Guinness World Record BBQ

I was asked advice about helping homeless and things I do. I thought “I’d kill two birds with one stone” and write a blog post and just say a few things I do.

Firstly every person is different and I adjust to what they say more than anything. I do my ‘Pie & Coke’ which is me going up to someone and just asking if they would like to join me in having something to eat and drink. The idea is to buy the food and just sit and listen. I have found most people like to talk about themselves and homeless are no different. But listening to them I get an understanding of where there coming from.

You see people are homeless because of different reasons and only a fool would think they know the reason before talking to the person. The thing I learnt quickly was that sometimes there can be a quick fix to help people and some is a long road. In a lot of cases it’s mental health, something that’s happened to them before they became homeless or just hardship that got on top of them. All of which is very important to address before even thinking of helping that person get off the streets.

But I think one of the most important things is I don’t ever sit above them, if their sitting on the grass then so am I. I talk to whoever it is as an equal and a mate. I try to understand what they have/are going through and I always offer (only) to help by contacting or giving the correct services I think would help them. Now I’d like to say this is very successful, sure a lot of people open up and I’m able to help them in a huge way, but I can say there’s heaps of homeless people I’ve not even being able to get their names. But the way I see it I manage to give them a hot meal and drink and that in itself is worthwhile.

I think that’s why I like walking around and offering to buy someone a meal and just chat. I’m just a guy trying to be a friend/mate, I don’t ask them to come to an office which some wouldn’t, I talk to them in their environment where they feel more comfortable.

Now I’m not a counsellor by any means and I’m sure they would handle things much better than anything I’d do or say. But I do the best I can, because I was homeless and I feel I do have an understanding of what they are going through. Besides I do have a great success rate and that’s better than doing nothing.

So in fact if I was to offer advice in helping ‘Homeless People’ then I would say “take the word homeless away and your left with just PEOPLE”.  I really think some people forget that they are really just dealing with people going through hard times and in a lot of cases that’s all. Whether it’s someone with Mental health, Bad past or even hardship they are people.

Now if I really wanted to get into details I’m sure I could write a book and better yet a series of books. But in my book the biggest thing to remember is that some people slide off the tracks a bit and it’s understanding why first is the biggest step.

One thing I have learnt is that if you push for helping when they’re not ready then you may get burnt and waste resources.

Now on a different note, lately I have been doing my BBQ’s every 2 months and helping a lot of homeless and people in need at one time. But because of me having Leukaemia and recent events with me having a Heart attack and a Stroke in the last 10 months I am trying to put in place a ‘Guinness Book of World Records’ for the biggest BBQ helping homeless and people in need. You see I want to show how much help is needed because of the numbers of people coming. So the next BBQ is planned to be in November. I know it means not helping people with BBQ’s every 2 months but I really feel doing this will help many more in the future if it gets the awareness of numbers out.

I’m sure there’s a lot of people will want to come on board and help with this one and to be honest I’ll need all the help I can get. Haha So please email or call me.

I’d like to thank you for reading my blog and I hope you have a great day.

Grant the Polite Guy

grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

0412 190 011

Heart

This post is going to be all “Heart”

Bernie the Polite Girl and I did a post on Facebook for people to come and help sort some of the clothes that we had for the next BBQ event. Mostly putting all the male clothes in the bag marked males etc. Well 6 people answered the call to come and give up there Saturday and give a hand. Rod, Pauline, Dave, Denise, Tom and Troy.

These guys turned up with wide smiles and ready to be put to work helping. We all started going through bags and sorting damaged clothes and putting the good ones into their right bag. The atmosphere and heart coming from everyone was awesome with fun and jokes, but most of all we all knew we were doing a lot of work to help others for later. I must say I was proud to not just be there but to just know these awesome people.

