Tag Archive for: #MSDKindness

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Camas Kindness Week: Local DECA Campaign a Major Success

Camas, WA — The Camas DECA Club organized a successful “Keep It Kind” public relations campaign this week, begining with getting the City Council to declare November 9 as a city-wide “Kindness Day” and ending with the signing of 1,000 Kindness contracts at Camas High School.

The objective of the campaign, which encompassed six schools, was to remind people that kindness matters, especially in the wake of school shootings in Parkland, FL and so many other schools and locations in the United States.

“Personally, I learned how important kindness is to so many people our community,” said Skylar Becerra, a DECA Club leader. “It’s a universal concept and the overwhelming support from everyone we came across gave was astounding and how so many people felt it was missing in our society.”

Kindness activities included the following:

  • A red out (which ended up getting huge participation).
  • Be the Change Club (Becerra’s and Amie Beld’s random acts of kindness club) holding all entrance doors open and when students came in we told them good morning and gave them a slip of paper with a kindness challenge to compliment two people in the next 10 minutes.
  • At lunches club leaders walked around with contracts and bracelets and talked to people at tables.
  • Had a booth set up at lunches and people could come up sign contracts and spin a wheel for different prizes while we talked about kindness.
  • All the kindness contracts that were signed during the week were put on a wall, and people could go up and try to find theirs.
  • Throughout the week, DECA worked with another student to promote writing letters to deployed troops and got the three biggest clubs to help participate.
Kindness

www.resultsfitnesstraining.com

“The Kindness Contract was a means to earn the Keep It Kind bracelets at the high school and in the community,” said Becerra. “At First Friday and all week at the high school during lunches we ran a booth and when people can up we told them what we are doing and a little about reminding them to be kind and had them sign a kindness contract to serve as a reminder to be kind and got the bracelet. We had 1,000 and ended up running out on Friday. We also had these hung on a wall at lunch.”

 

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Camas Mayor Pro Tem Declares November 9 as Kindness Day

Camas, WA — As part of the Camas DECA weeklong Kindness public relations campaign, City of Camas leaders declared Friday, November 9 as “Kindness Day” in an official city proclamation Monday night.

The campaign is in response to the shootings at Parkland, FL and other schools across the country in an effort to remind people that “kindness matters.”

Skyler Becerra and Amie Beld from DECA received the proclamation from Camas Mayor Pro Tem, Don Chaney.

Chaney said this campaign “captures where we all want to be in our hearts.”

After receiving the proclamation both Beld and Becerra addressed the council.

”This campaign promotes kindness, and overall our goal is to be able to have a safer and kinder community within Camas for all citizens,” said Beld.

The DECA campaign is working with six schools across Camas.

”Each of whom are running a kindness day or kindness week currently, right now, to help encourage and impact younger students and help form habits that can impact them for the rest of their lives …,” said Becerra.

DECA member Caden Wengler handed out special bracelets to council members and those in attendance as a reminder to be kind.

Camas High School is penning letters to veterans and doing lunchtime activities to reach out to students in their campaign.

Kindness

 

 

 

THE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION

”WHEREAS, our days are often filled with information regarding school violence, crime and disaster in the world, often causing feelings of sadness and fear; and

“WHEREAS, kindness is something that can be improved on at all ages and levels of life, it is important to act to create a kinder environment for everyone within the Camas community; and

“WHEREAS, the support of the community and government leaders know that citizen support is one of the most effective ways to improve kindness within our communities; and

“WHEREAS, the daily acts of kindness that occur in our community are largely unseen and ignored; and

“WHEREAS, by recognizing these acts of kindness, all members of our community will be made aware of the importance of being kind to others throughout the year; and

“WHERAS, the purpose of Kindness Day is to remember the simplest acts of kindness that allow our community to be kinder, and safer place to live our lives; and

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, Don Chaney, Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Camas, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2018 as:

“KINDNESS DAY”

“In the City of Camas, and urge all citizens to join me in spreading kindness, generosity and respect of others at all times.”

Jewelry

 

 

 

PHOTO GALLERY

 

 

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Artist Nava Lundy Creates Portraits of All 17 Parkland Shooting Victims

Parkland, FL — The tragic and senseless shootings on February 14, 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School forever changed not just the lives of the victim’s families and friends, but it sent shock waves throughout this picturesque town. It’ll never be the same.

Professional artist and Parkland resident, Nava Lundy, a wife and mother of three, remembers the day with clarity.

“My twin daughters were in preschool less than a mile from MSD, and I got the alert that their school went on lockdown,” recalls Lundy. “After that there was no more communication. I was at a park near MSD with my 15-month old, and I didn’t really understand the gravity of it yet. So, I went home with the baby and quickly learned there was a shooter at large. I’ll never be the same after what happened.”

Lundy said she felt gratitude she wasn’t in harm’s way, but at the same time felt grief-stricken and pain for all the victims and their families. Like so many did, she asked herself what could she do to help?

“I communicate with paintings, and I want the families to know how much we care about them,” said Lundy, who volunteered her time creating each painting. “I worked quickly and did two paintings a week, sometimes three — I just felt this sense of urgency.”

She felt connected to each person, and worked hard to capture their personalities in her work.

Lundy

Alyssa Alhadeff.

She started with Alyssa Alhadeff’s portrait, which she delivered to her parents.

“We all broke down together,” she said. “They were so grateful, and they put it up immediately.”

She worked on Jaime Guttenberg’s portrait next. Jaime’s mother, Jennifer, was teaching preschool at the same school Lundy’s daughters attend — and was protecting those children while her own daughter was murdered at MSD.

