HOCKINSON, Wash. — A Vancouver non-profit wants to reward others for doing something good. The organization has enlisted the help of law enforcement to issue kindness citations.
Jason Hattrick is a teacher now, but in the 90's he was a reserve deputy with Multnomah County. He says law enforcement have a tough and thankless job.
As officers and deputies go from one crisis to another they can sometimes skip over the good that's happening in the community. The kindness citations give officers a chance to slow down and reward someone they see doing a good deed.
When Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins was introduced to Kindness 911, he jumped at the chance to bring these cards to his deputies.
"They get to see the community through a different lens. Everybody thinks all we look for is the bad that somebody's doing, but we're always out there and we see a lot and we're looking really for the goodness in people and the kindness in people too."
Atkins says he doesn't force his deputies to hand them out, but that many have volunteered to do it.
"We get the opportunity take 30 seconds, have a conversation with people and thank them for doing something kind in the community." Atkins said.
At Hockinson High School, the girl's soccer team finished with a 10-5-1 record, dedicating the season to Camden Linton. A little boy from Camas with a terminal brain tumor. The team raised money for each win.
"We play for him, so before every game we go in our huddle and we're like guys this is for Camden. This is who we're playing for, this is why we're playing. Let's have a bigger purpose than just soccer," said senior and captain Brooke Grosz. "Having that connection with other communities and just bringing everyone together was just really cool."
Friday at an assembly at the school, Hattrick and his fellow kindness officers surprised the girls with kindness citations, rewarding them for their season of dedication to the Linton family.
"They've done so much for Camden," Hattrick said, "When I heard about that, we need to do something because they are doing it right. They're doing it for the right reasons. It's right from the heart."
Each girl received a Dutch Bros gift card, a pizza party from Big Al's and a signed scarf from the Timbers. The girls also received kindness cards. On the back of the cards is a code and a number that can be redeemed for a donation on Kindness 911's website. That donation then goes to the chosen charity of the department handing them out.
It's a way to reward kindness and keep the giving going.