Grand Island Seniors Surprise 60 Students With Kindness

Deborah Quick had one mission Tuesday morning: make 60 college students smile for no reason at all.

The sales director from Primrose Retirement Communities walked the halls of Central Community College in Grand Island, calling out to students with an unexpected question. "Can we bless you with a gift from Primrose for Random Acts of Kindness?" she asked over and over, watching faces light up with surprise.

Quick and Life Enrichment Coordinator Becca Heidelk spent 90 minutes handing out bags stuffed with candy and surprises. Half the bags included Amazon gift cards, and every single one came with a handwritten note from Primrose residents.

The residents behind the gifts call themselves the Happy Helpers. Once a month, this group of seniors chooses a volunteer project to make the community better. They've sewn blankets for the Humane Society, delivered coffee and treats to police officers, and now spent weeks preparing kindness bags for students they'd never met.

"We want to do something that is not going to give us something back," Quick explained. "We want to do something random, and we feel that these kids are giving their time to better themselves. What better to do than give them a little special surprise treat?"

Welding technology students Teresa Contreras and Julissa Trevino stopped in their tracks when they received their bags. "It's very nice," Contreras said, clearly touched. "It's not every day you get a nice treat, so we're very thankful and surprised."

Culinary arts student Frank Clark couldn't hide his amazement. "Man, I'm impressed. I'm thankful, and I'm grateful," he said. "I was blown away."

Sunny's Take

This marks Primrose's ninth year of Random Acts of Kindness Day giveaways and their fourth year at Central Community College. Last year, a blizzard and class cancellations made student turnout low, but the team still blessed 50 people with whatever they could.

The tradition has become beloved at Primrose, where residents eagerly anticipate their monthly chance to spread joy. "Participating in Random Acts of Kindness Day has become a beloved tradition for our community, and Primrose residents look forward to it each year," the organization said in a statement. "These simple acts continue to spread joy far beyond the moment."

Clark, a nontraditional student who believes in paying kindness forward, perfectly captured the spirit. "I like Random Acts of Kindness because I try to do the same thing when I get a chance," he said.

Sixty students walked away with full hands and fuller hearts, proof that kindness never retires.