Generosity Capers

Ca-per (noun): an activity or escapade, typically one that is illicit or ridiculous.

One of the breakout sessions in the Celebration of Generosity Conference yesterday was titled, Generosity Capers. In it, they talked about the importance and impact of creating unique giving opportunities. Capers come in all shapes and sizes. Some capers are expensive, while others are cheap. Some capers are planned, while others are spontaneous. Some capers benefit friends, while others benefit strangers. Some capers are complex, while others are simple. Some capers are serious, while others are silly. Some capers involve cash, while others involve goods or services.

A large tip for the waitress. An anonymous utility bill payment for a struggling colleague. Inviting a friend on a trip, then paying for them. Unexpectedly mowing your neighbor’s lawn while they are gone for the weekend. Surprising a loved one when a service member returns early from a deployment……those always get me! All examples of generosity capers. The possibilities are endless, and we’re only limited by our creativity.

I frequently talk about this topic on the podcast (including our recent episode 220), but I never had a name for it. Now I do! They are called generosity capers! This is one of my favorite forms of giving. Yesterday’s session convicted me of a few things when it comes to generosity capers:

1) They matter more than I realized, and there’s a whole army of people perpetrating them.

2) I need to get even more ridiculous in my execution.

3) I need to do a better job bringing others into my capers.

As part of the session, they created their own caper. In the printed materials handed out to us, one person had a little sticker hidden in it. That person was surprised to receive a Chic-fil-A delivery, scheduled to arrive in just a few minutes (yes, during the session). That wasn’t the caper, though. Earlier in the day, the session leader reached out to Chic-fil-A’s manager and specifically asked them to hand-select who would make this delivery. The manager chose a single mom who had recently experienced a lot of life. This is where it gets good. The session leader communicated to us that the plan was to surprise the delivery person with an unexpected cash gift (we’ll call it a handsome tip). The gift was going to be “in the four figures.” Then, the session attendees were invited to participate if they desired. People all around me were ripping out their wallets and frantically scanning Venmo QR codes to submit their gifts.

About 10 minutes later, in comes the delivery. It was a somewhat awkward situation to hand-deliver a sack of yummy chicken in front of a crowded hotel ballroom, but she came rolling up with a smile on her face. A woman in our group shared some encouraging words with the woman, then prayed for her. Then, a man handed her a check…….$5,000!!!! She looked stunned. “That’s a big tip,” she exclaimed with a shaky voice. She couldn’t quite find the words, but her eyes spoke humility and gratitude. The energy in the room was amazing and I’m so grateful to be part of such a gesture.

Generosity capers, man! New name, same great taste. Generosity always wins!

* stay tuned for some absolutely ridiculous capers, coming soon.