A Day of Hope: How One Small Act of Kindness Keeps Growing
Outdoor Element
This one is very personal for us.
Ryan and Becca aren't an organization we heard about or a story that showed up in our inbox. They're very close friends of ours.
We've watched them take an unimaginable loss and turn it into years of kindness, service, and hope for other people.
And this year, Outdoor Element gets to play a small part in helping Hope's footprint grow.
A Small Footprint That Left a Lasting Imprint
Many years ago, our dear friends Ryan and Becca lost their infant daughter, Hope.
While Becca was in the hospital, someone gave her a simple basket filled with a few things to help her through an incredibly difficult time.
Inside was a card with these words:
"There is no footprint too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world."
Those words stuck.
They meant so much to Ryan and Becca that the phrase is now on Hope's headstone.
But that's not where the story ends.
Hope's footprint continues to grow.
The Day of Hope
Each year, Ryan and Becca gather friends and family for what they call a Day of Hope, a day dedicated to serving others and doing acts of kindness in Hope's memory.
It might be helping a neighbor, serving someone in need, giving a thoughtful gift, or simply noticing someone who could use a little kindness.
One small act at a time.
A few years ago, however, their Day of Hope began taking an unexpected new direction.
An Ornament That Opened Their Eyes
Becca received a Christmas "Hope" ornament that brought awareness to child sex trafficking.
It opened Ryan and Becca's eyes to a heartbreaking problem they hadn't fully understood before.
And if you know these two, you know they weren't going to simply learn about it and move on.
They dug in.
They researched organizations working to combat trafficking. They wanted to understand who was making a meaningful difference, who was intentional about caring for the people they served, and who was operating ethically and responsibly.
That search led them to AIM, Agape International Missions.
AIM has been fighting sex trafficking since 2005, working to rescue survivors, provide care and healing, create opportunities for independence, and protect vulnerable communities from exploitation.
This year, Ryan and Becca are taking their Day of Hope even further by hosting the Sound of Hope concert and silent auction benefiting AIM.
And we'd love for the Outdoor Element community to be part of it.
Sound of Hope Concert
If you're in Colorado, come join us in person!
The Sound of Hope concert is a chance to gather together, enjoy some great music, remember Hope, and support the work being done through AIM.
GET SOUND OF HOPE CONCERT TICKETS
Bid in the Online Silent Auction
Can't make it to the concert?
You can still participate from wherever you are.
The online silent auction runs September 30 through October 3, 2026, with some great products and experiences available to bid on.
Outdoor Element is contributing more than $500 worth of OE gear to the auction.
Have a Business? Add Something to the Auction
Here's another way to help.
If you own a business, make a product, provide a service, or have a digital gift card you'd like to contribute, Ryan and Becca would love to add more great items to the silent auction.
Please submit auction donations by September 26, 2026.
Outdoor Element is helping collect information from businesses that would like to participate.
DONATE AN ITEM TO THE SILENT AUCTION
Donate Directly to AIM
You can also support the cause directly through Agape International Missions.
Donations to AIM help support its work fighting trafficking, caring for survivors, and protecting vulnerable communities.
But This May Be the Most Important Way to Participate
You don't have to attend the concert.
You don't have to bid on an auction item.
You don't have to donate a product.
You don't even have to spend a dollar to be part of the Day of Hope.
Remember how this whole story started.
Someone gave a grieving mom a basket.
That's it.
It was a simple act of kindness from one person to another.
And all these years later, that kindness is still rippling outward.
So if you can't join us online or in person, we'd invite you to do something kind for someone wherever you are.
Buy a stranger a cup of coffee.
Help a neighbor.
Call someone who could use a friend.
Pick up some trash on your favorite trail.
Leave a bigger tip.
Find someone who needs a hand and give it.
It doesn't have to be big.
After all, "There is no footprint too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world."
Let's leave a few more footprints for Hope.
Explore with Confidence
-Mike
OE Founder, CEO, Chief Dreamer and Innovator
Outdoor Element does not receive a commission, affiliate payment, or other financial benefit from the Sound of Hope concert, silent auction, or donations to AIM. We're sharing this because Ryan and Becca are dear friends, this cause means something to us, and we believe small acts of kindness can create ripples that reach farther than we may ever see.
