55 Acts of Kindness (4)

 From Karen in Atlanta:

I love this tradition each year. ❤️

This year, we remembered Steve and donated grocery store gift cards to families in need.

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From the Tarun-Stogsdill family in San Antonio:

Celebrating Steve and his work with doctors today. We miss him very much and hope he would approve! #dammkind Love, Melissa, Dylan, Thalia & Carys

This gift supports the humanitarian relief efforts of Doctors Without Borders whose doctors, nurses, and logistics experts are providing medical care to victims of armed conflict, natural disasters, malnutrition, and epidemics in more than 70 countries around the world. *** From Amy in Dallas: Hi, Tyra, and a happy birthday to Steve! At dinner last night, we overheard the table next to us was celebrating a birthday. So we jumped into action and secretly took care of their dessert. Left a note about Steve and his legacy to accompany it then quickly snuck out.

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From Jack in Portland, Ore.:

I bought donuts for the students in my dorm, Epler Hall.

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From Aunt Marilyn in Charlottesville, Va.:

Yesterday I delivered socks (new) to the day shelter for the homeless and took cat and dog food to the SPCA I also gave 20$ to the mom and her baby that were panhandling at the entrance to Lowes. I miss Steve!

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From Kristen in Frisco:

This was the Tuite crew for the Race on Over for Epilepsy Foundation 2023 event. Our crew supported the heck out of the Foundation from live auction wins to silent auction wins to games won to support kids getting to go to Epilepsy Camp!

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A few from Tyra, early Nov. 3:

I delivered donuts to the Hosp Elementary staff. It's been a few years since I worked there, but I will always love that campus.

I delivered some soap to staff bathrooms because we deserve better than industrial-strength soap. =)

I delivered birthday donuts to Brandi, one of my dear friends and the Pearson librarian. She is my anchor at school and one of my go-to people for talking through all kinds of issues.

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From Emma in Nashville: 

Participated in a Parkinson's Walk

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From Ellen in Beijing: 

We donated $55 to a charity call HOPE (Horses Offering People Enrichment) and will do 5 more small donations to help feed stray dogs and cats in Beijing!

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From Jackie in McKinney: 

Freddie's for neighbors

55 Acts of Kindness (3)

From Beth in Plano:

I’m laid up at home with a broken ankle, so I had to spread kindness online.

I made a donation to the North Texas Food Bank in honor of Steve and my mom, who shared a birthday. #dammkind

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From Faith in Cary, N.C.:

Doug, Carissa, and I went to an Arts and Crafts festival today and met a young man who was trying to make a living out of rapping and singing original songs. He was an excellent positive message rapper and a great singer! I gave him a large tip to help him fulfill his dream! #dammkind

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From Nancy in Plano:

Dear Tyra Damm, we are celebrating 55 Acts of Kindness Day for Steve Damm with a gift of chocolate candy treats for the residents at Wyndham Court of Plano, a senior residence community, and a promise to come back to read books! Thank you and Steve for encouraging us all to be #dammkind.

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From Rusty in Plano:

Wanted to participate. Bought lunch anonymously for two strangers. Can’t wait for next years event. Miss you Steve.

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From Trent in California:

Marie told me her story of her late husband & how her world had changed the past 4 years. He had accomplished many projects in his life & influenced the lives of millions of people. Rather than worrying about my own shortcomings, I focussed on her & offered my help with much smaller tasks. Today Marie will be happy to know 1 project may be crossed off her list.

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From Katie in Frisco:

Made a donation in honor of Steve to the Hope Baskets made by TeamBarkerDelivered and a gift card donated to a maintenance worker at my gym.

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From Heidi in Dallas:

Donated to the Anti-Defamation League. They are doing really important work right now and I hope Steve would have thought so too. Thinking of your whole family today with lots of love!

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From Kathy in Carrollton:

Aldi gift cards handed out to two groups of people going into Aldi to shop.

