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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 14, 2010 · 40 People like Acts of Kindness By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF FO H 6T A N N U A E V E O TH L E S TH F T O IV N Y DA M A L When a Toronto Star editor was put in charge of a new feature to warm people's hearts for Christmas, he thought the project would last only a few weeks. But five years later the Oakville author and editor is still keeping the Acts of Kindness section going strong. To add to it, Adam Mayers has compiled the best of the section since December 2004 and put it all in a book, which was published in March. "It was such a popular feature that a book was a way to take the best of (the stories) and put them in one place." The book is titled Acts of Kindness: Inspirational Stories for Everyday Life. In the www.thestar.com feature, readers are invited to submit stories of an act of kindness that they have received, likely from a stranger with no thought of a reward. Mayers picks one each day from his submissions for publication on the website. After five years some 2,000 stories have been published and many more received. This book is a collection of some 200 of the best stories. "We asked readers to tell us stories that happened to them that was a small thing, done by a stranger; something they may have remembered from a long time ago or something that happened last week," he said. Some of the themes in the book include acts of kindness at Tim Hortons' locations, such as someone paying for coffee for the person behind them in the drive-thru. Other themes include people getting help when their car broke down, those assisted when they were down on their Adam Mayers luck, people going to great lengths to return a lost item and stories of new Canadians helped when they immigrated. "We don't expect anything from strangers," Mayers said. "But when a stranger goes out of their way to help us with no thought of reward it makes us feel better about ourselves and the people around us." He said there are various reasons why the section is so successful -- one being that people get a chance to thank their helpers. "When a lot of these things happened it was an accident or a side of the road thing where somebody helped them and went on their way and they were never able to properly thank them and this forum, online, provides a public way to say thank you, however many years later." Mayers has written four books that were published prior to this one. He's a senior editor at the Toronto Star's website. This book sells for $14.99 at major book outlets and at www.starstore.ca. SU AY ,2 16 R A L 0 01 R E F T S Y You Could Win 2 Tickets To... 11AM TO 4PM | TOWN HALL | 1225 TRAFALGAR RD, OAKVILLE www.communityartsspace.ca AT THE OAKVILLE CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 8PM Simply name 3 songs for the Beatles* 1. 2. 3. Name: Phone: : Email: PROUDLY SPONSORED BY: *A random draw will be held from all the correct entries on Tuesday May 18. Winner will be contacted by phone or email. Design: www.fatimamenjivar.com Entries can be faxed to 905-337-5568. Dropped off to 467 Speers Rd. Oakville or Email to lcaputi@oakvillebeaver.com. Contest closed Monday May 17, 5 p.m.