‘Lucky Duck’ to bring $100 gift of kindness

SLIDELL – Slidell residents may have seen gift bags popping up in random locations across the area. They’re flanked with bright yellow cards that read “The Gift of Kindness” and a congratulatory note for the finder. They’ve turned up at restaurants and gas stations, hospitals and assisted living facilities, in movie theatres and performing arts centers, parking lots and more, from Slidell to Covington to New Orleans to Metairie. The gift bags have included items such as movie DVDs, home décor, sweet treats, gift certificates, movie memorabilia and more. And they’re offered on a “finders, keepers” basis.
These are not business promotions or advertising gimmicks. They’re simply the efforts of a team of anonymous “Kindness Ambassadors” whose mission is to prompt smiles and share joy in the community, a diversion from recent, tumultuous times.
Now the group is kicking things up a notch with an upcoming “Lucky Duck” event, with the resulting Gift of Kindness being a $100 Copeland’s gift certificate for one fortunate recipient.
Beginning Friday, January 20, the group will start hiding little rubber duckies in random spots around town, and clues to their locations will be posted on the social media page, “Facebook.com/TheGiftOfKindnessShared.” In all, 50 individually numbered ducks will be stashed, and the person who finds the one deemed the Lucky Duck will win the $100 Gift of Kindness certificate.
“For this event, we’ll focus on the Slidell area, specifically,” said the event organizer. “It’s all about sharing kindness and lifting spirits within the community, at a time we desperately it.”
The Gift of Kindness team members have chosen to remain anonymous, and they say they plan to continue their efforts even after the Lucky Duck event has ended.
“Ultimately, our goal is 500 random Gifs of Kindness,” said the group representative. “Our hope is that everyone who finds a gift chooses to pay it forward. Just imagine how far this trickle effect could spread!”
Individuals who discover the hidden ducks are encouraged to share photos of their finds on the Gift of Kindness Facebook page to stake their claims as potential winners. Though the Lucky Duck number will be selected in advance by an independent party and sealed in an envelope, it will not be revealed until Friday, January 27.
“None of our Kindness Ambassadors will know which of the ducks is the winner until the envelope is opened,” said the representative. “We’ll post the Lucky Duck number on the Facebook page, and once the winner comes forward, we’ll provide information as to how to claim their $100 Gift of Kindness.”