Jared Bickler - He's Good People

On this second annual Good People Day I would like to acknowledge a very good friend who works very hard both for himself and for the benefit of others.  His name is Jared Bickler and our friendship goes back to a summer job at a golf course. 

For as long as I can remember, Jared has been involved in the community in a very noble and positive way.  Whether it be through mentoring programs where he spends time taking on a big brother role in a young child's life or by raising money for charitable organizations like the Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, Jared has always given more than anyone is ever asked to give.

Jared also has an entrepreneurial spirit and he recognizes the importance of encouraging that attitude in young people.  His choice of community organizations reflects that and so did his early career choice.  A few years ago, the Minot Junior Golf Association built a new course that catered to a different golfer, the young golfer, and Jared jumped at the opportunity to be its first manager.  The course is called the Jack Hoeven Wee Links and at a cost of $1 per round, it's designed for the kids.  Nine holes stretch out to 769 yards for a par of 27.  If you're an adult and want to play, you must be accompanied by a child.  Jared did a wonderful job teaching children the rules of golf, sportsmanship and keeping them safe during their round.

It is for these reasons and much more that I want to thank Jared for his friendship and commitment to his community by highlighting him for Good People Day 2009.  Thank you, Jared!

The following is a message I received from Jared describing his participation in the 2009 METRO bigBOWL.  Please read it and consider sponsoring him.

*****

Hello Everyone,

I'm taking part in the 2009 METRO bigBOWL to raise money for Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, Inc.

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. These programs help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs which make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Students put these lessons into action and learn the value of contributing to their communities. This unique approach allows volunteers from the community to deliver our curriculum while sharing their experiences with students. As little as $20 can help sponsor a student in the program for a year, so every little bit helps!

If you are interested in making a difference related to this cause, please make a donation by visiting my Firstgiving page: http://www.firstgiving.com/jaredbickler

You can donate online with a credit card. All donations are secure and sent directly to Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, Inc. by Firstgiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation.

Please send my page on to anyone who might like to donate! Your help is very much appreciated!

Jared

Good People Day 2009

Can one man declare a holiday? On the internet, yes!

That is why this friday, April 3rd, is the second annual Good People Day.  It is a day to celebrate the outstanding people in your life.  Whether it be the compassion they have for friends, family and strangers, the hard work they do, or simply the warm smile that is always there, let these people know how much you appreciate them. How? Write a blog post highlighting a good friend, recommend friends on twitter, or tag awesome people on flickr and in facebook photos.  Whatever and wherever it is remember to use the tag GPD09. 

But don't stop there, take it to the real world too.  Get your mother flowers, send someone a thank you card just because, paint a mural in someone's honor, whatever!  It doesn't really matter how you do it, as long as you show the people you admire how much they mean to you and let the rest of the world know too.

The man behind this wonderful internet holiday is Gary Vaynerchuk.  Yes, that over-the-top wine guru/social branding expert/insane Jets fan your geeky friend keeps talking about.  So let me be one of the first to put Gary at the top of my list of Good People by saying, thanks Gary and an early congratulations on your approaching fatherhood!