We're Back!

We're back! We've not posted a blog in a bit but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy! We continue to work behind the scenes. In a few short weeks it's Random Acts of Kindness Week ( February 14-20 ) so stay tuned because we will have some great things to share with you. In the mean time we encourage you to inspire kindness as a way of life.

Spread Some Sunshine Today

Have you ever thought of what you would do if you were being bullied, or having trouble making friends at a new place? These are interesting questions because they take the power from others and place it back in your hands. Have you heard the inspiring story about the boy who opened doors? Here is the Youtube link: Josh - opening doors and hearts while you may or may not agree with everything in the video at its core it is a story about a boy who decided to change his circumstances by performing a random act of kindness. More than opening doors the story shows that you can take a simple idea and just run with it. Acts of kindness have the power to change our life along with others.  

What if instead of complaining about your job and coworkers you took an entire week and said only positive things. The place where you spend a significant amount of time would be a great place to spread a little happiness, its free to smile, ask someone how they are today and open a door for them as well!

Today is International Happiness Day, spread some sunshine of your own today even if you have to wear that brightly colored rain hat to do it!

Passing On Happy Feelings

Well, St Patrick's Day has come and gone! Listening to the radio yesterday morning the announcer was talking about how St Patrick was not Irish, started out as dressed in blue and instead of parades and green beer the holiday started as a quite religious holiday! Seems the way we celebrate St Patrick's Day is pretty far from that now doesn't it?

How often does that happen in our lives, we start out with one intention and suddenly something else ends up happening. Kindness is like that, you see an opportunity to be kind. It may be something simple such as opening a door, or sharing an encouraging smile. It may be helping an elderly neighbor or co-worker. The kindness that you meant to encourage someone else ends up making your day brighter as well. Hopefully your St Patrick's Day was full of fun, there is nothing like a mid-week holiday to bring down our stress level!

Even though the holiday has come and gone we can celebrate kindness everyday and keep passing on the happy feelings. Oh, and about that leprechaun's hat, don't you wonder what he would look like with one of our bright crochet hats? Green of course!  

Hats off to kindness!

Tuesday blog! Hats off to kindness! Why would you put a hat on anyway?

Well the bright crochet ones that we are giving away will certainly be smile starters. Pop a bright hat on, put your smile on and out the door you go. Isn't it crazy the power of a smile? It can put people at ease, it can start a conversation, it shows that we are happy, we understand and are friendly. That's all pretty amazing, and it doesn't cost a thing! Sometimes we get caught up in trying to come up with monumental acts of kindness when we all have this amazing power to change someone’s day with us constantly. A little smile goes a long way!

Lucky Leprechaun day! Ok, well St Patrick’s Day! Who was this St Patrick and 

why do we have a day devoted to him? Let’s start with that hat....

SPPRAK Facebook Page

Hats, Happiness and Kindness

This week is going to be a great week! Why you ask? This is a week like any other 

that starts with a Monday, however it ends with National Happiness Day on March 

20^th. SPPRAK^® loves Happiness almost as much as Kindness so you know it is our 

kind of week. 

Now, to make each day happier a bit brighter we are giving away a happy hat.

Yes, a crocheted hat that is bright and beautiful, like you. When SPPRAK^® started we 

thought about what kind of logo to have, how to engage others and of course to 

spread the word about kindness. This is where the hats and sunglasses come in. 

Because the special people in SPPRAK^® are not us, it is you, those of you who go 

out and do the acts of kindness that make differences in the world, in lives. Have you 

read the blog about our hats?

Go and give it a read, visit our Facebook and watch here everyday this week for your

chance to win a handmade hat.

Be the change you want to see

Do you ever make the mistake of looking at the comment on internet posts? If you don't usually do this, please do not start now. For some reason the internet has given people, normally kind, sweet people, permission to be mean and judgmental. For example, if there is a post regarding a car accident, people will immediately decide that the person was texting and driving. Or speeding, or eating or generally being dangerous. All of which the commentator would NEVER do. A post about a police officer doing something wrong garners more attention than the hundreds of good things they do every day. Another post from a few days ago, a couple arrested for the deplorable condition of their home, their child taken from them, for obvious reasons. Jump on the judgment bandwagon.

Now, we are not saying that people don't speed and cause accidents, no one texts and drives, police are always right and everyone should keep their children. What we are saying is that maybe it is time to stop hiding behind the internet being unkind. All the people who are in the situations above know they are there. Being unkind is never an answer, and it really makes the person making those comments look bad. Not smart, not intellectual, just mean.

