Do-Gooder

I have been very fortunate with the opportunities I have had in my life. Of course hard work mixed with being in the right place at the right time had a lot to do with it, but I would be lying if I said that I did it all by myself without any help. The fact is there were a lot of people along the way that help clear the brush and get me where I needed to go.

I am a big believer in returning the favor which is why it’s been important for me to label myself as a “Do-Gooder.” It reminds me that my purpose in life doesn’t just end with me and my family. It can’t be. I must give back to others in one way or another. Whether it is to help someone get where they need to go, raising money for a good cause or donating my self or my services to an organization that needs them. Below are just a few of the ways I have given back over the years.

	Tri-State Trek Fundraiser and Cyclist For those that don’t know me, I’m one of those guys making you late for work as I’m riding my bike around town in my spandex shorts holding up traffic. What you don’t know is that I am training for a very important bike ride that I do every year. It’s the Tri-State Trek, a 270 mile bike ride from Boston to New York in order to help raise awareness and lot’s of money to defeat ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It’s not a disease you’ll see on the news very often which is why it’s even more important for us to get out there on our bikes and spread the word. If you are looking for a challenging bike ride and a very worthy cause, please join me next year from July 20 – 22, 2012! For more information, please visit the Tri-State Trek.
	SCORE Seminar Speaker I started giving free clinics and seminars to SCORE clients since about 2007. It has truly been an honor for me to get up and speak to budding entrepreneurs and help them navigate through the ins and outs of starting a business. I remember not too long ago walking in their shoes, so the idea that I can actually give back to them is a great feeling. The talks I generally do for them revolve around marketing, website development, search engine optimization and social networking. For more information, please visit SCORE.
	Association of Fundraising Professionals Seminar Speaker I am a regular speaker for the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) which is a national organization that represents more than 30,000 members in 227 chapters throughout the world. They work to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs. My workshops have included titles such as The Power of Social Networking and Fundraising Your Ass Off. For more information, please visit the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
	The YMCA Former Member of the Board of Directors Up until October 2011 I sat on the Board of Directors for the area YMCA. It was an opportunity for me to give back to my community in a way I never have before. It was an incredible experience to be responsible for making positive change by helping to make decisions that affected families throughout my community. I recently made the decision to leave my seat voluntarily because I felt as though I wanted to sit on the board of a non-profit whose goals were more centered around music and music education in order to combine my passion for music with my responsibility to help others. If you are a music organization with an open seat on your board or you know of someone, please contact me!