Penticton students encourage government officials to join random acts of caring movement

A group of Okanagan students is spreading cheer in Penticton and across the province by committing random acts of kindness. 

Melissa Burdock's Grade 7 class visited Penticton city council on Tuesday where council members proclaimed the week of February 9 Real Acts of Caring week. 

And on Tuesday, the KVR Middle School students will head to Victoria to ask Education Minister Rob Fleming to declare Real Acts of Caring week provincewide. 

"They're hoping that it becomes something that's not just this week, but that people ...  will start to be kind throughout the whole year," Burdock told Daybreak South host Chris Walker.

"By getting the city to formally and officially make next week Real Acts of Caring week it definitely gets the word out so people know what the students are trying to do and what they're trying to accomplish."

The concept came from a counsellor at Burdock's former school in Coquitlam 12 years ago. 

"I thought it was really cool," student Baylee Leduc said. "I love to do things in my community so I didn't have a second thought about it."

On Tuesday, before the class heads to Victoria, they'll be out and about in Penticton performing real acts of kindness; handing out doughnuts to firefighters, giving treats to elementary school students, visiting a seniors centre and putting sticky notes with compliments on car doors. 

The initiative is great for the community, but it also benefits the students performing those acts of caring, Burdock said. 

"It makes the class more connected with each other and it builds self-esteem so there's so many things that the students get out of it," she said.

"We reflect, we talk about it and we see what else we can do for the rest of the year to be kind and to spread joy in the community."