Spontaneous Acts of Random Kindness (SPARK) is a new organization on campus that focuses on giving back to the community and creating a more positive atmosphere. Their goal is to spread happiness and brighten the environment of Slippery Rock University. It is a chapter of “The Smile Project” started by Liz Buechele in 2012.
The idea began Spring 2016 when Buechele came to speak to the Community Service Committee of the University Program Board (UPB); the audience included the current president and vice president of SPARK, Kaylee Killmer and Kelly Lane, respectively. Buechele informed the committee about how she started her movement with her “happiness journal,” and the impact it had made on a diverse population around her. Buechele explained to them that she wants her small movement to grow. Killmer and Lane immediately stepped up and went to speak with Buechele after the meeting, hoping to expand the “happiness movement” to Slippery Rock’s campus.
Before becoming a full organization, they suffered a few bumps in the road by falling through with creating an executive board, knowing how to become recognized as a club by student government and where to start it all. Now that it’s launched, SPARK plans to branch off-campus and spread the happiness to local nursing homes, hospitals, and soup kitchens.
“We just want to give back to the community and change others’ lives,” said President of SPARK Kaylee Killmer.
Currently, SPARK has fundraisers, events, and random acts of kindness planned for this semester, Spring 2017, and for the 17-18 academic year. Fundraisers are planned to obtain the necessary money needed to complete club events successfully.
SPARK has an upcoming event called “Sparkler Event – Bringing Spark to SRU’s Campus” where new members and potential members will meet in the quad with sparklers and food. Other possible events include an idea called “Pie the Executive Board” where pies will be thrown at the executive board member of your choice. SPARK plans to continue doing small things that will have a large impact, like sticky notes that promote positivity and put smiles on students’ faces.
The organization plans to get active and become something that all students and faculty are aware of. SPARK plans to grow and build the club as much as possible while on campus. The executive board consists of each level of students on campus, aside from seniors so it can continue to grow over the years. SPARK hopes to impact the campus, students, and community while developing a club that will exist for years to come.
“We find it necessary to be happy and positive in a world that is mostly negative and dark,” said Vice President of SPARK Kelly Lane. “Students on campus will be able to participate in Random Acts of Kindness, and be in an overall positive experience within our club that they can carry into their personal lives which will eventually create a larger impact than just on our own campus.”
To find out more information about finalized future event details on SPARK, follow the organization on twitter @SPARK_SRU.
