KINDNESS CITATION: CCSO-00076
Deputy McCarthy had the honor of giving a Kindness 911 Citation to Heritage High School Student and Kindness Super Hero, Janson Bacos. So often these days people see things and then turn to pretend that they didn’t... even at the expense of that persons safety and wellbeing. Now, don’t get me wrong, your personal safety is important so always be smart. But today, Janson witnessed an altercation, literally dropped his lunch on the floor and intervened before the incident could escalate. He truly acted like a first responder and more a model of integrity to his entire school community.
Thank you for doing the right thing from Kindness 911, Deputy McCarthy and your schools Administrators and Security Team.
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00151/00152/00153
On 01/04/2020 just before dark, local Ridgefield, WA residents Ashlee, Lily, and Tatum became heroes to another local family. This was a situation of being at the right place at the right time as they found “Mo” roaming the downtown streets. The three quickly sprang into action and rescued Mo from getting hit by a vehicle. With the cooperation of Officer Craig Prentice-Wattson of the Ridgefield Police Department, Mo was returned home and reunited with his family safely. When cited Ashlee commented, “This is a great way to promote kindness. Being recognized for things is always a great feeling. We are all very happy that we were able to return the dog to his owner!”
Thank you Ashlee, Lily, and Tatum for your act of kindness! Ridgefield is lucky to have citizens like you!
KINDNESS CITATION CTPD-00101
Holiday Rewind: We often forget that during holidays while we are celebrating, many of our First Responders gear up for another day at the office. However, on December 25th, Christmas Day 2019, Brandon Parchell from Ilani Resort & Casino noticed the officers of the Cowlitz Tribal Police Department reporting for duty, away from their families and wanted to do something.
He took it upon himself to bring a full Christmas dinner for the Police Officers who were working. He brought a full ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, apple pie... and the true feeling of the holidays. With having Officers who live out of the area and not able to enjoy a Christmas Dinner at home it warmed all of their hearts to see that someone cared enough to go the extra mile just because. Well done Brandon!
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00493
Our Kindness Cops typically issue Kindness Citations when they are face-to-face with the honoree. However, it occurred to me that I knew someone so deserving outside my area (waaaay outside my area) that I had to put a Kindness Citation in the mail. Let me introduce you to 10 year old Zechariah who is the Founder of Running 4 Heroes out of Florida.
Zechariah runs one mile for every First Responder who makes the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. He wants to honor those who gave up their life so we may live in a better world. He said, “our First Responders do so much for us. I want to let them know they are appreciated.”
I am so inspired by his heart for LEOs. In the two years he has been honoring our fallen heroes here are the heartbreaking miles he has run:
Total Miles Run in 2018/2019: 376
Total Miles Run for 2019 fallen LEO's: 133
Total Miles Run for 2018 fallen LEO's: 166
Total Miles Run for Severely Injured LEO’s: 1
Total Miles Run for 2019 fallen Firefighters: 56
Total Miles Run In 2019 for other Heroes: 9
Total Miles Run for 2018/2019 fallen K9’s: 5
Total Tribute Runs per State: 6
Zechariah, thank you for the heartfelt letter you sent me but more for the service you are providing the brothers and sisters in law enforcement as well as the families of the brave people you are honoring.
I encourage everyone to check out Running 4 Heroes and support his efforts!
KINDNESS CITATION: RFPD-00077
The Pink Patch Project (PPP) is a public awareness campaign designed to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer and to support breast cancer research. For the past two years, the Ridgefield Police Department has participated in the PPP by designing and wearing a pink Ridgefield Police patch during the month of October. In addition to wearing the pink patch, the department sells the limited edition pink patches and all proceeds go to the local Pink Lemonade Project to empower, educate and aid those affected by breast cancer.
At the end of September 2019, Lieutenant Cathy Doriot contacted Alex and Leelee Tea, the owners of Miracle Cleaners locates in Hazel Dell, WA. She asked them if they could remove their regular department patches from their uniforms and sew on the new pink patches. Due to the vendors late delivery of the pink patches, they had a very short window to get the patches on and ready for Ridgefield Officers to wear on October 1st. Alex and Leelee immediately offered to remove the old patches and replace them with the pink patches in less than two days and at no expense. Alex and Leelee's kindness saved enormous expense and time of transitioning to the pink patches, which enabled the department to increase their donation to the Pink Lemonade Project.
For more information on the Pink Lemonade Project check out their page at www.pinklemonadeproject.org
KINDNESS STING: HONORING ONE OF THE PACK
KINDNESS CITATION CCSO-00302
Today at Chinook Elementary in Vancouver, WA we had the distinct honor of recognizing an amazing community volunteer. 7 years ago Karen Plinski signed up to be a volunteer for the school. Karen told us, “I can remember when I first went in to volunteer. I filled the paperwork out and they sent me home. They said a teacher will get in contact with me. I said to myself "they said they needed volunteers and they sent me home?” A teacher was in the office and saw me applying. I got home and an email was there and I have been there every day since.”
However, today caught Karen totally by surprise. She told us that the school’s Associate Principal approached her recently and notified her that they were acknowledging all volunteers at the upcoming assembly and she needed to be there. She said that “yes” was the only answer that was going to be taken and promptly rescheduled her massage appointment.
On the way to the assembly she saw other volunteers from the school and was genuinely excited for all the amazing volunteers being recognized. Then while at the assembly Karen reports that a lady (Karmen Warner, Board Member) was invited to the stage and begins talking about the Kindness 911 program along with other law enforcement officers (Andy Marvitz from Ridgefield Police and DuWayne Layton and Seth Brannan from the Clark County Sheriffs Office). Karen said, “I was aware of it from Jason Hattrick’s (Founder/CEO) posts from Kindness 911’s Facebook page.”
