26 Acts, or Even 1

I cried so much doing the research for this week’s blog. I guess that’s nothing new. My husband often sees me with tears running down my face as I work on my blog. It’s usually a mixture of sadness and happiness at what happens in this world that causes it.

 

Have you heard about the 26 acts of kindness that NBC News Host Ann Curry suggested people do in honor of each person who died at Sandy Hook Elementary School? She started out just suggesting people do 20 acts for the kids, but everyone wanted to do something for each person who died.

 

If you want to see some examples of what people are doing and her explanation of how it all happened, visit the NBC News page about it. I think it’s such a fabulous idea that I had to mention it.

 

I also found out about a local mother who started her own random acts of kindness initiative.

 

Were your kids bored over the Christmas holiday when they were out of school?  Courtney Fell’s two boys were, too. She decided instead of sending them to the movies, she wanted to do something better.

 

“I just wanted to think of something fun for them and their friends to do. I wanted to do something that would benefit the community and hopefully inspire them and their friends,” Courtney, who lives near Pensacola, Florida, said.

She wanted to make a game out of it, so she made up a Facebook page for a Random Acts of Kindness Scavenger Hunt. People could sign up to help or give money.  Then she came up with the following list:

1. Take cookies to local fire station.

2. Hand out balloons to small children.

3. Deliver handmade cards and mardi gras beads to folks in a local nursing home.

4. Purchase a gift card while in line at a store. Turn around and hand it to the person behind you in line.

5. Tape a bag of quarters to a washing machine at local laundry mat.

6. Purchase a dozen doughnuts. Deliver to a parked police officer.

7. Rake a random yard full of leaves. Leave note explaining :)

8. Locate 5 parking meters almost out of time. Feed the meters.

9. Leave a gift certificate for a car wash on the dirtiest car you can find.

10. Deliver supplies needed to the Wildlife Rescue or Humane Society.

 

About twenty kids aged 7 to 13 met Courtney at her surf and skate shop Waterboyz in Pensacola, got the lists, and had two hours to do all the tasks.

 

What did they like the best? Raking the random person’s yard because the recipient of the raking, a single woman, was so grateful.

Surprisingly, not everyone was. “It was funny that when we tried to give out balloons. People were skeptical. They asked why are you giving away free stuff?” Courtney explained.

Courtney said most people were appreciative, though, and the whole group couldn’t wait to do it again because it was so much fun. She’s thinking about making it a regular quarterly event and having a club and everything, but even if she doesn’t, she is sure she will do it again.

Random Acts of Kindness week is coming up in just a month, from February the 11^th to  the 17^th, so here’s a warm up and a great list of ideas for everyone! You only have to do one act of kindness to touch someone’s heart. Reading and hearing about all these acts of kindness greatly touched mine.