A-Z Challenge: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "S," "T," "U," and "V"

Well folks, my health has gotten the better of me over the past week which has led to me missing a few posts and packing S, T, U, and V all into one! Four letters makes for a long list of RAKs so I hope you find some inspiration!

Throughout the A-Z Challenge I'll be blogging through the alphabet using each letter to create a list of Random Acts of Kindness. I've been collecting RAK ideas for some time now as I gear up to the 2016 launch of a project dear to my heart: B(e) Kind 366. I'll be performing an act of kindness every day of the leap year starting January 1st, 2016 while raising funds for World University Service of Canada (WUSC), an organisation that changed my life.

I'm starting each post with a synonym (of sorts) for kindness. I added this part to my posts because of an amazing movement I am a part of 1000 Voices Speak for Compassion. We link up monthly and blog about changing the world for the better. It's magical really. We're even on Twitter! @1000Speak

S is for Supportive

The first time I shaved my head in 2011

Scented Soaps - put them in random lockers at the gym with a little note.

Shave your head! (I’ll be shaving mine on February 4, 2016 for National Cancer Day.)

Shopping carts - put some stray ones away.

Shower - for only five minutes.

Sidewalk Chalk

Sip-a-dee-do-da

Sing - to a child, at an open mic, at karaoke, in the shower, for your supper!

Smile - at strangers! Make a conscious effort to keep one on your face all day J

Smore People Like You

Snow flowers

Snowman Chocolate Bars

“Sock” someone!

Soda Bouquets

               

T is for Thoughtful

The toys and books I took to the
Children's Ward as one of my
29 RAKs for my 29th on Jan. 29

Take WhatYou Need - put these signs up in public places. 

Tell - a parent how well behaved their child is.

Text - someone just to say good morning or good night.

Thank you - make it public on a poster, make it private in a note.

Thankful list

Tic-Tac-Toe

Tip - leave a generous one.

Toys - take some to the children’s ward of a hospital, leave some a playground.

Trash Scavenger Hunt

Tweet - to promote a cause.

U is for Understanding

Unplug - electronics

Upside down - snowman, build one!

I couldn't come up with a "V" synonym; can you?

Virtual - greetings, smiles, hugs!

Volunteer - My plan is to volunteer with at least one different organization every month in 2016! 

Now that's a long list, but I am always looking for more RAK ideas so if any come to mind please do post them in the comments!

After all of that, be sure to check out my super fun "If Jane Austen Blogged A-Z" post, test your Janeite knowledge, and win some Jane Austen swag! The more people who enter, the more swag I'll add to the bag.

A-Z: V is for Volunteering

Only 5 more posts to go in A-Z (including this one). I still don't have a topic for Y, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. Moving on and keeping with my "All Things Grad School" theme, here comes V...

I volunteer a lot. When I was about fifteen, I started to volunteer a little. As the years passed, I started collecting more and more organizations for which I volunteered. I'm twenty-nine now and I don't volunteer a little anymore.

I know I volunteer a lot, I've known it for years, but I didn't really realise how much until I put together my grad school C.V. and noticed that the Volunteer Experience section was the longest. Right now I am active with five organisations, two of which I have been part of for two years short of a decade (yep, that's fancy talk for eight years). I volunteered in Gaborone, Botswana, Africa for four months, I've run two lengthy independent campaigns to raise funds for two separate causes. The first time I shaved my head (that link takes you to the video of the shave) and raised $4000 and the second time I ran a half marathon and raised $5000. I ship used textbooks to Africa. I sell daffodils for the Canadian Cancer Society. I help students from refugee camps settle into their new lives as post-secondary students at Brandon University. I love it all.

Volunteering is a huge part of my life. I don't think I will ever not volunteer in some capacity. Before I move to Fredericton this fall, I will have to give my resignation to all of the boards that I sit on, find people to take over some of my more personal projects, and say goodbye to all of the students that I help every day. That last one will be the hardest. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it, but I know I have to. It's time to move on...

...and volunteer in a whole new city, at a whole new university, with all kinds of new and fascinating people. I'll hardly have time to eat and sleep while doing my Master's, but I'll find the time somewhere to volunteer; I have to.