3rd Annual Kindness Challenge – Family Service Of Glencoe

Glencoe’s #KindnessChallenge returns for a third year February 11-17, 2018 in conjunction with Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week. This special project came about in response to our 2014 community-wide needs assessment. The survey revealed that 30% of Glencoe respondents feel they lack an adequate social support network and 36% noted that they feel lonely or isolated. We hope this venture will be the start of strong connections that help keep us healthy and happy.

We invite everyone to join us in a week of reaching out to others in simple ways. FSG will be providing blue heart stickers for residents and employees to share when they catch someone being kind. Acts of kindness are often free or low cost such as holding the door open for someone or saying good morning to the crossing guard. Perhaps you’ll give up your seat on the train or simply put the cap back on the toothpaste.

Family Service of Glencoe (FSG) is partnering with numerous local businesses and organizations to create opportunities for kindness all throughout our village. We are grateful for their support in celebrating kindness and community. Blue heart stickers will be available through these partners.

Here’s a list of kindness stations around town to help you share and receive kindness.

Sunday, February 11

7:30pm
Open Mic / Jam Session
Reach Yoga / 688 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
Reach Yoga is hosting an open mic / jam session. Come if you like to make music or just listen to music. Bring friends or find new friends. No yoga, but you’ll need to take your shoes off before entering the studio area. There will be some seating and plenty of cushions on the floor. Sign-ups for a two-song slot begin at 7pm.

Monday, February 12

Flower Treat Surprise!
Downtown Glencoe
A local Cub Scout troop is surprising neighbors with a special flower gift donated by the Glencoe Flower Shop.

Tuesday, February 13

7:30-8am
Morning Commuter Breakfast Treat
Glencoe Train Station
District 35’s Executive Cabinet at Central School is handing out KIND Bars and morning cheer to commuters with help from the KIND Snacks Company and Glencoe Junior High Project.

10:30-11:15am
Kindness-Themed Tales for Tots Story Hour
Glencoe Public Library Hammond Room / 320 Park Avenue, Glencoe
The library is hosting a kindness-themed Tales for Tots story hour for all ages with parent or caregiver. Read, sing, talk, and play to build early literacy skills! Join us for stories, songs and more, followed by time for socialization and play.

3:30-5pm
Cards for Kindness
Takiff Center, 999 Green Bay Road, Glencoe
The Kindness Connection is hosting a card-making station to deliver kindness cheer to someone in need. Stop by after school with your family and decorate a special card. Supplies provided.

Wednesday, February 14

All Day
Wear Pink Day
Glencoe District 35
Glencoe District 35 is inviting students, staff, and the community to wear pink on this day to promote inclusiveness and tolerance.

All Day
Valentine Treat
Olsky Jewelers / 348 Park Avenue, Glencoe
Olsky Jewelers invites friends and neighbors to stop in for a sweet treat on Valentine’s Day.

Thursday, February 15

1-1:30pm & 1:30-2pm
Preschool Watercolor Art Class
Sweet Buddha / 660 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
Sweet Buddha is kindly hosting a free water color drop in class by The Paintbrush. Preschoolers (with an adult) are invited to stop in to paint with water colors and real water color paper. RSVP today to LCardonick@comcast.net (maximum number of participants is 20).

1-2:30pm
Valentine Treats at Vibrant Living Senior Discussion Group
Glencoe Public Library Hammond Room / 320 Park Avenue, Glencoe
The Woman’s Library Club of Glencoe is delivering sweet treats for Family Service of Glencoe’s monthly senior discussion group.

3:25-3:55pm
Afterschool Treat
Corner of Vernon & Hazel Avenues
Coldwell Banker is handing out KIND Bars (donated by the KIND Snacks Company) and hot chocolate after school.

Friday, February 16

4-4:45pm
Hip Hop Dance Party
Sweet Buddha / 660 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
Sweet Buddha is kindly hosting a free hip-hop class for kids ages 6-12. Under the creative direction of skilled Chicago Loves Dance instructors, students will learn choreography to newest pop/dance songs and show off their creativity in free-style choreography sessions. Chicago Loves Dance is proud to offer kids dance, cheer and yoga birthday parties as well as a full line up of classes at Sweet Buddha. Join us for this fun event and find out all we have to offer for our spring session of classes at this fun candy shop location. RSVP today to LCardonick@comcast.net (maximum number of participants is 25). Extra bonus: sign up for a 6-week class at the party and receive $10 off the price.

Saturday, February 17

1-2:30pm
ARTogether Class
Signature of Art Gallery of Fine Art & Custom Framing / 715 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
Signature of Art is hosting a free ARTogether Class for children (ages 5 and older) with a parent. Families are invited to sign up to complete a collaborative, creative project that they will bring home at the end of the 90-minute session. Available for up to 15 people maximum, including both adults and children. To sign up, please email LCardonick@comcast.net.

All Week Long

312 Tudor / 312 Tudor Court, Glencoe
Show your kindness by donating a new or once-worn prom dress for a north shore teen who would otherwise not have a gown for this special night. Bring your dress to 312 Tudor and receive 20% off one item. Dresses will be donated to the Glass Slipper Project.

BlackSheep General Store / 346 Park Avenue, Glencoe
BlackSheep General Store is collecting books for Bernie’s Book Bank. The store is also offering a 10% discount off the whole purchase for those who make a book donation. BlackSheep will offer 50% to the person who brings in the most books.

Glencoe District 35
In addition to distributing blue heart stickers through the schools, 5th and 6th grade student council cabinets will hand out a “kind act” slip to every student at Central and West schools as a way of showing kindness and caring. The slips will encourage kids to perform kind acts at school and in the community.

Glencoe Junior Kindergarten (GJK)
Kindness is emphasized on a daily basis at GJK. “Kind hands, kind words” is the main school rule. To reinforce the importance of kindness and giving back, they have multiple activities planned.

Cradles to Crayons: Parents are asked to purchase items with their child for child hygiene kits to donate to Cradles to Crayons. The preschoolers will help assemble the kits in class. Additionally, students will create “well wish notes” by drawing pictures and writing words of encouragement for children who are less fortunate.
The 3’s will be creating a “kindness mural” in their classroom. When teachers observe the children being kind, they will put a post-it note on the mural, draw a smile on their post it, and write down how they were kind. There will also be a “kindness coin jar” and talk about how giving money can help other people. Students will be encouraged to bring in any coins of their own from home.

Glencoe Park District Preschool
Each preschool classroom will be creating a kindness display for the hallway.

Glencoe Public Library
In addition to the special story times, a book display featuring books with a kindness theme will be in the children’s area.

Marcus Opticians / 344 Park Avenue, Glencoe
Pets need kindness too. Bring your furry friend to Marcus Opticians during RAK Week for a free dog treat.

Savin Dental Associates / 650 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
Stop by Savin Dental during business hours this week and write a thank you note to our local service workers at Glencoe Public Works and place it in our fishbowl. FSG will make the delivery for you.

The Wild Child / 657 Vernon Avenue, Glencoe
The Wild Child is offering free, drop-in crafting all day Wednesday through Saturday.

The #KindnessChallenge is on! Share your stories on social media with #kindnesschallenge. For more information, please contact sarah@familyserviceofglencoe.org or 847-835-5111.