RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS WEEK PARTICIPANTS REACH 300 MARK

Bell Monument Works of Cairo, Ill., had the rather dubious honor of becoming the 300th business or group to sign up as a Random Act of Kindness participant.

George Bell read about Kindness Week in the newspaper and wanted to bring the effort to his Southern Illinois city.

What started as an observance in Cape Girardeau and Jackson has blossomed into a regional event, said Joni Adams, managing editor of the Southeast Missourian, which is sponsoring the week.

In the last two days businesses, churches, groups or schools from Egypt Mills, Delta, Charleston, Advance, Biehle and McClure, Ill., added their names to the list. A complete listing of participants will be published in Monday's newspaper.

The week has been so popular that the newspaper ran out of the bright yellow kindness stickers that proclaim: "Warning, I Practice Random Acts of Kindness."

"We ordered 10,000 initially and weren't quite sure if we'd use them all," said Adams. "A second order of 10,000 stickers will arrive Friday and about 1,500 of those are already reserved. It's true what they say kindness is contagious."

The Missourian also has distributed more than 7,000 bookmarks. The stickers, bookmarks, brochures, posters and kindness idea lists are available free of charge at the Missourian, 301 Broadway.

There's still time to sign up as a participant and to pick up supplies, said Adams.

When planning the observance, Adams spoke with newspapers in St. Cloud, Minn., and Wausau, Wis., which had both sponsored similar events. About 175 businesses and groups signed up to participate in Wausau, and about 270 signed up in St. Cloud.

"Participation has far outweighed our expectations, and we're still signing people up," said Adams. "Businesses or groups don't have to tell us what they're planning when they sign up; they only have to agree to do something."

West Lane Elementary School in Jackson picked up 560 stickers and bookmarks for fourth- and fifth-graders in Jackson.

Andrea Sachse, who teaches fifth grade, said they plan to hang a banner in the gym that says "Random Acts of Kindness Bloom at West Lane Elementary." Each time a student commits a kindness at home or at school they can write their name on a special flower.

"We hope to circle the whole gym at least once with these special flowers," said Sachse.

Sunday school children at Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills will "adopt" church shutins.

The children will exchange photographs with homebound congregation members, said Jeri Palmer.

"We plan to correspond with them two or three times each month," she said. "The kids will draw pictures and send cards that tell what's going on in Sunday school and their daily lives."

Kid's Korner Daycare at 750 N. Mount Auburn wanted to do something special for their parents, said Shirley Poole, director.

The day-care decided to sponsor a parent's night out from 6:30 to midnight on May 17. There will be no charge to parents, although it will be limited to children who regularly attend the center.

As a kindness, the staff and teachers are volunteering their time as well.

Kindness Week begins Sunday and runs through the following Saturday. Southeast Missourian special pages will be replaced with kindness stories from Sunday through Sunday, May 19.

In addition, a special hotline will begin Monday. Regular hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Callers can report kindness acts done to them or kindnesses they have performed. The hotline calls will be published each day next week.

During Random Acts of Kindness Week, Speak Out calls will be limited to comments that are positive, offer praise or in some other way contribute to the uplifting theme of the observance.

To participate, call 335-6611, Ext. 121.

NEWEST RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS PARTICIPANTS

Three hundred churches, organizations and schools have signed up for Random Acts of Kindness Week. Names of all participants will be published Monday. Here are the names of the newest groups to sign up:

St. Maurus School in Biehle

Melvin H. Schmidt, CPA

Recreational Sports Department at Southeast Missouri State University

Trinity Lutheran Church Women's Bible Class

Kindergarten Class at Shawnee Elementary School at McClure, Ill.

Huna Research Inc.

Kwik Kopy Printing

Evangelical Free Church of Cape

City of Roses Charter Chapter ABWA

Professional Fashion Uniforms

Advance R-IV Elementary

Sewing Ladies of Bethany Baptist Church

Trinity Lutheran Ladies Jr. Aid

Hanover Lutheran Ladies Aid

Hearnes Elementary School in Charleston

Charleston Parents as Teachers

Charleston United Methodist Church

National Association of Retired Employees (NARFE) Chapter 0626

Alma Schrader PTA

Wilmarth Painting

La Croix United Methodist Church

New Disciples Sunday School Class at Grace United Methodist Church

First Penecostal Church

Manpower Temporary Services

CPC Spirit of St. Louis

Dr. Frank Braxton, Nephrology Associates

St. James AME Church

Target

Trinity Lutheran Church at Egypt Mills

Arbor General Baptist Church in Delta

St. Mary's Early Learning Center

Heartland Accounting

Cape Girardeau County Rotary Club

Cape Girardeau Area Vocational School of Practical Nursing

Cox Small Animal Clinic in Jackson

Cape Senior Center

Young Adult Class at Parkview State School

Southwestern Bell Telephone, Key Group

Lichtenegger, Payne, Weiss, Hahn and Fetterhoff law firm in Jackson

Northwestern Mutual Life

Jim Hirsch

Century 21 Ashland Realty

Special Effects

Red Letter Communications, Inc.

First Pentecostal Church

Bell Monument Works of Cairo, Ill.