The presenter started mentioning a “she”, who was at the school from 8:30am to 3:00pm every single day. Karen thought to herself, “Oh, it must be someone in Red or Blue house.” Then the presenter introduced Deputy Layton who began telling a story about a night he had a trainee with him on patrol when they observed a speeding car coming down the road so they stopped “HER!!” Karen said, “OMG!!! The light bulb went off in my head and realized it was ME they were talking about. My eyes started to fill with water.”
Karen was invited to the stage in front of the entire school’s faculty and students and this time she did not get off with just a warning. Deputy Layton issued her a Kindness Citation for her extraordinary service to Chinook and all the Wolf Pups. Karen said, “I felt so honored by this Kindness Citation, to feel so appreciated sent chills all over my body. I had no idea this was coming. I still can't believe it. I am so honored that the teachers, children and parents think that well of me. I still can't believe it. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for this Kindness Citation.”
Kindness 911 wasn’t quite done yet. We wanted to make her day even brighter with the help of some of our amazing partners. Hudson’s Grill at the Heathman Lodge gave her a $100 Gift Certificate so her and her husband can enjoy a well deserved night out. Then our friends at Ilani Resort & Casino gave her two tickets to any concert event of her choice. We were so happy to be able to recognize the kindness of one of Vancouver’s most wonderful people!!!! Well done Karen and way to lead the pack! Watch it HERE
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00101
On Feb. 8th, 2020 at 2100 hours, Dusten Weichman simply chose to do the right thing. He went above and beyond by jumping in and assisting a Ridgefield Police Officer in the line of duty. His selflessness not only gave aid to the officer but to the individual as they could have caused harm to themselves or even an innocent member of the community. Dusten said that he was simply happy to assist in resolving the situation before someone got hurt.
Dusten, your actions were very much appreciated. Thank you for representing Ridgefield and your amazing community!
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00036
Kindness is like coffee, it awakens your spirit and improves your day. Today I filled my cup with both!
This morning I was on my way to an event to represent Kindness 911 when, as usual, I pulled off at one of my go-to places, Dutch Bros for a quick cup of coffee. As I was pulling out of the drive thru in came a Portland Police Officer. That is when I saw the opportunity to do what I always encourage people to do... just say thank you. So I parked my car and as he was giving his order I walked up, introduced myself and gave him my full stamp card and simply said, “Thank you for your service. Coffee is on me today.” He genuinely looked thankful and happy. I then issued him his Kindness Citation for his service to his community.
Once he got his coffee he pulled around and he and I had the opportunity to stand in our beautiful NW rain and tell him more about Kindness 911 and how our Kindness Cops seek out and honor individuals for their goodwill, positivity and kindness. He was excited how we are impacting our communities one kind act at a time and shared a bunch of areas within his department where this would be amazing!
Thank you again Officer Holmgren for all you do!
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00155
Ridgefield Police Officer Prentice-Wattson is a great servant of his community. However when he takes off his shield those who know him best simply call him “Watty.” He had been suffering from some hand numbness and pain for over a decade and it was determined he needed ulnar nerve transposition surgery. It was then that he was reminded that he didn’t need to be on duty to issue a Kindness Citation.
Watty had met several surgeons but not until he met Dr. Obinna Ugwu-Oju (better known as Dr. Obi) was he comfortable and knew he was the man for the job. Watty said, “His demeanor, bedside manner, and compassion were above and beyond. He’s one of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met. Not just because he performed my surgery, but because he truly exemplifies kindness. Thank you Dr. Obi for your service and carrying the torch of humanity!” A special thank you to all the medical professionals that keep putting us back together.
PAVING IT FORWARD
KINDNESS CITATION #CTPD-00426
Sergeant Higgs of the Cowlitz Tribal Police Department woke up to a surprise! Adjacent to his home, a local church is being remodeled. Due to this there have been a few minor inconveniences about moving vehicles and not being able to use the driveway/garage while they were resurfacing the parking lot.
Then recently he was approached by the foreman of Scuffy Paving Inc., as he was headed to his shift. The foreman immediately apologized for the inconveniences and asked if he could repave the driveway/alley (which was not in great shape) of his house to make up for it. He was told it wasn't necessary but he contacted the landlord to ensure it was ok. He and his crew did a great job filling and blacktopping the drive. When asked why he wanted to do it he said, “I just want to have the lot and the alley/driveway match” playing off his good deed.
The Kindness Citation was presented to the Scuffy Paving Crew with a bunch of smiles, fist bumps, a few laughs and a large thank you!! In the end they responded that they were glad to help and told Sergeant Higgs to make sure he stayed safe on shift.
You never know when kindness is just waiting at the end of your driveway. Sgt. Higgs commented about kind act and enjoyed the fact that it brought a group of people together that might not normally interact too much. This interaction inspired him and renewed his faith in the amazing people out there.
A BIG BEAR HUG
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00037
Blue Line Bears is a nonprofit organization in Florida with the goal of helping the children of fallen Law Enforcement officers cope with the devastating loss of a parent. Since the inception of BLB too many law enforcement officers across the country have been killed in the line of duty, many of them leaving behind children and/or grandchildren. Blue Line Bears was created by Megan O’Grady, a teenager and daughter of a police officer whose goal it is to help the children of fallen officers through the difficult loss of their parent. Children of law enforcement officers grow up realizing that their parent’s life is at risk every day they go to work. Add to that the fact that there is much public ridicule of law enforcement officers, and deaths in the line of duty are sudden, shocking and violent. With all of this in mind, Blue Line Bears will not only provide a lasting keepsake to help keep the officer’s memory alive, but will also help their child to see that there are caring individuals who respect and appreciate men and women in uniform. Children of officers killed in the line of duty are oftentimes young, perhaps too young to remember the parent who died. For those children, a bear from Blue Line Bears will provide a tangible reminder that their loved one will always be with them. To date, Megan and Blue Line Bears has delivered 619 custom hand sewn bears.
