RCC celebrates Valentine’s Day with acts of kindness
Valentine’s Day was a special day for students, faculty, and staff at Robeson Community College, with everyone on campus finding ways to celebrate the “day of love.”
RCC’s President Melissa Singler and the Executive Team treated employees to “something sweet” during the morning hours of Valentine’s Day. Faculty and staff enjoyed coffee and doughnuts and had a chance to fellowship with each other.
“It is important to show appreciation to our employees, and what better day to do that than Valentine’s Day,” stated Singler.
Students also had a chance to “feel the love” through several events geared towards them, which was as “sweet as candy.”
“The Sweet as Candy Kindness Day was a celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Week,” stated Samantha Oxendine, the director of counseling and career services. “As Maya Angelou once wisely observed, ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’
With markers and pre-printed templates, students were able to send out notes of kindness to faculty, staff, and fellow students, like a Valentine’s Day card. Students were also able to take their artistic talents to the sidewalks, writing notes of encouragement as well as drawing images expressing hope, love, and support.
“This event provided everyone with the opportunity to spread kindness, whether through crafting a kind note or using sidewalk chalk in the “Chalk the Walk, Spread Kindness Talk” activity,” Oxendine said. “There were over 100 notes delivered by SGA students and SHOP (Students Helping Other People) students.”
“It was heartwarming to witness faculty, staff, and students as they took the time to share a kind note with someone,” added Oxendine. “Kindness costs nothing.”
Education students also got into the Valentine’s Day spirit and sought to “Share the Love” by providing free items to stay warm during the winter months to anyone that needed them.
“Share the Love is just an opportunity for us to share with our campus community some winter items to stay warm with during the winter season,” stated Dr. Phoebe Chavis-Harris, the director of the education program. “We gave away socks, gloves, toboggans, and scarves to the campus community.”
“I guess you could call it an act of kindness,” Chavis-Harris added.
With February being American Heart Health Month, nursing students at Robeson Community College used the holiday as an opportunity to raise awareness of heart disease and educate others about the importance of heart health by wearing red. February was first declared heart health month in 1964 by London B. Johnson.
“Kindness changes everything,” President Singler said. “We hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.”
