An upcoming event is aiming to inspire a wave of kindness, as local mental health advocates share how small actions can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Russ Reimer, a Steinbach firefighter and founder of We See You Proactive Peer Support, and Jeremy Wiens, co-founder of Southeast Men’s Group, will speak at the Changing the World Through Kindness event hosted by Roots of Hope, an organization dedicated to suicide prevention.
Although Reimer primarily supports first responders, while Wiens leads a men’s support group, both say they quickly realized they share the same heart for helping others.
“He came to the fire station in Steinbach, we had a coffee, we sat down, and we just came together with our hearts, which is exactly the same vision,” Reimer says.
The event aligns with Random Acts of Kindness Week, running February 14 to 20. Wiens says each speaker will spend about 15 to 20 minutes sharing practical ways people can show kindness in everyday life.
“The topic of kindness, that’s something that we often take for granted. And we actually stop and realize those little things like buying coffee for the person behind you or having a conversation with somebody at the grocery store, which Russ often talks about, those things are what matters.”
While both speakers usually focus on their own specific groups, Wiens emphasizes that this event is open to everyone.
“This is more for Roots of Hope to give exposure to them so that people can see there are resources out there that go beyond our groups. And we’re very specific who we’re targeting, but there are a lot of other resources, and Roots of Hope is a great one for people to connect with.”
Reimer says they intentionally kept their formal remarks brief to leave space for meaningful conversations afterward, something he believes is especially important.
“There are direct people that have decided not to commit suicide because of myself putting myself into their path. So that’s really one of the biggest things is if people are really down and out in this community, these people need to be seen, and this is a way that they can be seen. But it will absolutely resonate with everybody in the audience.”
He hopes attendees walk away understanding just how powerful simple human connection can be for mental health.
Reimer suggests even small choices like skipping self-checkout and chatting with a cashier can make a real difference.
“I’ll tell you, as soon as I say anything, it doesn’t matter what I say, the light that goes on in people’s eyes thinking, there’s a person talking to me. He’s not on his cell phone. Why is he engaging with me? And when we go through that lineup, and check out those groceries, that person smiles, they feel seen, they feel heard.”
Wiens agrees, saying even a smile or brief conversation can mean more than people realize.
“They want to know that they exist. And right now, with social media, people are just staring at their phones. They’re not connecting or interacting anymore. That’s a big problem.”
Both speakers are encouraging residents to make small but meaningful efforts.
“There’s dopamine,” Reimer says. “It’s moving your mental health numbers up.”
The event takes place February 18 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Southeast Event Centre.
Wiens hopes people attend to gain a clearer understanding of what kindness really looks like and how small actions can support better mental health.
“A lot of people think taking those steps is something like starting these groups or doing something big. It’s really not. Start with the small things. And that’s what we really want to focus on is small steps matter.”
