While the Dalai Lama will be headlining the Seeds of Compassion, a four-day celebration to nurture kindness and compassion in the world, in Seattle this weekend, a flurry of recent events shows that kindness and compassion are alive and well in north Snohomish County.

While the local events differ greatly in who’s participating and who will benefit, the one thing they all have in common is local people giving of themselves to help others in an outpouring of kindness and compassion.

For example, in Marysville last weekend the members of Sorptomist International of Marysville held their annual Junktique sale at Jennings Memorial Park to raise funds to benefit local students, the Marysville Food Bank and the Battered Women’s Center in Everett. The efforts of the Soroptimists will improve the lives of many in our community.

Contributions are now being accepted for the Gail Jubie Memorial Garage Sale, an annual event which also benefits members of our community. Since its inception in 2002, more than $106,000 has been raised at this annual event which benefits the Marysville Community Food Bank and the people it serves. While the event was initially put on by the family and friends of Gail Jubie, this year the Marysville Rotary Club will take over the annual fundraiser. The Gail Jubie Memorial Garage Sale encourages people to “Remember your loved ones … by loving others.” That is what kindness and compassion are all about.

In an effort to benefit the Special Olympics, members of the Arlington, Marysville and Lake Stevens police departments will be teaming up April 12 at the Marysville Red Robin to bus tables and serve drinks. The “Tip-a-Cop” event will raise money for the Law Enforcement Torch Run which benefits Special Olympics athletes in the local communities.

Kindness and compassion are not traits just found in the adults in our communities, local kids are also giving of themselves to help others. Recently, the fourth- and fifth-grade students of Arlington’s Presidents Elementary School’s Respect Team made a large donation to the Arlington Food Bank. In early March, the 14-member Respect Team collected more than 1,695 cans and boxes of food totaling 1,599 pounds from their fellow students which was donated to help local families in need.

Kids and their moms also came together April 3 as the local chapter of the MOMS Club cleaned up Arlington’s Terrace Park by picking up litter and weeding out the landscaped flower-beds at the park. The entire community will benefit from their efforts.

People are not the only beneficiaries of the kindness and compassion of the residents of north Snohomish County. The injured and sick animals cared for at the Sarvey Wildlife Center will benefit from the efforts and generosity of our community members. More than $1,200 and five SUVs full of food and supplies were collected at the recent “Sweet on Sarvey” donation drive held at three local stores. The annual drive helps keep the wildlife center in operation.

These events are just a few of the many events which happen throughout the year in which members of our communities demonstrate their kindness and compassion for others. We should not only thank those who volunteer their time and effort to put on the events, we should also be grateful for all those community members who attend the events and participate by making donations which go to help others. We are fortunate to live in communities where compassion and kindness are alive and well.

To contact a member of The Marysville Globe/Arlington Times editorial board — Stuart Chernis or Scott Frank — e-mail forum@marysvilleglobe.com.