Kenosha’s 27th annual Kindness Week celebration “asks participants to do some introspection as they explore paths to strengthening relationships with each and the community,” organizers said.
To that end, “Kindness Begins with Me” is the theme for the eight-day event.
Public activities are offered Jan. 13 through 21, said organizers with the Kenosha Coalition for Dismantling Racism.
The coalition works with “many partners in the community to put together the event each year.”
Among the events is the annual Community Unity Breakfast & Awards Recognition Ceremony, which is Saturday in the cafeteria of Indian Trail High School and Academy, 6800 60th St. The event is free and open to the public.
8 Powerful , Martin Luther King Jr. , Quotes. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that. We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience. A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude. We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Monday has also become a part of Kindness Week.
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The 29th annual celebration starts at noon Monday in Haribo Hall in the Madrigrano Auditorium at Gateway Technical College, 3520 30th Ave.
The theme of that event is “Recapturing the ‘Dream’ to Make it a Reality” and will feature guest speaker Elizabeth Rosiles-Zavala, director of Hispanic Student Programing at Gateway. The event is also free and open to the public.
Arrington
Kindness Week continues to be organized by the Coalition for Dismantling Racism, but it was the brainchild of the late Rev. Olen Arrington Jr., who launched the celebration in 1997 to commemorate the legacy of King.
The Great Kindness Challenge is one week devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible on campus. Alicia Troxell's students at Tremper High School took on the challenge and showed Tremper and the world that KINDNESS MATTERS! In this activity, students painted life-size letters and invited staff members to the "I" in Kind.
The pastor of Kenosha’s Second Baptist Church, Arrington “lived and preached the wisdom of King” and was known to often quote the late civil rights leader, saying “We must all learn to live together as brothers (and sisters) or perish together as fools” and “The time is always right to do what is right.”
Jackson-Lewis
“The Annual Kindness Week is an opportunity in Kenosha to promote kindness and have these events serve as a reminder to us all to offer acts of kindness,” Yolanda Jackson-Lewis, Kindness Week Committee coordinator, said. “Members of the Coalition for Dismantling Racism are grateful for pastor Arrington for sharing his vision of kindness for a better Kenosha and for Adelene Greene, CFDR chairperson, who continues to keep that vision alive.”
For information on Kenosha Kindness Week, visit the Kenosha Kindness Week Facebook page or www.kenoshaiskind.weebly.com.
Family travel 5: Incorporate kindness into your next vacation
Pack an attitude of gratitude
Leave impatience and judgment behind and showcase an attitude of gratitude as your travel resumes. Lead with a smile and offer thanks to those you meet along the way. From harried flight attendants, pilots, TSA agents and front desk personnel to tour guides, bus drivers, restaurant servers and room attendants, encourage the kids to say thank you whenever appropriate. Consider leaving a handwritten note or crayon drawing along with your tip, an extra effort sure to garner a smile from the recipient. If you loved your hotel stay or guest ranch experience, leave a note congratulating the whole crew for a job well done.
Pay it forward
What goes around comes around. So give kindness a nudge in the right direction. Discuss (and model) how offering a seat or opening a door can be helpful. Encourage the heavily laden or parents managing a cranky child to go ahead in line. Perhaps a strong teen can assist a frail adult with removing a heavy piece of luggage from the overhead compartment. In the queue for a soda or coffee? Quietly pay for someone in uniform, the elderly or the front-line worker behind you in line. By simply taking notice, opportunities for extending kindness will multiply.
Pack for a purpose
Reserve a little space in your luggage for books, clothing or school supplies that will make a difference in the lives of others in your destination. The non-profit organization Pack For A Purpose works with hundreds of hotels and tour operators in dozens of countries to help travelers contribute to those in need. Whether you stow pencils, a deflated soccer ball, a stethoscope or pet supplies in your bags, you and your family will return home knowing you’ve helped spread kindness beyond your own backyard.
For more: www.Packforapurpose.org
Go local
The individuals who keep the travel and tourism industry humming continue to be among those hit hardest by our changing world. As you plan your future vacation, discuss how the places you will visit might be different or similar to your own home.