If you feel the need to do something when you see these stories you can offer your sympathy, prayers or find a way to actually help. Maybe people are not always what they should be for one reason or another, but that should not change who you are. If you are kind, or want to be then be that kind person. Be the change you want to see, just as the saying goes.  

Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 8 - 15

February 8 through 15 is Random Acts of Kindness Week! Of course, SPPRAK likes to think every week is random acts of kindness week! So lets say just for this week we get intentional about our kindness acts. Lets go out of our way to make kindness happen. We will start out easy with a couple of free and easy suggestions:

Smile, that's right, smile. At everyone. Today. You might even add a hi how are you to the mix, but it is not required. Just a simple, friendly, sincere smile. You are doing it right now aren't you? Don't you feel better? Now, go spread that around! The world could use a smile or two from you!

Next, open a door for someone. “Let me get that”, you say. Young, old, male or female, your act of kindness will be a hit.

Ask someone how they are doing and actually listen to them. Not the hurried, that's good kind of listening but the kind and caring listen. You might be just the one to change their day!

Say thank you.

Say please

Hug a friend

Pet a dog

Lend a hand.

None of these cost much, money wise, at the same time they are powerful reminders of kindness. Not all worth can be tallied by money, kindness is like that. The importance is in the ability to effect those we don't even know.

Please come over to our Facebook page SPPRAK and share your stories of kindness with our followers! 

Welcome 2015

As We Mark Our 5th Year

As we mark our the 5^th Birthday of SPPRAK! It is hard to believe that we are where we are today. The lessons we have learned from all of you, our fellow SPPRAKers, are amazing. As we reflect on how we started, as a “fun” raiser for the local Light House Mission to collect personal items for the residence there, to our latest completed project (the Kindness Mural on Brown Ave in Terre Haute), we at SPPRAK realize how blessed we are to have embarked on the kindness journey with all of you! 

So, on our birthday we celebrate all of our friends and co harts in the kindness journey. We encourage each of you to continue performing random acts of kindness, and the not so random acts. As always, and especially today, SPPRAK is grateful for each of you and all that you have done! Here’s to many more years for SPPRAK’s mission of kindness!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. Just saying that word gives you a good feeling, doesn't it? This is the time of year when people show their generous side. We also are shown the needs of people. As long as there are people, there will be problems. The saying, "you never know what battle someone else is fighting", rings a little more personal around the holidays. The battle is not important; it is how we all fight the war that matters. Orange Friday just ended, a successful campaign to feed the hungry on the Friday prior to Black Friday. It is vital to take care of those organizations that help feed the hungry in each of our communities. But what about the people we interact with everyday? Two agencies; VNA and Hospice of the Wabash Valley and Signature HealthCARE, in Terre Haute have decided this Thanksgiving to take care of the people that can’t really do that for themselves. Let’s talk to Jody Pomfort and Hailee Lauritzen from VNA and Hospice of the Wabash Valley. These two, both social workers at the agency, took it upon themselves to collect food baskets for patients that they knew needed them. “People who are sick don’t necessarily know about community resources. They miss deadlines due to being ill and family members are preoccupied or unable to help,” stated Jody. Just because those available resources are out there does not mean that everyone knows about them. “When we have a chance to help our patients, or anyone really, we should take that opportunity, don’t judge, just give.” Both agreed that the staff at VNA and Hospice are very helpful in getting in touch with people and letting them know about these resources. While our community has great initiatives, taking care of patients by going that extra mile is something both enjoy and feel are important in healing and making people feel more secure. 

Marsia Lorick, HR Director and Sheryl Robinson, ADON at Signature HealthCARE, spearheaded collections for their employees that needed a little help this Thanksgiving. When asked why they decided to give to their employees who needed a little assistance, Sheryl stated that the people that they work with are considered family. That is what family does; they take care of each other. This is their second year of doing the Thanksgiving assistance program for their fellow employees and they both hope to carry it on.  In addition, during Christmas the pair adds a Christmas Angel Tree to the mix for their employee’s children. 

Both agencies are very active in the community. Signature HealthCARE is active with the Alzheimer’s Association as they host a Coffee and Caregiver group for unpaid caregivers. They also recently had a Thanksgiving dinner for residence and family. 

Marsia stated she believes, "It's not just important to get involved in your community, but the place you work is considered your community." Sheryl summed up the sentiments of each of these women very well. When she was asked what the experience was like, she stated that it might be for selfless reasons that they continue to do the program, the pair gain far more than they give. It is a pleasure to be able to help others. They plan to continue their efforts. 

