Paying it forward----tell us your tale (no bragging)

[EagleJCS]

Well, this isn't kilt, Scots, or X-marks related, but here is my story...

I live in the house that used to belong to my grandparents (dad's parents), who lived here for 30 years and developed a close friendship with their next door neighbors. About a year after I moved in here, the son of my grandparent's neighbors moved in next door (returning home to the house he grew up in), following the death of his father (Mr. K). His mother passed a couple of years later (about 5 years ago). So, he and I have been neighbors for about 8-9 years now, though our families have known each other a lot longer.

Now, as some of you know, and as my handle alludes to, I am an Eagle Scout. My next-door neighbor also happens to be an Eagle Scout, and his father (Mr. K) - my grandparents' neighbor - was a long-time volunteer Scout leader, holding a variety of positions at the unit, district and council level. Mr. K had accumulated a lot of Scouting memorabilia in his 15 or so years as a volunteer and upon his death it all got passed on to my neighbor (being the only son). My neighbor has three sons, but none of them were involved in Scouting, so they consequently weren't all that interested in any of their grandad's "Scout stuff". My neighbor also has two nephews, and neither of them were interested in any of Grandad's "Scout stuff" either. Coincidentally both of them are also Eagle Scouts. (One just finished his degree, and the other didn't grow up around here, so didn't want the local patches and things anyway.)

So, since none of the grandkids were interested, and knowing that I am a brother Eagle and still an active Scout leader, my neighbor offered it all to me - with the exception of a couple of items that have special significance. I accepted, and have found myself in custodianship* of a largish collection of Scouting memorabilia: some 80 coffee mugs with various Scout-related images/logos, a patch blanket (the oldest patch is about 39 years old, the newest about 25), a couple of posters, and several OLD handbooks (a 1945 reprint of the 2-volume Third Edition of the Scoutmaster's Handbook, an Air Scout(!) Manual, a Sea Scout Manual, a reprint of the original 1911 Handbook for Boys, among others). They're not worth a whole lot, in general, except to a collector, but it means a lot to me since I knew Mr. K and I knew he was glad/proud to see I became an Eagle Scout.

As far as 'paying it forward' goes, I'm a volunteer Scout leader, even though I have no children of my own (and at this rate probably never will). I'm just trying to give back to the program and pass on the knowledge and experience that I gained as a youth.


*I say 'custodianship' because I've told all of the boys that if they ever change their minds (and they may now that a couple of them have boys of their own), they can have anything of their grandad's that they want.

[ForresterModern]

Hey John,

Scout. Scot. Close enough. Thanks for sharing a wonderful story.

jeff

[Macman]

My volunteering with the Victoria Highland Games brought me in contact with a very nice lady when we were teamed up to put up and take down signs. It turns out that she had a Prince Charlie coatee gathering dust in her closet. She offered it to me to wear for an occasion coming up. I borrowed it, dry-cleaned it, and returned it to her. Upon its return she said that any time I wanted to borrow it to give her a call. I did, and when I phoned her to return it the second time, she said to just keep it in my closet and wear it whenever I wanted to. I did. After several years, I contacted her and offered to buy it because I felt guilty having it. She said that it had been her father's, that she didn't want to sell it yet, and that she still wanted me to keep and wear it. It turns out that her father (a Baird) had been a very good friend of my grandfather (an Oliphant). Now she has moved and I've been unable to find her. I think she wanted me to have it all along.

[Calico]

A small enough thing, but certainly appreciated none the less.

I attended my first highland games at the Queen Mary this past week-end. With free tickets, thanks to our LAscotswoman.

Free is good.

[Arlen]

When I was a relatively new member of Xmarks I had just been diagnosed with coeliac disease. While I building my system back up I decided to give away a PV Macdonald Modern Dress Kilt that I weighed too much to wear. (I knew it'd be a while before I lost the weight that actually digesting my food properly caused me to gain.)

Norbydog, a user who hasn't posted in quite some time, took it for a wrestling student of his who wanted to wear a Kilt so bad that he had been using his mum's old hostess skirt rolled up at the waist.
The young lad appreciated it so much that he sent me a picture and a lovely thank you note.


