Christmas Miracles at SeaWorld: Pay It Forward 2009/2010
Miracles are a part of our DNA at SeaWorld San Antonio. Shamu has a show this holiday season about how miracles bring peace, love and hope to children and the young at heart. We wanted to spread the message of giving outside of the walls of our park in our community – both San Antonio and far beyond.
As a result of this goal, we want to start an experiment. On December 10, 2009, we will release over 100 Miracle Cards into the community during a social media BMPR event. A SeaWorld San Antonio “Miracle Card” is a simple way to spread the joy and real meaning of the holiday season by completing a random act of kindness for someone and asking them to pay it forward by giving them a Miracle Card.
Suggested Miracle List
Here is a list of suggested everyday “miracles” that you can do over the next few weeks. But don’t be limited by our list, create a miracle of your own and share it with us in the comments section:
- Give someone an unexpected gift
- Pay for someone in the drive through
- Take someone to coffee
- Give a donation in someone’s name
- Apologize to someone
- Pack your school age child a favorite snack
- Send a package to a soldier in Iraq
- Don’t be limited, come up with a mission of your own
Once you have completed your random act of kindness, be sure to give that person this card so that the pay-it-forward circle of everyday miracles continues on.
Sharing and Prizes
Also, be sure to share your experience here and we will randomly choose one person on December 18 and 25, 2009, and January 1, 2010, from the comments on this page to receive a four-pack of tickets to visit SeaWorld San Antonio during the holiday season (tickets must be used by January 3, 2010). You can only enter and win once and cannot be a SeaWorld employee to win. All of the people who didn’t win the first week will be carried over into subsequent drawings.
All comment submissions made before 5 pm on the day of each drawing will be included. Winners will be contacted via the e-mail provided with their comment entry between 5 pm and 12 midnight on the day of the drawing. Winners will have 24 hours to claim their prize via e-mail and will have until January 3, 2010, to pick it up from Guest Relations, which is located at the front of the park. For more details about rules and information click here.
WINNERS:
December 18, 2009 – Lyzz Stauffer
December 25, 2009 – Nick Morgan
January 1, 2010 -
Download Your Miracle Card Here (PDF)
Start sharing your miracles in the comments section now.
Credits: We were heavily inspired by Akoha, Boom Boom! Cards, and Generate Kindness. Be sure to visit their sites and become involved in the kindness movement.
[...] “pay it forward,” lately? It’s ok if you can’t think of anything, but go here before you do to learn about Sea World’s experiment of giving. Once you know what a [...]
The Miracle Card is such a wonderful idea!!! It makes a great addition to my holiday presents – thank you for thinking of this!!!
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Great holiday campaign RT @seaworldcomm Christmas Miracles: Pay It Forward deets at [link to post] also a chance to win tickets.
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RT @seaworldcomm: Christmas Miracles: Pay It Forward deets at [link to post] also a chance to win tickets. #bmpr
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[...] we launched our Christmas Miracles Card program at the San Antonio Business Media and Public Relations (BMPR) tweetup. It is just one way [...]
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@Oprah You would be proud, Sea World and San Antonio are Paying It Forward this holiday season [link to post]
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San Antonio, let’s Pay It Forward, spread joy this holiday season and share your story!! [link to post] #BMPR Pls RT!!
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RT @kamichat: Launched a really cool social experiment today for #SWSA (client). Also can win tickets [link to post]
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RT@ATX4U RT @kamichat: Launched a really cool social experiment today for #SWSA (client). Also can win tickets [link to post]
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Texas Peeps: Launched a really cool social experiment today for #SWSA (client). Also can win tickets [link to post] Pay It Forward!
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RT @kamichat: Texas Peeps: Launched a really cool social experiment today for #SWSA (client). Also can win tickets [link to post] …
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[...] we launched our Christmas Miracles Card program at the San Antonio Business Media and Public Relations (BMPR) tweetup. It is just one way [...]
[...] how ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. Be a part of the movement. Download a Miracle Card and pay it forward. If you have an extraordinary story, contact us and we may feature you on the [...]
The true meaning is being shared by Sea World this Year! God Bless
I was eating lunch with my husband at a local eatery and on our way out, stopped at the table in front of us and picked up the man’s bill. I leaned over to him and told him Merry Christmas! Unfortunately, I did not have an extra “Miracle Card” to give to him. I think he was a little surprised and just mumbled Merry Christmas back to me. As I was leaving, I glanced back at him and I think he might have been crying! This is such a great idea!
Awesome way to pay it forward. Thanks for your story!
My wife above was at a local coffee shop and noticed that one of the teachers I work with was behind her in the drive-through line ….she told the clerk to honor the teacher by telling them what a good job they were doing while my wife bought the coffee in advance for her! The teacher was smiling all day and I asked her why and she told me what had happened that morning……teachers do feel overwhelmed most days!
A great way to pay it forward, thanks for sharing.
Our scout troop held a free breakfast to honor local military, veterans, firefighters, police, and first responders….it was very appreciated!
Neat, we love our heroes in uniform at SeaWorld
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Come on over to tell us a story about how you have paid it forward for a chance to win tickets to #SWSA [link to post]
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RT @seaworldcomm: Come on over to tell us a story about how you have paid it forward for a chance to win tickets to [link to post]
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RT @lexamichelle08: RT @seaworldcomm: Christmas Miracles: Pay It Forward deets at [link to post] also chance to win tickets. #bmpr
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RT @seaworldcomm: Tell us a story about how you have paid it forward for a chance to win tickets to #SWSA [link to post] (client)
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Come tell us a story about how you have paid it forward for a chance to win tickets to #SWSA [link to post] (via @seaworldcomm)
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Tell us a story about how you have paid it forward for a chance to win tickets to #SWSA [link to post] (via @seaworldcomm)
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What a lovely, lovely idea!
Well, as you know, I was so happy to get the chance to pay it forward by asking aLOVELY group of SeaWorld WildSide ladies to generously adopt a troop (navy) in Iraq who can’t get home for the holidays. I’m sending a little new year gift to each member of the unit we all adopted. It’s so important to me to let these people who serve us know we think of them, with love and good wishes.
Also, a while back, before Ike, before Rita, while pregnant with my second daughter, we lost nearly everything we owned in a flood. This included our washer and dryer. It’s so disheartening to lose your things, even though they are just things. it’s so expensive too. One kind thing done for us…Tide gave us a year’s worth of free detergent. I was so, so glad to be able to pay that forward this year by supporting Loads of Hope in NOLA. Yes, they are STILL there HELPING. isn’t that awesome! People tend to forget, but NOLA is still rebuilding and so is my town, over one year later post-Ike.
I am printing miracle cards right now to hand out this weekend at our family’s holiday party!
You are a Pay It Forward Queen. I love what Tide is doing with Loads of Hope, a really awesome program!
I love this idea of paying it forward. Not too long ago, the car ahead of me paid for my meal in a fast food lane. I’ve repeated that several times since. This year, we took it one step further when asked to help out a soldier serving overseas. We wrapped up our favorite quick foods and some special gifts and dropped it in the mail with a prayer it would get to her by Christmas. The best part – my kiddos wrote the sweetest notes and drew her a picture – helping them to see not only how great it is to pay it forward, but also to support those in our military who are serving our country and can’t be home with their own families this holiday season. Printing out my miracle cards now to share with family and friends over the next few weeks.
Great idea to get the kids involved. Sure the person you gifted will be touched.
This isn’t a big “pay it forward” but I like to do it as often as I can. Yesterday I went to the Not So Silent Night concert and was saw a bunch of groups of friends enjoying the music together. Throughout the night, I would offer to take pictures of the entire group, especially whenever they were trying already by holding the camera out. I think those are fun pictures too but everyone is always appreciative to get everyone in.
I also like to do that when I’m walking around Seaworld San Antonio with families who are on vacation or just visiting.
This is actually an awesome pau it forward idea. Think I will use it to spur others to action on the Facebook page.
This past Sunday I took my 19 month old out for breakfast. The guy in the booth behind us was very tolerant of my boy tapping him on the back even though I kept asking my boy to stop. To make up for it I asked management if I could pay for his bill. Later I saw him leaving with a big smile and management later shared that I had made someone’s day.
Making up for the slightly disruptive child, good one. With my three I will have to remember that one.
Something I have always valued is those little acts of kindness. I was walking into a Walmart this past week and I saw a young man standing by the RedBox DVD rental dealie. I’m not a big fan of rental DVD’s, but someone had given me a free rental coupon, and it occurred to me when I saw him trying to decide what to rent that I might as well pass that gift on to him, and I he had this look on his face like, what is the catch? What have I done to deserve this attention? What he took home was a free movie to watch, and I can only hope that he carried that forward and did someone else a solid act of kindness, however small.
If we win the tickets, I’ll be sharing them with Bernice Kearney and we’ll have a bit of a Drunk With Dolphins New Years celebration! Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to start 2010?
Yay for you Matthew, your Mother taught you well to share, both the movie and the tickets – should you win. You have three chances BTW.
But of course I have to caution you to drink responsibly – the Mom in me you know.
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I posted a comment on @SeaWorldComm’s blog in the hopes of winning 4 tickets to Sea World San Antonio! [link to post] #SWSA
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Every year, a group of friends celebrates the season with Sunday Brunch @ my house. Usually, we do a gift exchange. This year, though, one of the girls suggested we bring gifts for others less fortunate than ourselves. Of course, it was a brilliant suggestion! So, we’ve gathered up a bunch of goodies for Roy Maas Youth Alternatives – a wonderful organization that helps so many kids in our community know the power of love, understanding and caring in the midst of crisis.
That is a great story, you have a knack for seeing opportunity to help others as you travel, and that is, not to abuse the saying, but a gift that keeps on giving.
Agree with Matthew that this is an awesome thing to do, thanks for sharing!
oh, Thanks y’all… but it’s the RMYA staff – and others who reach out to people in need on a daily basis, who are the awesome ones!
