Community Foundation promotes random acts of kindness

The Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta is hoping Grande Prairie gets a boost of kindness this Friday.
They’ve been holding Random Act of Kindness (RAK) Day since 2012, and CEO Tracey Vavrek says the event is always successful.
“The reason (we started) is we saw the opportunity of bringing people together, helping to inspire a stronger sense of belonging to our region,” she said.
“(We were focused on) just really helping to making someone’s day.”
On Friday, people are invited to complete a random act of kindness and wear their RAK bracelets, make challenges to people to pay it forward, and share their stories through social media.
The day is not about donations, however the foundation will be accepting clothing and food donations at the Centre 2000 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“We do know that also as we enter into the winter season, there are many in our community needing a little extra warm clothes and a little extra goodies to help them get through the winter season,” said Vavrek.
These things can include non-perishable food items, toques, mittens, socks and personal hygiene items.
The outpouring of support last year was huge, and Vavrek is hoping for the same during this iteration.
“We were very fortunate last year. Grande Prairie and our region absolutely shone,” she said.
“We filled the back of a city bus with an immense amount of goodies. It was hundreds and hundreds of boxes of goodies.”
The 2017 Northwestern Alberta Vital Signs Report says 1 in 5 people feel hardly or not at all connected in their community.
Vavrek hopes events like this can change that.
“This is an opportunity for our city … and our community to really shine and show how amazing we are.”
You can pick up Kindness Kits with RAK day supplies — including bracelets and cards — at the Community Foundation office in Centre 2000.
Q99 and Big Country 93.1 will be in the city handing out twenty $10 gift cards to Prairie Mall for Random Act of Kindness Day, and will be giving away promotional items.