Showering Random Acts of Kindness around Downtown Bend

While wandering the streets of Downtown Bend on Monday March 18th, you might have seen some brightly colored bundles laying on window sills and benches, or hiding in newspaper stands and planters.  These delightful little packages are the work of local group of Camp Fire teenagers called Teens in Action.  As part of the Teens in Action, or TIA, club, local teens identify needs and concerns they feel connected to in the community, and then design service projects around them.  This particular TIA group agreed that they wanted to "make Bend a more kind and accepting place," so the Random Acts of Kindness bundles were created!

If you were lucky enough to stumble upon a bundle, you would have opened it up to find a sticker, a heart-shaped lollipop, and an inspirational quote among other little goodies.  "My hope is that a stranger will find this bundle, and it will put a smile on their face, and then they will pass the kindness on," said one of the group members.  The laughter and energy of the teens filled the streets as they joyfully competed to find the most obscure spots to hide the bundles, including inside trees and on car windshields.  The group celebrated after hiding all the packages with yummy gelato kindly donated from downtown bend business, Bonta Gelato.  And the group certainly earned their celebration... in addition to the random acts of kindness, they pitched in at the Nativity Lutheran Church Wood Lot, cooked dinner at Ronald McDonald House, helped Brightside Animal Shelter get ready for their annual fundraiser AND volunteered at Shephard's House Ministries Men's Shelter!

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​Head over to Camp Fire Central Oregon's website to find out more about the Teens in Action club, as well as other summer service challenges and leadership opportunities for teens.  

Or join Camp Fire at their Absolutely Incredible Kids Day Celebration on Thursday, March 21st at the Pavilion Ice Rink.  From 4-6 pm youth accompanied by an adult will get FREE ice skating on behalf of Camp Fire's annual birthday celebration.  During the festivities, the TIA teens will be called up for a special recognition ceremony.  Come cheer on our local youth!