In a beautiful, sunny, Mexican island lies a true pay it forward tale. What started as a few fun and relaxing vacation trips turned into a whole new life adventure for Maggie and Tom Washa. Regular visitors to Isla de Mujeres, Mexico, Maggie, in particular, was touched by the warmth and generosity of the island’s people every time she visited, “The people of Isla have opened their homes and their hearts to [my husband] and [I]. I felt that it was time to give back.”

Breaking Ground, and Giving Back, in Mexico

Because she saw the need, in January 2004, the Washas opened the doors to La Gloria English School with three teachers, 50 students and a cadre of volunteers, offering classes to children, teenagers, and adults with emphasis on spoken English. Using their own money, they purchased a piece of land in La Gloria, Mexico and built the 1,400 square-foot building that houses the school.

According to volunteer teacher, Kate Pichotta, “I love doing this, and I think I can make a difference in their lives. Because of what they learn here, these children will be able to get better jobs, to be paid more, to have the incentive to climb the ladder.”

And for their generosity, the Washas are rewarded with a continual flow of pay it forward acts of kindness from all over the island and beyond. Those who know of the La Gloria English School project send donation packages with travelers who have trips planned to the island. The packages get dropped at La Gloria “courtesy of an ever-widening circle of people willing to act on their love for Isla.” Talk about paying it forward! For more information about La Gloria English School or to help their cause, check out their website, www.folges.org.

Traveling? Got Vacation Plans? Leave Some Boom Boom! Behind!

Want to leave some kind behind next time you’re traveling? You don’t have to build a school (although, we’d certainly cheer you on if you decided to!), simply start by bringing along your Boom Boom! Cards to play it forward with the locals wherever you are. Help spread the Boom Boom! love near and far!

Island hopping? Share your play it forward tale with us by Tweeting your adventure to @boomboomcards, or posting on our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/boomboomcards.

 

 

As we embrace the fresh excitement of a new year, we can’t help but reflect on 2011 and what an incredible year it was. We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the part you’ve all played in making the world a kinder place. Because of you, not only is kindness cool again, there’s so much more of it. Amazing feats of Boom Boom! have been played all over the world. From the US, to Sweden, to Australia, to South Africa, people have joined in the Revolution of Kindness and are doing some incredible things out on the front lines. Makes us excited to see what 2012 brings and the ways in which you will all continue to create and spread Boom Boom!

All the best to you in the New Year…may it be filled with joy and, of course…

Boom Boom!

What a great way to kick off the holidays! We are elated that Windy City LIVE gifted Boom Boom! Cards acts of kindness kits to their audience this year. If you didn’t get a chance to tune in, we want to be sure to include you in this awesome Boom Boom! moment right here on our blog! Check out the video clip below, and you’ll catch Boom Boom! at time marker 14:33 (we were one of Hank’s gift picks!)

Happy Holidays and Boom Boom! to you all!

Download the new Boom Boom! App to join the uprising of guerilla goodness™ through on-the-go acts of kindness reporting

SANTA CRUZ, CA – December 8, 2011 – Boom Boom! Revolution is proud to introduce the free Boom Boom! App which allows iPhone and iPod touch users to easily share the acts of kindness experienced in everyday life.

The “Everyday Boom Boom!” (EBB!) is any underground act of guerilla goodness performed by an individual. The Boom Boom! App allows users a platform to acknowledge and celebrate these acts of kindness while on-the-go — or wherever they may run into clandestine kindness!

The Boom Boom! App expands on the online kindness community at http://boomboomcards.com (where “Agents of Altruism” post about their experiences with acts of kindness cards and their everyday encounters with guerilla goodness) by displaying these posts alongside those made using the new Boom Boom! App.

Once you download the Boom Boom! App, let the kindness sharing begin!

The next time you witness random acts of kindness or are the recipient of someone else’s guerilla goodness, just snap a picture, tell the story of what happened and upload it to the Everyday Boom Boom! stream. This “Good Stream” allows users to stay informed of what’s happening in the world, contribute the good they witness or instigate and be a part of the conversation that’s celebrating what’s right with the world.

