How a Ripple of Kindness Becomes a $300,000 Wave | Ashley Lehmann & Amber McGarvey-Moreland

Two hundred dollars feels small. A hundred women giving two hundred dollars at once turns into something else entirely.

That’s the idea behind Ripple of Kindness Orillia, the women’s giving circle Ashley Lehmann and Amber McGarvey-Moreland co-direct. In this conversation they talk about how a simple act of kindness, pooled together and repeated, has sent more than $300,000 to local charities. We get into what kindness actually means to them, why Amber brought a chapter home to Orillia, and the moments that have stayed with them. The very first donation funded a palliative care bed at Mariposa House Hospice. The Salvation Army gift brought one of them full circle, back to the Christmas hampers her own family once relied on.

It’s a conversation about how giving can reshape a community, and how the small things really do add up.

Please note that this transcript was made through a software and it may not be entirely accurate.

00;00;02;14 – 00;00;12;21
NARRATOR: You’re listening to the Behind the Village podcast, where we invite you to join us on a journey to understand how to live a life worth living.

00;00;12;24 – 00;00;37;25
HOST: Ashley Lehmann and Amber McGarvey-Moreland are co-directors of the Orillia chapter of Ripple of Kindness. I can’t begin to explain how incredible these two women are, how much they care for and support our communities, inspirational through the years. The work they’ve done with Ripple of Kindness has resulted in donating over $300,000 in support of many local charities and organizations.

00;00;37;27 – 00;01;08;17
AMBER: Ripple of Kindness is a women’s giving circle. It’s an opportunity to connect with like-minded women in the community and make an impact with our charitable donations. It was founded in Barrie ten years ago by Mary-Anne Frith and Barbara White. And then just over six years ago, I thought I could bring a chapter to Orillia and ask for their permission and blessings.

00;01;08;19 – 00;01;32;20
AMBER: And so the Orillia chapter became the first official chapter from Barrie. So it’s just the two of us. And then Ripple of Kindness in Simcoe County. We make two $200 donations a year in Orillia, and so recognizing that I could donate to any charity $200 and it’s going to make a small impact, maybe a bit bigger for some of the smaller charities.

00;01;32;23 – 00;01;59;02
AMBER: But if 100 of us donate $200 at one time, that’s going to make a greater impact, and we can all feel that ripple. So that’s the concept of a ripple of kindness. It inspires people to think about how they can be philanthropic. And for some people, again, that $200 is the first or the largest donation they’ve ever made to a charity.

00;01;59;05 – 00;02;20;07
AMBER: And when we meet at our socials, that really gives this nice impact, and the warm fuzzies that you get around giving. And we hope that it really inspires further giving into the future.
HOST: Talk to me about kindness and giving and those kinds of things. How do you define it, and why is it important to you?

00;02;20;07 – 00;02;49;07
ASHLEY: Philanthropy is very important to me. I didn’t grow up with a lot, I really didn’t, and I know that my mom had to work hard. And it was something that she taught me when I was little. If you can help, just help. And it’s just those little small acts of kindness. It’s down to a small, simple smile, or asking somebody if they need help opening the door or putting their groceries away.

00;02;49;09 – 00;03;20;28
ASHLEY: I have practiced that since I was young, and it’s something that I’m doing with my children. And I just think, having this ROK, with this small but massive group of women, we can do such a small thing and make it huge. And that’s the way I look at it. It could be a small smile or a small donation, and it just ends up changing somebody’s whole day, or a whole charity. It’s just inspiring that you do something so small and it becomes so big.

00;03;20;29 – 00;03;42;11
ASHLEY: That’s the way I see philanthropy. Whether it’s taking a food donation or just the smallest things, it makes your whole day so much brighter. And when I’m having a bad day, like today, I did put my little hedgehog down yesterday, so it’s a heavy day. I have found myself just being kind to people, because you don’t know what they’re going through.

00;03;42;12 – 00;03;59;20
ASHLEY: They don’t know that I lost my hedgehog, but they could do something down to just smiling at me. And it could, I don’t know. I’ll ramble on about it forever. It’s just the smallest things mean the most to me.
HOST: Yeah.

00;03;59;22 – 00;04;44;15
AMBER: Life is so hard, and not everyone is as open as others about the challenges and difficulties and the sorrows of life. And we come from a pretty privileged place to be able to do this work. My goal is to hopefully leave the world in a better place than when I go. Any time that you can help another human being who might be struggling, might be having a bad day, or multiple days, where life just isn’t treating them well.

00;04;44;18 – 00;05;03;17
AMBER: People go through a lot of struggles, and when you can be kind to someone, it just makes the world a better place. So why wouldn’t we start with our community and see what we can do? And it kind of sounds cliché, the ripple of kindness makes a wave of impact, but it really does, helping one another.

