On November 4, 2011, our community will be celebrating Random Act of Kindness Day. This day was established to encourage kindness and humanity in the Guelph and surrounding areas. In conjunction with the the Guelph Community Foundation, we are asking for your help to promote this special day in your workplace and community.
CALLING ALL OF GUELPH AND AREA NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
On November 4, 2011, our community will be celebrating Random Act of Kindness Day. This day was established to encourage kindness and humanity in the Guelph and surrounding areas.
In conjunction with the Guelph Community Foundation, we are asking for your help to promote this special day in your workplace and community.
This day encourages each of us to do something kind for another person and is an opportunity to appreciate our fellow citizens while building our community spirit. Random Act of Kindness is NOT about fundraising or giving money, it's just a day to celebrate simple acts of kindness like congratulating someone on a job well done, driving someone to an appointment, holding a door open, or carrying someone's groceries. We've provided a list of 30 suggestions for events.
The Guelph Community Foundation launched the city's first Random Act of Kindness Day on November 12, 2010. 25,000 Random Act of Kindness Day cards were distributed in Guelph and Wellington County. The cards encourage the holder to perform a simple act of kindness for someone and then hand over the card so that person can "pay it forward". The day originated in 2008 through The Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation, and in 2010 Guelph joined in along with Cambridge & North Dumfries, London, Brantford, and Orillia.
Ways that you can get involved!
Join RLB by running your own Random Acts of Kindness Day event... or... becoming a part of another organized event in town
Either way, let us know what you plan on doing!
RLB has agreed to co-ordinate the efforts of all organizations in the not-for-profit sector in our community, and will communicate the involvement back to the Guelph Community Foundation. We will be holding an information session to provide more details on the event, details to follow in a future communication.
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU'RE ORGANIZATION IS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT!!
Send responses to Heather Burke @ hburke@rlb.ca
or Murray Short @ murray@rlb.ca
There are so many ways you can promote the day and have fun at the same time!
Remember, acts of kindness don't need to cost a penny!
We hope that you will encourage your staff to spread the word and hand out cards to friends and family at every chance, inviting them to get involved in Random Act of Kindness Day. Cards will be available for pick up at RLB's Guelph office, and will be ready closer to the day of the event. Random acts of kindness are a wonderful way to touch the lives of another and make our world a better place. Please help us to put a human face on our community by promoting Random Act of Kindness Day in your workplace!
Suggestions for events your organization could run:
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Help mow or rake a lawn for a local organization
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Encourage employees in your office to become organ donors
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Hold a food, clothes, or toy drive to support other individuals in the community
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Donate used books to the library
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Take public transport to work on November 4th
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Help pick up garbage around the streets and parks of Guelph
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Deliver baked goods to the city workers
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Encourage employees and colleagues to spend the day volunteering at an agency that they support
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Put up signs around town with inspirational messages
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Hold the door for people at a local coffee shop or store
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Help people carry groceries to their cars
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Leave anonymous notes of encouragement
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Visit a senior home and listen to their stories
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Encourage employees to give blood
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Pick up the phone and call your colleague instead of emailing them
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Encourage everyone in the office to start drinking from reusable cups
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Make blankets for the homeless
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Walk pets at the shelter
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Plant a tree in memory of a colleague
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Read to children at a local school
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Send someone an e-card to let them know that you appreciate them
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Help transport local individuals to doctor appointments or to run errands
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Encourage colleagues to ride their bike to work on November 4th
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Restore a hiking trail
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Clean up graffiti
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Make carepacks for the homeless
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Encourage colleagues to write letters to people who have made a difference in their lives
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As an organization - join together and adopt a child
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Send a 'Thank you' card or note 'from a local citizen' to the officers at your local police station
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Be creative and do something new and thoughtful
