Sheriff Evangelidis of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office delivers Random Acts of Kindness goody bags to the staff at The Queen's Cups on Water Street. (Worcester County Sheriff's Office)
By The Worcester County Sheriff's Office
WORCESTER – During the week of February 13th, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office staff visited Worcester to randomly distribute goody bags to citizens, who were going about their daily business, as a part of the Department’s Random Acts of Kindness Initiative. For their second year, Sheriff Lew Evangelidis and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office celebrated Random Acts of Kindness week, this year falling between February 13th – 17th.
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is the driving force behind the holiday. The organization was founded during a mid-1990s summer when violence was at an all-time high on the west coast. Inspiration to start the organization came from a television reporter who noted that people should stop reporting on “random acts of violence” and "practicing random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.”
Sheriff Evangelidis, correctional officers, community support center staff, and volunteers distributed over 3,500 goody bags containing chips, cookies, candy, and water to lucky individuals they met at stores, public safety departments, bus stops, restaurants, or even just walking the streets of the county. By the end of the week, Sheriff’s Office staff and volunteers visited every Worcester County community to spread kindness and inspire a sense of friendliness in the cities and towns they serve.
This year, Tito’s Handmade Vodka was the bag sponsor for the Sheriff’s Office Random Acts of Kindness initiative. With the generous donation from Tito’s, the Sheriff’s Office and the Worcester County Reserve Deputy Sheriff Association were able to acquire the entirety of the 3,500 good bags at no cost, making this event possible. This tremendous charitable act has extended through every municipality in Worcester County.
“As a law enforcement agency, it is crucial for the Sheriff’s Office to build bridges, big and small, in the communities that we serve,” commented Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis. “This week allows our staff to engage with citizens 1 on 1, educating the public on the role of the Sheriff’s Office and the importance of fostering relationships with local law enforcement. Above all else, there is no doubt that we could all use a little more positivity and random kindness in our daily lives.”
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