Coats of Kindness (and Much More!)

How about another update on how Kindness Yard Sale funds are being used?  Thinking about where the money goes makes me feel happy and hopeful, I hope it does you, too!

Black History Month Library – Representation Matters.  And there are not a lot of children’s books for Black children.  So, when a neighbor said she was looking for books to read with her child for Black History Month, I knew where some Kindness Yard Sale money would go – a little Black History Month library for the neighborhood! 

                                                               

I ordered 16 great books from Amazon and added more that I had in my collection.  I got a plastic bin, printed up a sign-out sheet with Covid cleaning protocols, and let the neighbors know the library was open (our local county library is closed due to Covid).  Something great about this project is that it can live on – those books can be borrowed by many families over the years.  It has been fun seeing people come and borrow books, and one woman read one aloud in this awesome video!  The book she reads here was written by Meena Kamala Harris’ niece, and it is really good:  Ambitious Girl, Read Aloud - YouTube  

Kindness money spent:  $230.14

Crystals of Kindness – this was such an easy project and touched quite a few families in our neighborhood.  A friend posted that she had done a project with her kids – growing their own crystals!  They looked cool, and she posted the “recipe”, so I tried it!  And guess what – it worked!!  With the knowledge that it was both simple and fun, I asked neighbors if they had any empty jars I could have. 

That was an easy ask, because our recycling company doesn’t pick us glass like they used to, but we are all tree-huggers so never throw the jars away!  I also collected pipe cleaners from neighbors.  I had the other things I needed at home, the only thing I had to purchase was Borax.  So far 25 of these kits have been used by families to grow their own crystals, and 8 more are ready for pick up!  

Crystals after only one day!

Instructions for how to do this project yourself: 

Supplies needed:  glass jar that holds over 2 cups of water, one pipe cleaner, a stick of some sort, string, 6 tablespoons of Borax, water

Instructions:

Bend your pipe cleaner into a heart shape

Dissolve the white powder (which is 6 tablespoons of Borax) into two cups of boiling water

Pour that solution into the glass jar

Tie your heart onto the string, and the string onto the stick

Suspend the heart into the jar so that it is covered by water

Observe over the next day(s) as crystals form

Kindness money spent: $14.48

Warm Kindness – for the past 6 years I have hosted “Project Warmth” at our front gate.  The first couple of years, I hung out sweaters, coats, hats, mittens, etc. from our closets that we no longer used.  Then I realized that so many people have extras and would love to share, so I asked for donations of cold weather gear.  Oh my goodness!  So many people have donated this year, and so many pieces of winter wear have found new homes through this project!!  I check the display several times a day, and when it is empty I replace things.  One time a nice warm coat found a new home before I could even make a pot of coffee!!!  

We have given away coats, sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, boots, mittens, neck warmers, thick socks, snow pants, jeans…  Some people see the display when they walk by, and others have pulled over in their vehicles to pick up a warm item.  Can you imagine being out in the winter weather without a heavy coat or hat?  And people have donated such NICE things!  Brand new kids’ snow pants.  Hand knit hats.  Beautiful scarves.  Barely used heavy boots.  One woman even mailed boots and coats to me from South Dakota!  Isn’t that amazing? 

I put a little note with a $20 bill in one of the coat pockets.  I hope that the person who got it could use the money to get themselves a special little treat, maybe some hot cocoa and lunch!

Kindness money spent:  $35.98 (the $20 gift and a new hook to hang items on)

Dollar Tree Kindness – One of the simplest ways to spread kindness is to pick up the tab of the person in front or behind you in a check-out line.  And that’s just what we did in the Dollar Tree.  Once we checked out, I told the lady behind us that her order was covered with Kindness money.  Even though she was wearing a mask, her smile shone through in her eyes. 

Kindness money spent:  $11.77

You Deserve a Treat Kindness – We all have days where we wish we could just go back to bed, bury our heads under the covers, and wait for a do-over the next day.  But if you have a job, chores, or kids to take care of, sometimes escaping reality just is not possible. 

And that’s where TREATS come in!  Kids get treats, so why shouldn’t adults??? 

When a neighbor expressed that she was having a super hard day, we surprised her with a bottle of wine and a slice of cake meant JUST FOR HER (no need to share, like Moms almost always have to do!!).  Little gestures like that can be huge boosts for exhausted people. 

Kindness money spent:  $21.07

And finally for this recap, Meats of Kindness – So many people have been affected by Covid-19.  Of course, many people have fallen ill and/or lost family members to the illness.  And people have also lost their jobs, meaning losing housing and having a hard time putting food on the table for their families.  One family in our community was having a hard time affording groceries, so I asked them for a $25 shopping list.  I mean, obviously they would appreciate whatever food was given, but it felt important to get what they NEEDED and WANTED.  All they asked for was MEAT.  They explained that when you are getting food from food banks, meat is very, very hard to come by.  So, they said would be super grateful for any meat we could get.  Luckily for them, we are discount shoppers!  

We got 4 different kinds of meat, then added some chips for the teenagers in the family 😊.  They were very grateful (and I bet they got a nice few meals out of it!).

