Whether community members choose to open a door for a stranger, make a meal for a roommate, give someone a compliment, pick up trash or other kind things, Random Acts of Kindness Week is all about making others feel good.

West Virginia University is during their part throughout the week, Feb. 15-21, to be randomly kind by collecting food for the community and setting up a Notes to Home booth for students.

“It is about more than doing good things for others for one week, the ultimate goal is to help out year round,” said Kimberly Colebank, director of WVU’s Center for Civic Engagement.

The center is partnering with the United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties for the sixth year to celebrate the week.

Colebank encourages the WVU community to check out the schedule of activities and kind ideas at http://kindness.wvu.edu/ .

WVU’s Random Acts of Kindness Week will kick off on Monday, Feb. 15 with a community food drive. All WVU community members are encouraged to donate canned goods and other non-perishable food items.

Items will be collected from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the “Romeo and Juliet” production at the WVU Creative Arts Center on Monday, Feb. 15; and at the WVU-Seton Hall men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Coliseum.

Items can be dropped off throughout the week at the Center for Civic Engagement offices on the third floor of Stansbury Hall; Student Organization Services wing of the Mountainlair; first floor of Knapp Hall on Evansdale Campus; second floor of One Waterfront Place; fourth floor computer lab in Allen Hall on Evansdale Campus; and the main front desk of the Evansdale Residential Complex.

The center is also partnering with the Mountaineer Parents Club. They will be setting up a Notes to Home booth for students to write postcards to their parents or loved ones. The booth will be in the Mountainlair on Tuesday, Feb. 16 and Friday, Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“This is a great opportunity for students to let their family members know how much they appreciate them,” said Brett White, special events coordinator for the Center for Civic Engagement.

On Wednesday, Feb. 17 and Thursday, Feb. 18, Student Government Association members will be spreading kindness by handing out free hot cocoa and cookies from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Mountainlair.

New this year is Operation GIVE for WVU Children’s Hospital. Volunteers will be collecting used DVD’s, video games and board games for the children. The booth will be in the Mountainlair on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and Friday, Feb. 19 from 1:30-5 p.m.

WVU will wrap up the week on Saturday with FREE DAY at the WVU Student Recreation Center for all WVU employees and their families. Faculty and staff will be able to access the 177,000-square-foot facility from 8 a.m.-midnight at no charge and take advantage of the center’s fitness equipment, pools, elevated jogging track and more. A valid employee identification card is required.

The WVU Student Recreation Center will also be giving away various gear and gift certificates to celebrate throughout the week.

Students and employees who have been the recipient of a kind act are encouraged to report it to the United Way by calling 304-296-7525 or submitting their story online at http://simpleforms.scripts.wvu.edu/sf/rakweek/ .

For more ways WVU is celebrating the week, visit http://kindness.wvu.edu .

-WVU-

cd/02/10/10

CONTACT: Brett White, WVU Center for Civic Engagement
304-293-8761 ext.33481, Brett.White@mail.wvu.edu