A year ago, we have gifted Mike Shinoda with a special present for his 36th birthday: we asked Linkin Park fans from all over the world to join the “Random Acts of Kindness”-movement. 36 random acts of kindness from each participant in 1 year – a payback for all the good deeds Mike has performed in his life. For one year, we wanted to be more conscious about what we are doing, how we are treating our peers and how we can change their every day life for the better with just a small random act.

The response to this project was mindblowing. Not only did many fans start their lists, but we also started to discuss certain details, e.g. what is a random act of kindness? Holding open a door for a stranger? Isn’t that what we should do anyways? Is it about money? Sending out gifts and donating money to organizations isn’t for free, so does it depend on our wallets? Eventually, we decided that every single participant had to decided for themselves which deeds to count. The result is a bunch of lists that aren’t only creative and inspiring, but also totally different from each other. While one counted the “every day acts”, others worked a day for free at a comic store, and even others counted the random acts they received, which shows that recognizing the good deeds we receive is as important as doing them.

After this year, I have to say, that not many fans pulled through and finished their lists, but many were inspired by the project and got really far. I’ve decided to feature them in the video, too, cause I know those fans and I know that they did good things, they just stopped documenting them in their list, and why do we even have to? Okay, it looks cool in a video. Still, what matters is that we notice when we are needed, when we can change someone’s day for the better – recognizing those little windows of possibilities.

I want to thank all the participants. I’ve never been so proud to be a Linkin Park fan than when reading your submissions! You guys are awesome!

Also big thanks to my fellow staff member Lizzi Cloverman for creating the cool video!

Now we come to the important part:

Dear Mike,

the Linkin Park Fan Corner team wishes you a great 37th birthday! We hope that you spend a great day with your family (or studio equipment). I hope that the following video will make your day even merrier – like a random act of kindness ;-D
Thanks for being an inspiration for us!

Since we could only add a few items of everyone’s Random Acts of Kindness lists to the video, you can read the full lists below:

Ally

I am proud to say I have completed 36 Random Acts of Kindness in the name of myself, the community, family, and my friends! It was fun to do, and I hope to do something like this in the near future! Thanks again to the world for helping me become a better person!

#1. Donated books to a local library. – 2/24/2013

#2. Donated used items to Good Will. – 2/25/2013

#3. Volunteered to help out with inventory at a comic shop. – 3/2/2013

#4. Buying a friend something they really wanted. – 3/8/2013

#5. Gave up two guitar picks to two people who didn’t have any. – 3/12/2013 and 3/13/2013

#6. Picked Up Scattered Mail. – 3/30/2013

#7. Letting my brother-in-law, his wife, and kid stay at my apartment. – 7/22/13

#8. Helped family unload their stuff. – 7/22/2013

#9. Cleaned Out Room For Family. – 7/23/2013

#10. Helped relatives with the laundry. – 7/28/2013

#11. Babysat relatives baby. – 7/28/2013

#12. Took sister-in-law to the post office to change her address. – 7/30/2013

#13. Bought sister-in-law lunch. – 7/30/2013

#14. Took nephew to ER. – 7/30/2013

#15. Took sister-in-law to a Comcast business location to drop off cable modem. – 7/31/2013

#16. Dropped off and later picked up prescriptions for Sister-in-Law. – 7/31/2013

#17. Directed sister-in-law to the post office, bank, and walmart. – 8/2/2013

#18. Bought sister-in-law a candy bar. – 8/5/2013

#19. Helped in-laws move out. – 8/10/2013

#20. Bought lunch for my boss. – 9/12/2013

#21. Bought a co-worker a lanyard for her ID. – 9/12/2013

#22. Bought a Diet Coke for co-worker. – 9/12/2013

#23. Bought Hershey Chocolate for co-workers. – 9/17/2013

#24. Donated money to a back to school charity. – 9/20/13

#25. Picked up a stamp for a friend. – 9/25/2013

#26. Gave boss the other half of my breakfast. – 10/11/13

#27. Cleaned up the laundry room. – 10/13/13

#28. Took co-worker back to our work place. – 10/16/13

#29. Donated cut hair to Locks Of Love. – 10/19/13

#30. Bought a ring to support breast cancer awareness. – 10/19/13

#31. Donated money to help stop animal abuse. -10/25/2013

#32. Helped a receptionist open her packages. – 11/1/13

#33. Bought a candle for a co-workers fundraiser. – 11/5/13

#34. Took a co-worker to a bus stop. – 11/7/2013

#35. Bought a kids book from Barnes and Nobles to donate to charity. – 11/9/13

#36. Helped a stranger with directions – 11/9/13

The full lists with links to detailed blog posts and photos can be found here: http://nephthysphoenix.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/linkinparksraokyear-check-list/

