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One act of kindness can change someone’s day, but a ripple can change the world.

So is the saying for those seeking to put the word out regarding Random Acts of Kindness Day on Friday, Feb. 17, and for those looking to celebrate locally an essay contest and a Random Acts of Kindness Coffee Board will occur at The Hall Coffee and Social Club

Essay contest 

In honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day, the Winchester community has come together to sponsor and launch the Join the Ripple Essay Contest. Students from Baker Intermediate School, Campbell Junior High School, and George Rogers Clark High School are eligible to participate and have the chance to win $3,000 for their favorite local charity.

The contest invites students to reflect on the impact of Random Acts of Kindness, either by discussing a specific action they have performed or by exploring how kindness can have a ripple effect in their community. Essays must be between 100 and 300 words and address one of the two provided prompts. The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 24, 2023.

Participants are encouraged to submit their essays to RAOKessays@gmail.com and include their full name, grade, and school. One winner will be selected from each participating school and announced on Friday, March 3, 2023. Each winner will receive $3,000 to be donated to a registered charity of their choice. All selected charities must be able to receive tax-deductible donations. The winning essays must highlight the power of kindness and inspire others to join the ripple of generosity and compassion.

For more information on the Join the Ripple Essay Contest, email RAOKessays@gmail.com.

For others who want to #jointheripple, Winchester citizens have created a Random Acts of Kindness Toolkit with tools, resources, social media graphics, activities, and more for the greater community. The link to access the toolkit is https://tinyurl.com/raoktoolkit.

Random Acts of Kindness Coffee Board

The Random Acts of Kindness Coffee Board at Hall’s Coffee and Social Club on Main Street is an opportunity to give to others. It is expected to take place on Friday but details are still being confirmed as of Monday.

Essentially, individuals are allowed to pay ahead of time for a drip coffee that other guests can enjoy.

While this can be performed for a particular individual, it can also occur for an unnamed individual if those contributing are merely interested in putting down an undisclosed amount beforehand.

The idea was suggested by Winchester resident Brett Cheuvront and others, who approached the owners of Hall’s Coffee and Social Club.

“I think a big thing for us is to figure out ways to show kindness and make people feel included,” said Jessie Hall, co-owner of the business. “The idea is that it’s [an opportunity] to pay it forward in a sense.”