The Southeast Missouri area is full of great people doing great things and we want to share those stories! Each month the Southeast Missourian will be sharing stories – in print and online – highlighting the community spirit and acts of kindness that make our area a special place to live.
At the end of each month, one participant will be chosen at random to win a $50 Visa Gift Card.
Three ways to help us spread the word about the good in our area.
- Fill out the form below
- Share on our Facebook page or via Facebook Messenger at www.facebook.com/semoactsofkindness
- Send us an email at kindness@semissourian.com
Please let us know at the beginning of your submission if you wish to remain anonymous in print and online.
Check out our recent submissions!
Betty Butler, age 88, from Jackson, MO wrote in a hand-written letter to the Acts of Kindness team. In it, she tells about many ways she has been on both the receiving and giving end of kindness. As someone who was raised in the depression years, she is very thankful for everything in her life. She recalls a time that someone purchased her groceries for her at Food Giant – “It’s a feeling you’ll never forget,” she writes.
Betty has a long history of generosity with her friends and neighbors. She loves to cook chicken ‘n dumplins, cakes and other goodies for those around her. She especially loves to do things for her neighbor, who is in a wheelchair. Whether taking her a warm meal, pouring mulch in her flowerbeds, or picking up a pretty blouse from a garage sale – Betty truly loves to give to others.
This past year, Betty and her husband, Chester had COVID-19. The same neighbor repaid the acts of kindness by bringing them food. She would set it on their driveway and call to let them know it was there. This simple act of kindness meant the world to them, and they continue to pay it forward as often as they can.
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Bonnie Major wrote in to the Acts of Kindness team sharing a story about her generous friend. This friend had an old camper with a damaged floor for sale. A young couple came to look at the camper and were very interested – the man said that he was a handyman and would be able to fix the floor. After giving some thought, Bonnie’s friend and her husband decided that they would like to gift the camper to this young couple.
The woman called the young woman to tell her, and she was overwhelmed with emotion and disbelief. When they went to meet the young couple to park the camper, Bonnie’s friend asked the young woman if she was a Christian – to which she shook her head no. She then went on to tell the young woman that she believed God had meant for them to give the couple the camper. The young woman cried and shared that her mom had just passed away, and had always wanted her to go to church. Bonnie’s friend told her that she believed God had orchestrated this exchange, and it was meant to be a message.
Now the young couple has a fun fixer-upper project to create their own memories in, the same way that Bonnie’s friend and her husband had in the past.
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"Nancy LeGrand has a heart for helping others and walking with them through their hurt. I am not the only one she has helped. She helps older people in her church and community by checking on them, running errands for them, and getting them out of the house. She has also recently started assisting with the funeral ministry at her church to provide support for families during their loss of a loved one. I have personally experienced her care and concern over the past year. I lost my mom to cancer in July, had hip surgery in October, and very recently lost my grandmother. Nancy has walked with me through this past year and has made sure that I did not feel alone."
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"My husband and I are in our 70s. He had a stroke about 10 years ago and has not been able to take care of our yard. Our next-door neighbor, Kim Baker, has been mowing our lawn for us for several years now. She also watches over her house if we are out of town. We greatly appreciate her kindness to us."
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"My husband and I are local foster parents. We love helping local kids, parents, and DSS in a time of need. Foster homes are full in our county and there is always a need for more. We recently received a call for an infant and we were not prepared for the major adjustments from teen/preteens to infant equipment. Thankfully, the First Baptist Church in East Prairie came to our rescue. They were able to open their storage and donate a wonderful car seat, stroller, baby bath, and much more! They made the transition from preteens to infants MUCH easier. I can never thank the First Baptist Church from East Prairie enough for their amazing donations."