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From Janet in Frisco:

The Kelleher Family enjoyed making a donation to Refresh Frisco today in memory of Steve We love being part of this event every year!

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From Melissa on the road to San Antonio:

Gave a gift card to the person in line behind me at Starbucks in Sealy, TX

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From Melane of Howe:

My hotel maid received a generous tip, a couple of unsuspecting people were blessed with their favorite treat, and I've officially joined the sprinkling-positivity-around-the-community-with painted-rocks club! I love and miss you, StevieD!   

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From Sherry of Frisco:

Had a great morning at Cottonwood Creek Park honoring SteveDamm with 55 Acts of kindness as we picked up recycling and trash. Many people thanked us and some even stopped to help. 

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From Dawn in Auburn, Ala.:

Knowing it was Damn Kind day, the Patterson family made it a point of saying hello, have a nice day, War Eagle in addition to the Parkinson’s walk donations and walking in Nashville!

55 Acts of Kindness (2)

 From Melissa and Dylan in Houston:

We left a little cash treat for Hilton hotel staff in Houston this morning

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From Rae somewhere in the Caribbean:

Hi there! On vacation in Caribbean! I gave an extra large tip to our bartender, David, tonight for my Act of Kindness! Had a minute to tell him about Steve and your great idea honoring him on his bday!! ❤️❤️

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From Conia in Franklin, Tenn.:

Venmo for a family who just lost their home to a fire.

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From Jasmine in Frisco:

Happy 55th heavenly birthday to Steve Damm!

DJ had his very first blood test at Quest in Prosper 8 am in the morning.

1. We gave a giftcard to the nurse who drew blood and he said "You made my day!" The guy before DJ's rushed into the nurse and his arm was covered by blood. He apologized to us and the nurse wiped out all the blood from his arm. DJ looked very nervous and we both looked away when the nurse was about to put the needle on DJ's right arm.

The nurse was laughing and said " you both look about to pass out"

DJ said it was not even hurt after all

I was so thankful for those nurses who work early Saturday morning and wanted to cheer him up since he had little blood situation minutes ago

2. On the way home I was craving coffee so we stopped by Targrt and I got my Starbucks coffee and the cashier was so kind and delightful and I gave her giftcard. Her big smile was priceless!

3. DJ wanted to eat Wendy's so we stopped by our Wendy's drivethrough by FM423 and gave giftcard to a lady with very kind smile

Very busy morning with full of happiness #dammkind

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From Frank in Arlington:

While waiting at a red light late this afternoon, I got out of the car and gave $20 to a homeless man sitting in the median on Sublett Road at the intersection of U.S. 287 in southwest Arlington not far from our home. A bit later after getting an oil change, I drove past him again and decided to park at a nearby convenience store, walk over and talk with him.

I learned that Greg is 61 years old (a year younger than me) and recently lost his trailer home to fire. He's living in a tent and the main thing he needs is a phone to help him make calls to try to get a job and get back on his feet. I told Greg we can't really help him financially, but if he's able to get a phone, he can call me and I can give him rides or other help he might need. I could see the goodness in Greg's heart, because he instantly said he had wanted a way to reach me so he could repay me for my kindness, whether it was raking leaves or doing anything he could.

As we continued visiting, I gave Greg the last $10 in my wallet and told him that at the church I attend, The Welcome Table Christian Church just a few miles from that location, we have a Little Red Pantry outside that we keep stocked with food for those who need it. I also gave Greg a #dammkind card I'd printed so he would know the genesis of this act of kindness.

#dammkind is a campaign started by my friend and former newspaper colleague Tyra Damm some years ago after the passing at age 40 of her amazing husband Steve, whom I also knew through Tyra, from glioblastoma (brain cancer) in October 2009. Today, November 4, Steve would have turned 55. The campaign calls for folks to celebrate Steve's memory by performing an act of kindness each year on his birthday.

