It's time for...

...a CONTEST!

I ran one of these years ago, and it was a real blast. But now that I have a blog, this could get really interesting.

Here's the idea. As many of you know, one of my core convictions is that government can help us do some amazing things -- but only if we take advantage of it. But in order to do that, the people who work in government need to be willing to help.

Government workers often get a bad rap, but it's rare for them to receive much appreciation when government works. Good government only happens when the people working in it do their jobs, and do them well.

I've been a witness to some amazing stories of people in government going out of their way to literally change people's lives. Well, it's time to recognize those in government who have gone above and beyond what they have been asked in order to help people achieve their goals.

With that out of the way, on to the contest:

The rules are pretty simple. I am looking for people to submit to me a story of how someone in government (at any level, including elected officials) helped you achieve a goal -- whether it was to secure some type of resources or funding, find employment...anything! Be sure to include as much information about the government official involved as possible, as well as a description of the help you received, including any amount of money involved.

Upon verification, I will pick three winners -- one first place, two runners up. My criteria for picking the winning stories will be how much extra effort they put into helping you.

The prizes to be awarded to the submitters:

1st Place: $500

Runners Up: $100 each

And the government workers will receive an official Matthew Lesko plaque for a job well done.

Here's where it can get fun. The submissions will be in the form of comments to this post. That way, we'll all be able to read these stories and see first hand the way people in government are helping normal people like you and I.

Also, remember to include a working email address in your comment submission so that I can contact you if I choose your story.

With that said, let the contest begin!

Comments

[harvey]

Loneliness kills slow,
and now even your coldness
feels warm to me.

[Chyna]

Does this have to be federal government only?

[Chuck]

I worked for the USPS for several years after I got out of school. I wasn't eager to go anywhere at the time, and was making an Ok living. The long-time Postmaster that I worked for retired, and a replacement was brought in. I really shouldn't give her name, but she had very dramatic impact on me that ultimately led to me making a much better living, and a lot more money. She made the job so miserable and hopeless that it became very clear that for my own survival I had to get the heck out of there. She rewarded those who didn't produce, alienated those who did and showed just how impossible trying to be a good concientious employee is in that institution. Anyway, she deserves my thanks for inspiring me to find a career that rewarded me for my efforts.

[crazy after all these years]

Chuck,

I am convinced Peruvian foot messengers could deliver the mail faster than the USPS. The Usps is ,after all, a government sponsored racket dirtier than the mob and more soulless than OPEC.

[Karl]

I don't know about you, but my nest egg is lined once I come out and admit that Jeff Gannon was my bitch....ok, I mean I was his. I plan to reveal all and claim the $20,000 reward for information offered at www.kellyanncollins.com

[Ana Marie Cox]

Pass me some advil and a bloody mary, you question marked loon!

[Jay Goldfarb]

Here is a story of how the government helped me.

I lived in Alaska between 1990 and 2001. Alaska has (had?) a state agency called the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF). The purpose of this organization was to provide seed money for innovative projects that would employ Alaskans.

I personally worked on two of these projects. The first was for an established company (digital stereoplotter). The second was for a startup called Scientific Fishery Systems (www.scifish.com). This second company is now a going concern. The founder assured me that without the ASTF he would not have been successful.

[Would rather not say]

This is a true story. In the summer of 99' I went to Budapest, Hungary to do an internship. When I arrived I stayed with an Estonian friend of mine, who was attending Central European University, until I could find a place of my own. She neglected to tell me, however, that two of her flatmates were Serbian. Mind you, this is significant because at that time the US was busy bombing various targets in what was left of Yugoslavia. One of the Serbs, a guy, was cool, had lived in CA, and didn't hold anything against me. The other Serb, a girl, was complete biatch. When I walked into a room she would walk out. Not talk to me. Etc. Well, about two weeks after this began I was informed that the US military had bombed this chick's family's summer house.

The US government gave me an enormous amount of satisfation.

[Jeanette]

As a high school student, I became involved with a volunteer activity, Peer Court. It was a real court with a real judge and real offenders, but teenage juries and attorneys. I became one of the prosecutors.

One of the judges there -- he works in northern Illinois, I'd give his name if prompted but otherwise not -- became a mentor and a friend. He encouraged both my critical thinking abilities and my passion for politics and ideas. I spent five years volunteering there, later becoming the assistant director of the program. He always arrived early, stayed late, and helped not only me but all the kids who came through the court charged with criminal offenses. I think everyone there was inspired by his example.

