KINDNESS OBSERVANCE INTEREST IS SPREADING

With 14 days and counting, the Random Acts of Kindness observance has already spread to 81 participants in four counties.

The city of Scott City is jumping on the kindness bandwagon in an impressive way: The Scott County community has adopted Random Acts of Kindness Week as a Community Betterment project.

Brenda Moyers, chairman of the Community Betterment committee, said the May 11-17 observance will involve businesses, schools, senior citizens, civic and social organizations.

"We've had some discord among citizens and the council," said Moyers. "We thought this would be a great opportunity to start the healing process. You can't go wrong with kindness."

The mayor will sign a proclamation, and activities are being planned for all segments of the community.

Businesses will be encouraged to perform random acts of kindness for customers, and the committee also hopes to recognize businesses with a kindness visit. Children will be involved along with senior citizens.

"It's so positive, we hope to get as many people involved as possible," said Moyers.

The Community Betterment Committee operates under the guidance of the Scott City Chamber of Commerce.

The observance has also spread to Mississippi County. Charleston schools have embraced the project for a second year in a row.

The Charleston Parents as Teachers program received some 250 stickers, bookmarks and brochures to distribute at a parents meeting.

Hearnes elementary school in Charleston also requested 800 free stickers and bookmarks.

To the north, the Perryville elementary school has signed up along with numerous public and private schools in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Frohna.

It's easy to sign up, said Joni Adams, coordinator of the event. Participants need only to fill out the form that has been published in the paper or stop by the newspaper office, 301 Broadway. Registration can also be done by phone by calling 573-335-6611 or 1-800-879-1210.

The Southeast Missourian, sponsor of the week, is offering a number of promotional items free of charge to participants: bookmarks, kindness idea sheets, brochures, community guides, curriculum guides and colorful stickers that proclaim "Warning: I practice random acts of kindness."

Participants' names will also be published on the front page of the newspaper.

Kindness packets are available free of charge through the mail.

Last year, 350 businesses, churches, organizations and individuals signed up, representing about 20,000 people in six Missouri counties and one county in Southern Illinois.

Adams hopes the observance will be even bigger this year.

Interested persons can contact Adams or Peggy Scott for more information at 335-6611.

KINDNESS WEEK PARTICIPANTS

Scott City Community Betterment

Scott City Chamber of Commerce

Freeman Crane Service

May Greene Elementary School

Immaculate Conception School in Jackson

Target

Franklin Elementary School

Good Life Promotions

Dental -- BCBS Department

Regional Eyecare Center

The Lutheran Home

ERA Cape Realty

The Medicine Shoppe

Kagmo Electric Motor

Maple United Methodist Church

A-Wing Ladies at Missouri Veterans' Home

Ameritech Cellular and Paging

Schnucks Kingshighway

Schnucks Mid-Town

Central Junior High School

Department of Accounting, Finance and Business Law at Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Senior Center

Washington School

Rapco International Inc.

Charleston Parents as Teachers

Hearnes Elementary in Charleston

Community Caring Council

Gordonville Attendance Center in Jackson Public Schools

Cape Christian School

St. Vincent de Paul School

Orthopaedic Associates

Orchard Elementary School in Jackson

St. Mark Lutheran Church

Metropolitan Community Church

Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors

To add your name, call 335-6611