I know Steve, whose two remarkable children have grown up to be a college graduate and one who's a college freshman, is moved each year in heaven by the widespread outpouring of kindness. If you're able to spread the love in Steve's honor this weekend and would like to print and share this card with the person or people you help, that would be awesome. Thank you on behalf of the Damm family.

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From Kristy in Frisco:

Thank you Tyra for inspiring us to always be #dammkind. Sending love to your precious family this weekend, and a donation in Steve’s name to The Trevor Project.

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From Penny in Frisco:

In honor of Steve Damm, the late husband of our dear Tyra Damm, we celebrate #dammkind day today. Everyone in the family is finding ways to be kind today and we hope you do too.

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From Haley in Boeschepe, France:

Paid for 5 crepes to-be-ordered at our favorite parents/kids café. I love you, Damm family! Steve’s light shines so bright in this world.

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From Heather in Anna:

Thank you, Melane Crumb Woodbury, you are #dammkind!!!! Your kindness in picking up my favorite sweet treat in honor of your brother-in-law, Steve, inspires me to do the same. Thank you, friend.

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From Sarah of Winter Park, Colo.:

At my granddaughter's birthday today...at a large, b-day event space...she met a friend, whose name she doesnt know and who was not a part of her group of guests. She told me that the girl was kind....and played with her...and so my granddaughter wanted to give her a party favor, even though she wasn't officially part of the party and we didn't know her name. And so she did, give her the party favor, and said thank you for being kind. And so...anonymously, the #damnkind kindness takes another step forward. I watched it happen. And, I felt honored and proud to have known Steve, and to have seen a bit of his light passed along. Isnt that the power of the story? Moving beyond. Continuing a legacy. Grateful hearts all around.#dammkind

55 Acts of Kindness (1)

 From Aunt Ami and Uncle Rich, on the road:

Rich and I are on a road trip during Damm Kind for Steve this year. Last night we left a very generous tip on a bar tab for a sweet waitress,. When I told her about Steve, she was very emotional and thankful.

She caught up with us as we were heading out the door, with her husband in tow. She wanted to introduce him to us, as he is a cancer survivor. They are a struggling young family with two small children.

At our next stop for dinner, we left a generous tip for our waitress, a woman in her 50's who works two jobs.

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From Gina in Plano:

We donated to Lovepacs of Plano to provide meals to students who need food assistance over the holidays. It’s a great program! Thanks for the opportunity to participate in 55 Acts of Kindness. Hope it’s a huge success again this year! #dammkind

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From Brandi in Frisco:

Up early ready to give the gift of reading in memory of Steve Damm #dammkind

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From Jana in Frisco:

For teachers at Wilkinson Middle School

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From Katrina in Frisco:

Happy Steve day!! 

We will make a donation to the North Texas Food Bank in honor of Steve. ❤️

And we will spread some random kindness around Frisco today.

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From Julie in Karnes City:

(1) We donated venison (two cull bucks harvested from our ranch) to an agency that provides food to a homeless shelter.

(2) My husband and I ran a 5K today to raise awareness and money for diabetes. We’ve completed them through the em years for that cause, the Heart Association as well as cancer research.

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From someone in North Texas:

Yesterday (11-3-23) was my husband's 54th Birthday and we celebrated it by dining at a new restaurant in Dallas called the Tricky Fish. A couple (who never met us before) anonymously Blessed him with a special treat inspired by Steve 's memory. We are so grateful and appreciative of that act of kindness and will display acts of kindness in Steve's memory as well!

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From Judy in Frisco:

Put a loaf of sourdough and a book on my best friend’s porch this morning but forgot my note. Thinking of you Tyra Damm and what a wonderful man your Steve must have been.  

55 Acts of Kindness (early edition)

 Welcome! Big thanks to everyone celebrating what would have been Steve's 55th birthday on Nov. 4! If you'd like to join in, you can click here for a note to leave behind with your #DammKind act.

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From the Bapat family in Frisco:

Thank you for sharing this tradition with us ❤️ In honor of Steve, we will be donating 55 snack packs to Frisco Fastpacs for their meal kits.

