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Thread: The long reach of our beloved Smack

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    Default The long reach of our beloved Smack

    In a jungle village called Kortklork Leu here in Cambodia, lives an 8 year old girl who is severely disabled due to cerebral palsy. She is completely blind in one eye and nearly blind in the other, doesn't speak and can't walk. She is wafer thin. She doesn't go to school. Even though her family is extremely poor, she is well loved and well taken care of, to the extend the family is able. The village is remote, even though I can reach it in an hour by car, it's remote due to poverty - nobody considers going anywhere because they don't have the means to. There is no electricity, TV or land line phone service. For that reason, this little girl has never seen a doctor, well not a doctor by western definition anyway. There is zero social safety net here in Cambodia, not a dime comes from government to help in situations like this, so the lucky survive and the unlucky die - that is just the way it is.

    Quite by accident, I happened to meet this girl and her mom in their village, around the middle of April this year. I happened to be carrying about 50 baguettes to give out to village kids who seldom if ever see bread and I handed one to the little girl and she put her palms together in her best attempt at the traditional Asian gesture of thanks and bowed, before she reached for the bread - and she smiled. She had me right there and then.

    With my friend translating, I asked the mom, if I could set things up for her to bring her daughter into Siem Reap to get checked out medically, if she would be okay with that. Of course she said yes - she's a mom after all. So I got the number of one of the few cell phones in the village to send a message back and headed home. It took less than a day to set things up with a project, that works with disabled kids, to co-ordinate the trip in for the kid and her mom. The girl lives well outside this project's service area and they simply don't have the funds to support the extra patient, but we agreed that I would work something out and they would take care of stuff.

    This coincided with the end of the fantasy hockey season. Within a day or two, I received a c.c. of an email that Smack sent to the Commissioner of our keeper league, in which Smack had just romped home to victory. The email simply stated that he wanted the Commissioner to send his cash winnings to me, in support of the work I was doing here in Cambodia. It was an easy redirect to have it send to the project in the little girl's name.

    That money more than covered the entire cost of the trip into Siem Reap, including transportation, accommodations and meals and associated medical costs. In two days, the girl received a physical assessment regarding rehab service, a thorough check by a pediatrician, an eye exam and prescription glasses and dental work.

    I shared my Smack story with some friends, because I was quite moved by it, and completely unsolicited, the fund for this girl grew by 3X and even with two follow-up trips into the bigs - our young lady still has a cushion to draw on. She has her glasses and dental work is complete now and she has some rehab drills to do at home that her mom can help her through. Her life is better for sure, thanks to the grace of one fine guy - Smack!

    Even before this act of generosity and caring, Smack was on my bucket list of folks that I want to meet. We have competed in a couple of different leagues over several seasons and there is no one I would rather have as a fellow GM - he is just that kind of guy.

    Smack, if you read this, there is something I really want you to know - the impact of your gift doesn't stop with this one little girl. There is an empowered mother who is teaching a whole village about what is possible and trust me when I say that is pure gold - honestly, it's something that money alone can't buy here, that education of a population. You da man!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    It's stories like this that help restore my faith in humanity. Yes, humans are capable of horrendous acts, but there ARE good people out there who are truly making a difference. Good on you, Smack. And Shoeless, keep up that amazing work. You are both inspirations for all.

    Rylant

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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Plus one to Shoeless. Plus two to Smack.
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    You guys are the best. Please keep sharing these stories with us and don't be afraid to ask us for any help we can send.

    Everyone needs to hear these positive stories.
    Excelsior~ Ever Higher

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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Unbelievable work by both of you. Incredible story.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    I'm currently going to law school to become a public defender and stand up for the rights of the powerless against the traditional power structures of the Police and the District Attorneys. But this summer I'm working with PennPIRG, a citizen-based public advocacy group that has no corporate affiliations, working to stop the overuse of antibiotics in factory farms. It's been an incredibly rewarding experience in the short time I've been with the organization, and I would recommend public advocacy to anyone who wants to make an impact, but doesn't know what to do about it. Bad people spend BIG $$$ to keep us little people down, and keep things as they are; so we need GREAT people like Shoeless, Smack, and all the rest of you guys to get together, stand up against poverty and injustice, and contribute what we can to make the world a better place.

    This is a really inspiring story, and stories like this have made me realize that doing work on behalf of other people is really the best thing we can do with our lives. Cheers.
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Pure quality this thread. Way to go Smack.

    Shoeless, you are making a huge difference, you lead a very fulfilling life my friend.

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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Well done guys, great stuff!!!

  9. #9
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Shoeless and smack, awesome!

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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    These stories are filled with alot of sadness and a huge dose of reality, but there is also a ton of positive effects these stories carry with them as well.. Thank you Shoe for sharing this with us and thank you Smack for being such a positive role model to everyone out there, young and old..

    Shoeless you are a great person doing wonderful things!!
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Quote Originally Posted by Zorro View Post
    Shoeless you are a great person doing wonderful things!!
    Oh my dear Z, you couldn't be more wrong. I'm just a goldarn huckleberry, born on the banks of the Red River just outside of Winnipeg who's life journey brought him to this place. I get up in the morning and burp, fart and put my pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of you huckleberries that didn't happen to end up here - yet. And I do nothing extraordinary, I do nothing that each of you wouldn't do, if you happened to be here. It's guys like Smack who step outside the box, half the world away, that are uncommon and special in their efforts. Ghandi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." and that is exactly what Smack did with his selfless, anonymous act. A needy little girl gained quality in her life and indeed, a whole village developed a little more because of what he did. Make no mistake about who the hero is here.

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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Time is just a flat circle, you guys.
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Quote Originally Posted by mounD View Post
    Time is just a flat circle, you guys.
    Just an unproven theory, mounD. where adequate alternate theories exist. Those theories didn't make it to television yet, though.

  14. #14
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Yes Smack is the hero of this story, and deserves to be honored.. But you need to take more credit then you are taking here Shoe.. Keep up the great work bud, your a hero in my eyes.. Burp, fart, put your pants on anyway you like, your still doing great things in your life!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Shoeless View Post
    Oh my dear Z, you couldn't be more wrong. I'm just a goldarn huckleberry, born on the banks of the Red River just outside of Winnipeg who's life journey brought him to this place. I get up in the morning and burp, fart and put my pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of you huckleberries that didn't happen to end up here - yet. And I do nothing extraordinary, I do nothing that each of you wouldn't do, if you happened to be here. It's guys like Smack who step outside the box, half the world away, that are uncommon and special in their efforts. Ghandi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." and that is exactly what Smack did with his selfless, anonymous act. A needy little girl gained quality in her life and indeed, a whole village developed a little more because of what he did. Make no mistake about who the hero is here.
    Zorro says "vote for Dobber"
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    Default Re: The long reach of our beloved Smack

    Quote Originally Posted by Zorro View Post
    Yes Smack is the hero of this story, and deserves to be honored.. But you need to take more credit then you are taking here Shoe.. Keep up the great work bud, your a hero in my eyes.. Burp, fart, put your pants on anyway you like, your still doing great things in your life!!
    Well thanks Z. These things definitely get complicated - how we see ourselves and how others see us is seldom the same. I feel blessed to be where I am, doing what I am doing and above all just being the person I want to be.

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