 Kindness money spent:  $33.76

Thank you again to all who donated items for the sale, shopped at the sale, donated funds, gave winter gear, and provided support.  These acts of kindness may not be big enough to change

Thank you so much to everyone who has been supportive of this mission.  Thank you to those who donated items for the Kindness Yard Sale, who shopped at the sale, who donated funds, who dropped off winter gear, and who provided encouragement.  These small act of kindness are not big enough to change the world, but they are big enough to make a small dent…  And if these acts inspire YOU to go out and be kind, well, then the kindness will ripple further and further and further…

 

 

(Little Free) Library Kindness

Have you ever been taking a walk and come across a tiny wooden LIBRARY in a neighbor’s yard??  I have, and boy was I was intrigued!  I went up and checked it out and learned that they are called “Little Free Libraries”.  They are an amazingly kind trend that has spread all across the country, actually, around the WORLD!!  As of January 2016 there were over 36,000 registered Little Free Library book exchanges – some in every single state in the USA and also in 70 other countries!!!

“Just what ARE Little Free Libraries (LFLs)??” you ask.  Well, first off they look like this:

Classic, simple, elegant

Or this:

Color, wild, and zany

And one of the ones in my neighborhood looks like THIS:

BEAUTIFUL and matches the house!

They are small (usually) wooden repositories for BOOKS of all kinds.  The LFL librarians (also known as stewards) keep them stocked.  And here is the best part – the books are not to LEND, they are to TAKE!  So it is neighbors sharing books with neighbors!!  Isn’t that fabulous??  They function on the honor system – so if you take a book today, it sure would be nice if you brought back a book (or 2 or 3) the next time you are in the neighborhood.  J

Ever since I saw a LFL a couple of years ago I have thought it would be awesome to have one.  We live in an area with a lot of walking traffic and I think if we put up a LFL it would have a lot of users!  Alas, real LFLs do not come cheap…  The most inexpensive one on the website is $149, and if you spend any amount of time perusing the choices of LFLs you will undoubtedly decided you “need” one of the fancier models.  I mean, just LOOK at the “Modern Two Story”!!  

Isn't this a cool design??

The official website explains that it is understood that not everyone can afford to purchase a “real” LFL and makes some great suggestions about repurposing other items and turning them into free libraries.  I may do that someday.

But in the meantime, I am lucky to have a few LFLs within walking distance of my home, so I decided to contact Michael Rhode, a LFL “librarian”,  to learn about why he has a LFL in his yard.  Here is what he told me:

Michael's LFL in the snow!

“First, one has to be a booklover. That leads one down all kinds of paths.  I had read about them (LFLs) in the Washington Post, and thought they were interesting. A few months later, I needed an idea for Christmas so I bought one for a family gift for Christmas 2013. The family may not have completely agreed with the thoughtfulness of the gift. My daughter and I painted it and opened it up in February 2014.  Now that it is up and running I do most of the upkeep and swapping out of the books when something is just not moving. My wife arranges the books so people can actually tell what's in the library.”

Michael and his daughter painting their LFL

When I asked him how having the LFL makes him feel, he told me, “Well, selfishly, it's a way to see new books that other people put in, and to move on books that I don't want. Also, everybody knows it as an Alcova Heights (Arlington, VA) landmark now. In the end though, I love books, and love sharing them, and can't bear to see unwanted books, so it's a feeling of satisfaction.”   

I was curious if users of the LFL left him thank you notes, and he said that they do not, but that many people thank him in person.  And when I asked him to speculate on how his library makes the people who benefit from it feel, he said, “Most people seem to think it’s right neighborly”.  J  I say, if you are lucky enough have a LFL that you frequent in your neck of the woods, take a moment to write or draw a little thank you and put it in the library! 

I wondered how much WORK it would take to run a LFL, and he assured me that once you build one and get it all in the ground, there is not a lot involved.  He explained that the things you have to focus on most are “overflow” – i.e. having TOO MANY books for your library, and having books get “stale”.  He gives stale books to our local county library for their annual sale.

Rain, snow, or sun - the LFL is a good addition to the neighborhood

Of course, since he is so involved in the library, I had to ask him what his favorite book is, right?  He told me, “I read so much that I don't have a favorite book anymore I'm afraid. I'd recommend “The Art of Richard Thompson” of which I'm an editor. As a teen, my favorite was Roger Zelazny's five-volume fantasy story “The Chronicles of Amber”, and that still has a place in my heart.”

I think purchasing, putting together, installing, and RUNNING a LFL for your community is an act of kindness.  It shares not only books, but joy with the neighborhood, free of charge!  But Michael doesn’t look at his library as a kindness.  He said, “Well, I don't really consider it kindness, but it's fun and it makes people happy. Anyone who likes to have a nice chat about reading with someone new on a sunny day should consider putting a LFL up. I love to find a new one, and will often go out of my way to stop by and check them out.”

Thanks for helping the neighborhood have things to read, Michael!  And maybe you have inspired some others to put up a LFL in their yard!!  If you want to learn more about LFLs or see where you can find one near you, visit:  Little Free Library website

Michael, thanks for making Arlington a better place.  You might not look at your LFL as an act of kindness, but I sure do.  I say you are a Kindness Activist!!  Thanks for having a positive impact on our community.