To download the free Boom Boom! App and join the uprising of guerilla goodness™, visit: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/boomboom!/id480475997?mt=8.

To learn more about the physical kindness cards decks, Boom Boom! Cards, visit: http://blog.boomboomcards.com/ideas-info/aboutcards/.

About Boom Boom!

Boom Boom! Revolution (BBR) is a social innovation company, founded in 2008. They create positive consumer products with the intention of inspiring an uprising of guerilla goodness. Boom Boom! Cards are the flagship product; they showcase a combined real world and online social network linking players globally through random acts of kindness that are paid forward. BBR is a 4th Sector Corporation, For Profit For Good. Boom Boom! Cards are made from 30-100% post consumer recyclable materials. Ten percent of the purchase price is donated directly to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. The BBR community can be found at www.boomboomcards.com.

Connect with Boom Boom! Revolution on Twitter, http://twitter.com/boomboomcards, and Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/boomboomcards.

Media Contact
Alecia J. Shaver
Account Executive
lotus823
Office: 732.212.0823
Email: alecias@lotus823.com

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Today our kindness conversation takes us to the UK where Louise Burfitt-Dons, co-founder of Kindness Day UK, had this to say:

“Across the UK there are countless individuals who are kind, courteous and brave in the face of adversity. Many require no recognition, or receive it. However, we need to remind those who are dispirited that consideration for others does exist.”

“Join Me”

Before the UK Kindness Movement was mainstream, there was a mini “Karma Army” in the UK, going by the name Join Me. It all started with an ad placed in a local London paper back in 2002 by a man named Danny Wallace:

“The Karma Army has now been going for getting on ten years… good people committed to performing one random act of kindness a week, being nice for the sake of… well… just being nice.”

Talk about Guerilla Goodness! Wallace even published a book about the “kindness cult” that was “started by accident.” Accident or not, The Join Me Blog has given UK do-gooders a place to connect and share… an idea we can totally get behind.

Kindness Collectives Around the World

Both intentional and random acts of kindness take on countless shapes and forms; each with a different mission, each with its own inspired purpose, each a story in itself. All of them good. We are happy be a part of this emerging conversation and even more excited to be on the forefront of the global movement with the simple message: it’s time to be kind.

Do you need to feel good? Do you want to be reminded that there is some really amazingly good stuff happening in the world? Then check in on the Boom Boom! Community, at http://boomboomcards.com, the worldwide place to meet, connect, and share kindness stories.

Keep spreading kindness.

 

This Cyber Monday Boom Boom! Kindness Cards’ Deal Makes Spreading Guerilla Goodness Even Easier

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! As this year winds to a close, we in the Boom Boom! Room find ourselves overwhelmed with gratitude for an absolutely amazing 2011. Of course, much of that is due to you and all the Agents of Altruism in the Boom Boom! Army who are turning simple acts of kindness into daily steps that are making the world a better place.

As a thank you for your dedication and inspiration, we’re excited to offer a smokin’ hot Cyber Monday deal. This Monday, November 28th , all Boom Boom! Cards decks will be 15% off. Yep, it’s true! And unprecedented! Head to the Buy the Cards page this Monday and use the promotion code “BB!CyberMonday”. This deal’s only valid on Monday, November 28th, so don’t forget!

Give the gift of kindness this holiday season AND help spread the word that the Uprising of Guerilla Goodness is here! Been spreading some guerilla goodness of your own lately? Be sure to share your acts of kindness stories with the Boom Boom! Community at http://boomboomcards.com.

Stoked about the Cyber Monday special? Let us know by giving a shout out on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/boomboomcards, or dropping us a line on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/boomboomcards.

 

 

Our Agents Rock!

Why? Just check out some of the comments from our ThanksGivAWAY and you’ll know what we’re talking about. It was truly wonderful to read so many heartfelt words of gratitude.

This giveaway came about as we realized we were long overdue in playing card #22 on all our dedicated Agents of Altruism. We are ever so grateful and humbled by your steadfast belief in Boom Boom! Ya’ll Rock!

