The last thing Kim Powell-Woods wanted for her birthday was a newspaper story. But her day on Wednesday was just too unusual to ignore.
Instead of a traditional celebration with gifts and a birthday cake, the Limestone woman wanted smiles. Her plan: For her 35th birthday, she would do 35 acts of random kindness for strangers.
"I thought of it a couple weeks ago, and I sat down one afternoon and started making a list of things I could do," she said. She added that her job — as a 911 operator — put her in touch with people who were having very bad days. She wanted a day when she might help people have a good day.
"And, as a single mother of two, I know a lot about what it's like to be in all kinds of predicaments. So, I wanted to give people a little boost," she explained.
She started at 5 a.m. At a gas station, she helped a woman, who was trying to sell some household things. She needed money to buy gas to get to work in Momence. Kim paid for that gas. It would be part of the nearly $200 she would spend Wednesday.
Kim made some sandwiches the night before and packed lunches for other surprised strangers. She gave them away at the bus stop at noon. She remembered what it was like to ride the bus and have no plan for lunch.
She bought some bus tokens for other folks. Other recipients walked away with lottery tickets. She also dropped off gifts at the Salvation Army, Harbor House and the Gift of God homeless shelter.
"And my daughter told me about a student who needed a lift at her school [in Bonfield], so I took meals from McDonald's out there."
The only snag she hit was a laundromat attendant who refused to make change for her.
While Kim may have brought smiles to 35 faces, at least one woman wanted none of Kim's brand of goodwill.
"I'll probably do this again, but I'll wait for a big one, like my 40th birthday," she said. And she might get her laundromat change at a bank.
(from the daily-journal.com)
Instead of a traditional celebration with gifts and a birthday cake, the Limestone woman wanted smiles. Her plan: For her 35th birthday, she would do 35 acts of random kindness for strangers.
"I thought of it a couple weeks ago, and I sat down one afternoon and started making a list of things I could do," she said. She added that her job — as a 911 operator — put her in touch with people who were having very bad days. She wanted a day when she might help people have a good day.
"And, as a single mother of two, I know a lot about what it's like to be in all kinds of predicaments. So, I wanted to give people a little boost," she explained.
She started at 5 a.m. At a gas station, she helped a woman, who was trying to sell some household things. She needed money to buy gas to get to work in Momence. Kim paid for that gas. It would be part of the nearly $200 she would spend Wednesday.
Kim made some sandwiches the night before and packed lunches for other surprised strangers. She gave them away at the bus stop at noon. She remembered what it was like to ride the bus and have no plan for lunch.
She bought some bus tokens for other folks. Other recipients walked away with lottery tickets. She also dropped off gifts at the Salvation Army, Harbor House and the Gift of God homeless shelter.
"And my daughter told me about a student who needed a lift at her school [in Bonfield], so I took meals from McDonald's out there."
The only snag she hit was a laundromat attendant who refused to make change for her.
While Kim may have brought smiles to 35 faces, at least one woman wanted none of Kim's brand of goodwill.
"I'll probably do this again, but I'll wait for a big one, like my 40th birthday," she said. And she might get her laundromat change at a bank.
(from the daily-journal.com)
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- Posted by wavingatyou
- Jun 24, 2015
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