The Circle of Kindness

In preparing for Kindness Week 2026 (February 15-22), a circle of kindness developed that demonstrates acts of kindness by people coming together. Jasmyn Rowley of Sootoday recommended that a ‘Be Kind Passport’ be printed and distributed to every elementary school student to carry out acts of kindness during Kindness Week. The Algoma District School Board and the Huron Superior Catholic District School Board sponsored the passports and agreed to distribute them to each school. Ten thousand passports were printed. 

Tammy McFadden of Cliffe Printing organized a plan (from information provided by school boards) to package passports for each elementary grade in each school. Cliffe Printing donated boxes and labels necessary for the packaging and delivery to the two school boards. 

Father Jeff Shannon of Precious Blood Cathedral donated the Gathering Place for the massive effort to package the ten thousand passports for the elementary school students. On a Saturday morning, eighteen volunteers attended to complete the packaging. It was extraordinary work in a fun atmosphere, a symbol of kindness.

The elementary school class that performs the most acts of kindness in each school board will receive five hundred dollars to be donated to the charity of their choice. This demonstrates another act of kindness.

Jasmyn Rowley will see to the donations to charity from monies received from sponsors creating the full circle of kindness.

The eighteen volunteers: Vaylee-Rayne Sarrasin, Melissa Sarrasin, Diane Morrell, Jennifer Barone, Jeff Broadbent, Franca Broadbent, Aurora Mccuaig, 

Franca Mccuaig, Connie Moore, Abbie Sarlo, Laura Sarlo, Maureen Gooderham,

Linda Simonini, Melissa Palombi, Marilyn Palombi, Olivia Orozco, Nyah Ritter,

Dree Pauze joined by volunteers Tammy McFadden, Peter Vaudry and Frank Sarlo.

The Kindness Week 2026 committee members: Peter Vaudry, Alexandra Syrette, Bryan Davies, Derek Jackson, Diane Morrell, Jasmyn Rowley, Jeff Broadbent, Lisa Veseau Allen and Frank Sarlo would like to thank the following for their support and kindness!

 Algoma District School Board, Huron Superior Catholic District School Board, USW Local 2251, USW Local 9548, USW Local 2724, Cliffe Printing, Sootoday, Shawn Trucking, Savoy’s, Sar Gin Developments (Sault) Ltd., Jennifer Barone, Tammy McFadden, Kevanna Studios, Cliffe Printing, Tagona Press, Bon Soo, Sault Ste. Marie Museum, Sault Ste. Marie Public Library, Downtown Plaza, Maryte (Maggie) Running, Shawn Dagenais, Madeleine Dagenais 

💛 In honour of Kindness Week, we bring smiles and surprises to a local neighbourhood

https://www.sootoday.com/cares/news/-in-honour-of-kindness-week-we-bring-smiles-and-surprises-to-a-local-neighbourhood-11872209

A Message Of Kindness

A message on KINDNESS from Father Hamish Currie –

 “The Catholic call to KINDNESS is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. The Psalmist proclaims, “The Lord is Kind and merciful” (Psalm 103. Jesus commanded his disciples – “Love one another, as I have loved you.” (Jn. 13:34). The Catholic Catechism describes KINDNESS as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the Church through the centuries has affirmed and encouraged that teaching.” 

Father Hamish was concerned about the growing lack of civility in our Society and agreed with the thought that the Sault could be the example of civility based on the Catholic call to KINDNESS and the Sault’s history of KINDNESS. 

The Sault Ste. Marie Kindness Committee is pleased to support Father Hamish’s message in encouraging all Catholics to actively engage in Acts of Kindness during the Sault’s Kindness Week February 15 to 22.   

The following will delivered in all the Sault Anglican Churches on the Sunday of Kindness Week:

A Message Of Kindness

In September 2025, Sault Ste. Marie City Council declared that our City shall celebrate ‘Kindness Week’ during the third week of February every year. In 2026, Kindness Week falls between February 15 and February 22.  The Sault’s ‘Kindness Committee’ is encouraging our citizens to embrace and promote a ‘culture of kindness’ wherever possible. 

The Committee recognizes that our City’s faith communities are powerful, proactive messengers for kindness. In our Anglican liturgy, we are called to embrace what Psalm 103 proclaims: “The Lord is kind and merciful.” Jesus taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves, where love is interwoven with charity, goodwill, kindness, and an abiding respect for everyone. Kindness is embedded into our faith DNA.

We might think that as Anglicans, celebrating ‘Kindness Week’ is unnecessary given how kindness and faith are so tightly connected. The Kindness Committee hopes that no matter how strongly a ‘kindness message’ might resonate with many, we live in a world where uncertainty and challenges abound. Media reports highlighting meanness, incivility, and loud, self-interested voices seem everywhere – and kindness often gets lost in the din. 

During ‘Kindness Week’, please reflect on what kindness means to our City, its communities, and our people. The Kindness Week website (https://kindness-ssm.ca/) has a portal allowing anyone to share their  kindness story or experience with the world. 

The Committee is very grateful for the support our Sault Anglican churches in spreading kindness in 2026 and beyond.

On September 22, 2025, City Council declared the third week of February in each year as Kindness Week in accordance with the Kindness Week Act passed by the federal government in 2021.

The Kindness Week Act describes and encourages the following:

• Kindness encourages values such as empathy, respect, gratitude and compassion;
• Kind acts lead to the improved health and well-being of Canadians;
• Designating and celebrating a Kindness Week throughout Canada will encourage acts of kindness, volunteerism and charitable giving to the benefit of all Canadians;
• Kindness Week will connect individuals and organizations to share resources, information and tools to foster more acts of kindness;
• Kindness Week might encourage a culture of kindness in Canada throughout the year;

Kindness Week aims to actively celebrate kindness in Sault Ste. Marie during the third week of February in each year and further encourage a culture of kindness throughout the year. Kindness Week is already celebrated in a number of Canadian cities. The declaration of Kindness Week in Sault Ste. Marie is timely. Peter Vaudry has just published a book Kindness is Sault Ste. Marie, which demonstrates that kindness is part of the spirit and soul of Sault Ste. Marie and its people. The book is intended to be a catalyst to actively celebrate kindness in Sault Ste. Marie during the third week of February in each year and further encourage a culture of kindness throughout the year.

Kindness Week Committee

This Committee was formed as there is a concern about the growing prevalence of unkind behaviours in our society and a need to prevent it from becoming a force of negative change in our community. The vast majority of Saultites are kind. It’s important to try and influence a few of the others and encourage the majority to continue their kindness.   

A committee of nine members has been formed and includes the following members: Peter Vaudry (retired Steelworker) acting as Chair, Frank Sarlo (retired lawyer and author) acting as Secretary, and Members, Lisa Vezeau-Allen (Ward 2 Councilor), Derek Jackson (Past President of the Chamber of Commerce and Employee & Community Engagement Manager Human Resources), Diane Morrell (Accessibility Coordinator – Planning and Enterprise Services– SSM), Jeff Broadbent (Lawyer), Jasmyn Rowley (Director of Marketing and Communications at Village Media), and Bryan Davies (Publisher – Tagona Press, SSM) and Alexandra Syrette (Communication Manage Batchewana First Nation. 

The committee meets regularly by Zoom to discuss and work to accomplish the following:

• Promote Kindness Week in the community to encourage acts of kindness throughout the community and create a culture of kindness;
• Encourage people to be proactive about protecting the community from the corrosive potential of such behaviour, e.g. we should all be able to express our opinions but we can do so in a kind and respectful way.
• Promote a kindness campaign, which will provide a beautiful opportunity to remember and celebrate who we are as a community. As we go through a difficult time in the community we will work to spread kindness throughout the community sand set an example for the world. Everyone desires kindness and respect.
• Distribute the children’s book ‘Odin the Owl Encourages Kindness in his Community’ written for Kindness Week and published by Jennifer Barone, Tammy McFadden and Frank Sarlo. The book provides examples of kindness and how it benefits both those receiving acts of kindness and those showing kindness. It is intended that a copy will be provided to as many children of elementary school age as possible.
• Distribute ‘Be Kind’ chocolate bars produced by ‘Sweeten’ and operated by White Pines Collegiate 
• Encourage local charities to become involved by promoting the benefits provided to those receiving assistance and those volunteering.
• Work with Bon Soo to create an event, which will promote the culture of kindness in the community.
• Encourage the community to create events and activities to promote the culture of kindness in the community.
• Encourage sponsors to come forward to assist in funding the promotion of a kindness culture in the community, assist in the cost of providing children with a copy of ‘Odin the Owl Encourages Kindness in his Community’, ‘Be Kind’ chocolate and the creation of events and activities.  
• Be creative in finding ways to promote kindness.

NOTE: 

1: A Kindness Week Website has been set-up – kindness ssm.ca

2: Bon Soo  

Kindness Week – February 15-22 now coincides with Bon Soo – February 13-20. They were very excited to work with us and will put together a list of ideas and opportunities for us. They will add Kindness Week to their promotions. 

The Kindness Week 2026 Committee members: Peter Vaudry, Alexandra Syrette, Bryan Davies, Derek Jackson, Diane Morrell, Jasmyn Rowley, Jeff Broadbent, Lisa Vezeau Allen and Frank Sarlo would like to thank the following for their support and kindness!

Algoma District School Board 

Huron Superior Catholic District School Board 

USW Local 2251                                            

USW Local 9548                                           

USW Local 2724                                  

Cliffe Printing

Sootoday 

Shawn Trucking 

Savoy’s 

Sar Gin Developments (Sault) Ltd.

Jennifer Barone

Tammy McFadden

Kevanna Studios

Cliffe Printing

Tagona Press

Bon Soo

Sault Ste. Marie Museum

Sault Ste. Marie Public Library

Downtown Plaza

Maryte (Maggie) Running 

S.C. 2021, c. 9

Assented to 2021-06-03

An Act respecting Kindness Week

Preamble

Whereas kindness encourages values such as empathy, respect, gratitude and compassion;

Whereas kind acts lead to the improved health and well-being of Canadians;

Whereas Kindness Week is already celebrated in some Canadian cities;

Whereas designating and celebrating a Kindness Week throughout Canada will encourage acts of kindness, volunteerism and charitable giving to the benefit of all Canadians;

Whereas Kindness Week will connect individuals and organizations to share resources, information and tools to foster more acts of kindness;

And whereas Parliament envisions that Kindness Week might encourage a culture of kindness in Canada throughout the year;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Kindness Week

1 This Act may be cited as the Kindness Week Act.

2 Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the third week of February is to be known as “Kindness Week”.