Megan, thank you for your selflessness and your desire to care for the children of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice protecting the blue line. For more information on her work you can find her on Facebook or BlueLineBears.org
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00178
BUMPED AND BLESSED
On March 26, 2020, Officer Sherwood King of the Ridgefield Police Department was talking to DeMitre Rodriguez, a local auto detailer, about a recent call he had been on. A family who lives in a local apartment complex had their family vehicle hit while in their carport. The vehicle that hit them left obvious damage but the family decided to let go, not file a report and forgive the person that hit their vehicle.
DeMitre, who works for a computer chip manufacturer but was recently laid off due to Coronavirus concerns. However, he also has his own detailing business on the side. DeMitre offered to come and take a look at the vehicle that was damaged and see what he could do to fix it. After Officer King and DeMitre met with the family he was able to buff out the damage and even cleaned and restored their headlights for them. He even offered to fix the paint damaged area. When all was said and done DeMitre informed them that his time and services were on the house. He simply wanted to do a good deed for a family in need that also chose to do good themselves by how they handled the incident.
When issued his Kindness Citation he replied, “Receiving the Kindness Citation was a great eye opener during these hard times. It made me realize that my auto detailing helps people in more ways then I thought. I do the best I can to help people feel good about the cars they own. I am very thankful for the opportunity to be recognized by law enforcement in such a positive way!”
DeMitre is the type of person to always put others needs before his own and Officer King has seen this type of generosity from him before. DeMitre is an example of kindness, generosity and servanthood. In times like this, Ridgefield is fortunate to have a wonderful person like him with a heart for others.
LATE ADDITION: An Inter-Office memo from Sgt. Jason Ferriss following the incident shared a correspondence with the woman that received the kind act. Sgt. Ferriss wrote, “I just want to start off with Officer King went above and beyond.” Where she then said, “I had a little car incident in my apartments complex. But with talking to my pastor I decided to let it go and take a loss. But I recieved an unexpected call from Officer King. He had someone come out and detail the scratches off for free. I was having a ruff week, my job isnt going to pay me so bills are getting tight and to make all matters worse my aunt caught the Covid-19 in Indiana and the doctors had given up on her. So I lost hope. I needed some uplifting news something to help me brighten up all this crazy madness. Officer King did just that I cried in tears after I recieved that call. Thank you Officer King for giving me a great experience. Thank you for your kind heart. Thank you for being apart of our great community. Thank you oh so much! This is why kindness matters and it starts off with one person and I'm glad I had a great experience with Officer King and his great kind heart. May you be blessed a million different ways!” In closing Sgt. Ferriss wrote, “In this incident you (Officer King) went above and beyond to help a citizen that was having a very difficult time in her life. Thank you for continuing to represent the Ridgefield Police Department with exceptional service to the community.”
You just never know how many hearts one act of kindness touch! Keep caring for each other!
"SOLIDARITY DRIVE" FILM
Watch to honor our Medical Community and all First Responders. If you missed it just click here and spread kindness everywhere.
Watch our film on YouTube to relive this awesome "Solidarity Drive"
A special thank to the following for covering our event:
-
Ashley Korslien and KGW 8 News
-
KPTV News 12
-
Clark County Today
-
and from the perspective of a Medical Worker at Legacy Salmon Creek
KINDNESS STING/CITATION K911-00047
DIEGO’S 3RD BIRTHDAY
Most times I write lengthy descriptions of a citation that we have been able to give out to a worthy recipient. However tonight I am going to let the words of a mom and the love for her 3 year old son, on his birthday, do the talking. Here is what she wrote: “No playgrounds, no play dates, no visits with grandparents or aunties has been tough for my three year old son Diego and I. It’s such a tough time for so many. I am thankful that we have each other. I was finding it difficult to get excited about his birthday ‘party’ when the guests would be on the computer screen... but I was ready to make the most of it. Blowing out candles, hitting a piñata and opening gifts while other kids looked on from their computers at home was... well, there was a sadness in the back of my mind... however we were making the most of it... as the ‘party’ was wrapping up we were persuaded by a friend to go outside and stand by the road. I was confused tp say the least. When I saw the procession of lights and the officers followed by the very friends and family whom we couldn’t invite to Diego’s birthday party along with caring people from the community that we didn’t even know well, I can honestly say that was the most surreal experience I’ve ever had. The kind of thing I shed a tear for when I see it on tv but I never imagine it could happen to my son and I. It was so much to take in! My son was in awe! It was so kind of you all to take the time and drive by and wish him a happy birthday! It means the world to us!!! What a spectacular moment and incredibly special memory.”
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/wqaQsor-VRE
KINDNESS STING / CITATION K911-00204
On 4/16/2020 Abby suffered a life changing heart event. She is a wife, mother, educator and leader in our community and we came too close to losing her. To show our love for her we celebrated her in Kindness 911 style. Click the link above and watch as Fire & Rescue, Law Enforcement and 85 of her closest friends, family and colleagues truly celebrate and pay tribute to Abby. Get well!
TWO GOOD EGGS ON SAN JUAN ISLAND!
KINDNESS CITATIONS K911-00203 & 00204
We recently had the privilege of sending Kindness Citations to Jaxon and Eliot of San Juan Island for their selfless and amazing service to their community. These two boys raise chickens, to farm the eggs, sell the eggs at their little farm stand and then donate all the profits to their local food bank. We would have never had this opportunity if it hadn’t been for a member of their community going to Kindness911.org and clicking on “Nominate A Hero”. Today, to my joy, I saw the post that their father put up and wanted to share it with you.
Their father Justin wrote, “Today was an odd day. The boys received an unusual letter in the mail. Amber opened it before giving it to them because she was sure it was some kind of scam. Turns out that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Both the boys officially received their first ever citations.