Near or far, burrow into the culture and make a point to learn about how and where the locals live, work and play. Skip the chains and seek out locally-owned eateries, shops and lodging. Visit local farmers markets. If the language is not your own, learn at least a few key phrases and practice them before and during the visit. With gas prices spiking, seek to uncover what’s compelling closer to your own home.
For more: www.AAA.com
Keep the planet in mind
Walk rather than ride. Cycle to and from. Seek out sustainable options. Turn the lights out when you leave. Recycle. Reuse. Stay on the trail. Keep the beach clean. Stow trash in all the right places. Leave no trace. Caring for the planet is yet another way of caring for each other.
For more: www.lnt.org
Kindness Wek events in the community
JAN. 13-20: Kindness Week Community Art Project & Art Show: A community art project exhibited at Kenosha Northside (1500 27th Ave.) and Southside (7979 38th Ave.) libraries.
JAN. 13-15: Kindness Services throughout the community: Area clergy members are encouraged to focus their services on the life and messages of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and/or the theme of Kindness Week.
SATURDAY, JAN. 14: Community Unity Breakfast & Awards Recognition Ceremony: 8:30 a.m. at Indian Trail High School, 6800 60th St. Doors open at 8 a.m. Free public event.
SATURDAY, JAN. 14: Workshop on “It’s Our Duty: Being Just in Troubling Times”: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 919 60th St. Guest Speaker: the Rev. F. Willis Johnson, author of “Holding Up Your Corner.” Pre-register at www.firstumckenosha.org. The cost is $5 per person ($20 for five people) and includes lunch.
SATURDAY, JAN. 14: Peace Learning Circles Workshop: 1 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club, 1330 52nd St. Free public event.
SUNDAY, JAN. 15: Wisconsin Annual Conference of United Methodist Church: “The Injustice of “Just Us” Theology”: 4 to 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 919 60th St. (with live stream at www.firstumckenosha.org). Guest Speaker: the Rev. F. Willis Johnson, author of “Holding up Your Corner.”
JAN. 15-21: Kindness Week Community Quilt: Noon to 5 p.m. at the Civil War Museum's Resource Center, 5400 First Ave. Visitors are invited to come to the Civil War Museum and decorate a fabric square with markers to show how you practice kindness every day. Free public event.
MONDAY, JAN. 16: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration: Noon at Gateway Technical College, 3520 30th Ave. Free public event.
MONDAY, JAN. 16: “Moving Forward to Sustainable Change” Community Forum: 6 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School Auditorium, 6729 18th Ave. Eight organizations will assemble as a panel and share the work they do with inclusion, equality and equity. Free public event.
TUESDAY, JAN. 17: Kindness Week Luncheon: 11 a.m. at The Vault, 625 57th St. The Urban League of Racine and Kenosha invites the public to participate with food, fun and friends to start 2023. Cost: $25. Purchase tickets at: aplos.com/aws/events/kindness_week_luncheon.
TUESDAY, JAN. 17: National Day of Racial Healing: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave. The museum will be showing videos in the Kenosha Public Museum's Daimler Chrysler Hall. Free public event. Free public event.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18: Museum Munchkins — Kindness that Animals Show One Another: 9:30 a.m. at Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave. Museum Munchkins is "a fun and energetic program filled with songs, stories, and crafts designed to get toddlers and preschoolers excited about science and the world around them." Free public event.
THURSDAY, JAN. 19: Courageous Conversations — KUSD Students Speak Up and Speak Out (The Coalition for Dismantling Racism): 5 p.m. at Civil War Museum, 5400 First Ave. A student panel will address school violence and school safety using kindness. Free public event.
SATURDAY, JAN. 21: Concert with Moriyah and McCoo: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave. Featuring the musical talents of Lia Nicine McCoo and Keryn Moriyah. The concert will "celebrate acts of kindness and good cheer as they lead the audience in songs that celebrate the best of the human spirit." Free public event.
Terry Flores
Reporter
