Many years ago I came across a black Chevy Blazer. It was by no means new. She had rust, her rear compartment was wet and moldy, and the seats were showing signs of wear. She had one thing going for her; she was affordable. The price I paid was very little, but almost more than I had.
Once I got her home, I began to do what I could...first some paint, then some decals and graphics. The equipment came next as I outfitted her with a weather station, then radios. The project grew.
Over the years, "Dorothy" became one of the best known vehicles in the country. Literally hundreds of thousands of children saw her, learned from her and grew to love her.
Dorothy, my lead chase vehicle had become a celebrity with purpose and ignited passion in the hearts of so many. To look at her originally, you would have thought she was just an old Chevy Blazer.
This past week, I was reunited with Dorothy who now sits proudly as the main exhibit in the Sci-tech Children's Museum in Aurora, Illinois. She still teaches children about severe weather safety and preparedness.
I tell you all about this because there is a very real lesson in Dorothy. You see, I had very little money and few supporters. I saw a need for serious storm monitoring, severe weather research and reporting and knew that I could save lives if I only had a vehicle. Not having much, I used what I had. Not being able to afford much, I used what Dorothy was.
In the end, Dorothy had over $30,000 in repairs. TWELVE TIMES HER PURCHASE PRICE.
Was it worth it? You bet it was.
See, you don't have to have much to do great things. It may cost you dearly as the years progress and it may not, but if you wait until you can afford it all, you'll never accomplish anything. It is all about doing whatever you can and chasing that dream with WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY.
There's a group of kids that do this. You can find them at www.KidsAreHeroes.com. These are kids that, many, with nothing at all, have chosen to change their world and make a difference.
Each of us has a Dorothy. Something that may not even look like much, but if fueled by passion, could change the world. These kids prove it.
Is your Dorothy a talent? A savings account? A connection? A specialty? Are you using your Dorothy to change the world and make it a better place?
Check out www.KidsAreHeroes.com. Make it a regular stop when you're browsing the web. Maybe you know a kid already doing something great, and maybe, just maybe, you're supposed to use your Dorothy to help the kids featured on that site.
(By the way, to see a larger pic of Dorothy in her new home, click the picture above).