Sheryl, Marsia, Jody and Hailee: SPPRAK® thanks each of you. All of you out there every day taking care of not only the needs of our community, but the needs of people close to you. You never know the good you have done, the ripple you have started and the lives that these gestures has changed. Well done ladies, well done! Happy Thanksgiving!

Be Kind Where You Live

“We want people to … not just be kind where you live, but love where you live,” 

We want to encourage people to take an active part in your community.

To learn more about SPPRAK go to spprak.com

How is your company kind hearted?

Here are a few stories about companies that have encouraged their employees to give back as part of their working culture. Our hope is that once you read these you will share the amazing stories of your company or those you know of who have made a difference in your community!

First up, VNA and Hospice of the Wabash Valley. This home care and hospice is based in Terre Haute Indiana and, as a not for profit itself, understands the importance of giving to others. One of the ways they give back is by their monthly Blue Jean Fridays. Employees get to wear jeans, but have to pay $5 to do so. This in turn goes to the charity/nonprofit chosen for donation that month. The original Blue Jean Friday was a fundraiser for Orange Friday, an event that SPPRAK President Robin Heng, helped create. From that beginning in November 2009 through today Blue Jean Friday has resulted in $23,890.24 raised for local charities and occasionally the money has gone to employees in need. Many times, employees will give much more than the $5 required donation, resulting in this being a successful and fun fundraiser for the employees. VNA and Hospice has also been a supporter of SPPRAK since the beginning, and was the drop off point when we collected donations for Harrisburg IL tornado victims. 

Next up is Regional Hospital, part of HCA group based in Nashville TN. HCA is a large corporation and their giving nature makes them even bigger! Terre Haute Regional Hospital is a supporter of SPPRAK, and their mission of kindness. Regional Hospital has adopted the SPPRAK pack program in their facility.  The employees have also donated to our efforts when we traveled to Moore OK and Harrisburg IL. The employees and our friends that work there have risen to the occasion many times, collecting money for Orange Friday, other charities and fellow employees in need.

And last for today, but certainly not least, is Indiana American Water. Apparently this company encourages their employees to give back to the community in which they live and work but letting them have a paid day of service. Now that is putting their money where your heart is! On September 30, they spent time cleaning up a much graffitied fence. Where there was once an eyesore, the employees made an example of helping a property owner reclaim what is his. It is nice to get paid to help out, but the real reward is making a difference paid or not. Check out the pictures and video on our website! Indiana American Water was also instrumental in bringing the SPPRAK pack to the Vigo County Schools. 

Now it is your turn! We want to tell your story, or better yet, have you tell your story! Is your company kind hearted? If yes, please share, if not, well now is a good time to start! No one said the president of the company has to start the trend, it can start with you! Share it, live it, because kindness matters!

Can An Act Of Kindness Make A Difference?

This week was the anniversary of a tragic event in America, the repercussions of which reached far beyond our shores. The children who were not even in school when this happened are now seniors in high school and college freshman. As those of us, who can remember clearly, remember and honor those who died in this and other events that are part of who we Americans are, wonder how can we change the world into a kinder and gentler place.

Can an act of kindness really make a difference? We talk about it, we practice kindness every day, and yet is it making a difference? The short answer is of course it is. The long term answer we have to wait and see. Our mission at SPPRAK® is to change the culture for our children, it is the reason for the SPPRAK® pack and why we want people to share acts of kindness with us on our Facebook page.

 As a nation America has been a welcoming place, but due to the circumstances that has had to change. Unfortunate but true. This makes our mission more important. Acts of kindness can change people, your volunteering to serve your fellow man is not in vain.

 While opening a door for someone, or buying another person coffee may seem like trivial acts in the big scheme of things, they really aren't. Because you don't know the effects that your kind actions have on someone. Like the saying goes, be kind because everyone is fighting some kind of battle themselves. Being kind isn't a Polly Anna activity, it is meant to make other people feel they are important because they are.

 Kindness should reach across all barriers and shouldn't really have to diminish your beliefs, unless of course there are issues with those in the first place. Kindness does not require you to lay down, but to rise up and conqueror the unjust. Mother Teresa certainly did not have monetary gains but she was one of the richest women to have ever lived, simply because of her loving and kind spirit. She has effected millions with this message.