The time came for us to finish bagging clothes and we just sat and had a few more laughs before everyone went home. For me this was one of the reasons I started doing BBQ’s, it shows the community coming together to help with no reason but to know there helping people in need. Two of them (Dave and Denise) travelled from the Gold Coast, can’t make the next event because of plans already which will be the only event they haven’t been to since I started 3 years ago. But they showed up full of heart ready to help here without ever seeing the end result of a homeless or person in need using them clothes. Their ACE’S in my book and always will be.

Now writing about Dave and Denise reminded me of a story I was told a while ago which at the time gave me hope and inspiration. Dave’s mum and she neighbour went to the store to buy a lot of toothbrush’s to donate at our BBQ, going to the checkout the young lady working the cashier asked why so many toothbrush’s. Dave’s mum explained about the BBQ’s and about how they were donating them. The cashier (In the Gold Coast) asked them to wait a minute and ran off, Came back with $20 and asked if they would get more to donate from her.

The next time Dave’s mum went back to the store the cashier did the same thing. This is someone that will never meet the people who gets the toothbrush’s, but she knew they were going to people in need. The sad thing is I don’t even know her name to mention on here. But hearing about someone like that really inspired me to do so much more because others are too.

One thing that makes me so proud and that’s that I go on Facebook, Twitter or walk through the city and I hear from all these people wanting to help or about what they’re doing to help homeless/people in need. To think I know such awesome and great people really inspires me to do so much more because I feel like I’m not alone trying to help.

I want to thank you all for reading my post and I hope you all have a great day.

Grant the Polite Guy

Grant Richards

0412 190 011

grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

I'm Back

Well to say I’ve been busy is an understatement, ha ha that’s for sure. I’ll write a recap about what’s been happening.

I made a request for people to make donations for coffee carts which were around $5,000 to build. I am proud to say the first one is being built right now. Just AWESOME. Thank you to all those who did donate and those who will.

To donate please do at an account that is set up for the coffee carts.

St Greoge Bank.

BSB 114-879

ACC 467524908

 

The next homeless BBQ has been planned for the

28^th of April  

Browns Park, Ipswich

10am to 2pm

Now this BBQ is going to be no different than the others, We’ll be collecting beforehand to hand out Clothes, Toiletries, Food/Drinks, Blankets/Sleeping Bags, Tin Food, Kids Toys and things like that. But the one need that is more important is handing out fliers before the day and helpers on the day. To donate these items please come on the day or contact me on 0412 190 011, grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

A lot of people have said that they haven’t seen me for a few weeks, Well two weeks ago I have a mini stroke. I spent almost a week in hospital and I’ve been taking it easy for the last week. In fact I’m starting to think I’m invincible because in the last 12 months I was diagnosed with Leukaemia, had a mild heart attack and now a mini stroke. I remember the Doc saying “One day you’ll lean down to tie your shoe laces and just drop.” I know this is serious but I smiled and said “I have too many people to help before I go mate and besides I don’t have laces on my boots.” So if you don’t see me as much I’m trying to take it easy or doing treatments/tests.

One thing I love to do is work on projects that help people. While I was homeless I thought of an idea about an educational DVD, when young girls get their period for the first time. For some, this can be very nerve wrecking if they don’t have a lot of information about the changes to their body. So while homeless, it seems so funny now, but I would put coins in a pay phone and call lots of different sanitary-item companies asking them what information they send young girls. I remember going to an internet café trying to find an educational DVD for young girls for when they get their period for the first time. Got nowhere fast, so I decided to make one. I wrote the script, I used a doctor and a nurse to present on the DVD, it turned out AWESOME! It covers great things like health and hygiene, changes to the body,  how to use and dispose of products, what is a period, and everything young girls need to know. I know, it seems weird, but a homeless guy thought of this and the DVD is very successful and is going to help a lot of people in the future worldwide.

To check out the new website that I have, please go to www.youngladystarterkit.com

I was inspired so much because of helping people using these DVDs I am now going to be doing an educational DVD on important things like bullying, manners and politeness, sex education (the birds and the bees), sexually transmitted diseases, contraception. And many more.

