Camping Kindness

I got to sit down and chat today with a new little friend, Owen.  He is only 3, but he is FULL of energy, ideas, imagination, and KINDNESS.

He is a funny one, my new friend!  Made me laugh

Owen’s birthday party this year was CAMPING themed – complete with a bonfire, smores, a tent, and even a campfire pinata that his dad made!  But even though the official theme was camping, a “sub-theme” of kindness was woven in, too.

Cool campfire pinata

Because you see, instead of asking for GIFTS, Owen asked his guests to bring food donations for the Little Yellow Free Pantry!  Isn’t that amazing???  His mom and dad brought him by today so that we could talk a bit and learn about the sweet little boy and his birthday donations.

Owen’s mom, Janelle, works with United Way so knows alllll about non-profits and volunteerism.  A friend of the family had a birthday party and asked for food donations, so Owen’s parents were inspired to do the same for his event.  “At first we were going to collect for AFAC, but then I remembered your posts about the pantry and thought that would be even more local to help out,” she said. 

The birthday boy and his kind parents

And help out they did!  Owen’s guests brought bags of shelf-stable food, which they then donated to the LYFP.  And today when the family came over to talk about it, they got to meet a pantry guest who stopped by.  I love it when that happens – connecting donors to receivers – it really brings the system “full circle” and makes it real. 

Owen is a sweetheart.  He loves reading books, his favorite color (today) is blue (his dad says that changes quite often…).  He likes hopscotch (though he says he is not that good at it, and walks on the hopscotch board instead of hopping) and has a great imagination.  And this little dynamo is really kind.

Owen tried out our newest project, the "stress relief" station :) 

Happy belated birthday, Owen!  I am glad you got to go to Great Wolf Lodge and celebrate after your party.  And I am very, very thankful that you collected food for the Little Yellow Free Pantry.  Because of YOUR KINDNESS, other neighbors have fuller bellies.

Kind kids rock.

P.S. – items currently most needed for the Little Yellow Free Pantry are dried beans of any kind (we are out of lentils and almost out of other kinds as well), single serving heat and eat soups in cups, single serving drinks of any kind except milk which we have enough of (water, iced tea, juices, etc.), cans of fruit of any kind, deodorant, and sun screen.  Our Amazon wish list can be found at the link below (Costco wish list coming this month).  THANK YOU!

Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List

Number 365

Our Delegate to the Virginia Assembly, Alfonso Lopez, stopped by this evening.  His mission was to put up a yard sign on our busy corner (we are squarely in his team so he knows that ask gets a “yes”). 

But while he was here, we took time to chat.  Talked about the upcoming elections.  Talked about the repair to the porch David is working on.  Talked about the family arriving in America soon that needs temporary housing.  What an honor to have direct access to someone who represents us in government.  Not all Americans have that privilege, and I am thankful we do.

As we talked, I remembered that I have never shared an important story that involves Alfonso.  There are many reasons it has not been written about – time to sit down and compose being a factor.  But the main reason is this:  talking about yourself is difficult.  It can come across as boasting, which is a trait that I do not admire. 

But then I thought, by NOT sharing this story, I am not giving Alfonso the gratitude and respect that he deserves for honoring me in such a special and significant way.  And by not sharing it, I miss an opportunity to spread some kindness ripples. 

So – here’s the story…

On February 12, 2023 we hosted the 2^nd birthday party for the Little Yellow Free Pantry.  I invited the community, and my sister even flew in from Omaha to be a part of the celebration.  We had hoped for a sunny, chilly day full of laughter and cupcakes and cookies.  Instead, what we got was a very cold, rainy day – but still full of laughter and cupcakes and cookies.

It rained super hard.  We had a canopy set up and guests huddled under it around the fire pit.  Kids created crafts (with glitter, lots of glitter!!) on the covered back porch.  We drank hot cocoa and hot tea.  One of David’s jobs was to periodically poke the underside of the canopy with a broom handle to move the puddles that had formed onto the ground.  Once the puddle he was getting rid of splashed right into the firepit – smoke and ashes flew everywhere.  Cue the laughter…

One pantry guest who is without housing came by to get food and we invited him into the celebration.  He sat right down and chatted with the other everyone.  It was a cold day, but fun.

Late in the afternoon, State Representative Alfonso Lopez showed up.  And he brought with him a large blue folder, inside of which was a formal print of House Joint Resolution 365 – commending me, Susan Thompson-Gaines, for my work as a Kindness Activist.  Makes me tear up even thinking about it.

I don’t do this work for accolades.  I don’t do it to be recognized or applauded. 

I do kindness work because it makes my heart happy, and it makes the world a kinder place.  And really, don’t we all want happy hearts and a kind place to live?

Alfonso read the resolution aloud, and a kind neighbor videoed some of it and shared it with me, which I will share in the link here.

Alfonso Lopez Reading House Joint Resolution No. 365

Thank you Alfonso.  I am humbled and I am honored.  Maybe someday I will have an actual Kindness Activist OFFICE instead of working off the very full dining room table at home.  When that happens I can frame and hang this beautiful piece of parchment and hang it on the wall.

Until then, I will keep up the kindness.  Even on days when it is hard, and there feels like too much to juggle.  I would like to think that me finding this passion and diving into it so deeply would make my parents proud.  Wish they could see this Joint Resolution…  My dad would’ve photocopied this puppy 2 dozen times and handed out copies to all of his buddies (he might’ve even faxed it to a few of them…), and my mom most certainly would’ve cried when she saw it.

Go out there and be kind, friends.  It doesn’t cost you anything.  And it can honestly make a dent in changing the world.

Thanks. 

 

P.S. – I just noticed tonight that it is House Joint Resolution Number 365.  I think that means 365 days in a year.  As in, be kind 365.

 

#KindnessActivist   #JustBeKind   #BeKind365