Madison Heights to Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week
(City of Madison Heights, Feb. 
14, 2020)
Madison Heights, MI -The City of Madison Heights has announced it will be again be celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week, an observance that celebrates the
“pay it forward” mentality and asks the community to do everything they can for their fellow citizens as a show of goodwill.
Random Acts of Kindness Week is scheduled for Feb. 16-23, 2020, and marks the 24th consecutive year the City will be participating. This year’s theme is “Keep Kindness the Norm”, urging residents to extend this giving mindset beyond the week and into our everyday lives.
“If all residents do one random act of kindness daily, we can move the world in a more positive direction,” said Madison Heights Mayor Brian C. Hartwell. “Too often we 
underestimate the power of a kind word, a listening ear, a smile or how the smallest act of kindness has the potential of turning someone’s life around. To see how far this celebration of life has grown worldwide since former Councilwoman Margene Scott brought it to life nearly a quarter-century ago is truly inspiring.”
The city encourages residents and businesses to promote “kindness” events and let their fellow citizens know that they can change the world by doing one random act of kindness at a time. Here are some suggestions of how to work Random Acts of Kindness into your days:
Smile and say hello to people you don’t know
Drive safely and be courteous to others on the road
Collect canned goods for a food bank
Clean up litter on the street
Say something nice to everyone you meet
Leave a kind note for a family member or friend
Tell your children/grandchildren why you love them
Shovel snow for a neighbor
Pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru
Buy extra at the grocery store and donate it to a food pantry
Buy flowers for someone (postal worker, grocery store clerk, bus driver, etc.)
Compliment a colleague on their work
Send an encouraging text to someone
Let a car into the traffic ahead of you
Take a gift to new neighbors and introduce yourself
Pay the bus fare for the passenger behind you
Cheer up a friend who needs it
Donate blood
Offer to babysit for free
Let someone go in front of you at the check-out line
Take blankets or warm clothing to a homeless shelter
Help an elderly person care for their pet
Volunteer or donate to local causes
Stop into a nursing home to spend time with the residents
Be patient with others
Back in 1995, Madison Heights was among the first cities in Michigan to recognize the importance of Random Acts of Kindness as a grassroots campaign, and local activities have earned nationwide recognition over the years. Citizens have done everything from clearing snow for disabled residents, offering free services to seniors and helping conduct winter safety checks on vehicles.
The origin of the movement in Madison Heights goes back to former City Councilwoman Margene Scott, when a 
stranger at a local restaurant paid the bill that had been delivered to Scott and her husband Jack, writing: “There are too many ‘Random Acts of Violence’ in this world; so I try to offset this with ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ ”
Moved by this gesture, Councilwoman Scott then approached the City Council to suggest the city play a role in boosting this movement. Local businesses were eager to take part, it became wildly successful and has been going strong worldwide for 25 years.
City leaders are looking forward to seeing the wave of positivity that this week brings to the community.
“Every year during Random Acts of Kindness Week, the uptick in goodwill and positivity are clear throughout the community,” said Madison Heights City Manager Melissa Marsh. 
“People are smiling more and appreciative of their fellow citizens, a lesson we can learn to apply to our communities year-round. We look forward to seeing this outpouring of community support for one another again in 2020.”
To find your own inspiration, visit www.randomactsofkindness.org.
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