The cool part: The boys were nominated by a community member to be recipients of a Kindness 911 citation. From their recent donation to the Food Bank, they received a citation and were recognized as outstanding community members.
The really cool (and meaningful) part: A Kindness 911 citation is pretty special. But that’s only the surface. Accompanying their citations was a personalized, hand-written note from the organizations director, Jason Hattrick. That he took the time to recognize both the boys, took the time to make the note customized to them and wrote an amazing letter that actually resonated with both of them when they received it was amazing.
The SUPER COOL part: Kindness 911! I had never heard of this organization before this. They are a group of law enforcement professionals from Clark County, WA dedicated to connecting law enforcement with those they serve in a positive way. For them to reach all the way up to San Juan County to recognize a couple goofy kids is an honor. What they do to inspire and reward positivity in the community is inspiring in itself. We feel blessed to have been connected with this group and will certainly be supporting their mission.
Thank you Jason Hattrick, your board and everyone at Kindness 911 for making today’s lesson an easy one! And thank you Kevin White for making sure little things don’t go unnoticed.”
MUSIC IS “THE PRAYER” THE HEART SINGS
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00201/00202
Maybe it is because I grew up in a musical family? Maybe it is because I have sang my entire life? One thing is true however, the day I stumbled across these “Kindness Citation” recipients my life was truly touched.
Mat and Savanna Shaw are the musical father-daughter dynamic duo from Utah that simply wanted to try something new in these times of quarantine. They had no idea what was about to happen. Mat is a father and husband who likes to sing around the house and his daughter Savanna only recently got on social media for the first time. Now they sing together to simply bring joy to others that are stuck at home. However, this simple act of kindness has translated into millions of lives touched and even a stop on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
This duo has performed some of my favorites: A Million Dreams, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and All I Ask of You to name a few. The first song I heard them perform though was “The Prayer” (that has now been seen 5.8 million times) and I became an instant fan. I was able to contact Mat and mailed his and Savanna’s “Kindness Citations” to let them know what a great thing they are doing, bringing smiles to people’s faces and joy to people’s hearts. Kindness 911 simply wanted to say, “Thank you!”
If I cannot fly let me sing ~Stephen Sondheim
“The Prayer” performed by Mat & Savanna Shaw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqFCbtRz1Z0
Kindness 911 was thrilled to pull off a wonderful Kindness Sting for Jeremiah last night. A special thank you to Clark County Fire District 6 for capturing the event and for Clark County Sheriffs Office and Ridgefield Police for being part of impacting our community one kind act at a time. A special thank you also to Taco Bell, Buffalo Wild Wings and Burgerville for making this families day!
THE HEART OF A CHILD
KINDNESS CITATION #K911-00226
Oliver is a young boy from Kansas with two goals in life. He dreams of being a police officer and the other is to make people smile! I first became aware of Oliver when I saw him featured on ABC News (link below). This young cop arrives at nursing homes mounted on his electric police motorcycle to deliver pure joy! He distributes tickets for being cute to the seniors along with a rose. If that weren’t enough, he also offers each and everyone of them a hug which are always redeemed with a smile. Why does he do it? He says it best, “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.”
Recently however, Oliver had caught my attention again! It was a Facebook post of his mother’s of him visiting the memorial for Officer Mike Mosher of the Overland Park Police Department (link below). Oliver truly wanted to pay his respects to the person that wore the badge and the family man behind the badge. When he knelt to pray for Officer Mosher that is when it hit me… sometimes the smallest voices ring the loudest and sometimes the fewer the words the greater the impact. Thank you Oliver for your service to your community!
After Oliver received his Kindness Citation in the mail (link below) his mother commented, “This citation made Oliver feel great. He tries to help out whenever and wherever he can. He said, "This makes me want to do more good deeds for others.”” It was truly an honor to issue Oliver a Kindness Citation and thank you Brandi for letting us be there virtually with you!
Today, be someones light in the darkness, love relentlessly and always stay cute!
ABC News Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS4tUEpch7g
Oliver @ Officer Mosher's Memorial: https://youtu.be/2rstlwEx-90
Oliver receiving his Kindness Citation: https://youtu.be/FZygY7girog
GIVING BACK
Kindness Citation K911-00210/211
Today I got the honor of meeting Kristy Childers and Molly Hess! These are two of Clark County’s shining stars. This afternoon, partnered with Ruby Jewels Ice Cream, they hosted a food drive to benefit Share of Vancouver. Thank you both for braving the weather and carrying so much for your community!
COOKIES TO SAY WE CARE
Today Kindness 911, with the help of the amazingly talented Nicole from The Cheerful Cookie, were able to go out and show our appreciation for the incredible first responders who we proudly support. Thank you to the Clark County Sheriffs Office, Ridgefield Police Department, Cowlitz Tribal Police Department and our friends at Clark County Fire District 6 for all that you do!
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00214/215
Reyna & Terrie are citizens that have a heart for those that serve it daily. As Ridgefield Police Officer King stepped outside the office he was welcomed with armfuls of treats, drinks and a whole lot of appreciation!
Reyna is an aspiring law enforcement officer and when asked what brought her down she said, “I wanted to show the officers that even at this time that... people still care about them. It made me feel like I could make a good impact on my community which makes me happy.” Her grandmother Terrie was also so happy to be cited for her kindness!
PARKER IS AN OVERCOMER!
KINDNESS CITATION #K911-00235
Thank you Eric & Mandie for allowing us permission to share Parker’s story.
Before Parker set our on his journey towards graduation he was faced with so many obstacles. Parker began having seizures before he was born, he has a single kidney, a rare blood disease, ADHD, Tourettes Syndrome and the left side of his brain did not finish developing, which leads to a lower IQ and other learning disabilities. Through all of his obstacles, disabilities and struggles he has overcome and finished high school with plans of moving on to a local adult transition program called GATE.