In return, last year I REALLY needed some new Kilt hose. Diane was knitting as fast as she could but I really didn't have the cash to buy anything in the interim.
One day I went out to the post box and there was an anonymous package for me with two pairs of beautiful hacking socks / Kilt hose and the following note.




Here are some pictures of the hose. I'm a very lucky man with some very kind anonymous friends.

[Riverkilt]

Don't mean to toot my own horn...just answering the question...back in 2008 Was selling off some "outgrown" kilts Pipesanddrumsnun wanted to buy my Black Stewart Sportkilt but was short on cash, being a nun and all. I'm not Catholic, or even Christian, but cut her a half price deal and tossed in kilt pin, flashes, and some hose. So allowed her to afford what she wanted. She's since said she stopped wearing kilts and sold them on somewhere else so they've been passed on. Not sure if it was paying it forward or just taking pity on a woman of the cloth with no income.

And I'm feeling bad because so many friends on this board have sent me little things they thought I might like - kilt pins as mentioned, but from many sources...a dandelion BEFORE that was the "in" thing...just thoughtful gestures. They usually start with a PM asking for my mailing address.

And vendors! It seems so many vendors toss a bit extra in, not for marketing, just because they're nice folks. Like when my kiltmaker Kathy Lare has extra material - like with the Dutch Friendship Tartan or the Macdonald of the Isles weathered hunting she takes the time to make it into a scarf for me. Or if she thinks a pair of flashes would look good with the tartan she tosses them in. And Rocky...dang...never know what's gonna show up extra in a kilt shipment from him. And Robert Pel at RKilts...same thing....a bit extra...the baker's dozen attitude.

Just nice people, on the board, and doing business with us.

[Bugbear]

Moosedog sent me a zebra pin for a kilt pin. She just asked out of the blue if she could send me something and wouldn't tell me what it was. After I received it, she told me she had thought of me when she saw it, so bought it. I had been looking for a zebra pin before I joined the forum, and couldn't find one.

It was a little bit odd. "Paying it forward" were the exact words she used in one of her PMs.

[beloitpiper]

I wish I had ANYTHING that belonged to Scruffy. Good lord, I love Dropkick...

Back in the spring, 2010, Rocky, of USA Kilts, put a thread on that he was giving away a PC jacket and vest. It was to go to an Xmember who could not afford a new one. The jacket he was giving away, first come first serve, was that of Scruff Wallace of the Dropkick Murphys. Scruffy wanted a deserving person to have it, so he went through Rocky. Well, my son was in grad school, super low on funds, and was going to wear one of my kilts to his cousin's wedding. I thought this would be a great opportunity for my son to wear a PC, and fit in with the rest of the kilted gents.

The jacket was, like, 15 years old and I thought that it might be junk. To my surprise, it was almost in new condition. Rocky even had it dry-cleaned. What a fantastic surprise!

I contacted Rocky immediately and he responded in kind. I explained my son's situation, and Rocky said he'd send it out. I just had to pay the post. Two days later and it was here. And, my son DID wear it to the wedding; received many positive compliments; looked exceedingly handsome.

So, thanks to Rocky for handling the transaction. But a HUGE thank you to Scruffy Wallace for being soooooo generous.

What goes around comes around!!!

[beloitpiper]

Oh, two more shout outs:
A_Hay! for my Irish sporran, which is my most worn sporran ever. I LOVE it and I wear it all the time and get compliments on constantly.

And to MacMillan who sent me a suit for job interviews, which I wore to one (I got it, BTW), and I asked him for an address to pay for postage, but he never responded. I'll take that as being a straight up great guy.

I hope someday I'll either be able to pay them back or pay it forward.

[RockyR]

A_Hay is a member who lives in Germany. He ordered some items from us and we let him know how LUCKY he was to be in Germany. I had visited that wonderful country roughly 15 years ago and fell in love with the food (and the BEER!). Kelly's favorite food is Gingerbread and chocolates and Germany has the world's best.

Every year since we mentioned that, we get a package from an APO address in Germany full of German food 'goodies'. A_Hay is truly a great guy.