President’s Message February 2010

Living in Michigan, especially during the winter months, always enhances thoughts of those less fortunate.  Going without food, clothing or shelter in February is hard to fathom.

How appropriate that February 15-21 is “Random Acts of Kindness” week.

During that week, we all have an opportunity to perform an act of kindness by bringing a bag of can goods to our February 18 meeting. The food will be donated to Access of West Michigan to aid them in pantry assistance and emergency meals.

Should you choose to continue your acts of kindness throughout the month or longer, the following are just a few ideas. They may even stimulate ideas of your own.

• Select some people in your life who you feel need a special lift and send them a gift: flowers,  a gift certificate or even a card.
• Leave enough money in the vending machine for the next person to get a free treat.
• Call or write or e-mail to someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time, just to say you are thinking of them.
• Donate flowers to a senior center, nursing home, police station, hospital.
• Smile and say “hello” to someone you do not know.
• When you are waiting for service at a counter, trade places with someone in a hurry.
• Put a flower on a neighbor’s porch ( great spring time idea).
• Compliment a stranger about something they are wearing.
• Write something nice about your waitperson on the back of the bill.
• Let someone merge into traffic during rush hour.
• Collect goods for a food bank.

After doing a random act of kindness, you may get a surprise look at first but the smile afterward will make your day!

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted”

Aesop

-Jan