My Granny saw the best in all people and she had a saying that she lived by,
"Give to the world the best you've got, and the world will give it's best back to you."
I take after my Grandmother on both counts and every day I see examples of how giving your best really does benefit everyone in the end, including the person who is giving their best.
Last year I was out with my Mother for lunch at an oriental restaurant and when I opened my fortune cookie, it said "The man who does more than he is paid for, will soon be paid for more than he does." I kept that fortune as I do many of the more interesting ones I receive.
Every now and then I'll read it and think of how interesting that concept is. Of course, I've heard the same things said in many ways and always it comes back to giving.
March 3rd-9th is Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness week in the Quinte area. The Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness Program was begun 12 years ago to counteract the negativity that 
violence brings upon our society and to promote positivity and make the world a better place by starting right here in the Quinte, Belleville and Prince Edward regions.
Participating stores and businesses will have donation boxes where people can donate to the program and attain a blue ribbon to show their support.
The Kindness Program is offered in 81 schools in the greater Quinte area and each school is supplied with a 'kindness kit'.
The kit promotes kindness through a colouring and poster contest and 'Kindness Citizen' ballots are made available for all high schools.
It also includes blue ribbons for all students and staff to wear as well as pamphlets and other promotional material related to spreading positive energy in the world.
Students who have won awards receive them at a special opening ceremony which is being held this Monday, March 3rd in the Kindness Court of the Quinte Mall at 7pm.
'Kindness crews' will be out and about on the streets of Belleville beginning on Tuesday, March 4th, committing random acts of kindness. Kindness crews will consist of approximately 6 people each and will also be stopping at schools, daycares, hospitals and retirement residences bringing with them their kindness and spreading positivity every where they go.
The Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness booth will be set up in the Kindness Court at the Quinte Mall for the week of March 3rd-9th.
Be sure to drop by and say hello and remember as you go about your daily business to commit random acts of kindness everywhere you go.
In fact, you don't have to wait until 'kindness week', you can start today!
Wondering what you can do to spread kindness?
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a list of hundreds of ideas for individuals and groups.
If we all visited the list and made it a goal to pick one action off of the list daily, just think of how much difference it would make not only in our own communities, but all around the world!
~Jo
Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Royal Lepage Proalliance Realty, Brokerage, in Belleville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.QuinteRegionRealEstate.com |
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Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Your Choice Realty , Mississauga, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com |
Jo,
Great project! Great cause! It's a shame that every week is not random acts of kindness week!!! Thanks, Fran
Hi Jo,
What a great idea. I think that is wonderful that they are teaching this in school too. I am sure this brings out great community spirit. It is too bad that we didn't practice it all year long all over the world.
What a wonderful idea and program. I'm afraid many children are not learning "kindness" at home so the fact that the schools is teaching this is important and wonderful. You know when you think about it, if everyone believed and practiced treating their fellow man kindly, that would solve pretty much all of society's problems.
hi Fran,
It's wonderful program, indeed and one that all people should have as part of their day to day lifestyle, not just during certain times of the year.
I find that the people in the Belleville, Prince Edward and Quinte regions are very friendly, kind and go out of their way to help others....and I believe that kindness travels in ever widening circles.
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Jo
Candy,
Yes, we do have a very wonderful community here. Belleville is known as the 'friendly' city and it certainly is. People here are very kind and helpful towards others and there is a lot of community spirit. The same in the surrounding regions of Prince Edward and Quinte.
It's a spirit of cooperation and it does tend to spread outwards in waves bringing a peaceful and good feeling to the whole region.
thanks for stopping by!
Jo
Hi Trace!
Yes, it would be great if this was taught daily in every home and every school every day of the year.....I'm sure it is in the majority of them, at least I like to hope so.
There is wonderful community spirit in this whole region...
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thanks for visting...it's nice to hear from you!
Jo
Melissa,
Thanks for pointing the way to your new group! I joined it and posted this blog there....it's certainly a wonderful initiative and so appropriate for Active Rain to have such a group. We're very fortunate you recognized the need and formed it.
thank you for dropping by!
Jo
Cynthia,
Thank you for your wonderful comment...I'm optimistic that children are learning kindness at home, however I'm sure there are many who are not.
How true, if we all practiced kindness, the world's greatest problems would disappear.
Jo
Carole,
I believe that it is in various communities throughout the USA too. If you look at the The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website, you'll see a number of community initiatives. I believe it just takes one or a small group of people to bring it to greater awareness within their own community, and from there it will grow.
thanks for visiting with your wisdom and insight,
Jo
Thanks for the Post and The Info and Links Jo-Anne - this is AWESOME ! - Every Community should have a week like this! I'm going to check it out!
Sincerely,
Grace
Grace,
Thank YOU! I agree, just think if every community had a week or two like this~how much better the world would be.
Perhaps you can get something similar going in your area?
g'night,
Jo
Hi Jo...what a wonderful community concept! What are the donated funds used for? Anything special? I am meeting with a Main Street Concord organizer this coming week...I think you just gave me a topic of conversation.
Yes it would be ideal that this was an on-going happening....to my mind just starting it is a huge step forward!
Hi Joan,
The donated funds are used for the 'Kindness Kits', awards and ribbons, etc that are presented to area schools and citizens.
If more and more communities adopted this a yearly initiative, just think of what a difference it would make world-wide! Not only that, it is teaching the young people the importance of kindness and has wide-reaching effect that extends out into the future.
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Jo
Jo,
You just warmed me up inside on this cold morning...Thank you!
Everyone....have a wonderful day!
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
Now that was a wonderful comment to read! Thank you back...
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Jo
Thanks Jo-Anne I am actually bringing it up as a suggestion to my church council next month (of which I have been asked to serve on for the next 2 years- big job- no pay- great cause - social stewardship :)
thanks again for the website & all you do
Sincerely,
Grace
Grace,
That's wonderful to hear! Please keep me posted on this. Congrats on being asked to serve on the church council....they certainly are fortunate to have you.
thank you for your kind words,
Jo