T-L Photo/KAILEY CARPINO Cpl. Logan Havas with the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office administers the kindness pledge to 5-year-old Robbie during the Kindness Kickoff on Thursday at the mall.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Ohio Valley Mall hosted its annual Kindness Kickoff on Thursday.

The Belmont County Sheriff’s Office, Trinity Health System and iHeart Radio support the event. Kindness activities and events will run throughout the month of October, which is Kindness Month.

Candi Noble-Greathouse, marketing director for the mall, said she had lost track of how many years the mall has been hosting the event.

“Everybody could benefit from being a little kinder to one another,” she said.

Five-year-old Robbie signed the pledge at the event with the help of Cpl. Logan Havas with the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office. Robbie also took home lists of random acts of kindness to his brother and four sisters.

Noble-Greathouse said that one of the mascots for Kindness Month is a shark named Capt. McFinn.

“He was once a bully. Now he’s a buddy, and he wants you to be a buddy, too,” she said.

Another mascot for the event is Blue the Pumpkin. Noble-Greathouse explained that the blue pumpkin looks a little different than other pumpkins because he is blue, is smaller than other pumpkins and has a broken stem.

“He is here for us to learn that everybody’s a little different and that we should always be kind to everybody. He’s a really great pumpkin,” she said.

After signing the Kindness Pledge, people can write their name on a blue pumpkin seed and tape it to the “Explore Kindness” sign.

Noble-Greathouse said local schools can participate in a story writing contest and write a story about Blue the Pumpkin. She said this is the second year that the mall is hosting the contest.

“We worked with the schools last year. The winning teacher got a mall gift card, and we had a pizza party so that is the month of October for the schools to submit,” she said.

She said that any class interested in participating in the contest can contact her at 740-695-4526.

The mall will have rock painting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 7. Noble-Greathouse said that the rocks will then be hidden throughout the mall, and anyone who finds them can redeem them for prizes at the customer service desk.

Noble-Greathouse said there will be plenty of opportunities to receive free prizes during Kindness Month.

“The Kindness Squad will stop you every once in a while and give you a prize when they’re here,” she said.

On Oct. 28, the mall will host a Halloween costume party for children with a friendship march at 2 p.m.

“As we walk around to pledge to always be kind, we will have one of our friends, either Captain McFinn or Coral Rose, join us and walk around with us as we pledge that and we might have a few treats along the way,” she said.

Noble-Greathouse said that the mall’s Tuesdays for Toddlers events will also be centered around kindness. She said that Trinity Health System partners with the mall to provide Tuesdays for Toddlers and the mall’s Kids Zone.

Jessica Kelley, community outreach specialist at Trinity Health System, said its motto is “Kindness Begins with a Smile.”

Anyone can come to the mall and sign the Kindness Pledge until Oct. 31. The pledges are located on a table at Center Court across from Bath and Body Works.

The pledge reads: “I will not be unkind, won’t tease, ignore or lie. I’ll never think it’s fun making other people cry. I promise to be kind, to help, include and share. Making friends is better. I’ll work to show I care.”

Noble-Greathouse said that this is one of her favorite events at the mall.

“It’s not something that is necessarily store-driven, but our stores embrace it, our shoppers embrace it. It’s just one more way that we can be community-minded. It’s a reminder of the good that one person can do,” she said.

The mall will be hosting events throughout the month of October to promote spreading kindness.

Kindness activities include:

Sept. 28 – Oct. 31 — Kindness Pledge at Center Court

Oct. 1-18 — Blue the Pumpkin Story Book Contest

Oct. 1-31 — Selfie Station at Center Court, provided by Michaels

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. — Paint Kindness Rocks at Center Court

Oct. 9 -15 — Kindness Rocks will be hidden throughout the mall. Shoppers will find Kindness Rocks and redeem them at Customer Service for a prize.

Oct. 1 – 31 — Kindness Squad will stop shoppers “Being Kind” to give them a voucher for a prize.

For more information about the upcoming events, visit ohiovalleymall.net.