Those who know me will not be surprised at all by this story. Crazy things happen to me all the time. Last week I was definitely ripe for some sort of debacle, as I’d been sailing fairly calm seas since I single-handedly demolished our garage door back in March.

It started during a toasty-warm lunch hour, when I headed out to pay my mortgage, with my check and payment stubs on my passenger seat filled out and ready to go. About halfway to the bank, I opened my sunroof to soak up some rays. And, then, when it got a little too hot, I lowered my window. This immediately created a tornado effect and all of the papers on my seat began to dance and flutter. I quickly sprang to close the window, but not before the check I had neatly endorsed was whisked through the open space. All I could do was watch through the rearview mirror as it made its hasty escape.

My first hope was that it had been run over hundreds of times after landing on the high-traffic road. Then I decided it didn’t matter, even if it wasn’t, because no one would likely be able to cash it anyway.

Then it dawned on me: all of my personal and banking details were on that check. Even though the check itself was probably useless, the information on it wasn’t. ::sigh::

I called my bank and we talked through some options, including the possibility of closing my account and starting over. ::::double sigh::::    

When Friday evening rolled around, I had the weekend on my mind, and not my forthcoming identity-protection worries. As I sorted through our household mail, a hand-addressed letter caught my attention (after all, we don’t get much of that anymore). I ripped it open, and there it was: my check—sans a single tire tread or evidence of any distress. It turns out that my check had quite an adventure, bypassing semis and SUVs and landing gently in the parking lot of a local logistics business.

The young man who found it chose not to ignore it, or just throw it away (so that I would never have the peace of mind of knowing it was safely discarded), or actually use it for ill-gotten gains. Instead, he and one of his coworkers took the time to put it in an envelope and send it back to me.

It probably didn’t take all that much time; but consider this: we speed to work in the passing lane, we try to pick the fastest-looking grocery line, we sometimes threaten our safety and others’ in the pursuit of multi-tasking. Everything in our lives is quick, quick, quick. Which makes it all the more overwhelming to me that a stranger would slow down and perform an act of kindness like this.

And that made me slow down, too, and think about opportunities I might have to do something kind for one of my fellow humans. Because, even though we sometimes forget, we really are all in this together, aren’t we?

What will you do today, big or small, to help out a friend, coworker, or stranger? Get inspired with our Random Acts of Kindness eBook. Click here to download it!

We love a good story. Tell us about an act of kindness that you’ve given or received!

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Allison is a self-proclaimed Copywriting Diva and has the certificate to prove it! She’s been writing for Baudville for three-plus years and has worked in a variety of business settings for more than 18 years. Before becoming a professional writer 11 years ago, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!  

I talk a lot about handwritten thank you notes on the Recognition at Work blog, and we have many articles on the topic in our Recognition Resource Center. When you talk and write about something so much, it can be easy to forget about the magnitude of its impact. In most of my articles, I instruct readers to write a thank you note to an employee or co-worker. Baudville is the place for daily recognition after all!

Recently, I was reminded that a thank you note can be a powerful tool for customer retention, too. Within the past week, I learned of two unique instances of organizations using the thank you to leave a positive impression on a customer.

First, I had the privilege of speaking at the Greater Ann Arbor Society for Human Resource Management  chapter last week at their monthly luncheon with a friend from Credential Check. During the presentation, my co-presenter shared that all of his sale representatives do A4s after sales visits. (If you work in an office, you’re probably familiar with the A4 paper size, approximately 8.5” x 11”.) Every sales representative is required to write an A4 thank you note after a customer visit before they even drive out of the parking lot! Sales reps have stationery and stamps in their car, so the letter gets mailed immediately, and the customer gets wowed.

Also last week, my dad had an outpatient procedure at a local hospital. Thankfully, everything went well and my parents had all good things to say about their experience. The icing on the cake, however, was when they received a thank you card in the mail from one of his nurses. The card was simple, it said thank you for letting us care for you, and was personally signed by the nurse. The simple gesture of a thank you note made an impact on my parents who told the whole family about it over the weekend.

Have you ever received a thank you note from a company who just wanted to recognize your business? How did it make you feel about the company?

Now imagine how your customers would feel if you sent them a thank you note after a large order, or included a personal note in their shipping box. How would your business grow? Think about the referrals and word of mouth marketing you’d receive!

This week, give a handwritten thank you note a try! Grab your own A4, stationery, or mini note cards (my personal favorite), and take a few moments to write a sincere thank you. I guarantee your card will have a lasting impact!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

Teacher Appreciation Week kicked off yesterday, and that means today, the Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week, is National Teacher Day!

We’ve all had teachers who have made a difference in our lives either through their unique teacher style, personalized encouragement, or caring heart. Regardless of the last time you were in a classroom, you’re never too old to thank a teacher!

Take a moment this week to express your appreciation for a special teacher you had growing up or a teacher who’s currently working wonders with your child. Saying thank you is free, but the value is priceless!

Here are four ways you can say thank you on National Teacher Day:

1. Send an ePraise. Our free ecard system is perfect for sending a note to a former teacher. All you need is their email address and a quick personal note from you. We even have Teacher Appreciation designs!

2. Post a Tweet. The National Education Association is encouraging both current and former students to send tweets with the hashtag #thankateacher.  They recommend these sample tweets:
o If you can write your name, #thankateacher
o If you followed your dreams, #thankateacher
o If you can read, #thankateacher

3. Visit Your Favorite Teacher. Teachers love seeing former students! Take a moment this week to swing by your old school and say hello to your favorite teacher. Learning that you still remember her will be the best give you can gift on National Teacher Day!

