TIMMINS - One young man is doing his best to brighten the days of the people he meets, and it’s working.
Keadon Carium has been spreading good cheer at the Canadian Tire gas bar on Waterloo Road since August, and Timmins residents have noticed his relentless positivity.
Peter Gooch is one of the people who’s gave Carium a shout-out in the Timmins, ON Facebook group.
“I thought maybe a nice positive post about a hard-working young man would be a nice change,” said Gooch. “I was blown away with the vast number of likes and comments from other people who agree with me and enjoy going to this gas station as much as I do.”
Even though he only spoke with Carium for a few minutes, he left with a smile on his face.
“We talked about the weather and my truck, and he even wished me luck in winning on the lottery ticket I purchased,” said Gooch. “He said, ‘Wouldn’t winning a million dollars make your Saturday even more awesome!’”
The reaction has been a bit of a surprise for the 16-year-old.
“I was making people happy because I like making people happy,” he said. “I didn’t know there was so much negativity in town, and people really needed that, so I’m glad to be able to do that.”
His message to many customers and others he meets outside work is simply to “stay awesome.”
When the Grade 11 student at Roland Michener Secondary School started applying for jobs, he sent out dozens of resumes. Eventually, a family connection landed him a job at the gas station.
When he's not at work or school, he's pursuing a passion for music.
“I just started making music, I got a mic, and I started making goofy music, but then I started taking it seriously,” he said. “I want to make it sound good.”
He’s spreading the word about his music on YouTube and said he’s been learning more by trying new things and experimenting to see what sounds good.
He has a gig lined up for the first TeenRagers event at the McIntyre Arena on Jan. 31, and is looking forward to bringing a few more smiles to people’s faces.
The new teen dances event is for youth ages 12 and up.
“I’m making a club song for it,” he said.
If music doesn't pay the bills later, he plans to become an IT tech.
“Always have a backup,” he said.
His interest in music and technology as a way to express himself has grown over the last few years, and he’s looking forward to learning more.
“I try to put the best quality out there,” he said. “I’m putting it all out there!”