VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- At Brooke Haushalter's birthday bash at Macaroni Grill at Town Center, she had friends and family, a nice cake, good food and drink, nice conversation, but no presents.
She wanted it that way.
"The best birthday present is having everybody come here tonight to show me that they love to give back to the community and love to give back to others," Brooke said.
Instead of presents, Brooke went to her Facebook page to start "Brooke's Birthday Giveback." She asked people to leave the presents behind and instead perform random acts of kindness.
"I would like to show people that's what life's all about," Brooke said. "Making other people happy and just improving someone's day."
Little did she know just how big this would get. Her Facebook page was bombarded with posts of kind acts that her friends, and people she doesn't even know, did for others.
"Honestly, tons of people have responded to this," Brooke said. "It honestly made my heart smile."
Here are some of the posts:
From Cindie Colbert: Volunteering at a charity event that raises money for breast cancer research.
From Raymond Scott Hayward: I gave a guy a ride who was walking in the pouring down rain yesterday! At first he was shocked that I even stopped, even more shocked when I drove him where he needed to go! Little bit out of the way, but you popped in my head and I remembered your birthday wish!
At last check, Brooke says she's received 40 messages from people who have engaged in acts of kindness thanks to her "Birthday Giveback."
"People that I would never in a million years think would do these things did and it really touched my heart," Brooke said. "People are good. They really are."
