There’s something special about planting a seed.
You put something tiny into the soil, give it a little water, sunshine, patience, and care—and eventually, something begins to grow. That was the inspiration behind the July Cece in the City Cares campaign: 🌱 Planting Seeds of Kindness.
For this campaign, I wanted to do something simple, fun, and meaningful. Instead of just giving something away, I wanted to give people something they could plant, nurture, and watch grow.
🌱 Take One!
For the campaign, I put together free seed sets featuring different types of seeds people could grow, including watermelon, squash, lettuce, lavender, and other varieties.
The message was simple:
“Plant a flower. Read a book. Grow something beautiful.”
And the reminder:
🌿 Keep Growing
Every seed starts small.
Keep believing.
Keep growing.
Keep blooming.
Whether you’re growing vegetables, flowers, herbs, or something else, there’s something rewarding about watching your efforts turn into something you can enjoy.
💚 A Visit to the Centerville Senior Center
One of my stops was the Centerville Senior Center, where I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Arnetta.
She was so helpful and welcoming, and I was happy to drop off the seed sets for the seniors.
I hope they enjoyed choosing their seeds and deciding what they wanted to grow. Maybe someone planted watermelon. Maybe someone decided to grow squash or lettuce. Maybe someone already had a garden and simply added something new.
That’s the fun part—you never know what someone will choose to grow.
📚 A Stop at the Library
I also stopped by the Gwinnett County Public Library – Centerville Branch and dropped off seed sets there.
I especially loved including the library because reading and gardening both have something important in common: growth takes time.
You plant a seed and wait.
You open a book and discover.
You nurture a garden and watch it change.
You learn something new and continue growing.
So the message behind this campaign wasn’t just about gardening. It was also about encouraging people to take a moment for themselves, enjoy an activity, read a book, and grow something beautiful.
💜 And Yes, I Kept One for Myself!
I couldn’t do a campaign about planting seeds and not participate myself!
So I decided to keep one of the seed sets—and I chose lavender. 💜🌱
Now I’m just as excited as everyone else to see what happens.
I can’t wait to plant my lavender, watch it grow, and see how this journey goes. This gives me the opportunity to slow down, get my hands in the soil, learn something new, and experience the same joy I’m hoping everyone else experiences with their seeds.
And honestly, I think that’s one of the best parts of this campaign.
I’m not just asking the community to grow something. I’m growing something too.
I’ll be sharing my journey along the way because, let’s be honest, I want to see what happens! 😂🌱
Will I have a beautiful lavender plant?
Will I become a gardening expert?
Or will I learn a few lessons along the way?
Either way, it’s going to be fun.
🌱 Small Seeds, Big Meaning
One thing this campaign reminded me of is that giving back doesn’t always have to be complicated.
Sometimes kindness can be as simple as putting together a few packets of seeds and saying, “Take one!”
That little packet might turn into someone’s first garden.
It might give someone a new hobby.
It might become something they share with their family.
It might provide fresh vegetables later on.
Or it might simply bring a little happiness to someone’s day.
You never really know what a small act of kindness can grow into.
🌿 What Are You Planting?
As I wrapped up the July Cece in the City Cares campaign, I started thinking about the seeds we plant in our own lives.
We’re constantly planting something.
We’re planting ideas.
We’re planting dreams.
We’re planting relationships.
We’re planting goals.
We’re planting kindness.
And just like a garden, we don’t always see results right away.
But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening.
Sometimes you just have to keep watering it, keep caring for it, and give it time.
🌱 Keep Growing. Keep Believing. Keep Blooming.
I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to share these seed sets with the Centerville Senior Center and the Gwinnett County Public Library – Centerville Branch.
And now, I’m excited to take this journey myself.
I hope everyone who received a seed set has fun deciding what to plant and watching it grow.
And I’m looking forward to planting my lavender and seeing where my own little seed takes me.
Maybe some watermelon will be enjoyed on a hot summer day.
Maybe someone’s squash will become part of a family dinner.
Maybe lettuce will make its way into a fresh salad.
Maybe lavender will grow nice in my place.
Whatever grows, I hope it serves as a reminder that something beautiful can begin with something very small.
That’s the heart of Cece in the City Cares.
Finding simple ways to give back.
Connecting with the community.
Spreading a little kindness.
And planting seeds—literally and figuratively—that hopefully continue to grow long after the campaign is over.
Plant something.
Read something.
Try something new.
Grow something beautiful.
And don’t forget to give yourself permission to grow, too.
🌱 Keep growing. Keep believing. Keep blooming.
Cece in the City Cares 💚
