MARQUETTE—Northern Michigan University students, faculty and staff are being encouraged to “pay it forward” during the week of April 9-13, a campaign being sponsored by the NMU Volunteer Center that encourages people to participate in random acts of kindness, during the week of April 9-13.

            “Some examples might be paying someone's bridge toll, buying coffee for the person behind you in line, raking leaves for the elderly – we have a list of elderly who need assistance with different kinds of household projects – or collecting cans and giving the money to a non-profit,” said Hanah Kratz, student coordinator of the NMU Volunteer Center.

Volunteer Center staff are handing out across campus cards that can be left behind after a random act of kindness as a reminder for the recipient to help someone else. The cards are also available at the circulation desk of the Lydia Olson Library in the Learning Resources Center and at the Volunteer Center in the University Center.  

            Nik Krawczyk, a student coordinator at the NMU’s Volunteer Center, said that the main reason the “pay it forward” project was chosen was it was a simple way to get the NMU campus, students in particular, involved in their community.

“We wanted an event that didn’t match up with what we do with Make A Difference Day in the fall,” Krawczyk said. “Ideally, we’d like to see groups of students who want to be engaged in the community take initiative and doing kind things for others in the community.”

            For more information, contact the NMU Volunteer Center at volctr@nmu.eduor 906-227-2466.