I recently read your book wherein you spoke about ” helping those less fortunate realize a dream”. I am an engineer who developed a steralization solution protocol for infection control in hospitals that is very affortable and will benifit the third world countries while making us a small fortune. More information can be found in my website http://www.somamedical.net.
If you will allow me the opportunity to explain my plans, I am confident you will find that its a dream worth realizing.

Sincerely yours,

Leonard Dcruz

I am so inspired by your commitment to making the world a better place and the generosity and sincerity with which you live, work and play, that I felt compelled to stop reading The Business of Happiness mid-page 195 to connect with you today.

A couple of months ago my brother, who was a very active board member of Hoop Dreams, called me and said, “Sis you need to read Ted’s book. The first 6 common practices he talks about are all about me and the last 3, gratitude, empathy and higher calling are all about you.” Then he read me the line from your introduction that said, “The happiest people among us are….teaching children the practice of virtue.”

I am extremely grateful to say that I am one of those happy people because I have the honor of teaching not just children the practice of virtue, but adults as well.

In 2005 I was blessed as Disney’s Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year and it was through that experience that I learned about the 5 Strategies of The Virtues Project.

The project touched my heart so much that I left Montgomery County Public Schools to volunteer my time to the founders of The Virtues Project as their Director of Education. This school year I ended up working as an instructional coach in DC Public Schools in addition to my work with The Virtues Project and it has strengthened my commitment to spread the power of this project throughout the US.

The Virtues Project is a global grassroots initiative in over 96 countries, endorsed by The Dalia Lama and was honored by the United Nations as a model global program for all cultures.

It inspires INDIVIDUALS to live more authentic, joyful lives, FAMILIES to raise children of compassion and integrity, EDUCATORS to create safe, caring and high performing learning communities & LEADERS to inspire excellence and ethics in the workplace.

Since children often look up to athletes as heroes, I have long had the vision of partnering with a sports team to inspire youth (and adults) to become their best selves. I believe with your leadership and integrity that the Caps are the ideal team. Excellence, unity, integrity, purposefulness and enthusiasm are just a few of the strength virtues that the Caps exemplify!

I would be grateful to have the opportunity to talk with you about the ideas I have with regards to a Caps and Virtues Project partnership as well as how to spread the word of The Virtues Project to transform education, strengthen families and help businesses focus on a triple bottom line, people, profit, planet.

By collaborating on this transformative project, it just might be exactly what you need to check off number 33 on your list, “Support someone who makes a great breakthrough in science or art”!

My websites http://www.heartofeducation.net and http://www.giftsofcharacter.org have more information about The Virtues Project and I would be grateful if you would take a few minutes to look explore them.

I can be reached via email as well as by cell at 301-529-1302 if you would like to connect.

Thank you for your generosity of time, energy, heart and money towards strengthening humanity!

With much gratitude and enthusiasm,
Dara

I anxiously awaited your book release, and I ended up reading the entire book yesterday because I could not put it down! I’m a life-long Caps fan who’s followed your career since you bought the Caps, and I was inspired by you to create my Life List a couple of years ago following the death of my nephew (who was also named after me and was to be my godson), who passed away after just 23 days due to complications from Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. My nephew’s death served as my reckoning and has really motivated me to attack my personal and business goals. Michael was only given 23 days in the NICU and never had a chance to accomplish his goals, but his spirit, along with your framework, is a constant motivator for me to accomplish mine.

Much like you are, one of the things that I’m very passionate about is higher education and helping kids attend the schools of their dreams, and when I graduated from the University of Miami and moved back to the DC area in 2005, one of the first things I did was establish scholarships at my former high school (West Springfield) and through DC Canes, the University of Miami’s local alumni club where I’m now the VP. (This is mainly due to the fact that about 90% of my college tuition at Miami and my grad school tuition at UVA were covered by scholarships which I needed to attend these respective schools in the first place.)

My main motivation for writing you (in addition to say thanks for the book!) is that I actually live directly across the street from Kettler and Ballston Mall, and I’m genuinely interested in volunteering my time and/or skills to Caps Care. (I’m a systems engineer/management consultant during the day, and if Caps Care has any scholarship-related work, I’d definitely like to help with that as well.) I can promise you that I’m looking for absolutely nothing in return other than the chance to “do good” and to help a successful organization I believe in which, luckily for me, also happens to be based directly across the street from where I live. Any chance that you could please point me in the right direction to see if I might be able to help out with Caps Care?

Thanks and Go Caps!

Mike Waldron
Definitive Logic
703.405.6500 (C)
202.548.8884 (O)