He wasn't paid for his Peer Court work, even though he was a judge with a full docket the rest of the time. He went because he knew he was influencing lives in a positive way. He showed up several times after a scheduled judge canceled, leaving us in the lurch. He wrote college recommendations, he solved personal problems, and he always had time to help.

Today, I write opinion articles, many of which are about the law and require the exact skills that Judge K (as I'll call him here) instilled in me. I'm sure I wouldn't have the job I have today -- the job I love -- without his remarkable dedication to his job and going beyond the call of duty to make sure kids stayed on the straight and narrow.

[Gordon]

My father did a great deal of work as an independent government contractor via the Small Business Innovation Research program at the DOD...via their website.

"The Small Business Innovation Research program funds early-stage R&D at small technology companies and is designed to:

*stimulate technological innovation
*increase private sector commercialization of federal R&D
*increase small business participation in federally funded R&D
*foster participation by minority and disadvantaged firms in technological innovation"

So the federal workers at this program approved the funding for defense related research projects that my father and his colleagues completed. In return for his defense contracting work, my father earned enough money to put my brother through college and graduate school (PhD Princeton, Physics), my sister through college and medical school (MD, University of Connecticut) and me through college and graduate school (MPP, Georgetown University).

[Jazzy Poon]

Once when I was camping in Crater Lake National Park I took three tabs of acid and fashioned a pretend squirrel out of bark, moss, and twigs. I covered myself in mud and then raced the squirrel through the forest shouting epitaphs at the Scrub Jays. I grew tired so the squirrel and I curled up in a ball in a moist hallow next to a fir tree. I closed my eyes and wanted to drift away on a cloud, but the squirrel began to chew at my face. Before long he had eaten half my nose and my left ear. I was cold and along and near death from the loss of blood. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and I opened my eyes to see an angel in a green and khaki uniform. It was the park ranger and he began to softly rub my hair and damp my forehead with his handkerchief. He began to speak with the voice of a huge Mormon choir. I couldn't understand him at first, but after the haze lifted I heard him say,

"Now this mountain I must climb
Feels like a world upon my shoulders
I through the clouds I see love shine
It keeps me warm as life grows colder

In my life there’s been heartache and pain
I don’t know if I can face it again
Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far
To change this lonely life

I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me"

Now where's my $500, byatch?

[Frank]

Now you can buy the CAR!!!

[corprip]

OH, Jazzy! That was inspiring. I got goosebumps.

[Bill]

Gordon, Perhaps you were shouting 'epithets' at the Scrub Jays?

[Jazzy Poon]

No. I was shouting epitaphs because those Scrub Jays were DEAD to me, man. DEAD!

Jazzy P

[BoBtheBLOGGER]

I'm thinking that no government employee should be eligible for recognition because if the government has so much free money (as advertised in your book) and they're not taking it to write books, get further education or otherwise improve themselves, they must be pretty dumb!

[VanillaMama]

Shut up you morons. Leave poor Lesko alone. He reminds me of William Shatner on Red Bull.

[matthew lesko]

Jeanette
Thank you for talking the time to share your story.. you are among the fortunate few who love what they do, don’t stop it's the best way to live..

[matthew lesko]

Gordon..
Thank you for your story.. It shows that your father not only helped you and your family but also did important work helping others..

[Rip]

After meeting a beautiful woman in Ukraine and spending four years of letter exchanges and visits we decided to marry. The Consular Officer at the US Embassy in Kiev was remarkably helpful in explaining the requirements for a visa and assisting in the processing of it. It was even more remarkable because while he helped us because it was his job and he got satisfaction from doing it, the Ukrainian officials took several under-the-table payments to process their end. Result is that my wife and I have been together and happy for several years now.

[Bill]

I found a tip in Lesko's book to call the SBDC for $6K in free help for my business. I called the chamber of commerce in my town (as instructed in the book) and they gave me the number of some office in my town that I didn't know existed! I called the number and the dude actually sounded glad to get the call. He not only confirmed what the book said, but he told me he would mail me the forms..then he did something REALLY incredible..

He asked about my business :)

He mentioned a couple of other programs that I might be eligible for as well. It was a great and very encouraging call. What's funny is that in one of his tapes Matthew mentioned that sometimes these guys sound happy to hear from you...well that was certainly the case here..the guy actually said "so do you have a business plan?" I told him I didn't and he said "well you should stop down and we'll help you get one created".

It was cool.

Bill