I would like to thank you for reading this blog post. I will be writing more regularly, but as I said my health has been bad and I am sorry for not writing as much. I hope you all have a great day, and if you could help promote this current DVD I have, I believe it will help even more people.

Thank you again,

Grant the Polite Guy
From the Polite Team
0412 190 011
grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

Helping Flood Victim and Homeless BBQ

The floods are back and people are feeling the hardships. Some losing everything they own and facing that hard truth of how fast it can happen. For a lot of people the worst isn’t over. They have to return to their homes and see what if anything is left and the clean up.

Now I’m not going to write about the flood, because the media is all over it. Every channel.

What I want to write about is, there’s nothing worse than when you realize you have lost everything and that feeling of hopelessness of being able to do nothing about it. Not a good feeling. I know I have faced it many of times.

I woke up this morning and saw the horror on T.V. I spoke to Bernie the Polite Girl and we quickly agreed.

On Sunday the 17^th of Feb

10am to 2pm

At Musgrave Park

Signal Flare is doing a BBQ for Homeless, Flood Victims and People in Need.

Now I have done many BBQ’s for the Homeless and people in need. This one will be no different except a lot bigger. As before all things will be given out for free and nothing is charged for anything. There will also be services there that can help in huge ways so if your Homeless or Flood affected or just in Need then come and get help. It’s for you too.

 But this BBQ will need so much more.

Insect Repellents

Can Food

Cleaning Products

Kids Toys (A lot of kids lost all their toys too)

Clothes (All sizes from babies to XXX Large)

Toiletries

Blankets

Pillows

Linen (Sheet, pillow cases and things like that)

Kitchen things (Plates, cups and things)

Pot’s and Pans

A lot of people helping sort things before, during and after the event.

Truck load of food and drinks. Haha Did I say one truck load. Haha Many needed I think.

Now the rest I’m thinking if people could take a picture and we will have a board for the pictures and people can request things from that board, e.g. Beds, tables and chairs, Vacuum’s, Iron/boards, Furniture, TV’s and things like that. If people tell us they have them to give then we can offer on the day and it can go straight from person giving to person needing them. NOT brought to the park event.

I know this is a bigger list then I have done before, but these people will need them to start making their lives normal again so I say please help if you can.

This is a chance to help people when they need it most. If people want to contact on Facebook about this event please go to https://www.facebook.com/events/318332258266319

I’m not going to write along post today because I have so much to do helping people. I will ask that this event will help that many more people if you share this post and help get the word out, you can do this by hitting the blue “F” or “T” at the bottom of this post. We’d have more helping and more finding out where to get help.

I’d like to thank you all for reading this blog post and I hope your all safe from this flood and if not please know there’s help coming.

Grant the Polite Guy

0142 190 011

grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

P.S A great person (Karen Croke that helps as much as I do) and I (Grant Richards) has been nominated  for volunteer of the year and need votes to win. Please do on https://www.facebook.com/heritage/app_386506774774794 The winner get $1,000 for them and $10,000 towards their charity. Karen or I can help a lot more people with that money.

Thank you again.

Grant the Polite Guy

The start of it all

I was sitting here thinking about how big things have gotten and it made me think about how it all started. So I thought I’d write about how the very first BBQ started and why.

I hate to say it, but all this started with a lady which was one of my customers, coming up to me and asking me “If I give you some clothes that don’t fit any more could you pass them on to someone that needs them?” at the time I was homeless myself and thought of all the homeless I had meet over time, I knew if the lady gave me clothes I could find someone that it fit.

“Of course I can and I’ll make sure they go to someone that really needs them.”

The next day in the morning I was selling my Big Issue magazines and that same lady came to me with a bag of clothes, smiling with a broad and wide smile. I could tell she was proud she was doing something really good. I took the bag and that afternoon a girl was wearing them. I remember that great feeling of joy looking into the girl’s eyes as I handed out clothes from the bag and asking if she could use them.

