The National Random Acts of Kindness Foundation with Hudson’s long-running and well-organized chapter is inviting all of us to participate in 2013 Random Acts of Kindness Week — Feb. 11-17.
Hudson’s Marty Hills offers a few suggestions to get us started:
• Call or write someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time, just to say you’re thinking about him or her.
• Invite someone who doesn’t drive out to lunch or a movie.
• Donate blood.
• Let someone merge into traffic during rush hour.
• Give up your place in line at the grocery store to the person with just one item.
• Write something nice about your waiter or waitress on the back of the bill.
• Select one, two or even three people in your life who need a lift and send them a gift: flowers, tickets to a special event or a gift certificate.
• Ask your children to go through their toys and donate some of them to children who are less fortunate.
Christ Child fundraiser
The women of Christ Child Society of Akron are always hard at work doing whatever they can to make life better for our children.
They are getting ready for their reverse-raffle fundraiser, “A Night of Sweet Adventure,” 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at St. George Fellowship Centre, 3204 Ridgewood Road, Fairlawn.
It includes a silent auction, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dinner. A ticket with two dinners is $135; ticket with one dinner is $100; raffle ticket only is $65; dinner only is $50. Grand prize is $2,500. Sideboards and other chances will be available.
Amazingly, Christ Child Society has clothed nearly 1,600 students in the Akron Public Schools since August.
Event co-chairs Peg Klamert and Sandi Dunn said the basic clothing order consists of new uniform shirts, pants, sweater, undergarments and socks. Also on that provision list is a winter coat, hat and gloves upon request.
For more information or tickets, please contact Klamert at peg_klamert@hotmail.com or 330-867-5529 or Dunn at sandi51647@frontier.com
Raffle to assist family
Big, beautiful bouquets to Stow-Hudson Knights of Columbus for sponsoring a reverse raffle at 6 p.m. Feb. 9, at Kent American Legion Hall, 1945 Mogadore Road, Kent, to aid fellow knight and Holy Family Parish of Stow member Mark Malenda, his wife, Julie, and their children — 7-year-old twins Joseph and Luke and 3-year-old Cadence — with medical bills.
Rob Kubick, recorder-secretary, shared the family’s back story:
“Cadence was born premature at 24 weeks with a weight of less than 2 pounds. Cadence has experienced multiple medical issues, including moderate cerebral palsy requiring ongoing therapy, short-gut syndrome which has compromised her immune system and requires daily enhanced diets, and vision issues requiring multiple surgeries.
“The twins were also born premature and have had medical issues of their own, including mild cerebral palsy … Cadence’s birth and ongoing family medical issues have resulted in outstanding medical bills in excess of $40,000.”
Tickets are $40, with only 200 being sold. You get a catered meal, drink tickets and a chance to win the $1,200 grand prize. Deadline is Feb. 1; please contact Bob Eikenburg at 330-528-0308 or kaybobe@windstream.net. Checks should be made out to Knights of Columbus #10936 with Malenda Fundraiser on the memo line and mailed to: K of C, P.O. Box 2189, Hudson, Ohio 44236.
Interested in donating auction items and themed baskets? Please contact Pat Rynd at 330- 922-4125 jprynd@gmail.com
Caring group of women
Hats off to the 100+ Women Who Care Medina County who have raised more than $50,000 for Medina County nonprofits since they started meeting in April 2011.
“The 159-member group has raised funds for the Hands Foundation, Feeding Medina County, the Kidney Foundation, Medina County Children’s Center, Marian’s Closet and Operation HOMES (Hospitality of Medina County Emergency),” wrote club spokeswoman Marita Tulisiak. “The Holy Martyrs of Ministry of Assistance was chosen to receive funds raised from this first meeting of 2013 to provide food and monetary assistance to families in need in Medina County … 100+Women members commit to donating $100 as individuals or teams four times a year during a one-hour meeting.”
The concept, which dates back to 2008, began in Jackson, Mich., and has taken root throughout the country including Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Lorain and, of course, Medina.
All Medina County women are eligible to join. For information, please visit www.100 womenwhocaremedina.com or email 100womenmedina@gmail.com.
Clothing the community
Trinity United Church of Christ at 915 N. Main St., Akron, operates an active free clothing program for those in need. “Trinity in the Community (T’n’C) has been an outreach mission of Trinity United Church of Christ of Akron since 1968,” David Brown, the church’s minister of welcome and communications, said.
“We operate a food pantry, a clothing room and offer a very limited amount of utility bill assistance. Our food and utility programs are limited to the 44310 ZIP code, but our clothing room is open to all … We receive donations of clothing, outerwear, shoes and household items throughout the month.”
Brown credits a dedicated group of volunteers — who meet each Wednesday to sort and fold the clothing — with keeping this outreach going.
The clothing room is open 1 to 2:30 p.m. the last Wednesday of each month.
Cards available
Beverly’s Invitation & Stationery, 2858 W. Market St., Akron, has several Christmas card catalogs with a massive variety of cards to donate locally. Cards change annually, so new catalogs are already in the works.
Schools used to be the anxious recipients, but no more, says the owner.
The cost to mail them to out-of-the area causes is huge, so a good local home is desired.
Interested? Please call 330-864-4442.
Legal Aid receives funds
Community Legal Aid recently received $5,000 from the Tuscora Park Health & Wellness Foundation and $5,000 grant from Sisler McFawn Foundation to support the work of Legal Aid staff involved in the Health Education Advocacy and Law (HEAL) program at Locust Pediatric Clinic of Akron Children’s Hospital.
The program provides legal services to patient families for free.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com
