A kindness initiative in Spruce Grove which inspired a teacher at Rendell Park and her students to write greeting cards with donations has sparked another good gesture. The recipient has now returned the good deed along with a $2,000 gift.
Stephanie Hurd read Facebook posts sharing stories of people in need to her class.
“I was so inspired by that first one of the girl that didn’t have a washing machine – she was washing the clothes in the bathtub. And Amanda and Trevor took her on a shopping spree and bought her absolutely everything that she needed.”
Amanda and Trevor Wilhauk operate Wilhauk Beef Jerky in Spruce Grove and have a campaign called the Twelve Days of Giving. Wilhauk says she was amazed to learn that a teacher in Lloydminster was sharing their posts and teaching kids about acts of kindness. Then two years ago, they received a package in the mail full of handwritten cards, each with a $10 bill in it, from a grade 5 class at Rendell Park Elementary.
“It was so cute. They all wrote in there,’my teacher cries everyday – when she is reading out all the kindness that you are spreading.’ ‘She cried again today – and she gave us $10 – and we want to give it to the girl who needs help with the laundry.’ ‘We want to give it to the seniors.’ ‘We want to give it to the little boys that don’t have anything.’ They (grade fives) got to choose – she let them choose. So she spent her own money,” says Wilhauk.
The couple put the cards up in their Spruce Grove shop window for two-weeks, with the donations still inside and people would stop to read the greetings from the Lloydminster grade fives.
Hurd and the grade fives have done their act of kindness for two-years in a row and Wilhauk says it’s one of the reasons why they have continued doing their kindness venture which is now in its fifth year.
Wilhauk along with the Grinch hosted a thank-you lunch with some 60 pizzas for the entire elementary school of some 400 kids. Their visit also included a cheque donation of $2000.
Hurd in expressing her gratitude says she knows how she is going to pay it forward.
“I’m allowed to choose whoever I want to spread it to and I’m going to choose the Lloydminster Hub of Healing. They are actually going to come and speak to all grade six classes on Thursday morning. They help people out right in Lloydminster with mental health and addictions, as well as people less fortunate.”
Hurd adds that giving does not have to be monetary. You can say ‘hello’ to someone. Give a smile or even shovel someone’s walkway.