Random Acts of Kindness

For years I have been doing “Random Acts of Kindness“ in Sonoma County because I think sometimes, when someone does something nice for someone else, that behavior needs to be rewarded. 

For me it started when I was at a restaurant. I asked the manager if I could speak to the person who did the dishes?  Everyone was really worried that I was upset, but after explaining that I just wanted to talk to the person who did the dishes they took me back to the kitchen. 

There was this kid, surrounded by steam, arms deep in the dishpans, scrubbing away. Nobody cared about him, he was just the dish guy.

I told him that the dishes they served my food on were fantastic. They were squeaky clean and it showed that he really cared about what he was doing. He was one of the big reasons I enjoyed my meal.

So, to thank him, I gave him a 100 dollar bill and said, “your work is appreciated! “

His body posture changed right before my eyes. He went from the guy with the worst job in the restaurant to a young man, beaming with pride. 

I have no idea what ever happened to that kid, but his reaction is what started Random Acts of Kindness way before anyone else ever did such a thing.

Redwood Credit Union thinks like I do

Redwood Credit Union has been doing Random Acts too.  One day they called me and said they had set up a special RANDOM ACTS ACCOUNT for me to dip into every Tuesday morning so I could keep saying thank you on KZST. 

Here is the way it works, Every Tuesday at 8:10am I open our 707-284-1000 phone lines and look for someone who is willing to go out and do an Random Acts of Kindness.

I come up with the Idea, Redwood Credit Union gives me a crisp new 100 dollar bill and You, the listener, get to go out and give it away. 

If you have any ideas of people who deserve to receive a 100 dollar thank you, let me know. My personal Email is dabrams@mysonomamedia.com. Oh, and you might want to drop a little note to Redwood Credit Union to thank them for keeping the love rolling in Sonoma County.

Here are some of the things we have done so far.

• We caught someone opening the door at a store for someone else
• Flying an American Flag over their house ( what happened was one of the best stories ever )
• The Crosswalk Guard at a school
• Picking up litter on the beach
• Letting someone go ahead of them in line at the store
• Leaving pocket change in that little dish by the cash register
• Help someone who looked lost in Downtown Santa Rosa
• Picking up their dogs poop as they took it on a walk
• Putting the Shopping cart back in the Cart Corral at the Grocery store
• A family going together to see a movie at the theater ( it is expensive )
• A Volunteer coach at a kids soccer game
• Someone who put food in the Barrel at the Food bank ( they then returned the favor by giving the money to the food bank )
• A School Bus Driver
• A student buying books at the JC
• A Girl Scout selling cookies ( and no we didn’t need the cookies )
• A older Veteran eating breakfast in a restaurant
• Paid for the dinner of a high school couple on their first date
• Bought gas for the person behind them at the gas station
• Lunch to a construction worker at Friedman’s getting a hot dog and told the lady in the lunch trailer to Keep the change…and that is just a few! 

If you have any other ideas of creative ways to do a Random Acts of Kindness, my email is dabrams@mysonomamedia.com. Better yet, just call me when I am on the air. The direct line into the studio is 707-284-1000. I would love to hear what’s on your mind.

– Debbie Abrams