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@bkearney @ImageFreedom Maybe you all can leave a comment, win the tix and make your own party? [link to post]
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Pay It Forward – @seaworldcomm wants to know what good deal ur doing! check out mine! [link to post]
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Odds are really good to win! Head over to our post and tell us your Christmas pay it forward story [link to post] #swsa
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RT @seaworldcomm Odds are really good to win! Head over to our post & tell your Christmas pay it forward story [link to post] #swsa
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For Christmas I decided to print off the Pay it Forward cards and give them to my friends as Christmas Cards. I decorated them with marine mammal stickers and colored the front of them with Christmas colors. I gave all my friends one today and they were surprised at first. I told them each how much they meant to me as I gave them the card. They really liked the idea of the cards and said they were going to pay it forward too! =D
Love the pictures on the Facebook page, thanks for sharing!
http://www.facebook.com/SeaWorldSanAntonio#/photo.php?pid=41949&id=100000527742848&op=1&subj=76017171990&view=all&aid=-1&oid=76017171990&comments&ref=mf
This holiday season, I taught free yoga classes to volunteer caregivers for a non-profit organization. Volunteers give their time so selflessly so I wanted to give them the gift of health, fitness & relaxation.
Now that is a gift we can ALL appreciate! Thanks for serving the servers.
I had extra tickets to Sea World and I gave them to a friend in at work to take his child that had never been before. Just in time for the Christmas shows. I also stop all the time when I see people taking pictures and ask if they would like me to take the picture for them so they can get in the photo. If it were me – I would want to be in the picture so I figure they would too.
This year a very sad situation happened in my grandfathers wifes extended family. The mother who was on dialysis was scheduled to go in to have her dialysis port redone in surgery. Tragically she never made it off the operating table and left behind a very devestated family. This sweet lady left behind a very very poor family who was forced to move out of there current house since they could no longer afford it. I asked my grandfather to please give this dear family the money that he would spend on me and my children for Christmas. I know money does not heal wounds but NEED it much more than my children do. Its situations like this that really make us see how fortunate we are and should never take our familys for granted. If I win I will gift these tickets to someone else.
My kids went caroling twice this week at nursing homes. Once with their church choir and once with their Girl Scout troops (tonight). Afterwards, I told the third grade troop that they had just done a community service. They were surprised and one asked, “You mean we really helped someone?” Precious.
I also did one of the things your card suggested and snuck a treat into my kids lunchboxes: marshmellows.
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HURRY! Going to be drawing for 4-pack of SeaWorld tickets from all comments received before 5 pm today [link to post] #swsa
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This year has been sad. I recently lost my grandfather (2 weeks before christmas). Ive been struggling slightly with financial situations. But I try my hardest to help those who need help. Even if i have $20 in my pocket I would help someone in need, because its not what you do it how it impacts someones life. Helping makes me feel incredible. I also rescue unwanted birds in my free time. after all every animal needs some love. Being alive and with family and friends is a HUGE gift in itself after all.
Fantastic promotion to encourage folks to help others. Well done.
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@ClotheslineSA I hope you leave a comment about your Chritmas Miracle experience at [link to post] #swsa
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Here’s an amazing Pay it Forward opportunity. I just made a donation in a friend’s name to the Nothing But Nets Foundation, which sends nets to displaced families in Africa to prevent the spread of malaria.
San Antonio folks, with a donation of as little as $10, you can get 2 free NBA tickets. See the Spurs for free and support an amazing cause.
Pay it forward:
http://www.nothingbutnets.net/
[...] RT @jpippert: I downloaded & printed my Miracle cards! Have you?[link to post] [...]
[...] I downloaded & printed my Miracle cards! Have you?[link to post] [...]
[...] 2009-12-18T19:49:26 @lyzzstauffer Congrats! You are the first winner in Miracle Card – Pay It Forward giveaway, check your e-mail [link to post] [...]
My 7yo son must begin a very restrictive elimination diet beginning in January. The doctor was kind enough to allow us to enjoy the holidays before implementing the changes. This has given us a little time to prepare. I’ve been involving my son in the shopping for his new foods and spending a little extra time with him (not easy with three other children).
I know he’s still stressed about this, so to make his holidays extra-happy, he gets to choose everything our family eats until Christmas. His wish is my command. I’m trying to make his last days of “normalcy” for quite a while as pleasant as possible for him.
My grandmother had a tradition of giving pajamas and underwear (but toys too)for Christmas, and it was always in a cereal or cracker box. As a kid I thought this was the lamest gift ever, but now as an adult I am so nostalgic about that. My sister is having her first baby this year, so I have revived the crackerbox pajama tradition for my children and her new baby, so that they can think Aunt Susan/Mom is the lamest ever. My sister was so touched that she almost cried. She misses my grandmother and her gifts too!
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It’s Christmas Eve and tomorrow we are giving out tickets, just tell us how you are paying it forward here [link to post] #swsa
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