The Elevator Project
In 2006, Greg committed an act of kindness to help a stranger he met in an elevator. In an effort to 'pay it forward', a doctor who witnessed what Greg did for the person in the elevator decided to honor 5 people for their kindness -- and decided to give them one of Greg's books as the award. In the days that followed, others began to do the same thing -- ordering between 5 and 50 copies of the books (The First Thirty and/or The Silhouette Man) and then giving them to people in their community to honor them for kindness, service, and/or hospitality. The Elevator Project was born. Nearly 20 years later, thanks to sponsors (e.g. individuals, restaurants, organizations, companies, Chambers of Commerce, and CVBs), editions of The Elevator Project have taken place in local communities all around America -- and in countries like Canada and South Africa -- and continues to this day. Honorees receive the book, along with a note of recognition from the entity sponsoring that edition of the Project. Some honorees work in the service/hospitality industry (e.g. staff at restaurants, hotels, airports). Others are local residents who have committed acts of kindness. To learn more about the Project and to see hundreds of honorees, click here.
The Pandemic Project
In 2020, when the pandemic limited Greg's ability to travel, he looked for ways he could make a positive impact in other communities while he remained at home. He teamed up with selected groups around the country on a two-part project: (1) They purchased copies of the books for Board members, Committee members, staff members, selected donors & volunteers, &/or people they serve &/or people they want to honor (e.g. seniors, adult learners, teens or kids), and (2) Greg then did a private Zoom Q&A for those book recipients. Greg has continued some of these efforts even as the pandemic has eased up. To see more on those ongoing efforts, CLICK HERE