By Alli Schieber, Student Reporter
More than 50 groups and clubs are participating in Northwest Oklahoma Kindness Day on Friday.
Students, faculty and staff at Northwestern will participate in the day’s events, which aim to spread acts of gratitude and friendship toward others. The United Way partners with Northwestern for the event. The university began participating in the holiday in 2021.
“I think we just need to have more kindness in the world right now, whether it’s one day out of the year or you just make a practice of being kind every day,” said Valarie Case, assistant director of university relations.
Several organizations on Northwestern’s Alva campus have outlined their plans for the day.
Fryer Hall residents are hosting a food drive for the Campus Cabinet food pantry. Residents will be taking donations until the end of November. Donation boxes are in the Student Center, J.W. Martin Library and all four dormitories.
The university’s social work program is also doing a food drive to benefit the Campus Cabinet, and J.W. Martin Library staffers will hand out popcorn.
Delta Zeta sorority is painting rocks with kind quotes on them and placing them around campus. Students who find a rock are encouraged to take a photo of it and post pictures with it using the hashtags #AlvaRocks, #DZRocks and #BeKindNWOK. Students are also encouraged to hide the rocks elsewhere on campus.
“Being kind means being nice to other, no matter what we are going through, and sometimes going out of our way to help someone,” Delta Zeta member Mikayla Webb said.
The Medical Sciences Club is hosting a project called “Heroes in Scrubs.” Students will host an educational doctor/nurse playtime for children ages 3 to 6. The event will take place in the Science Amphitheater.
From 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. in the Student Center, Operation Gratitude will give students the chance to write letters to the military and first responders.
Off campus, as part of Kayla’s Kindness Project, Kayla Leeper will read two books on kindness, pass out bookmarks with information about kindness and provide cookies and drinks for students and adults after school.
Students don’t have to be affiliated with any group or project to be kind, Case said. They can do something as easy as complimenting someone or holding open a door.
“It doesn’t cost a dime to be kind,” Case said.
Those participating are encouraged to post about it on social media using the hashtag #BekindNWOK.
They are also encouraged to take pictures and send them to Case at vcase@nwosu.edu so she can send them to United Way.
Case said she would like for people to let her know how many people are involved in each Kindness Day project so that she can get a head count.