People who they don’t know or people who they see regularly, such as neighbors, co-workers or classmates but they have never taken the time to make an introduction. The “acknowledged” individuals will then be encouraged to spread the acknowledgement by acknowledging others.
Jack is creating a Web site to register participants. The Web site will include suggestions about how to create acknowledgement in your life as well as a blog that people can use to share their acknowledgement stories.
For more information, contact: Jack Palis at jpalis1@comcast.net
http://acknowledgeu.wordpress.com/
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