Today we set out to make this inspirational young man’s graduation as memorable as possible. Kindness 911 along with Cowlitz Tribal Police, Ridgefield Police, Clark County Fire District 6, The Patriots Guard and lots of friends and family paraded past his house truly making his day!
His mom said, “Through everything Parker has never let it get him down, he's the most genuine happy child you will ever meet. He's everybody's biggest cheerleader and has a zest for life like no other.” She went on to say about the graduation parade, “Parker was speechless, he cried with emotion, as we all did. I cannot thank you enough for giving my miracle child this amazing memory for the rest of his life. After the parade was over and everyone left, he hugged me and cried and said how amazing he felt seeing so much love and support.”
Parker it was truly an honor to celebrate you... CONGRATULATIONS! Keep impacting your community one kind act at a time!
EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY!
KINDNESS CITATION CCSO-00338
We often see opportunities in life to do a good deed or make a kind gesture but often times, with the speed of life, those opportunities never become reality. On July 10th, Nikki was sitting in a Blackrock Coffee drive thru when she noticed a Clark County Sheriffs Office K-9 Unit a few cars back. She thought that it would be nice to buy him a cup of coffee AND she acted on it. She purchased the Deputies coffee (and almost a Pupaccino for his partner) just to make their day a little better. Well, she succeeded!!!!
Later, I saw a post about this interaction from a very proud mom and realizing that this generosity was directed to one of our “Kindness Cops” Kindness is a funny thing. If you choose to give it often times it finds its way back to you again. It was an honor for myself, Deputy Brannan and Ringo to make a surprise visit to Nikki’s house today, issued her a “Kindness Citation” and a handful of gift cards from local coffee shops so she could keep paying it forward (and treat herself too).
Nikki said, “Thank you so much for your service deputy Brannan and Ringo. You're much appreciated!!” You are impacting your community one kind act (and cup of coffee) at a time! Thank you!
ABLE TO LEAP TALL FENCES IN A SINGLE BOUND!
You never know where you will be when you are called to step up and save the day. First Responders, including Officer Marvitz and Officer Siem of the Ridgefield Police, were dispatched to a possible structure fire today, on a day when it was nearing 100 degrees. There was no time to lose. When he arrived he found a large and fast moving fire making its way up a hillside towards surrounding homes. What he also found was Super Citizen BJ Malcolm .
BJ said that when he saw the fire he hopped two fences and started using a hose to work the fire in hopes of saving these homes. Due to his and other neighbors efforts this story has a positive outcome. Officer Marvitz said that while the smoke and fire got stronger BJ stayed and kept spraying to keep the house from catching fire and did so until the Fire Department arrived.
At the end BJ was covered in smoke and ash but chose to stay the entire time. BJ also said, “The little boy of the house was a champ and was working the fire too!!! Good job little man!!!” We are looking forward to finding him and issuing him a Kindness Citation soon as well!
BJ, thank you for your service to your community!
SAVE THE DAY PART 2
Yesterday we shared the story of BJ Malcolm jumping in and helping stop a fire from entering a neighborhood. BJ mentioned a young boy that also jumped in, stayed calm and also fought the approaching fire but didn’t know who they were. Well Kindness 911 is happy to report that we were able to track him down and surprise this amazing young man.
Today Kindness 911, Ridgefield Police and Clark County Fire & Rescue made a surprise return trip to the neighborhood to honor Sam!!! We were able to issue him a Kindness Citation, show our appreciation and let him check out all the cool first responder vehicles.
Thank you Sam for being an amazing example for your peers and community! Well done!
Celebrating Navy Veteran Eugene Munson Jr as he turns 95 years young today!!!! A very special thank you to the Clark County Sheriffs Office, Vancouver Police, Washougal Police, Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office and the Patriot Guard Riders!
Check out the Facebook Live on Kindness 911 and KGW News Channel 8's "Good News" spot!
A HEART FOR GOD & COUNTRY
Aaron Robinson turned 40 years old and we were excited to celebrate this awesome guy! Aaron has Downs Syndrome and his passion is interacting with people but sadly Covid has taken that away. With all that has been going on, his big birthday celebration had to be cancelled, along with his 2 summer camps, his Church services, and both his 2 jobs along with so much more. His world as he knows it has been totally rocked.
It was amazing surprising Aaron. Kindness 911 was joined by the Clark County Sheriffs Office, the Patriot Guard Riders, C Tran and lots of friends and family. Aaron thank you for blessing this world and everyone you cross with your infectious smile and heart of gold. Happy Birthday!!!!!
BBQ AND SO MUCH MORE
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00303
If you have had the pleasure of meeting Charles Bibens, the owner of Goldies BBQ in Vancouver, Washington then this Kindness Citation will not come as a surprise to you. I had never met him until a couple days ago but heard about him on social media when a customer refused their food order because he supported law enforcement. Now, we could focus on that single negative interaction but I choose to believe that great things come through adversity. Due to this interaction more and more people have visited his restaurant... including me. What started with a citation and a handshake has become a friendship.
Charles, thank you for your heart for so many. Thank you for your love of God, Country and all those who protect it! After receiving his Kindness Citation Charles replied, “We do what we do because we LOVE our POLICE OFFICERS. To be cited by Kindness 911 was a great honor. We pray GOD will bless your efforts and keep all of you guys safe. We LOVE you here at Goldies.”
MAKING WISHES REALITY!
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00304
I am so excited to introduce you to Parker from Anaheim, California who is also the Founder of Little Advocates. A foundation that simply wants to make a difference because as he says, “Little voices make a big difference.”
