On National Bike to Work Day earlier this month, five individuals biking home from work on the Sammamish River Trail were stopped by security guards from Redmond Town Center (RTC).
No, they weren’t ticketed for speeding. Each was awarded a pair of VIP Tapis Rouge tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s “Corteo” show at Marymoor Park, a $410 value.
The unexpected jackpots came in conjunction with “Random Acts of Kindness,” a program started by RTC’s parent company Macerich, prior to the grand opening of its Boulder, Colo. shopping center called 29th Street. “It was so successful that it was decided to roll the program out nationwide,” said RTC’s senior marketing manager, Christina Henning.
How often will shoppers or passers-by be showered with these random acts of kindness? Henning said people can expect monthly treats.
“Sometimes we will surprise just a handful of people with a large gift and sometimes we’ll treat a lot of people to something smaller. It was especially fun to do something special for the people who made the effort to participate in Bike to Work Day. Cycling is such an important part of our community from historical, health and wellness, traffic and environmental perspectives that we really wanted to recognize at least some of the participants in a big way,” she noted.
And because the Sammamish River Trail cuts through part of RTC’s dedicated green space, it made sense to catch people enjoying some of the outdoor elements that the center offers.
So is there any special place or activity that will put someone in a position to receive a random act of kindess?
Well, it’s not like a contest or reality TV show.
Henning remarked that recipients could be shopping or dining at RTC, taking in a ball game at a local park, waiting for a bus, buying groceries, pumping gas or anything else, completely at random.
“This program allows us to get out into the community and give back,” she explained.
OH, THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS!
To increase the odds that you might receive a random act of kindness — and to mix and mingle with your Redmond neighbors — you should know that RTC is bringing back its popular Summer Concert Series in the Center Street Plaza, Thursdays at 7 p.m., July 10-Aug. 28. The concerts are free and family-friendly.
Performers will include Mango Son (July 10), The Nowhere Men (July 17), How’s Bayou (July 24), Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies (July 31), Michael Powers (Aug. 7), Raucous (Aug. 14), The Daily Flash (Aug. 21) and Eduardo Mendonco & Show Brazil (Aug. 28). For details, see www.redmondtowncenter.com.
RTC is co-promoting its Summer Concert Series with Movies@Marymoor and the City of Redmond’s Arts in the Park series, under the banner of “Summer Nights in Redmond.”
Movies@Marymoor, on Wednesdays, will feature “Anchorman” (July 16), “Juno” (July 23), “Monsoon Wedding” (July 30), “Singing in the Rain” (Aug. 6), “Hairspray” (Aug. 13), “Muppet Movie” (Aug. 20) and Viewer’s Choice (Aug. 27). Seating begins at 7 p.m. and the movies roll at dusk. For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/parks.
The City of Redmond’s Arts in the Park events will be at 7 p.m. Fridays on the City Hall campus. The schedule includes Carrie Clark & The Lonesome Lovers (July 18), GreenStage Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” (July 25), Wooden O Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” (Aug. 1), Los Flacos (Aug. 8), Redmond Teen Night (Aug. 15) and Arts Jam III (Aug. 22). For more information, visit www.redmond.gov/arts.
