Project Honors Acts of Kindness 

By Sean Sullivan

Seeing a container of nails that had spilled into the street a few months ago, Elizabeth Nolan Greer was inspired.

“I thought, this is what we need.”

Not a mess of nails in the street, of course, but the flash cleanup crew that materialized to help gather them up.

Greer is Director of Team Engagement for “Spark Kindness,” a Natick nonprofit whose mission is spelled out simply in its name.

Spark Kindness seeks to be catalyst in the community for positive action. The group had been workshopping how to promote and acknowledge acts of kindness in Natick and beyond.

“We were brainstorming ways to see a bit of light in dark times,” said Greer.

The answer presented itself as she watched how people came together to solve a common problem. The police had been called about the roadway hazard and an officer arrived on scene.

Seeing this, a group of nearby landscapers joined in to assist in picking up the scattered nails. A few onlookers were inspired also to join the cleanup crew, making short work of the sharp, spilled objects.

Watching all this unfold, Greer realized she had “caught” all these volunteers in the act of being kind.

C.S. Lewis is supposed to have said that “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.”

There’s a singular and endearing quality to a spontaneous photograph, one taken of a subject who’s unaware that a lens is being trained on him. In such cases, personality is captured in its natural state. No posing is involved.

The intrepid photographer strives for such an image, one that captures the uncorrupted essence of a person and scene.

The same can be said virtuous deeds: Sometimes the subject is captured in the act unawares. And like a good photographer, one can develop an eye for such scenes.

That’s another motive behind “Caught Being Kind,” a recent drive by Spark Kindness.

“You see what you look for,” said Greer.

An integral part of the campaign is recognition. Having seen an act of kindness or service, a witness is encouraged to document the event. There are three ways to do so.

The group set up an online portal, through which virtuous acts can be recognized. A public message board was established there, where details of the event can be posted.

For more personalized and direct recognition, the name and address of the do-gooder can be submitted, along with details of their kind act. Spark Kindness then mails out a postcard to the responsible party.

The last and most gracious of the three options is to write and send a postcard yourself to the recipient. Cards can be obtained at select local businesses.

Originally scheduled to end in November, the Caught in the Act drive has been extended until Dec. 20 due to popular demand.

“It’s out there, kicking around on its own,” said Greer. “People just doing it on their own.”

Some examples? One person caught and recognized another for being open to and curious about the former’s Hindu culture.

Another noted a volunteer who’d participated in the “book brigade” that recently relocated Ten Trees Books to its new location on Main Street in Natick.

Others singled out people who’d donated resources to “Call to Talk,” and the Natick Service Council.

“Someone wrote about their grandmother being their number-one soccer fan,” said Greer. “People turning to one another. Spark’s here to let you know you’re not alone.”