The ways northern Ontarians are helping on Giving Tuesday
Annual day focuses on giving back
After a whole weekend of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, Tuesday is a time to think about giving back.
It's Giving Tuesday, and many people and businesses are looking to see how they can help people in the community.
In Sudbury, several groups and people are looking to help. Legend Boats has stepped up to match donations as the NEO Kids Foundation looks to purchase a new vein viewer. Post-secondary schools are promoting giving events to help support students.
Jenn Ricker got to experience Giving Tuesday early. She's the coordinator of the Sudbury 5 Dance Squad. During the game last Thursday, a man approached her with $80 in his hand.
A year earlier, she and a friend had gone to watch a UFC event when she realized money she was carrying with her was missing.
Do you have a story to share about giving or a random act of kindness? We'd love to hear it. E-mail it to upnorth@cbc.ca or post it on our Facebook page. You can also call 1-844-856-6784 and leave your story on our talkback line.
"I found [your money]," he told her.
"I remembered your face and I thought if I was ever going to see you out, I was going to give you back that money."
The man refused to tell her his name.
"It made me feel really good," she said.
Spreading kindness in person
However, not all good intentions go as planned. Last year, Sudbury's Jessica Grillanda got many 'Happy Birthday' messages on her Facebook wall, but says a private message from a friend she hadn't heard from in 20 years stood out.
He recalled a trip they had gone on, and said how fondly he still thinks of her as a friend.
"I would have taken that one message over 5,000 'Happy Birthday's' on Facebook," she said.
As a result, she decided to say something specific as a greeting to someone on social media, instead of the usual 'Happy Birthday.'
"It started off alright but it got increasingly difficult or should I say, uncomfortable," she said.
"I just kept making my compliments more and more vague until I realized they weren't any better than your boilerplate 'Happy Birthday' message."
For now, Grillanda says she's going to try and tell people in person her kind thoughts.
"I still really strive in day to day life [that] if I think something nice about somebody, I try to push through the discomfort and tell them that thing," she said.
With files from Jan Lakes