This Friday will be the second annual Random Acts of Kindness Day to honor Tim Getzelman and NIU student Lexi Weber, who died in a car crash in 2011.

Tamara Getzelman, mother of Tim Getzelman, helped organize the day because she wants to keep the pair’s memory alive and hopes the acts of kindness can help others. Participants are asked to continue their kind gestures throughout the year.

“[Tim and Lexi] are very compassionate and very kind, and to this day we are still getting random stories of their kindness that they’ve done,” said Tamara Getzelman.

Tim Getzelman was a firefighter paramedic in Sycamore and Weber was a teacher, NIU student and volunteer for Feed ’Em Soup.

While the families only promote one day of kindness, sophomore psychology major Emily Getzelman, sister of Tim Getzelman, hopes people will continue to perform small acts throughout the year.

“We just say that anything small that you can do, do it because it could make the day for someone,” Emily Getzelman said.

The families have help as Katelyn Young, a friend of the Getzelmans, tries to perform small acts of kindness any way she can.

“We are … writing letters with words of encouragement that the firefighters can hand out to children on emergency calls,” Young said.

Young went to school with Tim Getzelman and thinks that even if members of the community did not know Getzelman or Weber they can still take a message from Friday.

“We’re all doing this on the day to remember them, but also to perform an act of kindness and just to spread the kind word that they always did every day,” Young said.

This year Tamara Getzelman and Dawn Weber sold T-shirts with the proceeds going to Casey’s Safe Haven to continue the charitable acts. Tamara Getzelman said a small action can create a positive influence throughout the community.

“I feel that Tim and Lexi’s memory is there to remind us all how kindness and compassion and service for others touches more than just one of us,” Tamara Getzelman said. “It’s a ripple effect and it’s far more reaching than one could ever know, and that is an incredible gift.”

Allison Krecek

Day Editor H @AllisonKrecek

DeKalb | This Friday will be the second annual Random Acts of Kindness Day to honor Tim Getzelman and NIU student Lexi Weber, who died in a car crash in 2011.

Tamara Getzelman, mother of Tim Getzelman, helped organize the day because she wants to keep the pair’s memory alive and hopes the acts of kindness can help others. Participants are asked to continue their kind gestures throughout the year.

“[Tim and Lexi] are very compassionate and very kind, and to this day we are still getting random stories of their kindness that they’ve done,” said Tamara Getzelman.

Tim Getzelman was a firefighter paramedic in Sycamore and Weber was a teacher, NIU student and volunteer for Feed ’Em Soup.

While the families only promote one day of kindness, sophomore psychology major Emily Getzelman, sister of Tim Getzelman, hopes people will continue to perform small acts throughout the year.

“We just say that anything small that you can do, do it because it could make the day for someone,” Emily Getzelman said.

The families have help as Katelyn Young, a friend of the Getzelmans, tries to perform small acts of kindness any way she can.

“We are … writing letters with words of encouragement that the firefighters can hand out to children on emergency calls,” Young said.

Young went to school with Tim Getzelman and thinks that even if members of the community did not know Getzelman or Weber they can still take a message from Friday.

“We’re all doing this on the day to remember them, but also to perform an act of kindness and just to spread the kind word that they always did every day,” Young said.

This year Tamara Getzelman and Dawn Weber sold T-shirts with the proceeds going to Casey’s Safe Haven to continue the charitable acts. Tamara Getzelman said a small action can create a positive influence throughout the community.

“I feel that Tim and Lexi’s memory is there to remind us all how kindness and compassion and service for others touches more than just one of us,” Tamara Getzelman said. “It’s a ripple effect and it’s far more reaching than one could ever know, and that is an incredible gift.”