And now…without further ado, we’ve got some winners to announce!

Congratulations to Pattie, Comment #20, our Grand Prize Winner!

Pattie, you have won your choice of One (1) Boom Boom! Cards deck: Original, Teen, Green, or Family… PLUS we, here at the Boom Boom! Revolution, will donate $150 to your local food bank, in the spirit of giving!

Congratulations also go to Tina,

Stevie,

and Devon, our ThanksGivAWAY Runner Up Winners!

Stevie, Tina, and Devon, you have each won your choice of One (1) Boom Boom! Cards deck: Original, Teen, Green, or Family, to boost the spirit of giving!

Winners: Please be sure to look out for an email from us at the email address you used to submit your entry comment.

You will have 48 hours to respond to the email we send. Remember, if we don’t hear from you, we will have to take steps to choose a new winner. Please stay tuned to your email inbox!

Thanks again to all our loyal Agents of Altruism who entered our ThanksGivAWAY! We thoroughly enjoyed the thanks and kindness that you shared!

As always, be sure to stay connected via Facebook, Twitter and our Blog for the latest news, kind finds, and {hint, hint} upcoming giveaways!

Boom Boom!

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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, (and to kick off World Kindness Week with a Boom!), we want to give thanks to our dedicated do-gooders, our Agents of Altruism, who keep the wheels of Boom Boom! Revolution turning day after day. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning, have recently joined the uprising of guerilla goodness™, or have been considering taking part by committing intentional acts of kindness, we THANK YOU, all of you!

To show our appreciation, we’re hosting a giveaway – a “ThanksGivAWAY”!

What are we giving away, you ask? Besides our THANKS, of course… There will be one (1) grand prize winner, and three (3) runner up winners in this “ThanksGivAWAY.” Here’s what we have in store:

Grand Prize (1): Your choice of One (1) Boom Boom! Cards deck: Original, Teen, Green, or Family… PLUS we, here at the Boom Boom! Revolution, will donate $150 to your local food bank, in the spirit of giving!

Runner Up Prizes (3): Your choice of One (1) Boom Boom! Cards deck: Original, Teen, Green, or Family, to boost the spirit of giving!

Let the thanks giving begin…

How to Enter Mandatory Initial Entry:

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, there’s no better time to reach out and thank that person you’ve been meaning to thank all year. Original Deck Card #22, reads: “Genuinely thank that person you’ve been forgetting to thank (seriously… call, email, write a card)”

• To enter, leave us one (1) comment to let us know who you’ve been meaning to give thanks to and why… (after you tell us, don’t forget to tell them!)

Gain More Entries:

After you’ve completed the step above, we encourage you to better your chances of winning this gift of thanks.

Submit multiple entries by completing one or all of the below.

Be sure to post a separate comment for each entry you submit, simply stating the action you took + including an associated link, if applicable! (Please Note: If you compile all your entries into one comment, it will only count as 1 entry!)

• Like Boom Boom! Cards on Facebook
  • Already ‘Like’ us? Leave a comment to let us know.

• Follow Boom Boom! Cards on Twitter
  • Already ‘Following’ us? Leave a comment to let us know.

• ReTweet the following message on Twitter (provide a link to your Tweet in your comment):
  • Win a deck of @boomboomcards + a $150 donation to your local food bank, in the spirit of giving! #ThanksGivAWAY Details: http://bit.ly/tXZCTW

• Share the following message on Facebook (provide a link to your post in your comment):
  • Win a deck of Boom Boom! Cards (your pick) and a $150 donation to your local food bank, all in the spirit of giving thanks! Check out the Boom Boom! blog for ThanksGivAWAY entry details: http://bit.ly/tXZCTW

• Check Facebook and Twitter for a daily Entry Question (1 will be posted each day of the giveaway)

• Blog about this giveaway on your blog (include a URL in your entry)

• Subscribe to the Boom Boom! Revolution YouTube Channel

• Add Boom Boom! Revolution Flickr account as a contact

• Follow Boom Boom! Cards on SlideShare

• Subscribe to the Boom Boom! Blog’s RSS feed

• Subscribe to the Boom Boom! Room Newsletter (*You’ll be glad you did, we have some Boom!-a-licious news breaking soon!)

