Citizen of the Week: Melli Gallo Furlong Inspires Random Acts of Kindness

For more than a decade, Melli Gallo Furlong has celebrated her birthday not with gifts, but with a simple request: do something kind for someone else.

About a month before her January birthday each year, Furlong posts a message on Facebook inviting friends, family, and acquaintances to honor the occasion by performing a random act of kindness — big or small. It might be holding a door open, returning a shopping cart, helping a turtle cross the road, or covering a stranger’s lunch.

“It can be a big gesture, if they are so inclined. Or it could be something very small,” Furlong said. “Just some kind of kindness toward other humans — or animals — just to kind of put that positive energy out there.”

Furlong has lived locally for the past two decades, first in Peachtree City and, for the last 10 years since marrying her wife, Kay, in Newnan. Kindness has been a theme woven into their life together from the beginning. At their wedding, the couple skipped traditional gifts and instead asked guests to perform random acts of kindness, writing them down on slips of paper to be shared later.

“We didn’t ask for any gifts,” Furlong said. “We asked for our guests to do a random act of kindness. And then later on, we read them all to see what people did.”

The birthday tradition grew out of Furlong’s long-standing belief in “paying it forward,” inspired years ago by the movie Pay It Forward. While working as a nurse, she often treated coworkers or strangers to small acts of generosity, gently refusing repayment.

“I’d say, ‘No, don’t pay me back. Pay it forward to somebody else,’” she said. “And I thought, what would be an occasion where I could get a lot of people to do this? I thought, I’ll do it for my birthday.”

In addition to encouraging others, Furlong practices what she preaches. For years, she and Kay — sometimes joined by their children — have marked her birthday by offering “Free Hugs” in public places like Little Five Points and Stone Mountain, holding handmade signs and letting passersby decide whether to participate.

“We get a variety of people,” she said. “Some people are like, ‘No, I’m not a huggy person.’ And then we get people who are just like, ‘Yes, awesome.’ As long as it makes somebody have a better day, then that’s time well spent.”

That consistency is part of what led friend Sierra Pyron to nominate Furlong for Citizen of the Week.

“Melli is the kind of person who you always want in your corner,” Pyron said. “She is fun, kind, strong — stronger than she realizes — and stands up for the marginalized. We met close to 11 years ago in a Facebook group. She is small, but oh, so mighty.”

This year, Furlong said they are postponing the “Free Hugs” tradition during peak flu season. Medically retired for three years and living with autoimmune illnesses, she said caution felt appropriate, with plans to revisit the idea later.

Before retiring, Furlong spent 37 years as a registered nurse, primarily in labor and delivery and high-risk obstetrics. She also taught childbirth classes at Piedmont Newnan, connecting her with many local families over the years.

As she prepares to turn 59 on Jan. 16, Furlong hopes her birthday tradition continues to ripple outward.

“We need to be more kind to each other,” she said. “We need to be more empathetic toward each other. And this is one way that we can start thinking about that.”

In honor of Furlong’s birthday, readers are encouraged to take her up on the challenge: perform a random act of kindness this week — no recognition required, no repayment expected — and let it carry forward.

Do you know a Citizen like Melli? We’d love for you to nominate them for a future Citizen of the Week.

Anyone in Fayette or Coweta County can nominate a local resident to be featured. Submissions must include between 100 and 500 words explaining why your nominee deserves the spotlight and a photo of them. (Submissions without a photo cannot be accepted.) Fill out the nomination form here:

👉 https://thecitizen.com/nominate-a-citizen-of-the-week/

Each week, one honoree is celebrated in The Citizen, giving us all a chance to recognize the people who enrich our community with their character and care.

The Citizen of the Week is proudly sponsored by City of Hope® Cancer Center Atlanta, a national leader in cancer research and treatment. With expertise across all cancer types and a commitment to whole-person care, City of Hope honors those who strengthen our communities through service, compassion, and resilience.

Learn more at https://cityofhope.org/atlanta.