I first came across Parker on Social Media where I saw an amazing parade of appreciation for the Anaheim Police Department (check it out: https://abc7.com/6358815/ and become a follower of his work). We at Kindness 911 are honored to call you one of our Kindness Agents and were so honored to cite you! Keep up the great work and for sending the special video!
Check out the video he sent us in return: https://www.facebook.com/Kindness911/videos/2817923781819099
PURE GRATITUDE
KINDESS CITATION K911-00218/19
I arrived a little early for my morning coffee meeting in Ridgefield today and I am so glad I did. I got to say hello to the cities amazing Mayor Don Stose but also saw a couple WSP Troopers off to the side and was excited to simply thank them for their service.
There is something funny about approaching those in law enforcement and saying, “I’m issuing you a Kindness Citation!” and hearing their laughter and appreciation. Bottom line we all deserve a little gratitude! Thank you again Trooper Russell and Ortiz, and all from the Washington State Patrol, for what you do.
RISE BY HELPING OTHERS
KINDNESS CITATION CCSO-00056
Imagine driving the Interstate on a hot evening and you see a vehicle broken down, a sick dog and a lady in distress not knowing what to do. While car after car passed by, Bret saw the opportunity to help someone out. CCSO Deputy Layton reported that Bret not only stopped but assisted in directing traffic away from her vehicle and helped move it to a safe location keeping everyone safe. He also got her dog some much needed water to cool down!
After being sued by one of our Kindness Cops Bret said, “It was a weird experience being recognized for just helping out another person who broke down. It made me feel good and was a good example for my daughter who was with me to just be kind and show someone you care.”
Well done Bret!!!
WE ALL NEED A LITTLE R & R
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00307/308
Newport, Oregon is a beautiful coastal town where people flock to for some rest and relaxation. However, when I said R & R I am talking about the amazing Rylee & Ryker!!! While on a recent vacation they came across a memorial bench honoring fallen Oregon State Police Senior Trooper James Hatch that had been vandalized. Instead of walking past and ignoring the defaced bench they chose, as a family, to turn a negative into a positive. Getting permission to do so, they purchased supplies at a local store and returned the bench to its original beauty.
Rylee, Ryker, Mom and Dad thank you so much for honoring the entire community of Newport! Kindness like this goes a long way!
Kindness Sting Video: Harold Teters (8/23/2020)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
KINDNESS CITATION CCSO-00378
On August 23rd Kindness 911 had the privilege of honoring Harold Teters on his 94th birthday! Harold served his Country in the US Navy in World War II and then served his community as a Clark County Sheriff's Deputy for over two decades.
His family reached out to us and said that Harold suffers from dementia but even so always remembers being a cop. A special thanks to those that joined us in making this day so special: Clark County Sheriff's Office, Ridgefield Police and the Patriot Guard Riders!
Together we are impacting our community one kind act at a time!
MORE THAN A COOKIE TO US!
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00159
Sometimes it’s the smallest things, at the right time, that make the biggest impact! Diane, a local Ridgefield resident, simply wanted to show her local police department that she cared. After receiving this sweet thank you Officer Wattson couldn’t help but issue her a Kindness Citation to show his appreciation for her caring gesture.
Diane, thank you for being a Ridgefield Kindness Superstar!
KEEPING KINDNESS TRUCKIN’
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00203/352
It is rare that Officers get to sit down for lunch however today was one of those special days. While Officers Marvitz, Morgan & Pavelko were sitting in a local Ridgefield establishment two gentleman approached the Officers. Mike & Justin are the owners of Black Diamond Diesel and simply wanted to take a moment to thank them for their service. Then to their surprise Mike & Justin let the Officers know that their next lunch was on them.
Without hesitation Officer Marvitz knew that these two needed to be issued Kindness Citations for this genuine kind act. Thank you! It is these small acts that mean the world to our Officers!
TOGETHER WE DO MORE!
It is an incredible honor for Kindness 911 to support the amazing men and women of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. They were the first ever law enforcement agency to partner with us and began issuing Kindness Citations to those that make our community the amazing place it is. To our “Kindness Cops” (you know who you are) thank you for your relentless positivity, focus on relationships, willingness to step out of your comfort zone and for having a true heart for those you serve. I am so proud to know each of you and consider you family!
Today, Kindness 911 had the opportunity to give back to an agency that has given so much to us. On behalf of Kindness 911, we were able to present Sheriff Chuck Atkins and Undersheriff John Chapman of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office a check too support Santa’s Posse. They are a Clark County nonprofit that provide Christmas to over 1,200 families each holiday season.
Thank you CCSO for your service and heart for Clark County!
CUP OF KINDNESS
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00196
A busy morning, a slow commute and a lot on my mind. Ahead, I saw my local Dutch Bros Coffee and knew it was just what I needed. Pulling in I was met by Patrick and a smile but that is what you get from all of their team members. I placed my order, had a short chat but when I reached for my wallet he looked at me and said, “This ones on me!” It is amazing how the smallest gesture can mean so much.
I pulled to the window, received another warm greeting and my cup of coffee then asked if the guy that took my order was there. He came to the window and I issued him a well deserved Kindness Citation for his generosity. The entire team inside cheered for him!!!! So cool!
When Patrick was asked later about being cited he said, “Being cited had an amazing feeling because having that knowledge that people see the good you do helps motivate me to continue that behavior, allowed me to go the extra mile at work to bring a smile to people’s faces as they came by.”
Well done Dutch Bros Vancouver!!!!!
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT...OR IN...2020
In Clark County we are honored to work with some of the finest law enforcement officers ever. These are just a few of the moments you have created. Thank you for your relentless positivity and desire to care for our community.
Can’t wait for next year!
CELEBRATING KINDNESS
KINDNESS CITATION CCSO-00082
Do we ever miss the way school used to be. There is a joy that cannot be expressed like the cheers of elementary students at a school assembly celebrating the Kindness of others. Better yet, Kindness Cop McCarthy of the Clark County Sheriffs Office was there to celebrate with them back in March.
