Welcome to the Random Acts of Kindness thread, also known as the RAOK place. This is where we post things to give away to others, asking NOTHING in return but a thank you. No money or credits are exchanged. We give freely, at our own expense. If you see something you’d like, PM the member with your mailing info. If you are the one mailing, please be sure to put full postage on any packages you send. Members have reported receiving "gifts" with postage due.  Remember this is a PUBLIC forum, meaning anyone (not just members) can see what is posted here.  Please do not post last names, addresses, or postal tracking numbers here, in order to protect the privacy of our participants.

Please note that we must abide by PBS rules - NO buying, selling or advertising allowed.

For liability reasons, we are sorry, but no medications of any kind may be posted in this forum. This includes prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements.

RAOK rules -
You may not ask for anything in return for the things you post here. Please do not ask for postage, or to swap or trade.
If you ask for a RAOK posted by another member, please do not offer to pay or give something in return. This is not allowed and defeats the purpose of the Random Act of Kindness.  Try to pay it forward and perhaps grant some wishes in the ***I Wish*** thread.
We ask that you do not reply within the thread. We are different from most forums in this way. When we go to ***I Wish***, we see wishes; in ***RAOK***, we see just what’s being given away. If you have a question about it, simply PM the member. All RAOKs should be handled privately between members via PM.
Please do not post single use codes - such as Coke codes - in this forum. Post that you have them and let members PM you for them. It saves all the replies within the thread (see above). You may start a separate thread if you want to post them that way. Or check the ***I Wish*** thread and simply grant a Coke code wish or two. Codes that can be used over and over again are perfectly fine to post here in RAOK.
Please do not ask someone for ‘everything on your list’ (yes, it’s been done), so that others can have a chance.
One of our most important rules is that you must acknowledge receipt of the things sent to you! This is our biggest problem. People take the time to post, wrap, and mail, and then never know if the package arrived. Please say thanks for what you receive, either by PM or in the ***Thank You*** thread. It’s the polite thing to do, and we all worry about our mail getting through. Those who don't acknowledge a kindness will often find their future requests ignored.
Please include your nickname when you mail out a RAOK. This makes you easier to find and thank.
Be sure to check your listing and edit as needed, so people are not disappointed. We know that life gets in the way and computers crash, but please try.
Credit transactions should take place in the Book Bazaar or by private PM.  Credits may not be offered as gifts anywhere in RAOK.

RAOK Tips -
Think carefully about what you want to give away before you post. Postage costs these days can be terrible for over-sized or heavy ALL items that cannot go by media mail. We have all been shocked by the postage for something we mailed here; it happens often. Think first! This is a fun place, but you don’t need to empty your wallet by taking part. It’s wonderful to do something nice for others, but be kind to yourself too.

Before you post something to give away, check the ***I Wish*** thread --- someone may already be asking for it!

If you mark "taken" by your items that have been asked for, please put the word TAKEN in another color by that item, so it's easily apparent to our members that something is no longer available. This avoids disappointments and keeps you from getting more requests for an item that has already been claimed.  Or, just edit your post to delete that item.

Random drawings:  If you wish to sponsor a random drawing for an item you are offering, please, before you post your offer, PM the current RAOK manager with the winning number (between 1 and 25).  The manager will post a table with the numbers 1 through 25.  Then post your offer, including the information that people interested in participating in the drawing should choose a number between 1 and 25 and PM that number to the thread manager.  The manager will enter participants' names into the table, so that subsequent participants will know which numbers are still available.  When no more numbers have been requested for 24 hours, the drawing will be closed and the winner announced.

If one of us contacts you about changing your post, please understand that we have to follow PBS rules and guidelines. Often we have to ask someone to change or delete a post because of that. New things come up here all the time. If something is not appropriate, we will tell you so, and ask you to change it. Remember that the PBS team does oversee the forums. They edit posts and have been known to suspend accounts. We hate to have that happen to our fellow RAOKers when we can take care of problems ourselves.

RAOK reminders for people requesting something that is offered here -
The people offering RAOKs are doing it out of kindness and generosity, often despite limited means.  Please make your requests for those items in the same spirit, and do not ask for anything that was not explicitly offered.  The people posting RAOKs are offering just what they have, and we appreciate them for doing so.  A request for substitutions is not in keeping with the intention of this thread.  If you would accept only a particular color, size, flavor, or other quality of an offered item, then please use the monthly ***I Wish*** thread to ask for the specific item there instead.

Reminder about the use of Media Mail
Per the USPS website, here are the things that can be sent by Media Mail:  books, CDs, DVD, manuscripts for books or music, play scripts, computer-readable media for any of the preceding, cellluloid film of 16mm width or less, printed test materials and their accessories, printed educational reference charts, medical information in the form of loose-leaf pages in a binder.   Anything else, even if printed (such as message pads, stickynotes, notebooks without an ISBN, etc) must go by some other class of mail.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to PM me and ask. We are always happy to be of help to members of the RAOK forum, new or old. Thanks for participating in this great part of PBS!  Enjoy!

Happy December ( a few hours early). Hope the last month of the year is a good one for you.

I can make address labels for those that want some. Make sure I have your updated address for my files and let me know if you want any special clip art or if you leave it up to me.

The offer of my latest novella is still open. Here's the blurb from the November thread:

 I have written a new Thanksgiving/ Christmas story,  set in the period immediately following WWII in my hometown of San Angelo,  Texas, and featuring some of the characters from previous stories, including the Page and Presley families, but the main male  character is one I introduced in my V-J day story in August,  Bruce Wilson's son Richard.    I have unlimited digital copies and a limited number of hard copies for those who prefer that format.  To request, send me a PM and include your email address or request a hard copy.

If you requested in November, this is the same story, not a new one. 

Happy Holidays!  Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah!

For this month, I have:

TAKEN Cancelled stamps

two small pages for coloring

a few postcards (older not used)

a handful of bookmarks to go to one person

TAKEN  blank notecards

older stationery that you fold and use a seal on back instead of an envelope

TAKEN  1 set of stationery that is cream and green with a birdhouse on the paper

TAKEN 2 gift tag craft kits

1 $5 off 2 PreserVision Areds2 coupon

1 $3 off 1 SootheXP Product by Bausch and Lomb

TAKEN 8 sticky note Christmas pads (small and pictures look like for children)

Current coupon for 30% off until Dec. 31st

$50 off $100 coupon code for woman within

$50 off $100 coupon code for roaman's

2025 Fur Paws Calendar.  Pictures are of cats and dogs

Notepads:  All gone

Assorted postcards - requested and mailed

Postable copy of The Seduction of Phaeton Black (Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator, Bk 1) by Jillian Stone

Also If You Can't Lose It, Decorate it which someone requested and I couldn't find last month.  Was miss-shelved.

Sent birthday postcards

Sent small gift and bday card

A few cancelled stamps (newer)   taken

If someone would like a pair of surprise earrings (2 people pierced)    1 pair left

one pair of clip-on earrings surprise   taken

$25 gift coupon from vitality extracts  I have a code

Merry Christmas to all!     Remember the reason for the season.

I just found 2 groups of NY postcards that I was supposed to send out to people that claimed them MONTHS AGO!  I will send those out this week....my apologies for the disorder in my life :)

This month I will offer:
-A black labrador retriever figurine in a devil costume.  This is small but very cute.
-A Precious Moments Happy 25th Anniversary Bell which is dated 1989.  Called Wedding Couple. No box.  
-2 Stainless Steel Tumblers 12 ounce that have never been used.  They are white and say Foxwoods Casino on them. TAKEN
-Set of 6 coasters with ducks on them TAKEN
-A decorative plate with Black Labs on them.  The plate is called Tug of War.

TAKEN - thanks!

For someone who likes Flamingos.  I have two unused postcards with flamingos on them.  One is from the Bahamas and one is from Florida.  And a few flamingo stickers.  Taken

I have some coupons available that expire at the end of December: Please message me with the coupons you would like and your address

• $0.75 Superpretzel Pretzel Dogs
• $0.75 Superpretzel Filled Soft Pretzel Bites
• $0.75 Luigi's Italian Ice
• $0.75 Luigi's Gelato
• $0.75 Whole Fruit Fruit Bars
• $0.50 Dogsters Ice Cream for Dogs
• $0.50 Any Philly Swirl frozen product
• $0.50 ICEE Frozen Novelty
• $0.50 Mary B's Biscuit or Dumpling product
• $0.50 Minute Maid Frozen Novelty Product
• $0.75 Auntie Anne's at Home Frozen Product

small size 2025 Beatles calendar -TAKEN

• Dreamcatcher, brown with white/brown feathers and black/white beads
• Extreme Dot to Dot book:   31 Sports puzzles, first one has been started
• Flamingo WWF bookmark
• Osprey bookmark

I appreciate the previous requests!