If you’re recognizing the current teacher of one of your kids, take a few extra minutes to visit her in person and express your appreciation. Taking the time out of your schedule to say thank her for her efforts will be very meaningful.

4. Mail a Card. Take a few moments to write a thank you note to a special teacher, and mail the card directly to their school. It’s always a treat to receive mail, especially a personal letter! If your special teacher is retired, the school may be able to forward your letter, too.

No matter how you say it, tell your favorite teacher "thank you" during Teacher Appreciation Week!

Want to do something more for National Teacher Day? Get Teacher Appreciation ideas on Baudville.com or browse our gifts for teachers board on Pinterest!

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

Around Baudville, it’s common knowledge that May is a busy month full of appreciation holidays and events. (Need help keeping track of all the upcoming events? Visit our Recognition Event Calendar!) Both National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week take place May 6-12, and with the recent growth of the healthcare industry, we know that a lot of appreciation will be taking place!

In honor of next week’s festivities, I’m dedicating today’s High Five for Friday post to healthcare professionals! Here are five ways you can recognize during National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week:

1. Treat Them! Just because they work in healthcare, doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy a sweet treat! Make a batch of your favorite homemade cookies or check out one of our sweet appreciation gifts and give them to your team or favorite healthcare professional. Add a gift tag or handwritten note to make the gift more personal.

2. Make a Thank You Gift. Appreciation gifts that are personal are the most effective at expressing your message, and what’s more personal than a handmade gift? I recently found this 101 Simple Handmade Gift Tutorials on Pinterest. With 101 ideas, you’re sure to find a few great appreciation gift ideas for your team.

3. Give a Reusable Cup. We’re all trying to be healthier these days, and drinking water is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. One of these Twist Top Tumblers makes it easy to get in your daily water intake, and they’re dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Plus, tumblers are all the rage these days, so your staff will think you’re extra cool for being on top of the trend.

4. National Nurses Week Print and Posts. Our free Print and Post downloads are still one of my favorite free resources in our Recognition Resource Center. This colorful page has 10 unique and quirky sayings that express the awesomeness of nurses and healthcare professionals. Attach a saying to an appreciation gift or tape them in surprising places, like a locker, coffee machine, or nurses station.

5. Tell Them They Rock! Most importantly, National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week are prime opportunities to tell your staff or the healthcare professional in your life that they’re appreciated. Let them know you think they rock by writing a personal note or sending an ePraise. Not a wordsmith? We do all the “talking” for you with our Character Pins.

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook.

Last year, when I volunteered to be our health and wellness cheerleader, I had somewhat selfish intentions. You see, over the past year, I had lost 35 pounds and actually managed to keep it off for long enough that it seemed like it might last this time. My whole adult life, my weight has fluctuated wildly, and while shopping for new clothes is actually pretty fun for me it’s both exhausting and expensive!

If I’ve learned anything from all of this expanding and shrinking, it’s that small changes can make a big difference—in both directions. So, I knew having the extra incentive to set an example for everyone at the ‘ville, I would be more likely to stay on track.

Wondering how I’ve been doing? Well, I’ve been up to my old tricks lately, and over the past six months I’ve packed on a little extra around the middle. Nothing too serious; but enough to make me start looking at the next skirt size up!

Good thing we just kicked off our 2012 10-Week Fitness Challenge! It’s similar to last year’s challenge, which you can read about here; but with a few notable improvements.

Last year, our big focus was exercise. That was great, except we discovered that this only encouraged activity, which meant we were still at will to eat cookies for breakfast, cheese and crackers for lunch, and gummi bears and popcorn for dinner (true story, I’m afraid). So, this year, we added two additional point-earning categories for eating the RDA of both fruits and vegetables.

We also noted that there is a big difference between leisurely walking the streets of Manhattan on vacation and doing the P90X workout. Yet, we had only accounted for one level of activity. This year, we earn one point per minute for low-intensity exercise and two points for high. This not only addresses a pretty big disparity; it also inspires participants to step up their workouts.

The final major change we made is the addition of an optional weight loss goal. Those who want to drop a few pounds signed up for this, and while they don’t earn points for weight loss, the person who loses the highest percentage of their original weight will win a prize. And, I imagine, be pretty proud of him- or herself as well! I will conduct this aspect of the challenge similarly to our Hold it for the Holidays competition, which you can read about here.

Throughout the 10 weeks, we’re planning on activities to keep everyone motivated, like bringing in a fitness guru to teach an informational session, arranging for a healthy recipe potluck, and providing added incentives for participating in a fitness event, like a marathon or charity walk.

Like me, everyone is really motivated to make some positive, lasting changes. Actually, I can hear the crunching of carrots and celery right now as I type. And, for real, the swishing of a hula hoop in the cubicle next to me. Ah, the sweet sounds of wellness!

From walking laps around the parking lot, to planning sensible meals, to packing our refrigerators with healthy foods, Baudvillians are committed to some serious lifestyle changes! 

Do you have a health & wellness program at your organization? We'd love to hear about it, and so would our readers!

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Allison is a self-proclaimed Copywriting Diva and has the certificate to prove it! She’s been writing for Baudville for three years and has worked in a variety of business settings for more than 18 years. Before becoming a professional writer 11 years ago, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!