Pay it Forward Day to feature random acts of kindness in Castlegar, Nelson and Grand Forks this Thanksgiving weekend
By Kyra Hoggan
Castlegar, Nelson and Grand Forks residents are being asked to participate in Pay it Forward Day on Friday, Oct. 11. This is how Kootenay Society for Community Living (KSCL) is planning to celebrate Community Living Month in B.C. – and they’re hoping the whole community takes part.
“What our plan is, is we (by this I mean the people to whom we provide services, their families, our staff, our volunteer board, etc.) will be out and about in our communities looking for opportunities for random acts of kindness,” said KSCL representative Robyn Bogue. “You might see us out helping someone with groceries, paying someone’s bus fare, helping with yard work …
“We have a number of businesses working with us, so we’ll be able to do things like randomly giving out coffee and muffins, some will be giving out complimentary merchandise, that kind of thing.”
Bogue said the hope is that residents will also take a moment to commit a random act of kindness in their own circles, and said businesses wishing to get on board are encouraged to call her at the contact information below.
She said there will also be cards handed out with business give-aways that say Pay it Forward day on the one side and ask the recipient to let KSCL know about their Pay it Forward experience (regardless whether you were giver, recipient or both), and participants are also encouraged to share their Pay it Forward experience on the Castlegar Source Facebook wall.
“We should be doing this day-to-day, and some of us do – but we get caught up in what we’ve got going on,” she said. “It’s nice to designate a day now and then, just for kindness.
“We also thought it was kind of nice to tie it in to Thanksgiving weekend, because we have a lot to be thankful for.”
For information on how you can get involved- please contact Robyn Bogue at hr-kscl@telus.net or 250-365-2624 ext.1, and for more information on KSCL, please see our website at www.ksclcstlegar.net
More information about Kootenay Society for Community Living and Community Living Month:
October in the province of British Columbia is Community Living Month. All across the province, individuals with disabilities are being celebrated for the unique gifts, strengths, talents, and contributions they are bringing to the communities that they call home. Community Living is a movement from the people for the people- its history lies in grass roots movements and parents advocating for the rights of their children to live dignified lives in their own communities. Community Living as a celebration was started back in 1996 by Inclusion BC (then known as BC Association for Community Living) who launched an initiative encouraging community living associations and their community partners to plan events during the month of October to highlight the gifts and achievements of the individuals we support. Since then, the government of British Columbia and the Canadian Association for Community Living have joined us to officially proclaim October Community Living Month.
Kootenay Society for Community Living is a non-profit organization providing residential, day program, employment, and children and youth services to individuals in our communities with developmental disAbilities. Many local businesses are providing employment opportunities for the individuals we serve- hiring people for real work with real pay, and valuing the passion and commitment that they bring to their work. We are proud to have these businesses as community partners.
We started as a parent initiative- parents wanting better for their children and creating change. Today, KSCL provides services in Castlegar, Trail, Nelson, Grand Forks, Creston, Nakusp, and Golden. We provide support to over 80 individuals, and employ over 100 staff. We are proud to be a part of Community Living, part of our community, also proud to act as advocates for individuals and their families who we serve.
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