That night I remember laying on a bench at Southbank thinking of how many people had clothes and things they never used. I know I didn’t sleep much that night, but I was so positive in thinking that it felt good to just lay there and think/daydream. It was a huge turning point for me and I think I knew it.

The next day I changed my Thank you notes to include, On (Date) I’m collecting clothes to be given to Micah which will be handed out to homeless for free.

A lot of people started talking to me (over the two weeks) about how great it was and to be ready for a lot of clothes, they weren’t wrong. On the morning of collecting the clothes there were bags everywhere. I filled two taxi’s fill and I mean fill. Ha ha I remember the second taxi driver saying it won’t all fit, but what he didn’t know was that I didn’t have much money and I didn’t think I had enough for the two taxi so the third taxi wasn’t going to happen. It all fit. I sat on bags and carried bags on my lap but it all fit. Ha ha

Making it to Micah we unloaded bags everywhere and to be honest if I hadn’t done it myself I wouldn’t have believed it would have fit too. I paid the taxi’s and had a couple of dollars left. The staff of Micah were very impressed and thanked me a lot. I reminded them of their promise of not charging homeless for them and left with a feeling of archiving something very great.

After that I spent weeks telling homeless that Micah had a storeroom of clothes if they needed any.

About a month later I had been told by some of my customers that they had more clothes and asking when I’m doing it again. My mind went into helping mode and I called ‘The 139 Club’ saying I’m going to share the love and do a collection in two weeks for them. I changed my Thank you note again. Ha ha.

Even though I was homeless at this time I had some great friends, one of them (Brad) came up to me and said “Grant I love what you’re doing, so if you ask The 139 Club I will put a few snags on a BBQ for the homeless when they come and collect the clothes.” I thought this was a great idea and called them that day. They said a BBQ idea was good but better if I did it at the park down the road. (more area)

I contacted the Council right after to see what I would have to do. Now I still get a laugh about this next bit because of the way things were said. I meet Brain from the council (A Top Guy) and we walked through New Farm park looking for a great location for this BBQ, when he turned and said “How many are you expecting to come?” I turned and said “ Not sure yet but if I’m going to do a BBQ for homeless there’s is a lot of them, maybe 400 will come.” Brain looked at me and asked “what organization was I from?”  I smiled and said “I’m Grant the Polite Guy with a lot of friends.”

Brain left letting me know of all the things I’d need for such a big event and saying that Musgrave Park would be better location while shaking his head. Haha I didn’t know I’d need half the things Brain told me so it was great he did. I walked back to the city thinking I’m in over my head and it was a good idea but I don’t have the resources for something like this.

I walked pass a park and for some reason I noticed 3 homeless laying on benches, but the thing I noticed more was that 2 of them had bags which would have held clothes and things. 1 of them didn’t have a bag and it made me think of when I was jumped and my bag was stolen. There’s nothing worst because you loss everything in life all over again.

I got to the city and called the council saying I’d take Musgrave Park and I planned the BBQ for 4 weeks later. I remember thinking if I made it longer then I would work as hard getting it together and maybe cancel it all together. 4 weeks meant getting it done now. There was a need and this was too important not to do.

A homeless guy was going to put on a BBQ for the homeless. I knew I’d need a lot of things, but I also kept thinking I have a lot of friends and wasn’t alone.

Now the people I’m about to mention have helped from day one and to this day has turned up and helped, never asking for any credit or even a mention on here or in the media. These people are true helpers which I couldn’t have done any of these BBQ without them. They do it because their hearts are in the right place.

Adrian- I went to see Adrian at his printing shop and said I needed fliers to hand out to homeless. The only way to get homeless there was to get a lot of fliers and walk around handing out and telling them on the streets. Adrian has now moved to a different printing place but he still prints my fliers and posters. I also get fliers from Worldwide Printing  32298522   

Tony- is just amazing and without him I don’t think we would have gotten going in them 4 weeks. You see the (Don’t remember how) radio like the fact that a homeless person was doing a BBQ for the homeless and asked me to be on radio to promote it and ask for help with resources putting it all together. Tony called and out of his pocket paid for most of the things needed for the first BBQ. For that I owe the man and he will always have my respect and be a mate.

