KINDNESS SAVED MAN'S LIFE

Ann Morales' picnic at Trail of Tears State Park wasn't anything like she had planned.

But opportunities for kindness have a way of sneaking up on people when they least expect it.

This week, kind deeds are rampant in the region as thousands participate in Random Acts of Kindness Week.

On Sunday Morales put together a basket of picnic goodies, her husband threw in a fishing pole, and they headed out to Lake Boutin at Trail of Tears State Park.

Morales spread out the blanket and her husband headed to the lake. Moments later he returned to tell Morales that a man appeared to be floundering in the water.

"At first I thought he was kidding. Then I thought the guy was out there horsing around," she said. "Apparently he was just out there having a good time and got in over his head."

Soon it became obvious the man was in real trouble.

"I jumped in and swam out there, clothes and all," Morales said. "He was in pretty bad shape. His eyes were glazed. I took him by the neck, put him over my hip and pulled him in to shore.

"I used to be a lifeguard many years and a couple of pounds ago," she said.

On the sandy bank, Morales was pleased to see that once out of the water the man was fine. She thinks he was about 26 years old but doesn't know his name.

"I was so happy that he was OK, it never occurred to me to ask his name or anything," she said.

As Morales stood in her dripping clothes, a man walked by and told her that someday she would be rewarded for her kind deed.

She headed home to change clothes and noticed the flashing light on her answering machine. Morales, who is a real estate agent, had a message from a client interested in buying a house.

"This wasn't what I thought Mother's Day would be," she said. "It was much better."

Free groceries

Schnucks store manager Donna Essner wasn't sure what to expect when she got a call from the customer service counter Tuesday morning.

Someone wanted to buy groceries for another customer in the store, but that person wanted to remain anonymous.

The grocery-giver discretely pointed out the recipient, gave Essner a credit card number, and agreed to buy whatever the customer purchased.

As the customer checked out, Essner explained that the $48 in groceries were free today.

"It was such a nice thing," she explained. "I thought people should know."

Class project

Curtis Shelton's first-hour consumer education class at Cape Girardeau Central High School asked if they might participate in Random Acts of Kindness Week.

"We started throwing out suggestions and decided to make cards and pictures for nursing home residents."

This week the high-school juniors and seniors have been designing greeting cards and pictures to brighten the days of people they don't know.

"We have lots of flowers, smiles and sunshine," Shelton said.

Messages written by the teen-agers convey wishes of good health and happiness.

Later this week the cards and messages will be delivered.

"This is one way they can actually give something to the community," Shelton said.

"They can show respect for their elders and, in a small way, touch someone else's life," he said. "Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest differences."