By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com
YACHATS – Leaders at Yachats Community Presbyterian Church think we could all use a dose of kindness in April.
“We’ve become so polarized as a nation, so ‘Us vs. Them’, that this campaign offers a way to meet in the middle,” said church Pastor Bob Barrett. “Kindness is contagious, and we need more of it now.”
So parishioners and Barrett are organizing “Spread Kindness Month” for the Yachats community. With a calendar full of free special events, concerts and a motivational speaker and themed sermons by Barrett on the power of kindness, the month is designed to do just what the name says.
Among the activities scheduled during the month are two free “Kindness” concerts Sunday, April 3 and April 24, a T-shirt giveaway, a speaker on the “Power of Kindness” and opportunities to join others for a kindness activity every Saturday in the month. All activities take place at the church on West Sixth Street.
Several businesses and individuals have donated to help defray the costs of the campaign. These include Dollar General, Books and More, Beach Daisy Wine, Dahl Disposal, Green Salmon and Grand Central Pizza. In addition, gift certificates were donated by Styx, Stones and Bones, Judith’s Kitchen Tools, Books and More, Green Salmon, Saint Perpetua Café, The Laughing Crab, Just Local, One Restaurant, Drift Inn and C&K Market. The certificates will be featured in a drawing Saturday, April 9.
The full calendar of events is here.
“Kindness is more than just being nice,” Barrett said. “It’s looking for ways to better the life of another person … deliberate acts of kindness that are done with intentionality.”
He gave as examples “taking a moment during the day to write a note to someone you’ve lost touch with. Or maybe there’s an estrangement, and you want to talk. Or you bring something down to the YCPC food pantry. Or maybe, you just give a smile to someone you see who’s having a rough time.”
He added that kindness applies to the self, too, in activities like reading a book or taking a walk in the woods.
Donations to the campaign, which is being coordinated by YCPC member Kelly Simmons, may be mailed to Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 285, Yachats, 97498.
Kindness Month Events
Saturdays
Saturday, April 2 : Take a SELFIE: Join the “Kindness Team” from 2:30-4 p.m. as it explores being kind to ourselves so we are better able to be kind to our neighbors. Participants receive a T-shirt and materials;
Saturday, April 9: Take NOTE: Bring the whole family and join the Kindness Team and Yachats Youth and Families Activity Program from 2:30-4 p.m. to write and deliver thank you notes around Yachats. Participants will receive a T-shirt and book. A pizza dinner will be provided.
Saturday, April 23: Take out the TRASH: From 2:30-4 p.m. join the Kindness Team and SOLVE to clean up some of the favorite places in Yachats. Sign up at www.solveoregon.org (or you may register day of event at YCPC) Participants receive a T-shirts and Bee Kind seeds.
Saturday, April 30: Take a BOW: Join Kindness month organizers for a soup dinner from 2:30-4 p.m. to celebrate all those who helped spread kindness.
Concerts
2 p.m. Sunday, April 3: An afternoon of musical fun, kindness and fellowship with Deva Priyo, perennial favorite at the Oregon County Fair.
2 p.m. Sunday, April 24: An afternoon of musical fun, kindness and fellowship with the classic soft rock music of Yachats favorite Steven McVay.
Speaker
11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 10: Spreading joy by teaching happiness tools, Barb Ryan of Eugene is helping change the world one person at a time. Known as the “Guidess” of Happiness, Ryan is a counselor, life-coach, officiant, and author of “Love Loves Fear.”
