On Friday Amie Jo Merritt, Stoyana Petkova (Wild Owl), Kathryn Stafford, and Leigh Odell each took park in Community Bank N.A.’s National Random Acts of Kindness Day. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH – Norwich’s Community Bank joined branches across New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Massachusetts on Friday in their celebration of National Random Acts of Kindness Day this year by bringing distributing various items including Wild Owl gift cards to individuals in Norwich.

According to Norwich Community Bank N.A. Branch Manager Leigh Odell, the Norwich branch visited the Norwich Family YMCA to spread extra cheer. She said team members surprised patrons by handing out gift cards to The Wild Owl Café to buy a cup of coffee, tea or beverage of choice.

She said Community Bank branches also passed out stickers to customers and community members with kind phrases such as “Thanks for being you,” and “Careful, kindness is highly contagious,” with the goal of providing inspiration and promoting kindness.

“As a community bank, being a good neighbor and positive force in our community is part of our core values,” said Odell. “One act of kindness can go such a long way. We encourage our community to not just pay it forward on this one day but continue to spread goodwill throughout the year.”