After receiving his Kindness Citation from Deputy McCarthy Dylan said, “I was so happy and surprised, I liked it and everyone in my school class said good job.” Well done Dylan! We look forward to seeing you back on campus!
BEING THE EXAMPLE
KINDNESS CITATION RFPD-00213
When Jacqueline decided to bake some cookies for her local police department she simply wanted to show she cared. However, what she really did was touch the hearts of Officer Marvitz, Officer Morgan and the rest of the Ridgefield Police Department. More so, she is living by example and showing her daughter what kindness and being a good community member looks like first hand.
After being issued her Kindness Citation Jacqueline said, “baking cookies isn’t anything like what the police officers do for the community” ...but it definitely made their day! Well done!
"DRIVEWAY OF KINDNESS"
KINDNESS CITATION: CCSO-00328
Deputies never know where a call may take them or a traffic stop may be initiated and that is exactly what happen with Deputy Sager and her colleagues. They found themselves, following a traffic stop, precariously parked on a two-lane road making it unsafe for motorists to squeeze by and for Deputies to do their interviews and investigation.
That is when the amazing Jennifer showed up! The owner of the residence saw the situation and without hesitation invited the Deputies to pull their vehicles onto her property to complete their duties safely and for the safety of other motorists passing by. Then before they knew it Deputy Sager said, “Jennifer had brought out beverages for everyone on scene and stated that her driveway would always be a safe place for Deputies to park, type reports or get a fresh cup of coffee. Jennifer acknowledged everything going on in our world right now but wanted to show up for us and thank us for coming to work each day to protect the community.”
After being issued her Kindness Citation Jennifer said, “We are a former/retired Blue and Military household. These Deputies were professional and nothing short of amazing. It felt great to be able to help and provide a safe space for them to conduct their investigation and paperwork. You are welcome anytime!!”
Thank you for going the extra mile (in your own driveway) Jennifer!
EAST COAST KINDNESS
We get to celebrate our local community and the law enforcement agents that serve and protect on a day-to-day basis. However, when I get the chance to take Kindness 911 on the road it makes me so happy to see, that whether along the Pacific or Atlantic, the impact never changes.
While in Palm Beach, Florida I wanted to show the Palm Beach Shores Sheriff’s Office my appreciation with a few dozen Jupiter Donuts just to say thanks!!! Due to good timing though I arrived just as the Palm Beach Shores Fire Department was pulling in. What an honor to take a few minutes, thank all of them for their service and issue each a Kindness Citation.
What even made the encounter better was when issuing the Kindness Citation to Sergeant Langevin. He replied, “My day started off kinda rough but this made my day!” That’s what it’s all about!
Take the time to thank a first responder the next time you see one. They will truly appreciate the kindness and you will truly make their day!
KINDNESS STING for Charles Bibens and Goldies BBQ
Another wonderful follow-up article and video from yesterday’s Kindness Sting from our friends at Clark County Today!
https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/.../kindness-911-gives.../
THE HEART OF HANNAH
KINDNESS CITATION K911-00196
As I was scrolling through Facebook, like many of you are right now, Battle Ground’s Fire Station 35’s post caught my eye and I am so glad it did!
Meet Hannah! An amazing young lady from Battle Ground, WA with a heart for people and a desire to serve. Last year, and again this year, she has chosen to sponsor a few families in her community over the holidays. By doing so she is also reminding us all that if we each do a little we can accomplish so much.
Last year, Hannah hosted a bake sale in front of Station 35 in Battle Ground... and she was back today! So Kindness 911 swooped in and issued Kindness Citations to Hannah, her helpers and a Battle Ground Police Officer on site!!! We may have made a donation and taken home some sweet treats too!
Thank you Hannah for representing your community so well!
GREAT JOB EVERYONE!!!
“Individually we are one drop but together we are an ocean” and today we flooded the McCrow Family with kindness. Just one month ago, a Facebook post was brought to my attention by my wife, about a blanket drive to honor the memory of a little girl named Hailey who lost her life ten years ago due to a congenital heart defect. Her family has collected blankets for years since then for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital but a community hero named Heidi wanted to do more. So she set out to collect new blankets and planned a parade to surprise the family. I immediately knew that Kindness 911 needed to help out.
In under a month we collect 420 NEW BLANKETS (in addition to the hundreds of others brought as well) but it wouldn’t have been possible without so many amazing people and organizations jumping in to help in a variety of ways. I want to recognize each of them:
-
McCrow Family for your heart for kids
-
Each of YOU, our Kindness 911 Family, that donated a new blanket.
-
Heidi for letting Kindness 911 partner with you.
-
The Kindness Cops that were able to come out
-
CCSO, Ridgefield PD & Cowlitz Tribal PD
-
Taylor Trucking & Karin (Drop-Off Location)
-
Real Living Real Estate & Mike (Drop-Off Location)
-
Lava Java & Phuong (Drop-Off Location)
-
Creed Coffee & Angela (Drop-Off Location)
-
Latte Da & Scott (Drop-Off Location)
-
Main Street Studio & Lea (Drop-Off Location)
-
Printing Expressly For You & Bill (Signs)
-
Joe (hauling all the blankets)
Today was a great reminder, “Don’t wait for opportunities, create them!” Clark County I am so proud of you!
Facebook Live: https://fb.watch/35H6uxqNMs/
SERVICE & CELEBRATION
Kindness Citation RFPD-00500
What an honor and joy it was to meet the energetic and lively Will Kalmbach of Ridgefield, WA today!!! Will would have typically had lunch with with his friends that he has every Friday for the past 25 years but due to all the recent restrictions that has been put on hold. He was fully prepared to spend a quiet day at home with his family.
