A SIMPLE SIGN, A GLOBAL SPARK The Story Behind ‘Be Kind’ When it comes to spreading positivity in this world, there’s no such thing as a small act. February is already a time to celebrate the power of romantic love via Valentine’s Day, but Random Acts of Kindness Day on the 17th is a way for all of us to show our care and support to our neighbors, friends, and community. There are few greater examples of the gift of kindness than the global movement of compassion that began in Richmond a few years ago. In 2018, a Richmond resident named Gini Bonnell was on a walk in her neighborhood when she spotted a discarded whiteboard. Noticing that the whiteboard was still usable, she took it home and adorned it with a drawing of a heart and a simple message: In A World Where U Can Be Anything … Be Kind. After placing it in her yard, it wasn’t long before the sign garnered waves and honked horns from passersby. “I believe kindness is a choice,” she told WWBT in 2019. “Everybody has a story to tell; everybody has something going on. Forget about yourself, and think about the other person and be kind.” Word soon spread throughout the area, and Bonnell began creating signs (shortened to “Be Kind”) for anyone who wanted to use them. Other people also started making similar signs of their own, and the “Be Kind” movement was born. Bonnell’s idea gained considerable traction during the COVID-19 era, when people from around the world began creating and posting their own signs as a way to combat the negativity and hopelessness many were experiencing at the time. By the summer of 2020, “Be Kind” signs could reportedly be seen in nearly 40 countries and in every U.S. state. Thank you, Gini, for transforming a whiteboard found in the trash into a worldwide phenomenon … and reminding us all that a few kind words can go an incredibly long way.
SUDOKU
MOUTHWATERING MINI CHEESECAKES Surprisingly simple and downright delicious, these bite-sized cheesecakes are the perfect party treat to lose count eating!
INGREDIENTS
• 12 oz package vanilla wafers • 16 oz cream cheese, softened • 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 21 oz can cherry pie filling
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In two 24-cup miniature muffin pans, line each space with a paper liner. 3. Using a food processor or resealable plastic bag, crush vanilla wafers into a fine crumb. 4. Press 1/2 teaspoon of crumbs into each paper liner. 5. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 6. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top. 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. 8. Cool completely in the pan. 9. Top each mini cheesecake with about a teaspoon of cherry pie filling before serving. Enjoy!
–Kevin Mottley
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
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