Official Rules: Start: Monday, 11/7/11; End: 11:59pm EST on Thursday, 11/17/11 Winner Selection: Upon approval, each comment entry you submit will be assigned a number in the order that it was posted. Four winning numbers will be generated using Random.org on or shortly after the Giveaway End Date (11:59pm EST on Thursday, 11/17/11). If your number matches the 1st winning number generated, and you meet the eligibility requirements and otherwise comply with these Official Giveaway Rules, you win the grand prize. If your number matches the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th winning numbers generated, and you meet the eligibility requirements and otherwise comply with these Official Giveaway Rules, you win the runner up prize. Four (4) winners will be selected and notified by email. Each winner will have 48 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected. No purchase is necessary to enter. Open to everyone; void where prohibited. Associates, employees, principals, or relatives thereof of Boom Boom! Revolution are not eligible. All taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners. Boom Boom! Revolution reserves the right to modify these terms to comply with legal guidelines, to correct errors and omissions, or to ensure fairness as determined by Boom Boom! Revolution. Such modifications, if any, will be posted at http://boomboomcards.com. Your entry implies and expresses your agreement to these terms and your waiver of any other rights, related to such giveaways, you may have in any jurisdiction. All comments are at the approval of Boom Boom! Revolution.

Great news (from down under)!  Not only is Australia home to those cute kangaroos, Sydney, the outback, and World Kindness Australia… but now Boom Boom! Cards can also be found in the land down under.  That’s right! Kindred Gifts, Australian based online gift shop for the unique and stylish, now proudly retails our acts of kindness cards!

Image Source: http://www.kindredgifts.com.au

Kindred Gifts Helps Boom Boom! Take Acts of Kindness Global

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” – Winston Churchill. At Kindred Gifts, the inspirational words of Winston Churchill aren’t just a mantra but a way of life, and our team is driven every day to help all customers achieve their best life possible – whether that’s through our customers giving a gift that makes both themselves and the recipient feel great, or simply by becoming a part of the Kindred ‘family.’

We’re so proud to be a part of the Kindred ‘family’ and hope that you’ll share in our excitement as we spread our wings globally, carrying acts of kindness worldwide

Thank you ‘mates,’ and Boom Boom!

Kindness is happening everywhere! And we’re not just talking about the kindness we’re seeing on the Boom Boom! website’s map (which is phenomenal, by the way)… we’re talking about acts of kindness on GLOBAL levels and we couldn’t be happier! We’re thrilled and proud to be a part of the emerging kindness conversation and over the next few days we’ll be continuing the conversation by highlighting what we’ve discovered, on a global level, in the promotion of kindness.

World Kindness Australia: Founded From One Father’s Concern

Check out Australia, for instance. Recently we talked about bullying prevention and how it’s one of the greatest struggles facing our kids today.  We aren’t the only ones concerned; inspired by the desire to spread kindness and diminish bullying, World Kindness Australia was “formed by a father concerned about his young daughters and the prevailing growing culture of bullying in schools.”

Image Credit: http://www.worldkindnessaustralia.org

World Kindness Australia gained international recognition in its first year from the World Kindness Movement. It’s incredible how far one simple act of kindness can take you…and how far it can take your country. Kudos! We applaud your efforts Australia. We’re with you.

Acts of Kindness Worldwide

We truly believe that a real difference can be made in the world through the power of kind acts. We love to hear stories of global acts of kindness. Do you have one?

Did you witness, or were you the recipient of a kind act, while traveling in another country? Do you know of a kindness movement in another country? We’d LOVE to hear about it. Leave us a comment on this blog post, Tweet @boomboomcards or post about it on our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/boomboomcards.

Let’s keep the kindness conversation alive! The more we see, the more there will be.

Boom Boom!