BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — Valentine's Day isn't just for couples. It's also a time when people can share the love they have for their communities and for the people around them. For many, the holiday isn't just about romance — it's about kindness.
So, the Blount County Sheriff's Office encouraged people to share how they're demonstrating kindness by posting their experiences on social media, as part of the Pay it Forward challenge.
"I am also asking the Sheriffs in the other 94 Tennessee counties to take part in helping to change the world, one kind act at a time," said the Blount County Sheriff, James Berrong, in a post on Facebook. "We all want 2021 to be a great year, and it all begins with us."
In the post, officials acknowledged that 2020 was difficult for people everywhere. They said that focusing on the needs of others can be a good distraction from some of the challenges people are facing.
"As we forge ahead through 2021, we must remain hopeful that life will begin to return to normal from a deadly pandemic, a political storm, and the social unrest that overtook the country in the past few months," officials said in the post.
Officials encouraged people to be grateful for the things they have as a way to start making a positive change. To start paying it forward, they said that people can focus on the positives in their lives and look for the good in people.
Then, they gave suggestions on how people can take action to spread kindness:
- Find a non-profit and a cause you are passionate about and then contribute more of your resources.
- Perform random acts of kindness for friends and strangers alike.
- Smile more
- Hold the door open for someone
- Be courteous to other drivers
- Give someone your place in line at the store, post office, or other businesses
- Show kindness and respect to those less fortunate than you
- Pay for someone’s meal in line in the drive-thru
"By taking part in this challenge and performing acts of kindness each day, you’ll see a change not only in yourself but in the others you help," officials said. "Kindness really is contagious."
People can share their experiences in the challenge with the hashtags "#PayItForwardBlountTN" and "#BlountSheriffTN."
