Nice Matters. Giving Back Matters More.

Some lessons stay with you for a lifetime. And some are meant to be passed along.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it really means to serve the people around you. Not because it's expected. Not because someone is watching. And certainly not because you want recognition.

But because it's simply the right thing to do.

I grew up in Middletown, Ohio, with a father who has spent much of his life giving back to the community he calls home. My dad is a philanthropist, a civil servant, and someone who genuinely believes that when you have the ability to make life a little better for someone else, you do it. Period.

He taught me that being part of a community comes with a responsibility. You don't just live there. You invest in it. You show up. You build into other people. You give your time, your resources, your encouragement, and sometimes just a little bit of yourself. He has lead by example for over 40 years within his community. It's selfless, it's tiresome, it can be frustrating, but it definitely creates and impact. And perhaps one of the most important things he taught me?

Nice matters.

It sounds so simple, doesn't it? But somewhere along the way, I think we sometimes forget just how much it matters. Being kind doesn't cost a thing. Helping someone doesn't always require a grand gesture. And making a difference doesn't necessarily mean writing a giant check or having your name on a building. Sometimes it means noticing that someone needs help and deciding to do something about it.

A Little Needle Minder. A Whole Lot of Heart.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Isaias, I wanted Emerald Coast Needlepoint to do something to help those affected in our community. So I decided to donate $10 from the sale of each of our Emerald Wave needle minders to the American Red Cross. I didn't know how many we would sell. I didn't know what the response would be. I just knew that we had an opportunity to do something good, and that was reason enough to try.

And then something pretty wonderful happened.

Together, through the generosity of the needlepoint community, we raised $1,160 for the American Red Cross.

$1,160!

Now, in the grand scheme of disaster relief, that might not sound like an enormous amount of money. But I see it differently. I see people choosing to help people they've never met. I see stitchers from different states coming together because someone else's hardship matters to them. I see a community that understands that the smallest acts of generosity, when added together, can become something pretty meaningful. And I see the very lessons my dad spent a lifetime teaching me coming full circle.

Building Something Bigger Than a Business

When I started Emerald Coast Needlepoint, I wanted to create things that made people smile. Beautiful, sometimes cheeky, occasionally nostalgic little pieces that bring joy to a craft I love.

I wanted to build a business that was welcoming, accessible to all, and just a little different from what was out there. But I've come to realize that what matters most isn't simply what we create or how much we sell. It's what we do with the opportunities we're given.

I believe businesses, no matter how small, have a responsibility to be good neighbors. To support the communities that support them. To celebrate other people's successes. To lend a hand when life gets difficult. And to remember that there is always room at the table for someone else.

That last part is especially important to me.

My dad didn't teach me to measure success only by what you accomplish for yourself. He taught me to look at what you help make possible for others. That's a very different definition of success, and one I hope I never lose sight of.

The Legacy We Leave

My dad is 85, and the older I get, the more I appreciate the example he's set. He didn't just tell me to be generous. He showed me through is actions. He didn't just talk about community. He invested himself in one. And he didn't just tell me that kindness matters. He lived it.

I think about that often as I build this little business here on Florida's Emerald Coast, far from the Ohio town where those values first took root. The scenery may have changed, but the lessons haven't. I hope that years from now, when I look back at Emerald Coast Needlepoint, I'll be proud of the designs we created and the business we built. But even more than that, I hope I'll be proud of the way we treated people along the way.

Because ultimately, I don't think our legacy is measured by what we accumulate.

It's measured by what we give, who we lift up, and how we make people feel.

To Our Needlepoint Community, Thank You.

To every single person who purchased a Wave needle minder, shared our fundraiser, encouraged us, or helped spread the word, thank you. You reminded me that there is so much good in this world, and that a community built around something as simple as a needle and thread can do extraordinary things when it comes together. You also reminded me of something my dad has known all along.

You don't have to change the entire world to make a difference.

You just have to be willing to make a difference in the little corner of it you call home. So here's to showing up. To giving back. To building into others. To being the kind of person who leaves things a little better than they found them.

And above all, here's to remembering that nice matters.

It always has.

It always will.

With gratitude,

Laine

Emerald Coast Needlepoint 💙🪡