BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN
Sudbury mayor Dave Courtemanche wants Sudburians to think about brightening somebody else's day this holiday season by performing random acts of kindness.
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Sudbury Mayor Dave Courtemanche, along with students of all ages from McLeod Public School, are urging Sudburians to perform random acts of kindness for those in need. |
He got the idea from students at MacLeod Public School, who are in their second year of the Pay It Forward program. The program encourages students to help other people without any expectation of reward.
Courtemanche presented the students with a plaque Monday morning to thank them for their contributions.
"I think people in the general population do this kind of thing already, but sometimes we need to remind ourselves," he said. "At Christmas time we all exchange gifts, and that's fun, but random acts of kindness is all about doing something kind for someone and not expecting anything in return, but hoping that the person will then do something kind for something else."
The Mayor himself experienced the kindness of a stranger not long ago. He was waiting in line at the Tim Horton's drive-thru, when the woman in the car in front of him noticed he was the Mayor and paid for his coffee.
"It made me feel really good. It was just one of those things where you don't expect it, and it was just a really nice thing to do, and I really appreciated it," he said.
"I think all of those have those kinds of experiences and stories in our lives, and the children of MacLeod Public School are reminding us that this is what's really important year round."
Grade 3 MacLeod teacher Dana Campeau said the students have done everything from shoveling other people's driveways to fundraising for those in need.
The school has shipped boxes overseas for Operation Christmas Child, contributed to the food bank and raised $3,000 to help re-build a school in tsunami-devastated Sri Lanka.
Students fill out anonymous forms every time they perform an act of kindness, and at the end of the school year, the sheets are compiled into a book called Soup for the MacLeod Soul.
"This teaches the kids that we can make a difference. It doesn't matter how small the act of kindness is, even if it touches one person, it makes a difference," said Campeau.
"We can change our families, we can change our classrooms, we can change our school, we've tried to change our community, and today, with the mayor's launch, it's a nice city-wide challenge for the people of Sudbury."
