Spearheaded by Lacombe FCSS, the annual Kindness Month officially launches on Feb. 1.
"Our Lacombe Kindness Campaign was brought to life during COVID actually," said Crystal Zens, executive director of Lacombe FCSS.
"We were still in our last year of shutdowns, and when we went into the business community, they were dealing with a little bit of unkindness at times from some patrons and people. We thought, what a better way to bring our community together than to take the month of February and splash kindness messages around the city!
"The first year we had a little less than 20 sign up, taking our Kindness Kits. The second year it grew, and then last year was our third year and we had almost 80 businesses and organizations signed up. Every business and organization we went into, they were spreading the messages of kindness and of caring for each other," she explained.
Zens said the campaign falls in line with the annual anti-bullying Pink Shirt Campaign, which is also observed each February.
From there, it's just blossomed into a thriving overall community initiative - truly unique to Lacombe as well.
"Last year, we were able to feature it at our provincial conference, and now many other communities have adopted the Kindness Campaign as well. We shared the model, so we are kind of the trailblazers!
"It's so exciting to see it in other communities. I think it's a great reminder that our own community is very special and unique, and we are there for each other. We want to strengthen that message through marketing, social media activity and messaging, too.
"It's so fun, and it's one initiative our team here at FCSS really looks forward to, because it does bring the whole community together."
This year’s event starts on Feb. 1 with a ribbon cutting at the Heart of Lacombe structure at the entrance to Lest We Forget Park.
The Kindness Kits for businesses are packed with kindness-themed messages, posters, balloons, streamers, buttons, and all sorts of things to decorate with and to also help showcase businesses in line with the overall campaign, she explained.
"We try to make them unique to Lacombe. We also love how people pull their own projects together, and create their own displays.
"It's so fun to see the creativity and passion that there is for the community, and that these businesses and organizations have in our city. And that they are always there for our community, and for our initiatives, and very supportive of our goals of being a really strong community, too.
Zens said it's easy to sign up for the campaign - just head to www.lacombefcss.net, check out the organization's socials, or call the office at 403-782-6637.
"We deliver the kits. They are kind of a starter kit... and during what is often a cold and darker season here with the shorter days, it's exciting to do something fun and inspirational. And to remember that our community is about our people."
In the meantime, Zens said the feedback from both the public and the local business owners is continually encouraging.
"We have had incredible feedback. We have had people say it reminds you to give a compliment, open a door for a senior, help someone to their car with their groceries - it's just that little reminder that we lived those couple of years in isolation (during the pandemic), and we kind of fell away from being there for each other," she noted.
"You can change someone's day by your attitude, and by your words. I think that is the important message.
"This is really a city unlike any other. People leave here feeling better, and that is a testament to all of the people that make our community what it is. The Kindness Campaign exemplifies that.
"Having 80 or so businesses spreading this message has quite an impact," she said. "We are excited for people to sign up again, and help to break our record from last year. We couldn't do this without the incredible people in our city who take the kits, make them their own, and really 'own' the initiative, too."