Today is a day to be kind, today is the day to change someone's life, to offer a hand up instead of beating someone down. Think about your words, your life will be richer by making someone else's life richer. Then share your story with us and our followers on SPPRAK® Facebook page

Littering Sidewalks With Kind Words

Recently SPPRAK spent a Saturday asking people to write a word that meant kindness to them on the sidewalk with chalk. The goal was to litter the sidewalk with kind words. Another goal? To litter our world with kind words.

Every day we can spread "joy" "beauty" "thoughtful" "helping" "love" "respect" into the lives of those we know and those we don't know. Make someone's day-#kindnessmatters.

Attention!! Blog With A Twist!!

We are always writing our opinion of what kindness looks like, how to make others feel better and so on. Easy to say right?  How about a link to a kindness story?

Spreading Acts of Kindness

Basically it is about 5 friends who travel the country spreading random acts of kindness. They are young, which explains why living in an RV might not be too much of an issue! The reason this is important to SPPRAK? It is the fact that these are more young people living random acts of kindness. The world is not lost to our children, they are well aware that there are issues. The part that they may have trouble with is the ability to find the solution.

We, as human beings, are capable of both extreme heartlessness and extreme kindness. We each have to choose, and while the world out there does need our prayers, it also needs us. You can make a difference where you are, it is up to you to choose what kind of difference you will make. Will you be a positive force in the world, or will you just watch others be negative forces?

The world needs you, the world needs kindness. #kindness matters 

Sharing Kindness at School

Remember the good old days? Sure you do, it is what we talk about constantly, how things have changed, and we seem to focus on what’s wrong not what’s right. But today is our children’s good old days! There have been some changes for the better; today instead of cowering from bullies we refuse to accept that behavior as a right of passage to grow up. 5 year olds can operate an IPad without a second thought, have an app problem? Ask your ‘tween and they will solve it in no time. One problem with today’s world for children and adults alike is the inability to shut off the world. Use to be you could go home and shut your bedroom door and read and dream and escape.

Today that is not nearly so easy for any of us. However, no matter the time we live in, we still want to raise good decent human beings, with compassionate attitudes toward others. The earlier these values are taught (or caught) the better. We all know that a 5 year old is a sponge who wants to learn everything, and will one day be that 15 year old who questions everything. That is a fact no matter the time!

What can we do to help children learn these values? In a way that is non threatening and speaks to the fun side of learning? Shameless plug for our SPPRAK pack program! Colorful kindness notes plastered all over a large banner, what could be more fun? Catching others in the “act” makes for much more compassion than complaining about the youth of today.  Our program is unique in that everyone gets recognized, for simply being kind to another. There may be a citizen of the month, but there will also be a banner full of kindnesses that will continue to grow. We can’t turn back those clocks but we can take advantage of what we know and teach our children about being kind to one another.

Children catch whatever we throw their way, kindness and compassion or hatred, what do you want to be caught? Right now, stop and take a look at our banner program. If you don’t have children of your own, or your children are grown, please do not dismiss this as not including you. There are many schools that would love to have this program that cannot afford the cost. But if you can bless them with one, think of the positive change you can effect. How will you know? Well, SPPRAK follows each school with the program, trust us you will know! 

Get to clicking, watch those videos and share SPPRAK with your friends, because (say it with us) Kindness Matters!

Sharing Kindness

Be the kind of kind friend that you would want to have! What? We all know those people, the ones that remember everyone's birthday, take a few extra minutes in the morning to say hey, let someone else go first. You get the idea. Do you ever look at them and think, wow, I want to be more like that. It's like they read the “how to be kind to others without thinking about it” book. Is there even a book like that? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, how did they learn to be kind and how can you, in turn, follow their example?

One piece of advice: Start small and simple. For instance, today say hi and smile at every one of your coworkers. Including the one that you do not care for. Remember you are practicing kindness, it isn't about YOU, this kindness thing. Lets say you smile at 20 people today. Your face may hurt a little, and some may wonder what you had for breakfast instead of coffee, but those 21 people had a little better day, (we included you!).

You spend a significant amount of time with the people you work with, more sometimes than you spend with those you love. What kind of work environment do you want to have? It doesn't even matter to us where you work, YOU can change the workplace. We know, everyone at your place is _____, we will let you fill in that blank. Guess what else we know? Everyone at your place also likes kindness. They like it when people are kind to them, and they like to have the opportunity to be kind.

So, today is your day! Your opportunity to show a little kindness, to be the change you want to see! Get up, get out and get to SPPRAKin! Oh, and share your kindness tales with us at SPPRAK!

