For the month of February an organization on campus is taking time out of their busy schedules to show appreciation to some people and businesses on campus that are long over due.

Sigma Gamma Rho Inc., a historically black sorority, is surprising campus businesses with random acts of kindness in honor of African-American Heritage Month.

Thursday morning the employees of the Financial Aid Office and those in User Services were surprised with doughnuts, muffins and orange juice all while the girls of Sigma Gamma Rho serenaded them with the sounds of “thank you,” said Nancy Dole, financial aid advisor.

“I personally thought it was really a nice gesture on their part,” she said. “It was really nice that someone took the time out of their day to appreciate us. It brightened our day.”

Joyce Harwood, medical insurance specialist said it made everyone’s day in the Financial Aid Office.

“I heard them singing downstairs and I hoped they would come upstairs,” she said. “I thought it was very gracious.”

Michelle Tanner, a student worker in User Services, thought the random acts of kindness was a great idea. “It was a great surprise and it was very nice of them to do,” she said.

On Thursday, Feb. 8, Sigma Gamma Rho surprised their first random acts of kindness recipients, the Registration Office. The sorority is accepting nominations for its next random act of kindness from anyone who wishes to make a nomination.

Nominations can be made for any employee on campus or a particular department. Nominations can be made to Monique Cookbey, the on-campus graduate advisor for the sorority, through her e-mail account at cumc6@eiu.edu.

Anyone making a nomination is asked to include a two to three sentence paragraph explaining why that person or department should receive a random act of kindness, Cookbey said.

The departments who are chosen will receive items much like the free breakfast given to the Financial Aid Office, the Registration Office and User Services. For a single person, the gifts will be more like gift certificates to Wal-Mart, Cookbey said.