Friday is Good Samaritan Day

On Fridays, we finish up our schooling activities early, and do random (or not so random) acts of kindness, which we call "Good Samaritan" deeds. 

Sometimes we do them as a family, and other times we invite friends to do them with us.  Some of our deeds are done in secret, some are not.  One Friday we made cupcakes and cards of thanks, and delivered them to our local Firehouse to show appreciation to our Fire Fighters.  They were really grateful, and now when I see them around town, they know me by name. 

Once a month, I take my friends over to the local Nursing Home, and we visit with the residents, sing with them, pray with them, and sometimes we make a craft with them.  I have become friends with many of these residents, and the nurses there say it makes their day  when we visit.

One Friday, I helped my dad paint the Living room.  I learned how to tape off the baseboards, use a roller, and how to clean the paint brushes afterwards.

We have done this for many years.  When I was a little kid, I enjoyed washing my parents' cars on Fridays. 

One Friday we made an herb garden with seeds and tiny pots for an elderly lady down the street who couldn't get out in her yard easily, but wanted to grow herbs.  It was fun, and later she baked some bread for us using those same Herbs that grew from our seeds.  That was fantastic, and it tasted delicious. 

Here are some other ideas of kind acts that can be done anytime:

Put together zip-lock bags of basic toiletries, snacks, reading material to hand to the homeless. Introduce yourself and shake each person’s hand when you give them one.

Send a handwritten letter to a shut in person.

Take someone a homemade "Picnic" lunch at work. Maybe your parent, or maybe just the overworked lady at the Post Office.

Next time you go for a Happy Meal at McDonalds,  bring an extra bit of money (if it takes a while to save this up, that's ok... it will be worth it!), then pay for a stranger’s meal.

Leave a huge tip for a waiter/waitress, even if all you bought was a donut.

Leave cookies for your mail delivery person or garbage man/men.

Visit a rest home and listen to the residents’ stories.

Next time you cut your lawn or shovel snow off the walk, do the same for your neighbor.

Put coins in meters for cars that are about to expire.

Hide dollars in hiding places in the dollar store!  I like to hide them in the toy aisle.

Write a letter and make a care package for a deployed soldier.

Take brownies to the police station for the officers.

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