Charleston Random Acts of Kindness is a group of volunteers bound together with a single and simple goal of spreading smiles by practicing random acts of kindness and being of service to our community by volunteering.

For those of you who are new to the group we post two different types of activities.

#1 our group/volunteer events are posted as RAK Event meetings and for these we ask that you RSVP. We aim to have a minimum of 5 RAKers for each event. Our RAK events will be spread around the area. If you have volunteer events you want posted or ideas for RAKs please email Valerie.

#2 Individual RAKs are posted on the message board. We invite all of you to post individual RAKs. A few weeks ago Gwen posted one about cleaning out your extra pens. Then during that week if you went out to a restaurant you were to leave a pen behind. Waitresses/waiters always need pens. Her timing was perfect, this just happened to be a week where I had three luncheons with large groups. Naturally the waitress had only a few pens to go around. Gwen's RAK to the rescue! I just happen to have at least 20 pens in my purse. Thanks Gwen! The waitress got pens and I got room in my desk drawer.

I will never forget one morning very early I left the house for work only to find that half way to work my car was sputtering, I totally forgot to get gas the previous day and if I did not turn in to the nearest gas station I would be stranded. I searched my purse for my debit card; it was nowhere to be found. Remembering exactly where it was at home and knowing I would not make it back to the house without completely running out of gas and stranding myself I went in to talk to the clerk. I asked him if I left my ID if I could get a few gallons to get me home to get my debit card. The clerk told me that was not possible and after thinking about how I was going to be late for work and stranded at the gas station I wanted to cry. A few moments later I felt a hand on my shoulder, a young man told me to go ahead and fill up that he had overheard my conversation with the clerk and he had paid for the fuel for my car. This young man wanted nothing in return he was simply being kind.

A kind act is "random" when it is unexpected-done simply out of the will to extend goodness, person to person, without expecting anything in return. Never underestimate the impact of a single act of kindness. It is truly a win/win/win situation. The person you are being kind to benefits through your help. You feel good for having helped someone. And the world is a better place through your kindness.
Join in the "kindness revolution" today and make a positive difference on this planet that we all call "home"