Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Jill Sperling

Spreading Kindness

“Simple story of kindness” inspires Kamloops community to give back

Mar 31, 2021 | 3:42 PM

KAMLOOPS — When Dee-Anna Irwin paid a stranger’s bill at the dollar store she works at, she didn’t expect anything in return. But Dina Chase, who was buying snacks for her students at Valleyview Secondary, was so moved by the gesture she shared the story with her friends and then returned to the store to pay Irwin back with a variety of gift cards.

“Dee has always been giving to people and no one had ever made note of it,” Chase said. “Can you believe that? So, I’m so glad I slowed down, stopped and shared my appreciation for her.”

As a result of the exchange of kindness between the two women, individuals and businesses have been inspired to give back in their own ways.

Management at Save-On Foods in Kamloops was so touched by their story, they reached out to Irwin and Chase.

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“It was actually Dee that said that she felt that Dina was going the extra mile for her students,” said Naomi McLeod, store manager at the Westsyde Save-On. “As a company, that’s our slogan, it’s going the extra mile for our customers. So to see two people in Kamloops going the extra mile for the community, we just wanted to reach out to them and we wanted to pay it forward to them.”

Save-On Foods provided a $100 gift certificate to Irwin and two $100 gift certificates to Chase, one for herself and one to use on her classroom.

Others have also reached out to lend their support.

“For example, the Kamloops Fire Fighters Charitable (Society) donated five cases — not boxes — cases of Nature’s Valley granola bars, which Dee and I are now able to give to others,” Chase said.

A couple reached out to help sponsor students on a monthly basis and a man from a Richmond auto group is providing Chase and Irwin with $1,000 each.

“It’s not about the money, it’s just — honestly it’s that kindness, people care about one another,” Chase said. “It’s unbelievable. What am I going to do with that? It’s not for me, my heart is for students and my heart is for kids, so I want to keep helping kids.”

Chase and Irwin could never have imagined how many people they would touch with a just a little bit of kindness.

“It’s a simple story of kindness, two women being kind to each other and caring about others, but it seems to have brought hope to others and that’s wonderful.”