TAKEN.  I'd like to offer a pair of white king pillowcases.  I embroidered a pattern on one case. I don't want to do the other case which does have the pattern stamped on it.  I have other projects I want to work on.  King pillowcases tend to be a little narrower and longer than standard cases.

Taken

I'm doing some small wishes and surprises for some of my friends on here this month. I found out one so far didn't make it to the person.:/  I tried to do my best to cheer up some of you this holiday season.:)

Thanks to all who are giving away great things this month!!!

Hugs to all.

My favorite Christmas fiction story is Charles Dickens'  A Christmas Carol, and my favorite movie version is the one with Michael Caine and the Muppets.  We watch it every Christmas Eve as a family and we can quote most of it.

Have you ever wondered what Scrooge's life was like after he changed? I have, so I've written a short story about it. It's about 1100 words and takes place at the very end of his life, an ending that is very different from the one that was shown him in the book. If interested, shoot me a PM and we can discuss how to get it to you, either hard copy or electronic.

Want to try some new teas, but don't want to buy a whole box just to find out you don't like it?  I have five different holiday teas that I would like to pass along.  Each teabag is individually wrapped.  Let me know which flavors and how many you would like.  They're not my cup of tea (ha ha!) but maybe one of you would like them.

Stash Cinnamon Vanilla herbal tea (no caffeine) - 0 29 tea bags
Stash Holiday Chai black tea - 0 13 tea bags
Stash White Christmas white tea - 0 14 tea bags
Stash Christmas Morning black tea - 0 12 tea bags
Twinings Winter Spice herbal tea (no caffeine) - 0 8 tea bags

I also have the following non-holiday teas available:

Fraser Tea Vanilla Rooibos (no caffeine, organic) - 0 2 tea bags
Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice black tea - 0 4 tea bags
Twinings Darjeeling black tea - 0 3 tea bags
Twinings Honeybush, Mandarin & Orange herbal tea (no caffeine) - 0 7 tea bags
Twinings Orange & Cinnamon Spice herbal tea (no caffeine) - 0 10 tea bags
Tazo Wild Sweet Orange herbal tea (no caffeine) - 0 5 tea bags

Please send PM with address and how many of each flavor you would like.  I probably won't be able to mail until Saturday, so please be patient.  Thank you!

All requested!  Thank you, everyone.  Will get these mailed out as soon as I can.

I have to offer -

Vintage silver fabric bowtie brooch

Vintage AJMC world's best teacher brooch - looks like this. TAKEN

2008 Documentary DVD titled Worlds of the Maya - "Worlds of the Maya explores Belize and Guatemala, two of the countries that hold sites of great a classical Mayan past. They also are home to much of the Maya culture of today. a little known culture that has struggled through decades of challenge, and struggles now to adjust to the present." TAKEN

2023 Shrinky Dinks Junior Disney Stitch Create & Play Kit TAKEN

Unopened box with 8 packets of Nestle Abuelita Mexican Style Instant Hot Chocolate Mix (best by March 2025). - I'm not a fan of it, but it does have plenty of good reviews online. TAKEN

Colored pencils, used. About 3 1/2 inches long. Reds, oranges, browns, grey, blue, gold, purple.

Multiples of these coupons. May be updated throughout the month.

• Astepro $5 12/31/24
• Aveeno baby products $3 12/31/24
• Bayer aspirin $1 6/30/25
• Boost $3 multipack or $4 12+ pack 12/31/24
• Colace $2 no exp
• Delsym $2 12/31/24
• Miralax $5 6/30/25
• Motrin pediatric $2 12/31/24
• Mucinex $3 3/31/25
• Mylicon child tummy $2 5/31/25: chewable, liquid
• Mylicon infant probiotic $3 12/31/24
• Mylicon child tummy or or infant probiotic or infant gas $2 12/31/25
• NeilMed products $2 rebate 12/31/26
• Protality multipack $3 2026
• Tylenol pediatric $2 12/31/24
• Zyrtec adult 90 count $10 4/30/25 one coupon available

Done.

Thank you!

TAKEN. counted cross stitch kit

TAKEN.  Picture Quilt kit 

TAKEN --â-----*All to go to 1 person* Sealed, Brand New Essential Oils