Country Meadows Retirement Communities and its affiliate, Ecumenical Retirement Community, have designated April as Practice Random Acts of Kindness Month to honor the memory of co-founder Mary Jane Leader. Mrs. Leader and her husband, the late Gov. George M. Leader, founded Country Meadows upon treating people with kindness.
Mary Jane Leader
During this month, and always, Country Meadows and Ecumenical Retirement Community encourages co-workers, residents and their families, to remember the little things that can truly brighten someone’s day, and invite all to commit a kind act. Random acts of kindness can be as simple as smiling at a stranger, helping someone with their groceries or just paying a visit.
Examples of kindness residents and co-workers practiced or experienced during past years’ celebrations include:
• Country Meadows of Hershey residents visited a local grocery store to pass out roses and candy to random shoppers. This random act made everyone’s day! Click the link to view a video that was watched more than 50,000 times on our various social media channels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udHwK6mYc-4During this month, and always, Country Meadows and Ecumenical Retirement Community encourages co-workers, residents and their families, to remember the little things that can truly brighten someone’s day, and invite all to commit a kind act. Random acts of kindness can be as simple as smiling at a stranger, helping someone with their groceries or just paying a visit.
Examples of kindness residents and co-workers practiced or experienced during past years’ celebrations include:
• Allentown campus residents made bookmarks and handed them out to visitors at a local library. Click this link to see them in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urlKy4fJ58g
• A Country Meadows van driver waiting for a resident at a doctor’s office saw a mom with two small children navigating a parking lot in the rain. The driver pulled up and asked her if she would like a dry ride to her car. She gratefully accepted, and her boys loved riding in the van.
• A co-worker paid for a family’s lunch in The Bistro at Country Meadows. The family was visiting their loved one on hospice for the last time.
• Country Meadows residents in Pittsburgh’s South Hills made homemade sweet treats for local police officers and fire personnel.
• A co-worker paid for the driver’s coffee in the car behind her at a McDonald’s and then witnessed a contagion of kindness as that driver paid for the car behind her, and the next two cars in line did the same.
Everyone is encouraged to join in the kindness. Start by stopping the front desk of your local Country Meadows Retirement Community or Ecumenical Retirement Community, where you can pick up free window clings and bumper stickers displaying this simple yet powerful message. Kindness cards also are available to give to those in need of a pick-me-up.
Country Meadows President & CEO, and Leader’s son, Michael Leader, says, “Every day we try to make life better at Country Meadows and whether the grantor or recipient of a kind act, the generosity of the human spirit provides great rewards. I encourage you to pay it forward with a random act of kindness.”
For ideas and inspiration, check out our tip sheet 51 Ways to be Kind to Seniors.