Kindness Matters

Kindness matters. It is what we say, it is what we do. But does it matter? Are people watching? Is anyone paying attention? SPPRAK believes it matters, but do you? Are you buying into this Kindness movement?

 After last Friday, there are 500 additional people running around with SPPRAK green sunglasses. Maybe they leave them in the car, maybe they gave them to their kids, took them to their office, etc. That makes 500 additional people thinking about kindness. If each of those 500 people perform one act of kindness a day, that means 1000 people will be affected, since performing an act of kindness makes a positive difference in those that perform the act as well as those that receive the kindness. So then those 1000 people go on and perform an act of kindness the next day, well there you go 2000 people affected.

Doesn't it reach even further than this though? Think about yourself and the last time you performed that act of kindness. You felt so good, as did the person you were kind to. Put you in a better mood for that whole day didn't it? You were nicer. More than that one person benefited from your act of kindness. And that is how this Kindness movement works, it matters little the size of the kindness, it matters that we do it because it does matter. In a world that is full of bad news and people behaving badly, you can be the change you want to see.

Be kind today, it matters!

A Conversation About Helping Others

Today, a conversation about helping others. Not the one that you give money to the cause, understand that we do not want you to stop doing that EVER, as many problems can be solved by money. Some things though, take another kind of help.

Personal, get involved and get dirty help. And sometimes that kind of help comes with another payoff we don't expect: pain. There are people out there and we are sure you are one, since you are reading a kindness blog that have this heart and drive for helping others. Those are the ones that this blog is for. It is for the friend who has given anyone a shoulder to cry on, then taken another step to help even complete strangers. Need food? Here is where you can go. Sick? Here is a clinic that may be able to help.

We don't do this for the glory, we do it for the good. It is our mission. You become invested in that person, many times not even knowing the full story about how they got to where they are. Their success becomes our badge of honor of sorts even if the helpee is the only one who knows what we have done. And then it happens...failure.

The person who had such promise returns to the life, to the unhealthy habits or relationship they fought so hard to escape. And, as when they succeeded, we now wear their failure, what could we have done? After all, things are supposed to go well, people are changed and saved from their circumstances every day. That is the thing to remember though, that people are changed and saved from their circumstances every day. By people who are kind enough to help. Sometimes many times. Should we stop trying? NO. Should we take another's setback personally? NO.

There are times that these trying circumstances might be our test. How serious are we about showing kindness to people who are not the easiest to receive it? Or those that we think are not really trying to help themselves as much as WE would like. In most things in life, there is probably a payoff. The payoff to changing is a new and different life. The payoff to not changing is comfort, because even if it is bad, it is their bad. The payoff to being kind is knowing that no one can take that kindness away from that person, that where ever their personal journey may take them, be it gutters or mountains that you were there, you were kind.

What you do does matter. The times that make all this advice of kindness difficult is when it involves people we love, family, friends. We are not objective in these times because we are invested in the outcome. We expect more of them then we do complete strangers and when they fail we feel it so much deeper. There is no advice, no answer for these times.

 However, maybe these few lines from the poem, “Anyway”, by Mother Teresa may help you in your kindness mission:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway.

International Happiness Day 2014

Happy Happiness Day! 

March 20 is International Day of Happiness, According to Wikipedia.org, International Day of Happiness is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 28 June 2012. Assembly Resolution A/RES/66/281 states in pertinent part:

The General Assembly Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal. Recognizing also the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and the well-being of all peoples, Decides to proclaim 20 March the International Day of Happiness, Invites all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day of Happiness in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities. (1)

What a great way to start, spend and end your March 20^th every year! We at SPPRAK like the idea of happiness as much as we do the idea of kindness! Happy people are kind people. Wonder why that is? There are probably many studies that prove this sort of thing, but let’s face it we do not need a study, we all know that when we feel better, when we feel loved, secure and happy we find it easier to be kind to others. On March 20 this year we can all add a little happiness to our lives and those of others. Fix breakfast for your family as usual but instead of the usual fussing and hustling through it, try winging the pop tarts as you whistle a little tune. Ok, maybe not the best suggestion but there are ways to work happy into your normal day. The thing is you will have the power on March 20 or any day really to change the course of someone else's day, the choice of happy or sad, with your family, your coworkers. Make it a good choice, make it a happy choice. Then share your stories with us on our Facebook page! SPPRAK loves to hear these stories and how you are making a positive difference in the lives of others!

Want to learn more about what Wikipedia says about International Day of Happiness? Here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_Happiness.

(1):http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/475/68/pdf/N1147568.pdf?OpenElement