PEI

Random Acts of Kindness PEI to give boy swing set

A P.E.I. not-for-profit group will be donating a swing set to a five-year old boy with cancer.

Not-for-profit group raised $600 to buy swing set for boy with cancer

Anna Howard (right) of Random Acts of Kindness PEI, along with Manley Mann Media, raised $600 for a swing set for a boy with cancer. (Submitted)

A P.E.I. not-for-profit group will be donating a swing set to a five-year old boy with cancer.

Anna Howard started Random Acts of Kindness PEI a few months ago. The group has given away grocery store gift cards, bought a high school student a prom dress, and more.

Last week, Manley Mann Media hosted a Tweet Up event — where Twitter users socialize in real life — and at the same time collected donations for Random Acts of Kindness PEI.

Raised $600 for swing set

Howard said she had heard from a friend about a family with a boy with cancer, and decided to raise money to buy him something he wanted. She said his parents told her what he wanted most was a swing set.

That evening, they raised $600, enough to buy a large wooden swing set (complete with a sandbox, and ropes to climb).

Howard said she wasn't expecting to raise so much money in one evening.

"I was thinking maybe $200 or $300," said Howard.

Small effort can make a difference

With many people donating small amounts, she said it didn't take long to reach $600. She said she's happy a small effort on her part can help make a difference in people's lives.

"It was like two hours of my time, and I was spending time with friends, and I made a five-minute speech. And like, none of the money came from me," said Howard.  

'Pretty exciting'

"It's pretty exciting to kind of just be the way that it happens, you know ... it took time and I ordered it and I'm going to get a truck to pick it up. But to me, that's like, that's nothing compared to what we're giving this family. So, it's pretty exciting."

Howard said she'll drop off the swing set to the family on Monday.