Katrin

Nisrin

Here’s an excerpt from Nisrin’s list (unfortunately old LPU blogs disappear after a while to make space for new ones)

• Two days ago my mother’s friend had to go to an appointment and had nowhere to leave her daughter, and since I LOVE kids I offered myself, and spent the day with this cute lovely girl 😀

• I shared a motivating video with some friends that I knew needed it, and as planned, it made them smile, and feel better 😀

• Okay, so that’s one my biggest RAOKs so far. There’s a Greenpeace campaign called “Detox Campaign” (check out this link for more info: http://greenpeace.org/detox/), and I am participating in it. I signed the Manifesto, shared all the videos and articles linked in the website, and I’m going to take a picture to join their #PeoplePower project (I’ll post the pic here asap). Every fashion lover should support this campaign!

• A friend is participating in an art project and asked me to like her design in the FB page of said project. I did so, but I also asked everyone I know to do it, and leave their opinion in a comment below the pic. You can also do that, and help her!

Adie

• Donated to Music for Relief and organized an annual fundraising event called “Music for Relief Day”.

• Paid my father’s gas fill cause he drove me to the doctor (that guy has been driving me around for a good part of my life actually).

• Surprised my mother with a breakfast invitation.

• Gave the waiter an unusual high tip and enjoyed his stunned expression.

• Helped out a family friend’s daughter with her math homework. His wife had just passed away and he didn’t feel up to helping her himself.

• Brought my friend food and water cause she waited all day in line for the Paramore concert and saved me a place. I ended up in second row because of her, which was great! Thanks, Cat!

• Created web pages for injured LP fans, so other fans could leave them well wishes and positive messages to motivate them during the healing process.

• Put a card and chocolate on my co-worker’s desk “to sweeten her day”.

• Gave the gift of LPU to a fellow fan.

• Planted an oak with http://cannecy.free.fr/iforest/en/

• Donated food for pet shelters online.

• Gave away the new book of the True Blood series to a fellow Truebie fan.

• Sent a birthday message to a girl I don’t know on behalf of her sister who wanted to surprise her.

• Bought medicine for someone who couldn’t afford it.

• Gave someone a present to thank them for their work and support.

• Gave the gift of LPU to someone who contributed content on LPFC.

• Sent out letters and cards to LPU friends in order to make them happy.

• Bought Paramore wristbands for my friends at their concert in Düsseldorf.

• Gave away my too big LPU11 shirt to my friend.

• Adopted a deployed US soldier. I’m sending him emails and care packages for support.

• Gave Ally who finished the RAOK list first the opportunity to add her personal bday note to the video.

• Gave Adam Ruehmer a proper Thanks and Farewell including a Tumblr with LPA, LPL and MSC, a video from the LPFC staff and a shirt (with An van Oppens).

• Bought posters for my friends.

• Sent the LPFC staff Christmas cards and chocolate.

• Sent Lorenzo a Christmas package which still hasn’t arrived :-(.

• Gave my friend a signed Alex Band CD.

• Gave my friend a “LP Underground” sticker for his car window.

• Organizing the second Music for Relief Day.

• Invited my mom to a manicure and hand massage.

• I’ve been giving my very hungry friend my dinner leftovers for 7 months now (since we started to meet for dinner).

• Helped a fellow LPUer to inflate his mattress at the LPU meetup in Kerpen which caused us to joke that this was a random act of kindness.

• Brought lots of food to the meetup, even though I couldn’t stay for the barbecue.

• Supported Team Mike during his birthday challenge.

• Made my mom a list of coupons for several activities like an invitation for breakfast, going to the movies, etc. for her birthday in addition to her present.

• Thanked the LPFC staff members in the RAOK video and told some special friends why they are important to me and thanked them.

