GRCC students 'pay it forward'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - More than 150 Grand Rapids Community College students and a host of others hit the streets Saturday to do good deeds for strangers in hopes that they, in turn, would do a good deed for someone else.

The "Pass It Forward" party, sponsored by GRCC's Academic Service Learning Center, was designed to celebrate the true spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

After a massive brainstorming pizza party, the students broke into groups, each with a list of "do good" ideas for the community, many centering around the homeless.

"Maybe buying some food for them, some winter apparel, hats, gloves, things for being outside," GRCC student Brendon Edwards said.

One group gave away pizza it had purchased for the homeless and then stopped at a laundry facility armed with $25 in quarters to pay for loads of laundry for unsuspecting customers, such as Marcus Graves.

"Awesome, thank you," Graves told the students as he began his laundry. "I think it's a good thing to do for people who don't have enough money to wash their clothes and dry them. It's a good thing."

Other groups passed out hats, gloves and food to the homeless. Others bought bagels for nurses at the local children's hospital.

The students said they got just as much out of the experience as the people they served.

"It's just real fulfilling and rewarding to be able to do something nice for somebody," student Colin Gallagher said. "It's a 'Pass It Forward' thing, so we're passing it forward so hopefully, they'll do kind acts for others as we're doing for them."