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From Jill in Frisco:

I had fun putting hand soaps in several of the school bathrooms as an act of kindness this year! I love all you do to keep Steve's memory alive! 

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From Marvin in Frisco:

Last Sunday, a single parent came into the barbershop and asked how much it was to pay for a haircut for her two young boys. The boys looked to be 8 years old. The mom had a sense of urgency because the young boy had glue stuck in his hair. The barber informed her of the price, and she said she did not have it and would try to find it and come back next week. I went out and told the mom I would pay for the haircuts, and she cried.

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From Kristen in Frisco:

I folded Tuttle's clean towels.

I created a click sheet for my K-12 art colleagues.

=) Thank you for inspiring so many people to show kindness to others! 

How my high-schooler is dealing with dyslexia, a year-round, nonstop kind of life

From Saturday's Briefing:

It’s impossible to miss Breast Cancer Awareness Month and its frenzy of pink. We are, apparently, also in the middle of International Walk to School Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, National Stamp Collecting Month and about 100 other various special interest celebrations.

October is also Dyslexia Awareness Month, though as anyone who lives with dyslexia can attest, you don’t need 31 days set aside to remember. It’s a year-round, nonstop kind of life that affects an estimated 10% of the population — and there is no cure.

I don’t have dyslexia myself, but as a classroom teacher and mom to two children with the learning disability, I often feel like I’m in the trenches.

Both of my children were diagnosed in elementary school, Cooper in the middle of fourth grade and Katie in the middle of third. Neither showed what I thought were obvious symptoms. They seemed to not only understand texts but could ask insightful questions, make inferences and explain their new learning. Both enjoyed reading, and honestly, there wasn’t much of a choice in our home. We devoted hours each week to board books and picture books, poetry and novels. Stacks of books punctuate every room of our home.

Yet there were struggles at school and with homework. We’d spend a frustrating number of hours studying for spelling tests, only for those words to fall out of their heads the next day. Copying words from the board or a worksheet was a painful experience. Details such commas and capitalization often went unnoticed.

Even after two years of daily intervention at school and many more years of developing coping skills and strategies, challenges remain — as expected. One has more difficulty than the other with written expression. One needs more time and repetition to process nonfiction.

Yet Cooper has incredible spatial awareness and the ability to construct and innovate. Katie thinks and speaks, writes and empathizes with the heart of a poet.

They both have to work harder than most of their peers, and despite extra hours of reading, thinking and studying, they rarely earn grades that reflect that additional effort.

They’re developing layers and layers of resiliency.

The transition this year for Katie from middle school to high school has been understandably tough for all the reasons that incoming ninth-graders toil. New building, different expectations and increasingly difficult classes. She learned quickly that her old study habits wouldn’t support her new coursework, and I was reminded that she needed extra help at home.

After some trial and error, she’s found a method that’s working for memorizing new vocabulary. She creates flashcards early in the unit and relies on repetition — reading the words and definitions to herself, reading them aloud, answering my questions at breakfast and dinner. Last-minute cramming isn’t an option.

Katie studied for hours for a single human geography vocabulary test. Demographic transition models, migration patterns, pro-natalist policies — she’s got them covered (and I’m not so bad at them myself). I wept and cheered when I received her text reporting her test score: 96.

I remind my children — my two Damm kids plus the 73 seventh-graders I teach this year — that everyone is carrying some kind of burden. Some challenges are obvious — complete with T-shirts, bumper stickers and rubber bracelets — but many are hidden. Our community is a better place when we offer grace and compassion to everyone, allowing room for named and unnamed struggles.

There’s nothing wrong with a month of awareness to teach the world about a hobby, condition or disease. Yet there is power in living each day with awareness and compassion for everyone and whatever weighs them down.

Tyra Damm is a Briefing columnist. She can be reached at tyradamm@gmail.com.

Hard-working Katie