Each year, Kindness Month in Lacombe continues to evolve, and most importantly, to grow.
Spearheaded by Lacombe FCSS, Kindness Month was launched on Feb. 3 at the Lacombe Memorial Centre.
The campaign was introduced near the end of the pandemic, and sees Kindness Kits - packed with kindness-themed messages, posters, balloons, streamers, buttons, and all sorts of things to decorate with - delivered to businesses and organizations across town.
The first year, FCSS staff had a little less than 20 sign up, taking the Kindness Kits. And from there, it's grown significantly.
"The Kindness Campaign went absolutely fantastic this year," said Wendy Griffin, community projects coordinator with Lacombe FCSS.
"We had 62 businesses in Lacombe sign up, and then we also had 10 in Clive, and a few in Bentley join as well," she said. "So we had well over 70 businesses sign up this year.
"It was great to walk around the community and to see all of the pink in the windows, and in the businesses. The community really rallied around the program this year, and we can see it spreading the message of kindness far and wide."
The campaign, which is completely unique to Lacombe, falls in line with the annual anti-bullying Pink Shirt Campaign, which is also observed each February.
Meanwhile, other communities are following suit, launching their own campaigns after having been inspired to do so by Lacombe FCSS's example.
Griffith said there is an overall excitement about it across town.
"The businesses say they love seeing it run, and (being part) of spreading the message of kindness. They are always super-thrilled when they see us walk through the doors with the kits, and they will say, 'Oh yes! It's that time of year again. We are really excited - hand the kit on over'," she said with a chuckle.
Others pop by the FCSS office in January asking about when the kits will be ready, she added.
"There is a definite momentum around it, as people know it's going to happen," she said.
"It was also really special at our community dinner in February - we decorated the whole hall pink. We had pink on all of the tables, and we also had a colouring contest this year for the first time - I think we had about 50 or 60 kids take part. It went over really well, and the kids were thrilled - we had a student from Terrace Ridge School win. So that was something we added this year," she said.
"We also had a slide show at the dinner, to show all of the kindness (initiatives) that were going on, whether through the businesses that participated, or people who did kind things in the community who then tagged us with photos in social media posts.
"So there was a really nice presentation at the community dinner," she added.
"In a world where there is so much negativity, it also just reinforces what a great community this is."
