Random act of kindness a lesson in caring: teacher

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This article was published 14/02/2022 (1372 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A chance encounter with a stranger has helped stock a Winnipeg classroom’s bookshelf and left a teacher with a story of generosity.

On Saturday, Stephanie Rempel went to McNally Robinson to pick up some books for her Grade 3 class at Harold Hatcher School in Transcona.

Clutching a purchase order from the school, and the list of sought-after books she and her students had prepared, Rempel made her way through the second-floor children’s section.

As she browsed the shelves and filled her cart, she’d see an additional book she knew her students would like, and she’d add it to the growing pile. When finished, she knew she’d be over budget.

Still, she made her way to the counter, hopeful she hadn’t ventured too far over.

Rempel knew she’d be pitching in some of her own money, as many teachers do, because her students would get a lot out of the books. She was investing in them.

At the counter, staff were only halfway through the pile — including titles such as Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, various National Geographic Kids editions, The Bad Guys: Cut to the Case by Aaron Blabey — when Rempel started to make some edits.

“I asked if she could put some of the books off to the side for me,” Rempel explained in a phone call Monday on her lunch break.

“And then this woman came up and she said, ‘Are you a teacher?’ And I said yes… She said: ‘Are these for your students?’ and I said yes.

“She put some money on the counter. I thought it was a $20 bill and I thought to myself, ‘Awesome, we can buy one or two more books.’”

However, when she slid the money across the counter, Rempel realized there was more than just one bill. The anonymous woman had given her $80 to put towards the as-of-yet unpaid pile of books.

Stunned, Rempel turned to thank the woman for her generosity, and noted the kind stranger was already making her way out of the store.

Rempel asked the cashier if they’d ever seen anything like it happen before.

They had seen kindness, she said. Sometimes, the remainder of a gift card for someone behind them in line or pitch in a small remaining total; but nothing of this calibre.

It wasn’t just about the money or the books though, Rempel said. It was the gesture from a complete stranger.

“It was validating, knowing that she saw me going to pay for these books — one of the sacrifices we make as teachers, to buy them with our own money — and she came to help me,” Rempel said. “I just felt really cared for by a member of my community.”

Before the stranger left, she, too, bought something, using her rewards card. Rempel asked if it would be OK if she dropped off thank you cards from her students and have the store contact the person on file to receive them. The store agreed.

Later, in the parking lot, Rempel said she began to cry. She said Monday the stranger’s simple act swept away a lot of her feelings of frustration and worry amid the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m crying as I’m driving home and I think, ‘People need to hear this story,’” she said. “My purpose in telling is story is to highlight that we do have this kindness in our community and that it’s not all bad.”

On Monday morning, Rempel excitedly brought out the new box of books for her classroom. She said the students are excited to make thank you cards, and the situation has caused quite a buzz throughout the school.

It’s also helped Rempel prepare a lesson plan about kindness, and how one random act of it, no matter how big or small, can bring change.

“We’ll keep talking about this,” she said. “I’ve also told them that it’s not always about spending money. There’s things that we can do every day to bring kindness and joy to people every day.”

Of the stranger and her gift, Rempel wants her to know: “Thank you. I hope she hears and reads how much her gesture meant to us.”

shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @ShelleyACook