Above: NYC's Chelsea Neighborhood's Community Duck Library
This Week's BOLD idea:
Spreading Joy Can Be Easy
Hello BOLD Community!
While I finish migrating BOLDideas over to Substack (details coming next week), I didn’t want to lose the momentum of this newsletter. I also didn’t want to force a full issue while I'm knee-deep in shifting platforms. So this week, I’m sharing three quick examples of people creating joy in small but meaningful ways. None of these gestures cost much, and none of them were done for recognition. Yet all of them left a lasting impact.
It’s a good reminder that we don’t need abundant resources to spread light. All it really takes is a little intention and a simple idea.
Thanks for reading. Wishing you small moments of joy this week!
Kids visiting the Duck Library
The Duck Library (Chelsea, NYC) In the middle of my neighborhood, someone quietly set up a small “Duck Library.” It’s a miniature shelf filled with rubber ducks, some themed, some silly, some homemade. Inside the library reads a note 'give a duck, take a duck.' Over the past few months, different members of the community have kept it alive by regularly dropping off new ducks. Nearby schoolkids stop to pick one out or leave one behind, and watching their excitement has become a neighborhood ritual. The whole thing runs on joy and collective care, and it’s a sweet reminder that something doesn’t need to be complicated to make people smile.
Bodega owner Wail Alselwi and student
A Staten Island Bodega That Rewards Report Cards Bodega owner Wail Alselwi, known by locals as Island Ock, has started a tradition that’s caught national attention. Kids who bring in report cards with averages above 80% can pick any items from the store, and those above 90% get a $100 reward plus a T‑shirt.Wail says it’s his way of encouraging kids to stay motivated and feel supported. The gesture is simple, but the impact-credited with boosting academic motivation across the neighborhood-is massive.
Take a Rock, Leave a Rock Featured at Starbucks in Tucson, AZ
Tucson Rocks Megan Ahaszuk, a mom and teacher’s aide in Tucson, started a Facebook group dedicated to hiding painted rocks around town. Some have drawings, others have short phrases, and all of them are meant to brighten someone’s day. The group has 7,000+ members who paint, hide, and hunt for rocks in parks, outside shops, and near bus stops. I came across one of these rocks at the local Starbucks after my dad had passed away. They keep a small basket there where people can take or leave a rock. Mine had a strange little face painted on it, and it immediately reminded me of my dad-an artist who loved painting weird faces. It was such a small thing, but in that moment, it felt like he was saying 'hi'. It didn’t cost anyone anything, but the impact was lasting.
