I've often said that I'm not everyone, but I am someone. I can't do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do.
In 1961, I was recruited as the first male volunteer to work with children on the wards of Seattle's Children's Hospital. I knew that most people need to work for eight hours and sleep for eight hours. That leaves that “third eight” to do something for the community and it is what they do with it that defines the quality of people's lives.
In my 46 years volunteering at the children's rehabilitation center, 26 as Santa Claus, more than 6,500 brave children were my teachers. One-to-one, they taught me about fear, pain, and determination in a way that affected my life and my business. I have a strong faith, and it was burnished by the children at the hospital.
— Phil Smart, Mercedes-Benz Dealer
