Brooks Secondary School students are daring the community to complete 10,000 acts of kindness as part of the first community-wide compassion challenge.
The event, rooted in the idea that kindness is paid forward, will take place on Friday, May 23, and include many events throughout the city. According to Brooks teacher Chris Bratseth, the event’s chief organizer, the challenge is designed to help Powell River connect through meaningful acts of kindness, compassion and service.
He hopes that the challenge will tap into society’s value of competition and give people more opportunities to give back.
Bratseth added that compassion is being defined in its broadest terms, but the focus will be kindness to self, to community and to the environment.
“People of all ages in Powell River are invited to take part in small and large acts of compassion,” said Bratseth. “So get out in the community and plant a tree, clean up some garbage, bake cookies for your co-workers, give someone a hug or just take the time to listen and be present for someone.”
All actions will be recorded in writing, photography or video and showcased on the compassion challenge website. On May 23, people are being asked to submit their stories, pictures or links to short movies at the website to tally all kind acts up throughout the day.
A number of free community events are being planned for the challenge including runners from the high school and the community tallying laps at Timberlane track, yoga and fitness classes at T-Fit Yoga and Fitness Studio and a community barbecue and music from 4 to 9 pm at Willingdon Beach.
Alex Bjelica and Lila Tipton of inclusion Powell River will be flipping burgers at the beach that evening trying to add to the goal of beating 10,000 acts of kindness.
Volunteers from Food Share Day will also be at the event collecting donations of non-perishable food to help out the Powell River Action Centre Food Bank and Salvation Army.
Bjelica, who is also a member of the Compassion Network in Powell River, said inclusion Powell River has partnered with its Canadian Union of Public Employees local, and several businesses including The Chopping Block to put on the barbecue as a wrap-up event.
“It’s a way for us to give back to the community for all the support,” he said, adding that they are hoping to give away 1,000 burgers at the event.
The afternoon’s entertainment lineup has not yet been finalized but will include greetings from civic dignitaries, stories and awards from the Compassion Network, songs and dance from some of Powell River’s best talents and a drum circle.
“We would love it if the public wants to bring their drums along to create a big noise for compassion in the drum circle,” Bjelica said.
