When something bad happens to someone, instinctively we want to help. A helping hand turns into many helping hands as someones challenge is taken on as a challenge by others to respond. It starts a movement.

The recent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a movement that has raised millions for research for ALS, also know as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. The father of a close friend was recently diagnosed. So, when Polaris CEO challenged Polaris dealers to the Ice Bucket Challenge, I responded, donated and got drenched in ice water. It seems crazy. It is, but it worked.

Ice Bucket Challenge Response to Polaris

Another movement I was lucky to be a part of was the Wesley’s Warrior’s motorcycle rally. Wesley was an awesome young man that didn’t live to far away from our motorcycle shop. After being diagnosed with cancer, his wish was to be in a motorcycle gang. His wish came true as motorcyclists from all over East Idaho responded to the challenge with their motorcycle and generous donations to help Wesley and his family. Like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, people of all backgrounds with nothing in common other than a motorcycle came to be a part of a movement.

Wesley’s Warriors Motorcycle Gang

People around us face challenges, big and small, every single day. It doesn’t take a movement to give a helping hand. The Savior taught, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these…ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40, King James Holy Bible) and that we should “iGive, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38) Whether we are ministering individually to someone that needs uplifting in a simple way or we are serving side by side with the multitudes, we can make a difference and be blessed with a little more happiness and a fuller life. It doesn’t really matter if we are pouring water on our head or helping someone get up that falls down, we just need to give! – Jared Burt