During World Kindness Week, our local community is full of RAKtivists, Random Acts of Kindness Activists. A well-known promoter of kindness from the Latrobe area is our neighborhood friend, Mr. Fred Rogers. He utilized his platform to promote kindness to his viewers and community. He promoted World Kindness Day to recognize every person is special in his or her way and has worth. Even though he has passed, his actions have forever made a difference.
One person who has been impacted by Mr. Rogers and carries on his random acts of kindness is Mr. Steven Williams, a Special Education Paraprofessional at Greater Latrobe High School. He is full of kindness and spreads it to all.
When discussing his role in kindness, Mr. Williams emphasized why it is important to help others. Mr. WIlliams gained inspiration from Mr. Rogers and his belief that everyone deserves kindness. “I believe in kindness because it helps cheer people up if they’re having a bad day. It changes the whole mood for people, and that’s important always to try to get people to have a good day instead of any negative in the day,” said Mr. Williams.
With always encouraging others, complementing, and humoring people in his world, he has often been compared to Mr. Rogers. His narrative relays how you never know what is going on in people’s lives if you aren’t in their daily life, small acts of kindness help to pick people up during hard times. “Kindness is important because it helps others that need to have that positive impact in their lives and to help others in times of need,” he said. Kindness is truly a domino effect of emotions. Being kind to others will inspire others to be kind, creating a ripple effect within the community of everyone being kind to one another.
After joining a new faith-filled environment at St. Vincent Basilica Parish in Latrobe, Mr. Williams was embraced by welcoming and kind people. He has connected with others through their hospitality which the faith community has emphasized.
Mr. Williams also recognized the Fred Rogers Institute on the campus of St. Vincent College, where Mr. Rogers donated his puppets and other memorabilia to be displayed. Fundamentally, Fred Rogers recognized that human connection is essential to a child’s healthy growth and that everyone can positively impact a child’s life in a unique and significant way. The Fred Rogers Institute carries on his legacy by encouraging a new generation of teachers and students to think creatively about encouraging self-assured, capable, and compassionate adults.
According to the Fred Rogers Institute, due to Mr. Roger’s acquaintance with the late Archabbot Douglas Nowicki and his ties to Latrobe, Fred Rogers frequently spoke at Saint Vincent College. Between the inviting and warm support of the church community and the connection of Mr. Rogers to Saint Vincent, Mr. Williams felt even more compelled to carry on Mr Rogers’s tradition of spreading kindness into the community.
Kindness can come in many forms and Mr. William’s favorite is through comedy and humor. Whether it is his students or coworkers, he utilizes his child-like humor to help make people’s days easier and more enjoyable. When telling jokes, he thoroughly appreciates seeing their mood make a full 180-degree turn and cheers them up by hearing their laughter. “If anyone is feeling down, I usually try to tell them a joke or cheer them up, or need help throughout their day. It connects us back to the whole kindness aspect of life,” he said. Humor and kindness highlight the “neighborhood” feeling and the support others give to each other helps to uplift and develop a connected community. “Having a good sense of humor can make a significant difference in someone’s day, especially for those who are down,” said Mr. Williams.
With the deep correlation between Mr. Williams and World Kindness Week, he has accumulated a few of his favorite quotes. “Kindness is the ability and desire to have a positive impact on others.”-The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAKtivist). Kindness isn’t just doing good deeds for others or throwing away compliments. Kindness is the ambition to want to significantly make a progressive difference in one’s life.
His other impactful quote was, “Kindness is something anyone can give without losing anything themselves.”-Brian Aspinall. It doesn’t cost a person anything to be compassionate and generous. It may seem easy to just keep to yourself and not talk to others, but simple acts do not take much time. It could be a smile as you walk down the halls at school or saying hello to a stranger at the store. The impact may never be shown, but it may in the future, sharing positivity and kind gestures can benefit those who see you every day. It could be a turning point in someone’s day and help them smile. And spreading joy to others ultimately will make lives even happier. With leaders such as Fred Rogers or Mr. Williams, in our neighborhood, local inspiration all around to be an RAKtivist and create a kind and caring community.
