A note from YC’s CEO, Chris Garr:
I heard the Blink 182 song “All the Small Things” on the radio a few days ago. Generally, a song like that makes my car go faster, but not this time. I, Chris Garr, started to slow down. I actually paid attention to the lyrics and it made me think about all of the small things… that make a big difference.
A virus is among the smallest of things. So small we need a powerful electron microscope to see the nucleic acid molecule. By now, the image of the coronavirus is permanently etched in our mind. Looks like the microscopic version of the planet Venus grew an orchard of Truffala trees. Small things make a BIG difference in our lives. The current pandemic is a tragedy of epic proportion, but while this virus continues to spread devastation, it also spawned a myriad of countless small acts of love and kindness throughout our communities.
So I Googled the song and watched the video. Admittedly, I have not viewed any music video in about 15 years, (remember MTV?) but I was curious. My curiosity peaked when the video opened with Blinks 182’s lead singer Tom DeLonge dancing in his tighty-whities. Of course, I kept watching.
Essentially, the song is a reminiscence of small acts of kindness, and an acknowledgement of appreciation.
All the small things
True care, truth brings
I’ll take one lift
Your ride, best trip
Always I know
You’ll be at my show
Watching, waiting
Commiserating
Say it ain’t so
I will not go
Turn the lights off
Carry me home
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na
Late night come home
Work sucks, I know
She left me roses by the stairs
Surprises let me know she cares
Say it ain’t so
I will not go
Turn the lights off
Carry me home
My mind immediately wandered to all of the “small things” done in 2020 by YC’s community. These tiny acts, taken as singular moments of empathy and care, are part of a collective tidal wave of kindness that defines who we are and what we believe. We’ve been a caring community since day one, forty-some years ago, but in 2020 Covid was the catalyst for reaching a deeper will to do good and be our best for each other.
Here are a just a few of the many small things that made a BIG difference in 2020.
A smile. So many smiles and so much laughter on Zoom, underneath the mask, on the phone, or and “lol” in a text, strengthened the connections within our community. Hopefully, the smiles carried on, reverberating from friend to friend and family to family.
A card. Our volunteers created hundreds of hand-written cards, just to say “Hey, we’re here and we care.” These were homespun acts of kindness and solidarity, lovingly delivered inside of a care package, by YC’s staff and drivers all over Greater Cleveland.
A car ride. Often in the form of a parade, to drive by the home of a participant to lay on a horn and scream “Hello friend! We miss you and we can’t wait to see you again soon.” That “soon” is around the corner, and there is eager anticipation and hope in the air for those high fives, hugs, and group fitness sessions!
A phone call or a text. We care deeply for our community. The check-ins and texts. “Hey, are you good?” or “Need anything?” inquiries remind each other that we are “in this together” acknowledging that we all have good days and bad, and little pick-ups are welcome and, indeed, needed.
An appearance. We were present and we showed up We stayed “in the moment” and we didn’t need to be heroes as much as we just decided to be humans. Maybe not always in-person, but we were there to listen, to hear, to help, to cry, to laugh. In person, volunteers hungrily ate up in-person opportunities to help in any way they could, knowing that the typical YC formula was temporarily altered. You showed up on Zoom to say “hello” or play a game or connect with a teammate or lend support. Particularly, YC’s alumni have come together to forge what appears to the root of an active and effective movement with a collective purpose of advancing access, but more profoundly, for motivating each other to make a meaningful contribution to good.
A march. The pandemic emphasized the glaring disparities in our community. As the Black Lives Matter movement brought racial injustice to the forefront, YC emerged as a leader in the local disability rights scene. YC’s staff along with alumni participants and volunteers led ADA Cleveland’s Call for Access which continues to advocate for disability rights and tighten the bonds that tie organizations together for the purpose of positive change and meaningful dialogue and social justice.
A vote and a letter. There is not a smaller act with bigger consequence than engaging in the democratic process. It underscores the significance of many small acts culminating in a massive shift. We continue to push our elected representatives towards inclusion, equality, understanding so that disability rights, civil rights, and human rights are fully appreciated and realized.
A little extra. This is the defining reality of YC’s staff always giving a little more attention to detail, one more game, one more joke, one more rep, one more phone call, one more pick-up or drop-off, one more meaningful program, one more reminder, one more smile, one more mile, one more “what’s next” or “anything else?” This culture of “the extra mile” is a testament to Mary Sue’s perseverance (one more day of work before retirement) and remains a prime example of the “little things” making all the difference.
A “thank you!” to our entire family. This is a resounding “thank you” from the art room in the back of the building to the parking lot in front, from participants from Geneva to Vermillion and Shaker Heights to Alliance, from Minnow to Vanimal, from V-Rex to Vanzilla, from every school we serve and every family we count among our own, from every one-dollar donor to every thousand-dollar donor, you have made a huge difference by your love for YC.
As we put a wrap on 2020, let us not forget to do the little things. Keep showing the love! Happy New Year! Rock on YC!
All the small things
True care, truth brings
I’ll take one lift
Your ride, best trip
Thank you!
Chris