Kindness and compassion come in many different forms: making room in your heart and your life for a new friend, doing something nice for someone without being asked, taking time to listen to someone who may need to vent, and acknowledging another鈥檚 efforts or accomplishments are all acts that Heaton Place Retirement Community resident relations coordinator Carrie O鈥橬eill sees daily.
Studies show that being kind and even observing kindness can create a ripple effect of happiness. Most recently, O鈥橬eill witnessed a 鈥榮nowball鈥� effect of kind acts pouring in from the community and surrounding areas.
On Thursday, May 14, an email came in from Vernon Morning Star reporter Brendan Shykora, O鈥橬eill said.
鈥淏rendan was the young man who went above and beyond to have our three Second World War Veterans voices鈥� heard this past November through sharing their stories,鈥� she said.
This is where the first act of kindness started.
鈥淟ittle did we know that it would snowball into many acts of kindness,鈥� O鈥橬eill said.
Shykora was inquiring into how Heaton Place residents were fairing during COVID-19 times and wondered if there was anything the residents needed.
鈥淚 simply replied that we are looking for masks for all of our seniors to have as we slowly transition into a 鈥榥ew normal,鈥欌�� O鈥橬eill said.
鈥淏y the end of the day, I received a phone call from a lady in Summerland that informed me she saw our ad that we were looking for masks and she was a part of a quilters club and would be putting 35 masks into the mail immediately!鈥�
鈥淚 had no idea Brendan had put a shout out with the Vernon Morning Star on behalf of Heaton Place!鈥�
Since then, the phones have been ringing and the masks are pouring in, O鈥橬eill said.
鈥淭here are angels among us! Summerland, Kamloops, Vernon, Armstrong are but a few places that these angels live. Many thanks to you all!鈥�
Despite the challenges that have come from COVID-19, there have been many positives, O鈥橬eill said.
As we begin to slowly transition to open things up, Heaton Place is now able to do tours and have those who wish to move in do so with strict protocols in place.
Heaton Place has recently been given the gift of a moving company working closely and solely with the retirement community.
鈥淪herlock Moving has been outstanding in adhering to strict protocols, while at the same time bringing their compassionate and humorous personalities into the facility while conducting quick and effective work,鈥� O鈥橬eill said.
The Armstrong community continues to show up in anonymous ways, she said.
鈥淲e have painted rocks with hearts and positive quotes all around our building. Our Heaton hair stylists, despite not being able to work, came by with a banner saying 鈥榳e love you鈥�, and the families of our residents are stopping by to say thank you with chocolates.鈥�
鈥淭he work we do here at Heaton Place is a gift to each of us,鈥� O鈥橬eill said. 鈥淲hat we give to our residents always comes back in abundance. Maya Angelou says it best, 鈥業 have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.鈥欌��
This article was contributed to the Morning Star from Heaton Place Retirement Community resident relations coordinator Carrie O鈥橬eill.
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