Kindness Campaign

Kindness Week 2006

Servers at Valentine's Day Dinner at ABCCM Women's Shelter -(from left) Julie Profita, Cathy Holt, Annie Mitchell,Jenny Howard, and Lynn Brooks.

From Goodwill Industries

Kindness Week 2006 was Feb. 13-17 and we wanted to participate in our community and thought of several options.

The clients in the art classes made over 300 valentines; primarily from discarded-donated paper. Community Access staff then distributed them with the clients at Magnolia Health Care Center, and our drama and visual art group distributed them on Feb.15th at Eliada Home for Children.

The store staff had given the art department over 200 bottles of brown finger paint which I could not use and I had a large box of green crayons formerly donated which I had no use for so I included (with our valentines to Eliada’s 4 year olds) large sheets of paper for them to make their own tree pictures! We gave them a few other new items to supplement their project, and they were very pleased and started enjoying them right away. I am attaching a picture of one of the classrooms at Eliada.

The other Valentines were distributed to over 120 kindergartners at Black Mountain Primary School on Feb. 16 after our Music Group gave a wonderful interactive children’s performance. We also handed out samples of Braille as we discussed differences and blindness, the cut outs of Braille were from old donated Braille magazines. The children went back to their rooms and practiced writing their names in Braille (I had included Braille alphabet info. sheet for the teachers from my donated encyclopedias here in the art room).

So I’d just like to say how proud I am of all of us as we work to share our talents, good ideas and resources with our community. And I’d like to relay back to all our staff; administrative, CA, and store staff, the appreciation in all the children’s eyes and smiles. And, I am so grateful that our clients could experience their smiles, hugs, and applause for their hard work and goodwill.

Emily Welsh

Kindness Connects All Faiths, All Hearts

There are all these religions, so everyone can sing along. And all these people singing together make just one song. - Rumi

Why would Christians, Buddhists, Baha'is, Muslims, Jews, and Earth religions come together? To celebrate kindness! The Kindness Campaign sponsored its second Interfaith Celebration of Kindness on February 13 along with co-sponsors WNC Interfaith Network, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville, Christians for a United Community, and Holy Ground, at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Mark Ward, minister of the church, welcomed everyone and later led the singing of a Unitarian hymn, "Spirit of Life." Sharon Oxendine, a Lumbee Indian woman, called in the four directions. Judith Toy and other Cloud Cottage Sangha members led a chant to the bodhisattva of compassion, while carrying a gold and blue giant puppet of the Buddha with gently waving hands. Anne Wray and other Jubilee Community dancers performed "Seasons of Love," acting out a drama of a group of friends rallying around a person who is in trouble. "All creatures are God's children, and those dearest to God are those who treat His children kindly," said Ahmad Amara, quoting from the Qu'ran. Zeranges sang a Baha'i prayer in Farsi. Josefa Briant and other members of Beth Israel Synagogue danced a traditional Hebrew prayer, "Our steps bring the One who gives good messages." Robbie Williams of Hill Street Baptist Church performed a beautiful Praise Dance ("We Shall Behold Him") and Margaret Evans of St. Eugene Catholic Church sang "The Lord is Kind and Merciful." Robert Akers and the Sounds of Joy from Unity Church of Asheville sang "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" and the audience joined in enthusiastically with "Everybody get together, try and love one another right now." Calen Rayne read a Jack Kerouac poem, "The Trance of Compassion," and sounded a 300-year-old Tibetan singing bowl.

American Sign Language interpreters Susun Slatky and Lynn Brooks gracefully signed for the hearing impaired. All celebrated the good news that kindness is universal among faith traditions. The ceremony closed with a benediction from Byron Ballard, as a spirited group of Pagan drummers beckoned the crowd into the fellowship hall for a potluck feast.

Several participants were asked what they thought the impact of the celebration was for themselves and for the community:

"Bringing together people of ALL faiths around the concept and practice of Kindness is huge.  The program was simple and beautiful and I left feeling warmed, more open, and KINDER.  It was an inclusive evening of the highest order.  If others felt similarly, the event must have increased the city's (and the planet's!)  kindness-consciousness through the hologram that connects us all."
– Katherine Rose

"A couple hundred people of various faiths coming together and expressing themselves in very different ways, but all giving the same message about charity, kindness, giving love and encouragement—if 200 people can come together, we can bring the whole world together in very much the same way."
–Roger Beaumont

"I liked the eclectic mix of many races, creeds and religions, and how Kindness was the core of everything. Sitting, eating and chatting with people I'd never met before was a positive experience. People were getting to know each other a little. Each year, new people are coming and sharing in it."
– Stephen Levine

"I was truly impressed and inspired by the Celebration.  And it really was a Celebration.  The energy in the sanctuary felt wonderful.... There was such diversity on one hand and such unity on the other.   I absolutely think events like this can bring the community closer."
– Carla Taylor

"There we were all one, for a common purpose: to show that we support kindness in the community. I believe that it breaks down religious differences when we come together as a group to celebrate something we all believe in: that there's goodness, kindness in each of us. This event inspired me to want to volunteer for the Kindness Campaign!"
– Joanna Walsh

Kindness Week, proclaimed by Mayor Bellamy, began with an award ceremony in which Barry Weinhold, Director of the Kindness Campaign, and the Mayor gave out "Community of Kindness" awards to eleven agencies that helped refugees from Hurricane Katrina. Other events were a Valentine's Day dinner cooked by Kindness Campaign volunteers for homeless women and children, and several showings of "Ryan's Well," an inspiring documentary film about a young boy whose efforts made a huge difference for a thirsty Ugandan village.

Why do people cook for the homeless? Annie Mitchell, one of the volunteers, said, "I enjoy serving people—not just to be nice for Valentine's Day, but throughout the year. I volunteer in my church, and I care for my handicapped sister. I just like to help out and share the kindness that's in my heart."

Roger Beaumont, who baked 4 dozen cookies for the women and children, added this: "To mindfully and with kind intent make dozens of cookies to be shared, somehow brings together Nonviolent Communication and the teachings of the Buddha. They are both ways of doing things reflectively, thoughtfully, meditatively. I take great pleasure in feeding others my cookies and other meals. Sharing food seems for me to be a way of pleasing, of inviting vulnerability, a stage for receiving and giving empathy."

Red Marbles

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

"Hello Barry, how are you today?"

"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good."

"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"

"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."

"Good. Anything I can help you with?"

"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."

"Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller.

"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."

"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"

"All I got's my prize marble here."

"Is that right? Let me see it" said Miller.

"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."

"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store owner asked.

"Not zackley but almost."

"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble," Mr. Miller told the boy.

"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store."

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved toColorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

"Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size... they came to pay their debt."

"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho."

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work.
The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing-along song on the radio.
Your keys found right where you left them.

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We are going to collect and publish Kindness Stories sent to us by you the viewer of this web site. If you have a story to submit, email us at barryK@weinholds.org. We look forward to hearing your story.