Archive

Orangeville business owner to launch kindness event in Dec.

November 27, 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Looking to spread some cheer this holiday season? 

All you have to do is sign up for “Random Acts of Kindness in December,” where you’re emailed a task each day that will be sure to bring a smile to someone’s face. 

The 31 day event is being hosted by Orangeville business, Glow Lounge by Lake Fit’s owner, Kimberly DaPonte, who said she’s trying to brighten people’s days, since COVID-19 has had a large impact on almost everybody’s mental health. 

“I think it’s been a hard year for everyone to some capacity, some people aren’t experiencing it as deeply as others, but personally, I can say my business has suffered and I think for a lot of people, financially they’ve suffered and even within their relationships too,” she told the Citizen. 

“I feel like winter is a time that people are down to begin with… and it’s just a dark season for a lot of people and then throw in a pandemic, it just makes things that much worse” DaPonte continued. 

“For me, it’s just knowing we can all contribute a little bit to make someone’s day that much better and it makes us feel good at the end of the day to give.” 

Those who sign up for the event, by emailing glowloungebylakefit@gmail.com by Sunday, November 29, will have a random act of kindness emailed to them each morning of December. DaPonte stressed that those who sign up don’t have to do the task the day they’re sent it, but can use the tasks as a guideline. 

“If it’s non-applicable to them or they’re unable to get around to it, they can tweak it and do their own thing or just organize it for that day, but they might not be able to get to that task until later in the week and that’s fine too,” she explained. 

“I just keep reiterating that there’s no timeline on kindness and it’s just that intent to give is all that really matters.” 

Kindness is especially important right now considering the isolation and concern people have around the COVID-19 pandemic, DaPonte noted. 

“I feel like people are very, just discriminating right now or feeling separated from people. I’m seeing a lot of disrespect and unnecessary judgemental comments on social media and it’s just a time where we can all come together and start throwing a little bit of positivity at people instead of being so separated right now,” she said. 

DaPonte told the Citizen, the seed for her random acts of kindness event was planted back in 2014 when she participated in something similar. 

“I loved getting up every morning and checking that email and it kind of being a surprise for you as the little kindness elf,” she recalled. 

“Knowing that there’s something in your inbox that you’re going to have to strive to accomplish that day and just knowing that it might not only make someone’s day better but it could touch their lives in a weird magical way that we don’t really know about, right.” 

So far over 100 people have signed up and DaPonte said she’s hoping that number continues to grow. 

“I would love for that number to skyrocket, but I think that’s an awesome start and a lot of the people signing up aren’t even in our community, so to know that it’s reaching other cities and towns and communities in Ontario is that much more awesome,” DaPonte enthused. 

“I just think we all need to kind of focus on coming together because it has just been a year of division and I think if we can all come together as a community, it’s just something we all really need right now.” 

Readers Comments (0)