00;05;03;17 – 00;05;26;14
AMBER: [uncertain] That’s why we’re here. I just think it’s pretty beautiful to be in a room. We’ve got to know the members over the years, but for new members joining, you already have something in common with everyone there. You want to help the community. You attract your like-minded. You already have the common denominator.

00;05;26;17 – 00;05;52;04
AMBER: [uncertain] And there’s so much wisdom. We don’t really share this that often, but it’s worth noting that we have members from age 18 to their 90s. The wealth of wisdom and knowledge in those rooms when we gather is really inspiring. And we all have something to teach, or advice, or support and encouragement.

00;05;52;06 – 00;06;17;08
ASHLEY: [uncertain] It’s a beautiful, beautiful place to be. And it really does inspire, like, how can I do more? That’s how I feel after leaving our socials. What else can I do?
HOST: Yeah, and it’s important. And that support is important too. As I talk to more and more people, that aspect of connecting with others who are the same, it’s so important, whatever that is.

00;06;17;08 – 00;06;44;10
ASHLEY: And you learn so much too. Something I really love about our ROK, and I know a lot of our members, especially our new members, have mentioned they learn more about the community and the resources and all the charities in Orillia they’ve never even heard of. And I love that, because there have been a few I didn’t really know about until we’re reading about it in our voting email, and I’m just like, wow.

00;06;44;10 – 00;07;05;07
ASHLEY: I didn’t know that was available in Orillia, like, that’s incredible. I want to learn more about that, I want to help, like Hillcrest Lodge and the Community Fridge. Those are our last two recipients. Amber and I are going to do some gardening for Hillcrest Lodge. It’s just opening up all these doors of where this community needs help and volunteers.

00;07;05;07 – 00;07;32;04
ASHLEY: And again, just more philanthropy in so many different ways.
HOST: Yeah. Isn’t there that saying, I don’t know if it was in a movie, but something along the lines of, look for the helpers? I forget where it’s from, but I’ve heard that before. In times of struggle, you’ll always find that.

00;07;32;06 – 00;07;52;03
HOST: Yeah. And I think that’s important. Trying to be more connected to the community and be part of more things, especially in this way, you’re able to find those people. And the way you said it, Amber, life is hard. It’s really challenging, and there’s a lot going on in the world right now.

00;07;52;03 – 00;08;14;17
ASHLEY: [uncertain] And then to be able to look and see that in our community we have this group of people, it’s so nice and reassuring. You know how people say when they work out they feel better? Helping people and doing small acts of kindness boosts my energy more than a workout.

00;08;14;23 – 00;08;44;11
ASHLEY: [uncertain] Don’t get me wrong, workouts are great, but I prefer going and doing a small act of kindness, helping somebody with their groceries or paying for their groceries, or putting food in the community fridge. That’s my go-to.
HOST: Do you have a specific moment or a story with Ripple of Kindness that stands out to you?

00;08;44;13 – 00;09;24;20
AMBER: So our inaugural social was in late 2018, and it was just to share the concept of ROK with people. We hoped we’d have a handful of members, I think the goal was 30 or 40 at that time. And come spring, May 2019, we had enough members, we had gone through the vote, and Mariposa House Hospice was still in their building phase and their campaign to raise money for the residential hospice.

00;09;24;23 – 00;09;51;11
AMBER: I’m pausing because it’s very near and dear to my heart, for people to die with dignity and receive palliative care and support, and for their loved ones to receive grief support, in a place like a residential hospice. And I only have one vote, just like everyone else. And when it came time to make the donation, it was to Mariposa House Hospice.

00;09;51;17 – 00;10;23;29
AMBER: So we all gathered, and our donation was over $20,000. Mariposa House Hospice representatives came to thank members and tell them about hospice, and what our donation would go to, what our funds would be used for. And that was a palliative care bed in the house. And there’s a Ripple of Kindness plaque that’s above or on the bed somewhere.

00;10;24;02 – 00;10;57;21
AMBER: And one of my past colleagues, who I referred to as my fairy godmother, who I worked at Hospice Orillia with years ago, her husband passed away last year. And she sent me a message on Facebook when I knew he was in hospice, and she said, Bill is in the Ripple of Kindness bed, and I can feel you.

00;10;57;23 – 00;11;25;20
AMBER: All with us, as I say my goodbyes. And I just thought it was so beautiful. How lucky we were to be part of that, the beginning. And plus probably other friends and acquaintances, but they got to go in the most beautiful space, with the most beautiful care from the staff and volunteers there.

00;11;25;22 – 00;11;58;06
AMBER: And it was years later, you know, this was just last year, all these years later, and it’s still making that impact. It continues to ripple. That is one of probably hundreds of moments that I’ll never forget.
HOST: Yeah, that’s pretty beautiful. Pretty special. One that really sticks out.

