Hardacre Park event promotes kindness
By Kris Leonhardt
Editor
MARSHFIELD — Programming at Marshfield’s Hardacre Park kicks off May 19 with a Historic Mural Tour and Scavenger Hunt and a summer-long event that Hardacre Park Events Coordinator Sierra Jones hopes will spark a season of giving in the Marshfield community.
“I heard about similar projects taking shape from many different places,” explained Jones. “I actually learned a lot about these in my economics class due to its major effects on the economy.
“Ever since I heard of the pay it forward idea, I thought it would be really cool if we could get something going in Marshfield.”
Through the Hardacre Kindness Project, participants visit a host site to pick up a ribbon with a specific “dare” written on it.
“The dares are not super complicated by any means, but they do range in what is required,” Jones said. “Some dares include, ‘Hold the door open for the person behind you,’ ‘Compliment a stranger,’ ‘Mow a neighbor’s lawn,’ ‘Pay for someone else’s coffee,’ and ‘Do something nice for a stranger.’”
After completing the dare, the dare recipient ties the ribbon onto the fence at Hardacre Park.
“These are small, simple things that do not require much time. However, it is suggested to spend as much time doing them as the participant wants. The longer they complete them, the more they truly get out of it. They put in what they want to get out of it,” Jones said.
“I think something like this is hard to measure an exact result. My overall goal with this is that it creates a multiplier effect. Once one person does something for someone, that recipient is motivated to do something for someone else. Even if only one person completed this, two people are receiving the intended results. The participant knows they did something good for their community, and the recipient knows that someone cares about them,” she added.
Dare ribbon host businesses are High Street Salon, Book World, Marshfield Family Restaurant, Hub City Times, and The Daily Grind.
For more information on summer the Hardacre Park program, visit Main Street Marshfield’s Facebook page or mainstreetmarshfield.com.
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