Falling Whistles

I got my whistle in the mail a few days ago. I bought 2 and gave one to a friend for his birthday. I did not want to post anything online about it until I gave him his. I have worn it every day and hope to tell more people about it. It is a really great cause and I am happy to contribute to it even just by telling people about it.

I started thinking when I ordered the whistle about the point of something like that. I think from the company's side there are two reasons (they may be obvious to you). I think when someone gives a certain amount of money, they feel better when they have something to show for it. Even though they know it is going to a good cause, having something physical as a reminder of that good act they did is helpful, especially if the alternative is just having the money essentially disappear from your bank account.

The second part of it is the word of mouth. If you donate to a cause, how can you tell people about it? Telling other people about a cause you monetarily contributed to is not a great start because it feels like your pushing a burden on them. You fall into this uncomfortable area where you are telling someone how to use their money. It's also not a conversation that occurs naturally. Instead, you have to approach someone and say - hey there is this cause I donated to and you should to and here is why.

The physical representation that remains after you donate breaks that barrier. And the whistle, in this case, does so in a better way than the countless number of rubber bands do. Every so often someone will ask me what one of my rubber bands are for, but because so many people have them, they do not stand out as much. The whistle, however, is noticeably different. If it is under a shirt, it still stands out because it does not lay flat and is heavy enough that it moves around as I do. I don't typically wear something around my neck either, and so people will ask what I am wearing. When they find out that it is a whistle I am asked to explain. It is not common for someone to be wearing such a thing and so it is a really great way to tell people about the cause.

I know that there is a countless number of causes and it is unfair to claim any one as more deserving. I don't expect everyone to donate or get involved, but at the very least, I want them to know about the situation. If you don't know what Falling Whistles is, please visit the website. It won't take more than 5 minutes of your time to read the story behind it. From there, it is your decision to get involved. Even reading it makes you a part of it. Now you can tell someone else. Even if you don't send them a thing, you are helping by reading, becoming aware, and having the potential to tell someone else.