Frank Turner, an English singer-songwriter, played a free show a Boyle Street Community Services on Tuesday after a local bar owner requested he make a stop before his performance at the Winspear Centre.
Turner is promoting his seventh album, Be More Kind. Throughout his tour his fans have taken his message and used it to perform acts of kindness.
Darren McGeown, owner of Arcadia, serves food to people at Boyle Street Community Services as his contribution to Be More Kind Day in Edmonton on Tuesday. (Travis McEwan/CBC)
One of his fans, Darren McGeown, reached out to Turner and requested he perform at Boyle Street for the staff and their clients who struggle with homelessness and poverty. It was a no-brainer for Turner.
“If I can highlight the work that’s done here and if I can encourage people to get involved with donations and their time volunteering, that kind of thing. That’s a positive achievement,” Turner said.
McGeown didn’t stop there. He also requested the City of Edmonton proclaim Sept. 11 as Be More Kind Day and the city obliged.
“I’m proud,” said McGeown, who owns Arcadia. “It’s how I was raised by my parents to be kind to people.”
As his act of kindness, he served lunch at Boyle Street along with a few friends.
Edmontonians on Twitter shared their acts and enthusiasm for the campaign on Twitter on Tuesday.
Happy Be More Kind Day <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/yeg?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#yeg</a> here is the official proclamation from <a href=”https://twitter.com/doniveson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@doniveson</a> so what acts of kindness will you do today? Will it be for a loved one? Co worker? Stranger? Non profit organization? <a href=”https://twitter.com/ExploreEdmonton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ExploreEdmonton</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/timeforkindness?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#timeforkindness</a> <a href=”https://t.co/6j4mCgcAjf”>pic.twitter.com/6j4mCgcAjf</a>
—@arcadiayeg
Happy <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeMoreKindDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BeMoreKindDay</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/YEG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#YEG</a><br><br>There are a lot of ways to be kind. You can donate time, donate money, hold a door open, donate clothes, wave at a neighbour, call your Grandpa …… every bit of kindness helps ???<br><br>❤️????? <a href=”https://t.co/LM4erVrajg”>pic.twitter.com/LM4erVrajg</a>
—@UnitarianUCE
Happy <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeMoreKindDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BeMoreKindDay</a>, <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/yeg?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#yeg</a>! Just picked up a few small donations to drop off at <a href=”https://twitter.com/BoyleStreet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BoyleStreet</a> on my way home today! What are you doing to <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/bemorekind?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#bemorekind</a> today? <a href=”https://twitter.com/EndPovertyYEG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@EndPovertyYEG</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/arcadiayeg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@arcadiayeg</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/frankturner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@frankturner</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/CityofEdmonton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@CityofEdmonton</a> <a href=”https://t.co/Hr4ZvqhyiW”>pic.twitter.com/Hr4ZvqhyiW</a>
—@Chazafraz
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls play the Winspear Centre at 7:30 p.m. along with openers Bad Cop/Bad Cop and Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs.