Last year, I was pleased to see Random Acts of Kindness Week take off in Saratoga after the City Council recognized the week and proclaimed Feb. 16 Random Acts of Kindness Day. They are proclaiming it again this year. Of course, we should make every day Random Acts of Kindness Day. The week is set aside to make us more aware of it. Let me know at the paper what you have contributed.
Conari Press describes a random act of kindness as "when we make the extra effort of being kind when we aren't expected or required to."
Gary Hagen, a Safeway employee, thought I would like to know about Kathy Nickel and the party that Safeway employees gave her. Hagen and fellow employees Dave Howell and Becky Adams were pleased when Nickel came into the store. She was always friendly and would often buy cookies to share with them.
More than a year ago, Nickel had a brain aneurysm, was hospitalized and nearly died. The employees missed her. After she got out of the hospital, they gave her a party, with balloons and a cake. Her husband, Jeff, and many friends came to help celebrate.
Jaimie Reikes, who worked at the Saratoga National Bank with Nickel, came to the party. Reikes admires her friend's keen wit, positive attitude and sense of humor, she said.
Annette Woolsey mentioned how much Nickel did for the children of Saratoga. She helped the Boy Scouts, was a Girl Scout leader, and was vice president of the Saratoga High School Athletic Booster Club. "In this town, anyone who knows Kathy loves her," Nancy Varnel said.
During Nickel's 10-month illness, several friends made meals for her family. "Kathy always went the extra mile to help people. Now she's getting it back," Madeline Chiavetta notes.
Carol Hardy says Nickel has showed a lot of courage in her rehabilitation process and never lost her sense of humor.
It is difficult for Nickel to be on the receiving end. Nickel's advice to others is: "Enjoy every day you can because you don't know when something could come along and change your life."
Saratoga High School is holding a benefit March l and 2 to help pay Nickel's rehabilitation expenses. Call Karen Hyde at Saratoga High School, 867-3411, for details or to contribute.
Consider it an act of kindness.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, Wednesday, January 24, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.