00;11;58;08 – 00;12;27;22
HOST: Amber, was it Captain Howard? Am I saying that right?
ASHLEY: Yeah, yeah, from the Salvation Army. They were our third recipient, was that correct? Yeah. He came to our social and spoke about what they’re going to do with the money they received from our ROK. And I don’t know, it just hit my emotions, because growing up, again, we didn’t come from a lot.

00;12;27;22 – 00;12;57;24
ASHLEY: And I know the Salvation Army is huge for their Christmas hampers. And I remember my mom using it one year. She just couldn’t make it happen, she tried her best, worked hard, but that one year she just had to do something to help, or get help. And the Salvation Army, I remember I was so young, but I remember them coming to my home with these beautiful hampers and food and gifts for me and my three other siblings.

00;12;57;26 – 00;13;21;28
ASHLEY: And then it tugged on my little heartstrings when they were the recipient, and he spoke about what they do with the money and the Christmas hampers. Yeah, that one really sticks with me.
HOST: Yeah, it’s beautiful. And I love that deep connection to those around us. It’s crazy how everything circles back.

00;13;22;00 – 00;13;54;27
HOST: And I find that with a lot of the things Ripple does, Ripple of Kindness, and even personally, I just find everything in the community circles back. Let’s talk about new members. Are there certain qualities that you hope members have when you’re accepting new members? Is it fairly open, or is there a process?
AMBER: They are always accepting new members, and the process is they go to the Orillia chapter tab at Ripple of Kindness.

00;13;54;27 – 00;14;35;24
AMBER: And it’s a simple membership form that takes 30 seconds to fill out, longer for me who forgets my own name sometimes. And we will help you with open arms. We will not accept any form of, we’re non-denominational, we are not here for politics or anything like that. Don’t come in with your own agenda. This is a place of peace and kindness. And those seem like basic qualities for people, but can be more of a struggle for others.

00;14;35;27 – 00;15;05;17
AMBER: And we just want people to join who want to help others. And that’s pretty achievable. We welcome people with open arms. Of course, the more people, the more members that we have, the bigger the impact of our gifts. And what’s also great is that 100% of our donation goes directly to the charity.

00;15;05;19 – 00;15;30;21
AMBER: We don’t have a bank account. We don’t take a fee of any sort to cover administrative things or costs. So when someone joins, they can join as an individual or they can join as a business. And for some of our members, it’s a really good opportunity to network. And that’s wonderful, especially if they’re a new or growing business.

00;15;30;23 – 00;16;01;05
AMBER: And it’s also a wonderful opportunity for newcomers to really get to know other women in the community, and to learn about the charities that we support that have been nominated, because they provide a 50-word pitch or description of their services. So they will learn about these charities, and some of the members, on top of donating to a recipient, will go and donate to or volunteer with some of the other organizations.

00;16;01;05 – 00;16;35;17
AMBER: So it has these really neat webs, ripples, waves that go out in different ways. But it’s a win-win being part of Ripple, a win-win-win. I will also say that it can be very appealing to younger members who may be in the demographic that’s raising kids, working full time, balancing their children’s or the family’s extracurricular activities, or their own.

00;16;35;19 – 00;17;00;20
AMBER: Because your only commitment is the $200 twice a year. You do not need to attend a social to make your donation. We actually have many members, members for six years, who haven’t attended a social. They’re often travelling, or it conflicts with their schedule, or they’re introverted and this is just not their thing, but they still want to be part of the beautiful, magical part.

00;17;00;23 – 00;17;24;08
AMBER: And to be able to do that, you can vote online, as long as you have access to the email. If you’re travelling, you can vote online. So you can be part of the poll without having the volunteer commitment. I would like to say thank you. A thank you to each and every one of our Ripple members.

00;17;24;15 – 00;17;55;27
AMBER: We say it in our speaking notes every time, at every social. But I don’t think people actually pause and reflect in that moment and say, oh, she’s talking to us, they’re referring to us, and take that in, because everyone’s so busy. So please, stop and take a moment to think of the 18 charities that we’ve supported, this $360,000 that has gone out into our community.

00;17;56;00 – 00;18;18;11
AMBER: Thank yourself for being a member. Give yourself a pat on the back. Bring someone to our next social, maybe they’ll be inspired to join too. But from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you so much. Because this is a beautiful thing, and you’re supporting us, you’re supporting the charities, you’re supporting all these individuals in your community.

00;18;18;11 – 00;18;26;01
AMBER: And what’s better than that?

00;18;26;04 – 00;18;38;22
HOST: Thank you both for joining me and sharing what’s important to you and how you view kindness and giving back. It’s people like you that encourage the rest of us to also jump in and do what we can to support others.

00;18;38;25 – 00;18;58;12
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00;18;58;14 – 00;19;07;08
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