Andrew-  has a high position in the Nab Bank and like Tony put his hand into his pocket and helped with the first and every event which help me to of made it happen. He even brought the first marquee. Haha. I owe so much to Andrew for just being the great mate he is. I can say this and that’s “The guy’s got contacts” haha there’s nothing he can’t get or do.

Vanessa- she’s awesome and likes to be tough (I wouldn’t mess with her. Haha) but really she has a heart of gold and every BBQ she helps in such huge ways, But the biggest thing she does is keeps me wanting to help more just to be more like her. I know she will want to kick my ass for writing this but it’s true. She’s soft hearted and makes me want to be more like her when helping people. Sorry Ness. Haha

Craig- On my first BBQ I had no-where near the clothes needed for such a huge event. I posted on Face book, Twitter and of course here on my blog and asked for help getting clothes and things. Craig called and said he had all the clothes and toiletries needed for the event. You see he collected a lot of things from people while the floods were on and after the floods and less to help he had warehouses full of box’s. I got a van load of box’s of clothes and drinks.

Brad- Now this was all his fault because he started this by saying he would do a small BBQ out the front of 139 Club. The guy is one of my best mates and I can say he has turned up to every BBQ and on the last one came and brought St. John’s First Aid with him as now he’s a First Aid officer. The guy is like a rock for me and sometimes grounds me when I slide off track. As mates go there’s no better.

Dave & Denise- These guys have been to every BBQ I have ever done and one of our biggest collectors when it comes to clothes and things. I would write more about them but I’m doing my next post on them because their awesome.

WOW this post became long and I’m sorry about that. But the thing is some people turn up and only want to be famous or have the media. These guys have helped in so many ways and yet in most cases this is their first mention since all this started 1 ½ years ago. I say “Thank you”

But to finish my story, the BBQ happened within the 4 weeks with help of these people as well. I wasn’t alone, I formed a team and have watched many come and go. But those guys have been around since me.

The BBQ was a huge success and help many, the start of long road of helping people even me. I got on my feet after the third BBQ because I never used any of the resources for myself because I never collect for me I collected for others.

1,800 words, once again I’m sorry for the long post.

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and maybe understand that anyone can put together a BBQ for the homeless because when I decided to do it I gave myself 4 weeks and I had nothing. (I was homeless)

Please share this post by using the button below. If anything I want to bring homeless awareness everywhere.

Thank you again.

Grant the Polite Guy

grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

0412 190 011

Grant the Polite Guy's Coffee Cart Start

Oh do I have some great news first. As a lot of you would know at our last BBQ there was Fiona Deadman who produces “The Great South East” T.V show. Well she filmed some of our event and it’s going to be air this Sunday 23^rd on channel 7 at 6:30pm “Dreams for a better world”. I’m excited about it because any awareness this can bring to homelessness in Australia then I’m all for it.

In the past I wrote about putting a coffee cart together. It is a great idea where I only employ homeless or people in need to run it.  I’d quickly help get 2 people on their feet with make-overs and everything they need, then get them the best training (I know a guy that owns a coffee shop and said he’d train all staff for free) then give them a job which earns above award wage working the coffee cart.

But wait it gets better ha ha, from every cup of coffee sold the business would donate 20cents to holding the BBQ’s I do. So really I’d be helping 2 people get on their feet and then every cup of coffee they sold would be helping others to get on their feet as well.

Well the first thing I had to do was get a location. Hey I did it. I have 2 great locations which have agreed to having the cart there. Next thing I’d need is to confirm the training the people would need. I have done that and I myself will be doing it (So I know what I’m talking about and I can help others when asked) in the first week of January.