However, when Kindness 911 heard about Will turning 94 years young, a cancer survivor and a man who served his Country in the Army Air Corps during WWII...well...he needed to be celebrated! So Kindness 911, Ridgefield Police, LaCenter Police and the Patriot Guard Riders descended upon his neighborhood with a birthday we hope he will never forget.
Will, thank you for being the amazing person you are that thanked us for what we did and before we left told us that your job is “just to love everyone!” May we all take a little of your spirit with us into the world! Happy Birthday Will!
Facebook Live: https://fb.watch/35HcGCW1vK/
CALLED TO SERVE
Kindness Citation K911-00357
We all know those people that give 110% with no expectation of anything in return. In fact, their service to others is what energized them. Well, the Kindness911.org page had a nomination submitted (which anyone can do) telling us about just such an individual named Sandie who has served selflessly the American Legion Post 176 for years. So Deputy Kipp and I had the privilege of catching her on her final night at this post to issue her a well deserved Kindness Citation. Thank you for all the lives you have touched!
CARING HEARTS OF COWLITZ TRIBAL POLICE
On behalf of every Kindness 911 agency we get to make a donation to a charity of their choice each year. The Cowlitz Tribal Police Department has been part of Kindness 911 since the very beginning and we are so grateful for their relationship. A truly amazing team! This year we made a $500 donation to the Humane Society for Southwest Washington on their behalf. President Andrea Bruno was so grateful and said, “Thank you for the wonderful gift and your support of our work with the animals and the people who love them.”
Cowlitz Tribal Police and Kindness 911 are impacting our community one kind act (and cuddly friend) at a time!
KINDNESS SHOUTOUT!
Well done to the teams from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Walmart for figuring out a way to reinvent “Shop with a Cop” this year and blessing so many children and families even in a pandemic. I heard so many kids saying “Thank you!” and parents expressing their sincere gratitude.
Another example of people impacting our community one kind act at a time!
A STORY OF PURPOSE THIS CHRISTMAS EVE
Today is Christmas Eve and so many are bustling about making final preparations, wrapping a final gift and rolling up their sleeves to make a wonderful family meal. I would typically be doing the exact same thing but instead I find myself reflecting on the last 48 hours and the blessing granted to Kindness 911. Let me tell you a story…
On December 23rd at 12:09am I received a message from a community member asking if I knew of any resources available for families to assist with Christmas. I know of many, but with it now being two days before Christmas even Santa’s Workshop is closed and his elves are packing his sleigh! Even so, I replied back immediately and told him I would see who I could connect with. He had shared (and gave me permission to share with you) that they had a friend of theirs that they really wanted to help out named Heidi, who is mom to Shawn and Emma with another on the way. Heidi had been sick on and off for some time but doctors were just not figuring out what was wrong with her. It was just discovered that Heidi has a type of Leukemia that is causing her very serious complications that needed to be treated immediately. Now when I say immediately, I mean she was given a few minutes in the hospital parking lot to give loves to her kiddos and say goodbye before being admitted to start 30 days of aggressive inpatient chemotherapy. This is all just days before Christmas but they had no alternative.
The underlying blessing here is that Kindness 911 has connected me with so many wonderful individuals and organizations over our short existence that by 8:30am, the same morning, I had already received a response back from the amazing Santa’s Posse Team ran by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. I was able to immediately go pick up food, toys and gift cards to give to this family in hopes of bringing a little bit of joy to them. I rushed home and wrapped all the gifts with bows and tags and when I finished I saw more than just a pile of presents. I truly saw the love of a community that I grew up in, that raised me, and now has graciously allowed me to give back alongside them. Kindness 911 is just a small nonprofit but it comes alive through those that call themselves our “Kindness Cops” and those people and organizations that step and help support us through relationships, donations and other ways.
At 12:05am on December 24th (just 24 hours later) I was able to take all of this to the community member, after their work shift, so that he could deliver it to the children where they will be able to wake up Christmas morning and feel the love that this season represents. Kindness 911 also issued both Shawn and Emma a Kindness Citation as a reminder that even when life is difficult, like theirs is right now, we can always share love and kindness with others.
Merry Christmas to our Kindness 911 Family. We are so thankfully for each and every one of you!
PUMPED FOR KINDNESS
Kindness Citation CCSO-00330
It was a dark and cold Saturday evening and just like many others on patrol for Deputy Sager until something caught her eye! She observed a vehicle being pushed on a busy stretch of road through an equally busy intersection by two young men. She pulled up behind them as they continued pushing the vehicle through the stop light, into a Chevron driveway and all the way up to a gas pump. Seeing them to a safe location Sager exited her vehicle and asked the two exhausted young men if they needed some help. At that time an older gentleman exited the vehicle and shared that he had ran out of gas down the road. We found out that he ran out of gas because he had to rush his wife home earlier due to an allergic reaction and wasn’t paying attention to the gas light! If it’s not one thing it’s another.
This is where we met our Kindness Heroes Dustin and Josh! They saw the gentleman “broke down” on the side of the road so they selflessly decided to park their truck and get out and help him. If that meant taking a jog in the dark and the cold while pushing a car... well then so be it! They said it was the holiday season and they couldn’t think of leaving him stranded on the side of the road.
As Deputy Sager spoke to Dustin and Josh, the older gentleman realized the pump was on the wrong side of the car so Dustin and Josh jumped back in action and pushed the vehicle across the gas station to an open pump on the other side.
Later Dustin shared with us, “It was really great getting to talk with a police officer for doing something good, especially as a teenager. Made me feel happy that I did something nice for someone else. Even better that the person I helped was so happy too.” Kindness 911 and Deputy Sager are very proud of these two young men for doing the right thing. When so many others drove by, they chose to truly bless another member of their community. We are honored to issue you a Kindness Citation!