• I’ve organized the RAOK Year! 😀

Natasha

1.) Given: I entered a photo contest on Facebook to receive a satin 16×20 poster print of any photo we chose. I entered with my photo with Sean Paden taken at the LPU Summit in Cape Town, 7 November 2012. We had the LPU backdrop behind us, Brad’s famous Given Up guitar slung over my shoulder with his arm, and his red hat gifted to me- it’s one of my favorite photos! To win the print, our photo had to have the most ‘likes’ once it was posted on the company’s page.Well, my competition was few, but one other photo took my breath away, and I honestly thought it’d win; a family portrait with a young couple kissing, a little boy smiling up on his dad’s shoulders and a little girl laughing, hanging upside down in her mom’s arms. Absolutely beautiful.And my amazing friends helped me win by a landslide. When the time came to give my information, I looked at our own family photo missing my then-not-born-yet sister, forced smiles and posed sitting in front of a boring background- still, it was precious to us. So, I asked them to take my Paypal information and send a print to the family as a gift.

They were ecstatic (:

2.) Received: Though not as impulsive as my trip to Cape Town last year, my trip to New Zealand for my second Summit was wild to plan and I almost didn’t have the chance to make the trip (I bought my flights SIX days in advance!) The main problem with the whole trip was accommodation; hotels were $300 per night or too far from the arena, or simply had no bookings. Hostels were becoming my only options, but being a lone traveler and pretty oblivious about hostels, I was leaning more towards not resorting to hostels and giving up the trip.

But then three fellow LPU Soldiers made it happen for both New Zealand and Sydney-

Priscilla from Tauranga, New Zealand (about three hours from Auckland) read about ‘an American looking for a host in Auckland’ and opened her home to me. She was also going to the Summit, so we were going to travel down together and stay at their favorite hotel; which, mind you, was literally in front of Vector Arena! Sadly, the Summit’s MFR event was too early and they weren’t going to be in Auckland until that day’s evening. So my time with Priscilla and her family was only spent at the hotel, but I hope to visit her.

Read the rest of Natasha’s list and photos here: http://nlopezdearenosa.com/lpraoky_nlopezdearenosa/

Yannick

I proudly took part of this project launched by LPFanCorner.com as birthday gift. I’ve completed 36 Random Acts of Kindness. It was fun to do and somehow became more a way of life than a real challenge. Thanks for having make me change and become a better person.

#01 – Give Away – Give Some Blankets To Homeless People Of My Town (Feb 17th, 2013)
#02 – Give Away – Clothes Donation To French Red Cross (Feb 22nd, 2013)
#03 – Random – Bday Video For A Friend’s Husband (Mar 1st, 2013)
#04 – Online Charity – Stop Child Abuse (Aug 10th, 2013)
#05 – Cooking – Chocolate Cake **PICS** (Jul 31st, 2013)
#06 – Green Act – Online Charity – Offset a pound of Carbon (Aug 11th, 2013)
#07 – Green Act – Clean up while searching for a geocathing location **PICS** (Aug 12th, 2013)
#08 – Random – Help the new neighbour to settle down by lending kitchenware (Aug 13th, 2013)
#09 – Cooking – Home made cookies as Welcome gift **PICS** (Aug 14th, 2013)
#10 – Random – Throw a welcome appetizer buffet supper (Aug 15th, 2013)
#11 – Random – Give and put sunblock (Aug 18th, 2013)
#12 – Green Act – Online Charity – Plant a tree (Aug 19th, 2013)
#13 – Random – Send postcard away (Aug 30th, 2013)
#14 – Random – Write happy birthday cards (Aug 30th, 2013)
#15 – Random – Create a special E-Birthday card for my bestfriend (Sep 1st, 2013)
#16 – Random – Prepare/Send surprise package (Sep 3rd, 2013)
#17 – Random – Send surprise gift away (Sep 14th, 2013)
#18 – Charity – Money donation to Amnesty INTL (street collect) (Sep 18th, 2013)
#19 – Charity – Power the World – HardRock Cafe collab (Sep 22nd, 2013)
#20 – Random – Help a hitchhicker (Sep 24th, 2013)
#21 – Random – Send away local foodbook recipe (Sep 27th, 2013)
#22 – Cooking – Home made Coconut pudding (Sept 30th, 2013)
#23 – Green Act – Online Charity – Plant a tree, Give a pencil & Offset a pound of Carbon (Oct 6th, 2013)
#24 – Random – Send away special food (Oct 15th, 2013)
#25 – Give Away – Send clothes to my sister in law (Oct 22nd, 2013)
#26 – Random – Helped a friend to pick up and carry some furniture bought online (Nov 10th, 2013)
#27 – Random – Moral support during a new inked session (Nov 21st, 2013)
#28 – Random – Making the cashier laugh during her shift at the supermarket (Nov 21st, 2013)
#29 – Random – Send away the surprise swap gift (Nov 21st, 2013)
#30 – Random – Create a homemade recipe book for christmas dessert (Dec 6th, 2013)
#31 – Random – Give few photographic tips to a total stranger (Dec 10th, 2013)
#32 – Random – Stop to let someone cross the road without any official crosswalk sign (Dec 19th, 2013)
#33 – Random – Give a lift (Dec 23th, 2013)
#34 – Random – Visit friend in hospital (Dec 30th, 2013)
#35 – Charity – Post Hurricane Bejisa – Water is precious (Jan 6th, 2014)
#36 – Giveaway – Send a surprise package (Music Related) to two online friends **PICS** (Jan 21th, 2014)

Thanks a lot for having organized that bday present. Amazing idea and will remember to everyone that even a little single act of kindness could have a big impact for the person who receive it.

For more photos and links check http://fanyan.livejournal.com/175959.html

Areli

Thanks again for making this special b-day project. I enjoyed doing this project and I will continue to do more acts of kindness to better myself and make someone’s day better as well.

1. Donated money to the Heart association.
2. Bought some table covers for work.
3. Donated 6 bags of clothes, shoes and purses to the Goodwill.
4. Drew a drawing of Madonna for my husband’s friend, since he is a huge fan of Madonna.
5. Bought a RAOK bracelet
6. Helped a friend clean up their front yard for over 2 hours.
7. Bought a MFR bracelet
8. Bought 2 tickets for a friend and his son to go to Monterey Bay aquarium.
9. Donated money to the American Cancer society. Did it in memory of my boss who passed away from cancer last year.
10. Bought a VyRT ticket for me, my boss and coworker.
11. Baked cookies for my husband’s friend and his family.
12. Paid for my boss dinner at Applebee’s for her b-day.
13. Swept and organized my friend’s laundry room as a surprise for her.
14. Bought 2 LoveLustFaith+Dreams cds for my boss and my coworker.
15. Helped clean and organize my dad’s mobile home for over 4 hours.
16. Bought a ticket for my husband’s friend to go to the SSMF with us, since he wanted to attend but couldn’t afford it.
17. Donated money to the Balloon charity for children.
18. Send a personalized care package to my friend Jacqui. We call it mofo care packages and we full them up with random yet personal items to cheer us up.
19. On my way home, (I walk home) I opened the gate for a lady who had a lot of groceries in her arms and couldn’t open the gate herself. She was very thankful.
20. Bought my friend Angelic some breakfast when she was feeling a bit under the weather.
21. Bought my friend a VyRT ticket because she couldn’t afford it at the moment.
22. Made and send a personal card to a friend who was sick and was going through a lot of stuff to cheer her up.
23. Donated $15 to a Teen Challenge International charity that helps teens and adults get through addictions and depression.
24. Bought my friend some medicine when she couldn’t get it herself.
25. Made some soup for a friend who was very sick with the flu. That really helped her feel better.
26. Surprised my husband with a clean and organized closet. Too bad it didn’t last long clean.
27. Recorded a favorite song for a friend who couldn’t attend the concert.
28. Helped my elderly dad fill out paperwork for his medicine he gets for his diabetes. Always a hassle to do but he was very grateful I helped him out.
29. Helped translate and fill out paperwork for one of the parents at the day care I work in so she could apply for aid.
30. Helped clean and organize a friend’s storage room since he broke his arm and needed the extra help.
31. Surprised my friend with a book she really liked but was having a hard time finding it for less money. She even got a bit emotional when I give it to her.
32. Made some personalized and semi-home made gifts for X-mas for my boss and coworker.
33. Made my dad dinner of taco salad just because its hard for him to make food for himself sometimes.
34. Helped find a product an elderly man was looking for at Walgreens. He first thought I worked there but I decided to help him out anyways because well he was an elderly man and he reminded me of my dad. He was so grateful for my help it made me tear up a bit. 35. Bought a box of chocolates for my husband. He usually surprises me with little gifts, so I decided to surprise him as well with a little treat.
36. Helped my next door neighbor, an elderly lady, sweep all the leaves that had fallen from the tree off her front porch and side walk.

Areli M
California, USA
(Twitter @ammie30stm)

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