Now all I need is the carts. I have collected some money (Thank you Sally and others). I sat down and worked out with Nathan (coffee shop guy) that with signs, jugs and a whole lot of different things I’d need $5500 more for each cart and that’s getting someone to make it because brand new there about $12,000.

I’m not doing this to just help people get on their feet, I’m doing it to help so many people to change their lives in such a more positive way and the good thing is if people choose to move on to bigger and better things then hey I can help another homeless or person in need right away. But the best thing here is people will be getting a chance in life and learning skills and have a great start in hospitality industry that they can take anywhere.

I ask you this, if you haven’t already spent all your money on Christmas yet then maybe consider donating using the donating button or email grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com me for bank details. I’m going to make next year a great year for people who want to get on their feet by helping people with a hand up, not by giving them a hand out.

Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year, But of all things please be safe over the holidays.

Grant the Polite Guy

grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

0412 190 011.

Bernie the Polite Girl's first BBQ

I know I have talked about pride before, in fact many times. Ha ha. But I once again feel nothing but pride again. The BBQ was a huge success. We didn’t get the numbers I wanted but hey I always want more so we can help more. If thousands turning up than I’d want more. A lot of people that turned up did get help and for some in a huge way. To me that’s what it’s all about.

As you would expect Bernie the Polite Girl, me and of course my little daughter “Jasmine the Polite Little Girl” turned up first about 7:30am with marquees and tables with the help of a few helpers. I remember thinking as we started about how my health has been bad with my back and the Leukaemia treatments and the fact that ‘Bernie the Polite Girl’ had done most of the work putting all this together, this is it, we have planned and worked hard for this day and all of us seemed excited that we were going to help so many. Which to me was nothing but heart.

Dalton’s Hospitality’s made an entrance with 5 big vehicles holding the kitchen for this event and all I could think of was how huge and great this is going to be. Now I’ve done a few of these BBQ’s and every-time it’s getting better. I know some really great people now too.

This being a bigger event then I have ever done Bernie the Polite Girl and I worked as a team putting everything together, the kitchen, marquees, tables, all the organizations set up their stalls to give information about their services, clothes were stacked up at the ready to given away for free, and the music was playing. We were ready.

We started being so proud that so many helpers came and gave up their time to help people in need when they needed it most. Bernie the Polite Girl and I kept putting homeless people with working people and saying things like “could you go with (name of person) and help him to get clothes and anything he needs please.” The idea is that a homeless person would not be alone and have what we thought was like a Buddy System. In a lot of cases it worked well and we could see working people sitting and talking with homeless on an equal level. As one unit.

The reason we thought this was such a great idea was because we thought if the homeless person felt more uplifted having a friend and talking to someone who was there to help and not care that they were homeless. (really anyone that came to help wanted to help someone that was homeless so why would they) Now I can’t take credit for this because it was Bernie’s idea. I think it worked well.

There was another reason and that’s, that we felt if working people spend more time with a or many homeless then it would hit home more about what it is like to be homeless. More of an understanding and some of the reasons why they were homeless.

We had many people thank us on the day and for some saying “It really opened my eyes, thank you for putting this event together” that’s working people thanking me for being able to help homeless and see why they were in the position they were in.

Come on guys we don’t need to put on an event for you to see or help homeless, these homeless people are someone’s Brothers, Sisters, Mothers, Grand Parents.

I’d like to let people know that I didn’t do this on my own, I reached out and some amazing organizations banded together and said I’m there and helping anyway we can. These guys are who really put these BBQ’s together. All heart, I owe them so much for what they do. This is really the community coming together to help. But the one person that did more than anyone even me was Bernie the Polite Girl. I’m sure this event wouldn’t have happened without her working so hard. I can’t thank her enough.

Our Major Contributors are:

Craig from Connected.

This guy has help since my very first BBQ and really helped me out when I got started. Awesome with everything he does. I’m proud just to know him.

Dalton’s Hospitality.

