5 Tips for the Budding Humanitarian

The following blog post is the acceptance speech given by Geoffrey Jackson at HealthLink Dental Clinic's Anniversary Cocktail Party Fundraiser on September 26, 2019. Geoff was presented with the 2019 Eugene Jackson Humanitarian Award for his unrelenting commitment to our free dental clinic.

There are two types of people in this world – those who love and identify with Star Wars and those who love and identify with Star Trek.

As to which is the better franchise, let me break it down for you: Star Wars is awesome. Star Wars will always be awesome. Star Trek sucks; Star Trek will always suck.

That said, William Shatner from Star Trek is fantastic. For a while in the 2000’s or early 2010’s he had a show called “$#@$& My Dad Said” – it, too, sucked and got cancelled - but I thought I could draw inspiration from the title and call my speech “$#@$& My Dad DID.” I’m doing so because, although I’m being recognized with the Eugene Jackson Humanitarian Award, it’s really in his honor that I accept it. And my charitable gifting is really just an extension of his.

So as my father’s son, I think I can offer a unique perspective and direct insight into what I saw made him a great humanitarian and philanthropist. These are five guideposts, or milestones, that my dad lived by, and I think they can serve as a blueprint or road map for everyone:

First, Think Big. My Dad started a company called Springhouse Corporation that specialized in medical publishing and information for nurses. SHC also produced quick reference guides, textbooks, and other products and information for a whole host of medical personnel. My dad didn’t start o