Random Acts of Kindness effort kicks off with cookie baskets

The gift of a basket of homemade cookies is a simple random act of kindness as presented to the Putnam County Hospital staff at the Four South nurses' station on the med surge unit. Asbury Towers Marketing Director Michelle Collins (right) delivers the basket to nurse Sabrina Simmerman to share with the nursing staff as a small, selfless act that can brighten someone's day. It was one of three such stops Collins made in passing out the cookies at the hospital.

When something is contagious, it's usually good that it is confined to the hospital.

But when that contagious element is infectious only of spirit and community, spreading it far and wide can be a commendable thing.

And that is exactly what Michelle Collins, marketing director for the Asbury Towers Retirement Community in Greencastle, has been doing lately. She's sharing an infectious smile, a dose of kindness and a basket full of homemade cookies with the baked-in notion that "kindness is contagious."

Starting at Putnam County Hospital the other day, Collins shared those cookies with receptionist Cherie Gramentz at the information and reception desk in the main lobby, with RN Sabrina Simmerman at the nurses' station on Four South and with Teresa Decker in the Case Management Utilization Review office.

Collins explained her goal each time she delivered some of the 200-plus Nieman-Marcus oatmeal-cinnamon-chocolate chip cookies baked by her mother, Kim Collins, assistant dining services director at Asbury Towers.

"It's a pay-it-forward kind of thing," Collins explained, urging the community show its "caring and compassionate" side by reciprocating.

One random act of kindness, she suggested, can send out a ripple effect in a chain reaction of acts that can spread throughout the community.

"At Asbury Towers, we believe in the power of kindness," Collins said, "and that one small, selfless act can change the course of someone's entire day."

Besides Putnam County Hospital, other places Collins delivered baskets of cookies with the help of volunteer Joe Ferguson were Old National Bank, First National Bank, First Financial Bank, PNC Bank, North Salem State Bank, the Senior Center, the Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, Dr. Steve Kissel's office, Eitel's Flowers and Gifts, Shuees' Furniture Store, Wabash Capital, Pershing and Co. and the courthouse offices of Judge Matt Headley and Judge Denny Bridges.

Collins urges organizations and community residents to take part in the "Kindness is Contagious" effort.

"We challenge everyone to perform at least one act of kindness each day," she noted, "and let's see how fast we can spread the word that Greencastle believes in the power of kindness."

Those who participate in the effort can pick up "Kindness is Contagious" cards at the front deck or marketing office at Asbury Towers so that when they perform an act of kindness they can pass along the card to each recipient.

Collins plans to keep a running blog of those random acts of kindness and hopes those who take part will email her details of how they received their "Kindness is Contagious" card (email address is on the card).

"A little bit of kindness can go a long way," she stressed, "from opening the door for someone to paying for a patron's coffee in the line behind you at the gas station. It can be contagious."

For more information about the Kindness is Contagious effort, persons may contact Collins at 653-5148 or 720-5637.