 

 

Jerome Dalton is a legend with the golden heart he has. When Jerome found out about this event he raised his hand and said he’d take care of all food for a 1,000 homeless. He brought his amazing crew of Dalton’s Hospitality with all equipment for the day. It was 5star food and fresh juice making machines drinks all the way. While working hard getting all the cooking done Jerome also meet Wayne (a guy very much down on his luck and gave him a job to start the next day) I’m writing this in more detail later on.

Now when the event was done and finished Jerome’s crew packed up and finished, but this amazing guy stayed back to help us pack too. I am hard to impress, but with everything Jerome done I was impressed. I am proud to call Jerome a mate. Thank you

A & G Insurance

 

 

I contacted Ram (CEO of A & G Insurance) the guy right away wanted to know what he could do to help with this amazing event. They supplied a huge tent for shade and paid for the bus hire so we could pick people up and return from the Valley and Spring Hill. Now if that was it well awesome. But no Ram with the help of Robert put together 25 staff to come as helpers on the day and yes Ram and Robert were one of the first at the event. Bernie the polite Girl and I was proud to introduce them to many homeless. I think both Ram and the homeless got a lot out of it on the day.  Thank you

Streetsmart

 

 

Are an amazing organization which donated $500 towards this event and helped to promote the event which Bernie put this together and did all the work with this one. Streetsmart are going to be meeting us in the future to help us to get better results. We need all the help we can get. Ha ha. Thank you

 

 

Second Bite.

 

 

These guys are so good, they turned up with ONE TONNE of fruit for this event and really helped make this event that much more awesome. Once again Bernie did all the contacts and made this happen. Thank you

 

There were so many organizations that came and even people that helped in such a huge way on their own. I thank you and will get to write about a lot of you as I go.

Wayne the Man.

 

Wayne lives in a lodge which his long term girlfriend lives in a lodge next door because it’s cheaper for them. These lodges are cheap but not nice. But there better off than being on the streets.

Wayne is the type of the guys we are always looking for when trying to help someone because all he talked about is getting on his feet and getting over the hard times he’s facing. I told him to come to the BBQ and we could help with job interview clothes and things like that. Well he turned up and went straight for the clothes and I noticed that he really was looking for job interview clothes.

I was busy with everything else with the BBQ but I pulled Wayne aside and said mate does it matter what kind of work your looking for? He said Grant I just want to get on my feet as soon as I can. I asked him to wait seated for a moment and went straight to my mate Jerome Dalton and said “Mate I have someone just down on his luck, but I really think he’s trying so would you consider just talking to him?” Jerome looked around at all the people in need and said right away “Of course mate I’d be happy to”

They meet and sat on the grass to talk. Wayne came to me hugged me, thanking me many times and was so excited to be having a job. He started to tear up and I quickly told him not to because we have to quickly get him work clothes and shoes for kitchen work, but the real reason was if he started tears then I would too because I was so happy for him. We got him clothes and the right shoes for him. He continued to thank me many of times when I stopped him and said “Mate I need a favour” he said “anything Grant” I said “Mate get on your feet and then come back and help someone else on the next BBQ” He hugged me again and said “Mate you got it”

I have a tear now because while writing this 5 days after that event, I know he worked everyday and done 35 hours. Jerome is happy with him and I know it’s a great start for Wayne to get on his feet. I wish Wayne all the best and I’ll always be here if he falls off the tracks again.

This is why I do these BBQ and help people, because people get help.

I know a lot of people have sent me a mountain of emails saying how great I was because of this event, I wish I could take the credit but I can’t because Bernie the Polite Girl did most of planning and putting it all together. She even put together most of the organizations that came. My health has be pretty bad so I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her.

Bernie the Polite Girl will be taking over these BBQ’s as my replacement, but don’t worry I will always be here to help her with everything I have as well. I just want to make sure these events go on because we do help so many.

 I’d like to thank you all for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day.

Grant the Polite Guy

Email and Facebook grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

Twitter @grantpoliteguy