Northgate Care Center's first "Acts of Kindness" program leaves impact on the local community

February 1, Northgate Care Center and ABCM Healthy Living Home Care of Waukon, owned and operated by ABCM Corporation of Hampton, kicked off its own Acts of Kindness program in an effort to promote good will and inspire/encourage acts of kindness to pass on throughout the community. Buttons were handed out to individuals as well as dropped off at various locations during a two-week time period.
Barb Thies, Marketing Coordinator for Northgate Care Center and originator of the Acts of Kindness program, appreciates the assistance of the local businesses and organizations that assisted in the distribution of these buttons, including Veterans Memorial Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Gundersen Lutheran Medical and Vision Clinics, Allamakee Community Schools in Waukon, St. Patrick School, Hartig Drug, Waukon Greenhouse, Allamakee County Relief Office, and Shopko. Anyone who received a button was encouraged to perform an act of kindness for someone and then pass the button on to another person.
One might wonder about the impact being kind has on the well-being and health of people who either receive or practice those acts of kindness. People who reported their acts of kindness deeds during the two-week program (see the list below) also expressed how good it made them feel, and that they wanted to do more.
“Making a conscientious effort of being kind to others truly does make a person feel good, as opposed to just staying caught up in the normal stresses of day-to-day life,” Thies said. “Many thanks go out to all the individuals who participated in the Acts of Kindness program and who reported their good deeds. I am quite certain that many people in our area perform kind acts regularly as just a part of their daily lives.”
In consideration of maintaining the program in the future, Thies would appreciate any input anyone would care to share about the program. She can be contacted at Northgate Care Center at 563-568-3493 or by e-mail at bthies@abcmcorp.com.
Acts of kindness reported to Thies throughout the project are listed below.