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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, November 6, 2013 | 4 Volunteers keep Oakville healthy continued from p.1 you stop and think about what makes us love this town so much, isn't it the kindness that we give and receive every day?" asked Mayor Rob Burton at a wrap-up celebration at the YMCA of Oakville. "I know this only reinvigorates us to be kind to everyone all the time." OCF first brought RAK Day to Oakville in 2011 to encourYMCA CEO Kyle Barber speaks during the wrap-up event for Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Day at the YMCA age residents to find ways to Friday afternoon, where Kindness crews assembled to share the stories of their good deeds. spread kindness every day. As the organizer, OCF CEO | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) Rusty Baillie said, the foundation is the "catalyst" to do something people think is important for the community. NEW WEST GYPSUM RECYCLING "The exciting thing is when you do something for somebody, they look at you quizzically (but) then they say, `Oh my gosh, this is so cool. Give me the card because I'll be happy to do it for somebody Located just off the QEW at else,'" said Baillie. "If we can 2182 WYECROFT ROAD, OAKVILLE get people to do that more than Pos itivel e one day a year, then we've really v i y Affecti L Open to the public ng Where We hit our goal." 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday He noted one of the day's Closed Weekends and Holidays highlights included the Lions LEED certification Rate: $57.50/Tonne Foundation of Canada Dog www.nwgypsum.com Any amount acceptable Guides visiting the hospital and bringing "lots of smiles to people's faces." "The town is growing and changing. The challenge as you get bigger is you tend not to see people and think about them," said Baillie. "How can we make it commonplace that you hold the door for somebody? Or when you're walking down the street, you look (someone) in the eye and say , `Hi, how are you?'" YMCA of Oakville president and CEO Kyle Barber was part of a crew assisting people pumping gas at a Third Line Shell station. This year, OCF itself sent 12 Kindness Crews to locations across town to perform random acts of kindness. Other events that took place Friday included: · May Court Club of Oakville volunteers performed services at the Oakville and Milton Humane Society · YMCA of Oakville staff spent time with clients at Community Living Oakville · United Way of Oakville members gave away cupcakes in Towne Square downtown · May Court Club of Oakville members stood at the BMO entrance at Oakville Place holding doors open for and handing out cupcakes · West Oak Public School placed inspirational notes and pay-it-forward RAK cards on each student's locker; St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School's Peace and Justice Club promoted kindness in their school's community; and St. Bernadette Elementary passed on RAK cards when someone showed an act of caring in the school. OCF also took to social media to encourage residents to share their experiences. Users posted photos and stories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #RAKOakville. Baillie said social media is the "secret" to the popularity of RAK Day because of how quickly stories spread. The OCF CEO said performing a random act of kindness is like volunteering because "you're giving of yourself to do something simple for somebody and you're changing their life a little bit. "If you want to feel like that again, volunteer. If you volunteer, then you're helping to build this community. If the charities are healthy, the community is healthy." DRYWALL Don't BIN IT Don't DUMP IT DELIVER IT for recycling 905-847-0520 Coordinated by: NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY! Nominations will be accepted until November 30 Contact this newspaper or the Ontario Community Newspapers Association at www.ocna.org/juniorcitizen or 905.639.8720 ext. 221 One Star Time Building Community ata Sponsored by: