The Lacombe & District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and the BGC Wolf Creek have teamed up to host a Kindness Campaign in the City of Lacombe.  For the Month February, the two organizations are encouraging Lacombe residents and businesses to share kindness in the community. The Kindness Campaign kick-off was held today with a ribbon cutting at the ‘heart of the city’ outside of the Lacombe Memorial Centre.  

The Kindness Campaign was originally kicked off in 2022 just as pandemic restrictions were lifting to encourage people to show patience and kindness.  

“I think we had 22 businesses take part last year and we are 48 this year. We more than doubled in size and this was a great opportunity to partner with the new agency because they do a big Pink Shirt Day Campaign and so we're lucky enough to collaborate with the Lacome BGC club this year,” said Crystal Zens, Executive Director of the Lacombe FCSS.  

This year, local businesses will be celebrating by featuring special pink items or promoting the kindness campaign with pink decorations.  

Pink shirt day is recognized as anti-bullying day in Canada. This year, it will be held on February 22. This year, the BGC is looking forward to spreading kindness through their programs. 

“We've been in Ponoka for about 20 years and Pink Shirt is very important to us. One or two of the things that our agencies abide by with their kids are kindness and respect. When Pink Shirt Day comes along, kindness is what we really want to hang on to with our kids,” said Beth Reitz, Executive Director of BGC Wolf Creek.  

If you do not have a pink shirt yet, the Lacombe FCSS and the BGC will be selling them in support of BGC programming. They are available at the Lacombe Upper Elementary School, Lacombe FCSS, and the Lacombe Composite High School.  

“We sell the pink shirts a little bit as a fundraiser. That’s not really the important part of it. We wear them every Wednesday in February to remind kids to be kind to each other and to really stand up against anything that is not kind and respectful towards each other,” added Reitz.  

BGC students in central Alberta have also been sponsored by Hershey’s Canada to spread even more kindness in the community.  

“Our kids are all being given money from Hershey to go in their communities and do kind things. So that will be happening throughout the month of February,” added Reitz.  

Local dignitaries including Lacombe Mayor Grant Creasey were present for the ribbon cutting ceremony donning their own pink shirts.  

“I think that the kindness campaign is just a terrific way of highlighting those groups and organizations that put forth all the kindness that they do in our community and this particular year to highlight BGC was a was a great way. Letting everybody know that they're now on board in Lacombe, which is wonderful to see,” said Creasey.