NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – To honor the memory of a life taken too soon people across the Fox Valley committed random acts of kindness Thursday.
December 7th is a special day of remembrance in the Fox Cities…
“It’s Olivia’s birthday. It would’ve been her 14th birthday,” said Becky Kopitzke of Neenah.
Olivia Stoffel was killed during the Trestle Trail shooting on May 3rd, 2015. So were her father Jon and an unrelated man, Adam Bentdahl.
On Olivia’s birthday, Kopitzke tells Fox 11 people across the area honored her by performing random acts of kindness.
“She’d give gifts to the family and to her friends and giving was just part of who she was and it was part of the way she shared her faith.”
On the Facebook page ‘Olivia’s Heart,’ people posted their good deeds and the kindness they received.
As a Stoffel family friend Kopitzke and her children gave out treat bags at the Neenah Library.
“Their faces light up and suddenly, ‘well God bless you! Thank you! That was very kind,’ and that’s what it’s all about, just showing kindness to another human being.”
Area police departments joined in. The Trestle shooting weighs heavily on their memories too.
“It was very impactful on our community. It affected a lot of our officers,” said Fox Crossing Police Officer Jason Weber.
For the Fox Crossing Police Department’s random act of kindness Weber says officers are giving out mugs as well as coupons for free coffee.
“It’s nice for the giver too! You know, our officers are getting hugs!”
“Let’s make every day a day that you do a random act of kindness,” added Officer Stuart Zuehls of the Neenah Police Department.
Officer Stuart Zuehls of the Neenah Police Department says this is just one way to keep the victims’ memories alive.
“Letting us not forget the tragedy and taking something out of that and saying, ‘you know what? Let’s do something good here.”
And those who knew her say Olivia would be excited about it too. The Facebook page for ‘Olivia’s Heart’ has more than 1,3000 members.
Participants say they plan to keep up the randoms acts of kindness every year.
