Made by a 16 year old kid.

James spent this weekend at the Michigan Masters State Meet.

• Adult swimmers of all ages competed.
• It was a celebration of fun and sport.
• The local high school swim team helped out.

James is a distance swimmer.

• He also loves to do butterfly stroke.
• He competes in long races doing butterfly.
• (Most people swim freestyle.)

Friday night, James swam 1650 yards butterfly.

• People were surprised to see butterfly in a long race.
• A good size group gathered as he swam his race.
• And cheered loudly when James finished his butterfly voyage.

Unknown to James, he really impressed one of the high school swimmers.

• He had never seen anyone swim so much butterfly.
• And couldn’t imagine doing it himself.
• He thought James deserved special recognition.

The awards ceremony was at the end of the meet on Sunday.

• James got a few ribbons but no big medals.
• Until the young swimmer approached him.
• And gave James a homemade first place medal for his “1650 Butterfly.”

James was totally touched.  

• The student made the medal at home.
• A cardboard disc strung on a blue ribbon.
• The drawing showed James doing butterfly.

James has been swimming for 11 years.

• He has a ton of ribbons and medals.
• None has touched him so deeply.

James glows with pride over his homemade medal - and is talking about framing it.

Makes me think of chapter leaders…how do you make recognition so personal it touches a member’s heart?

Originally posted @ Cynthia D'Amour on Leadership and Life