The underbelly of winter can leave even the best of us with a humdrum feeling of melancholy. But what would happen if each of us spread a little kindness each day to the members of our larger family – the Chippewa Valley? When you do something nice for someone the benefits are two fold. Not only does the recipient get an extra boost of sunshine in their day but you get a double dose in return. And! If you involve your children in these activities, they’ll learn service and what it means to be a part of a community.

To that end, we’ve created a list of 100 acts of kindness that can jumpstart some mid-winter smiles in the Chippewa Valley:

1. Give someone a genuine compliment. Think outside of physical appearance and focus on what really makes them special.

2. Bring someone a small treat you know they’ll love.

3. While you’re out and about in the Valley, compliment another parent when you see their child being kind to others.

4. Cook a meal or do a load of laundry for a friend who just had a baby or is going through a difficult time.

5. If you know someone who just moved here, offer to show them around our beautiful area.

6. Clean out your cupboards and donate unopened food to one of our local food pantries.

7. Each time you get a new piece of clothing, donate an old one.

8. Email or write an old teacher who made a difference in your life.

9. If you receive good service at one of our many local establishments, make sure to seek out the manager and let them know.

10. Leave a server the biggest tip you can afford.

11. Smile at someone on the street, just because.

12. Let someone into your lane. They’re probably in a rush just like you.

13. Look for the wallflowers at a party. If they seem like they want to join but are too shy, offer them a hand.

14. Give someone the benefit of the doubt.

15. Help a parent with their baby stroller (those things can be nightmares to get through doors and up stairs).

16. Let someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store – even if they have more items than you.

17. Write someone a letter. Like a real letter, on paper, and actually mail it!

18. Donate books to little neighborhood libraries.

19. Put a tip in the tip jar at the coffee shop.

20. Bring in a new desk plant or fun office supplies for the newbie at work.

21. Give someone a hug or a high five for no reason.

22. Before you go to lunch at work, see if your workmates need anything.

23. Call your grandparents.

24. Donate blankets to homeless shelters.

25. When you see trash, pick it up and dispose of it.

26. Write something nice on that person’s status that posts on Facebook constantly. They probably need it more than you know.

27. Put sticky notes with positive slogans on the mirrors in restrooms or in books at the bookstore.

28. Let them have the parking space.

29. Volunteer to read to kids at an after-school program.

30. Clean the snow off someone’s car.

31. Try to make sure every person in a group conversation feels included.

32. Hold the door. Even for stragglers.

33. Stop and allow people to cross the street, even when you don’t have to.

34. Send anonymous flowers to the school office and thank them for all they do.

35. Pay for the person behind you at the drive thru.

36. Donate some time to a nearby nursing home. Many elderly residents never have a visitor.

37. If someone looks upset (even a stranger), ask him or her how you can help.

38. Babysit for a single parent for free.

39. Bring chew toys or pet food to the humane society.

40. Leave some extra quarters at the Laundromat.

41. Whenever you see someone trying to take a selfie with their whole family, offer to take the
photo for them.

42. Say thank you to the overlooked workers of the world (janitors, landscapers, etc. )

43. Go out of your way to talk to someone at work or school whom you haven’t talked to before.

44. Send dessert to another table at a restaurant.

45. Write thank you letters and send to the police department or fire station

46. Text someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile just to say good morning or good night – better yet, call them.

47. Shovel your neighbor’s driveway.

48. Give up your seat to someone.

49. Bring a security guard a hot cup of coffee.

50. Smile when you feel like scowling.

51. Keep an extra umbrella at work and let someone borrow it on their way home when the weather gets all Wisconsin-y.

52. Make two lunches and give one away.

53. Say yes at the store when the cashier asks if you want to donate $1 to whatever cause they’re supporting.

54. Say yes to your kids when they ask you to play the same game or read the same book that you have 629 times that week already.

55. Help someone struggling with heavy bags.

56. Take all your change to Coinstar and donate it to charity.

57. Do the dishes. Specifically if it’s someone else’s “turn”.

58. Keep candy on you. You never know when someone might need a “kiss”.

59. Offer to return a shopping cart to the store for someone loading groceries in their car.

60. Tape knock-knock jokes written on small pieces of paper at random places throughout the city.

61. Feed the birds.

62. Write a thank you note for your mail carrier and leave a small homemade treat.

63. Bake dessert for a neighbor.

64. Walk dogs at the animal shelter.

65. Put together a care package or write a letter to a service member.

66. Put money on a stranger’s layaway bill.

67. Pass out stickers to kids waiting in line.

68. Write uplifting messages on the sidewalk with chalk.

69. Tape change to a parking meter.

70. Take treats to the fire or police station.

71. Say hello to everyone you see.

72. Wave at kids on school buses.

73. Tell the principal how great your child’s teacher is.

74. Say thank you whenever you see service members.

75. Make a “busy bag” for a family with young children and keep it with you. When you see a parent struggling with an agitated child, give it to them.

76. Make get well cards and give them to the nurse’s stations at the hospital.

77. Bring your neighbors’ garbage cans up for them.

78. Stick a dollar in a Redbox movie when you return it so the next person can have a free rental.

79. Decorate stones with inspiring words on them and leave them around the park (just not in the grass where the mowers will hit).

80. Buy extra school supplies for a teacher.

81. Dry the slides at the park with a towel after it rains.

82. Write something nice about your waitperson on the back of the check.

83. Slip paper hearts with kind messages under the windshield wipers of parked cars.

84. Hand out balloons to strangers.

85. Say something nice to everyone you meet today.

86. Make kindness bookmarks and give them away.

87. Cut coupons out and leave them at the grocer register for others.

88. Post a list (LIKE THIS ONE!) of random kind acts in a public place.

89. In the spring, buy cheap packets of flower seeds and hand out to random people.

90. Go to the mall and give a "just because" flower to five people with a heartfelt "have a nice day" greeting.

91. Wipe rainwater/snow off shopping carts or hold umbrellas for shoppers on the way to their car.

92. Give blood.

93. Give flowers or homemade cards to be delivered with meal delivery programs like Meals on Wheels.

94. Slip a bit of money to a person who you know is having financial difficulty (without them knowing).

95. Open the car door for your passenger.

96. Run an errand for someone.

97. Connect someone who is homebound to the Internet.

98. Knit or crochet hats or scarves for those in need.

99. Offer to pump someone’s gas at the station that looks like they could use the assistance.

100. Send a bouquet of flowers to the hospital and let the desk know it should go to someone who hasn’t had a visitor lately.