User:Nannydink

KINDNESS AWARENESS WEEK

Kindness Awareness Week, nationally recognized in February of each year, came about as a direct result of the efforts of Dr. Chuck Wall, Ph.D. Currently professor emeritus at Bakersfield College (Bakersfield, CA), Wall began the Random Acts of Kindness Movement in 1993, after a routine assignment to a Human Relations & Communications class.

After hearing a radio news spot that highly disturbed him with its announcement of "yet another random act of senseless violence," Wall determined to make something positive of that unfortunate phrase. He challenged his students to go out into the community and commit one random act of senseless kindness, and return to class with written reports of those deeds.

Without Wall's knowledge, one of the student contacted a reporter at The Bakersfield Californian, resulting in a story on the front page of a Saturday newspaper. That local story was picked up by The Associated Press (AP), who sent its own reporter to Bakersfield. The ensuing AP article generated world-wide publicity. Phone calls jammed the switchboard at the college; interview requests began to pour in and Wall found himself in demand for numerous radio programs; letters arrived by the hundreds; a number of television shows garnered even more attention. In a personal phone call to Wall, Congressman Walter Tucker (D- California), announced his intention of introducing a congressional resolution to the House of Representatives, declaring one week each year as Kindness Awareness Week. Wall assisted in writing that resolution. The week of Feb. 14 was subsequently presented to Congress, and approved with a unanimous vote on the floor of the House. Pennsylvania became the first of many states to declare Kindness Awareness days or weeks.

Wall coined the slogan, "Today I will commit one random act of senseless kindness ... Will You?" The phrase has now been printed on hundreds of thousands of bumper stickers, T-shirts, posters and magnets.

Wall founded Kindness, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the furthering of random acts of kindness. The organization's website (www.kindnessusa.org) provides information on what has become a world-wide movement.

Many countries, among them Japan, Australia, Thailand, Korea and Canada, have embraced the idea, using kindness as a core ingredient in their national efforts to curb violence. Nov. 13 is now World Kindness Day; the United States continues to celebrate kindness awareness during the week of Feb 14.