”She was in lockdown at the preschool, in a closet,” said Lundy. “I got her picture through someone at school and then I realized I needed to do one for every family. I posted paintings on Next Door and asked people to help me get pictures.”

While doing her research on each victim, Lundy saw people connecting through the portraits, and started to realize the positive impact this project would have. She learned a great deal about each person.

”As an artist, you have a feeling in your head and you try to get it across in the painting,” she said. “We also didn’t want MSD to just become another statistic. I know all the parents feel the same way. Plus, it’s so important to have people realize this could happen to you. We have to continually ask ourselves can we create positive change?”

Lundy completed the final portrait on March 28, just 6 weeks after that tragic day. Accompanied by her baby, Harry, she delivered most of the paintings directly to the victim’s families, and each visit was unique. She said some families weren’t ready to talk, but Joaquin Oliver’s father brought them both into his son’s bedroom so they could get a peek into his personality.

”Then, Joaquin’s dad looked at Harry and said ‘well make sure the schools are safe before he goes to school.”

About Nava Lundy

Nava has been a professional artist since 1998, and has been painting for more than 20 years. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including The Palm Beach Post, The Sun Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The Tampa Tribune and The St. Petersburg Times. Her art work has been featured on NBC’s nationally syndicated program Daytime, as well as locally on CBS’s Studio 10. Nava has also been a guest on several radio programs, and regularly conducts lectures on art and art history around Florida through Brandeis University.
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Lundy

Professional artist, Nava Lundy.

Her work has also been used in set designs in several films. To learn more about Lundy’s work, visit www.navagallery.com or visit her Facebook page, Nava Lundy Artist.

Portraits

by Nava Lundy

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Camas Mayor Higgins Proclaims April as City’s #MSDKindness Month

Camas, WA — Camas Mayor Scott Higgins officially proclaimed April 2018 as the city’s #MSDKindness Month at Monday night’s City Council meeting. The proclamation is in honor of the shooting victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, and urges all citizens to honor those lives be performing random acts of kindness.

Higgins used his mayor’s time on the council agenda to bring attention to Lacamas Magazine’s #MarchKindness campaign, of which he was a part. The campaign encourages readers to report acts of kindness or service, which have been reported daily during the month of March.

“Out of that has become an interesting movement where not only are other cities looking at naming Kindness months, but states have done so, as well,” said Higgins. “If I understand correctly, Utah has done it for next month, and I think other states are following suit, as well. It’s really a neat, national thing that has its roots in Camas, WA, so we wanted to just play a part in that, and will have a proclamation read.”

When the campaign was officially adopted by Utah, it was renamed #MSDKindness and continues to spread.

The proclamation pays tribute to the victims:

  • Alaina Petty, 14;
  • Alex Schaffer, 14;
  • Alyssa Alhadeff, 14;
  • Cara Loughran, 14;
  • Gina Montalto, 14;
  • Jaime Gutenberg, 14;
  • Martin Duque Anguiano, 14;
  • Luke Hoyer, 15;
  • Peter Wang, 15;
  • Carmen Schentrup, 16;
  • Helena Ramsay, 17;
  • Joaquin Oliver, 17;
  • Nicholas Dworet, 17;
  • Meadow Pollack, 18;
  • Scott Beigel, 35;
  • Aaron Feis, 37;
  • Chris Hixon, 49

“Whereas, the victims of this tragedy living exemplary lives of selfless service and showing love toward others, and Whereas, on behalf of the citizens of Camas, we pay tribute to these victims’ courageous acts of valor, their many acts of service, their kind natures and the many contributions to society they made during their lives. NOW THEREFORE, I, Scott Higgins, Mayor of the City of Camas, do hereby proclaim April, 2018, as #MSDKindness Month in the city of Camas, and urge all citizens to honor those lives by performing random acts of kindness.”

Washougal Mayor, Molly Coston, issued a similar proclamation last week for her city. She proclaimed April 2018 as #MSDKindness Month.

Citizens are encouraged to perform acts of service and kindness throughout the month and to report good things they see on social media accounts using #MSDKindness.

”We believe showing acts of service or kindness will help us get to the source of so many problems,” said Ryan Petty, the father of Alaina Petty, who was killed in the Douglas High School shooting. “It’s one part of resolving these senseless shootings.”

To learn more, visit www.MSDKindnessMonth.com

 

#MSDKindness

The council listens to information from city employees.

 

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Camas High School #NeverAgain Walkout a Moving Tribute to Parkland Victims

Camas, WA — Adult administrators, teachers, and observers stood quietly as approximately 500 students walked out of class at Camas High School Wednesday at 10 am to honor the victims of last month’s senseless Marjory Stoneman Douglas shootings in Parkland, Florida.

The student-led Camas walkout was a peaceful one, organized by Papermakers Abigail Jiang and Monica Chang, to call for common sense gun law reform, kindness, peace, and a better tomorrow. It was part of the national #NeverAgain movement, which has been criticized for having a political agenda — but this event was barely political. It was a moving tribute to innocence lost, and a clarion call for kindness to each other. It was a moving tribute filled with respect.

Adults in the audience simply observed — allowing the students to speak and pay their respects.

The students started filing out of the front door quietly, in an organized and somber way, and then listened to 20 minutes of personalized tributes to the 17 victims at Douglas High School.

There was a call for gun law reform at the beginning, and the student leaders asked for the students to sign a letter to Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler calling for action on several items.

Walkout

A moment of silence.

”We call for common sense gun reform that will help ensure that a mass shooting like this never happens again,” said Jiang, in the walkout opening statement. “Enough is enough, and as students we demand tangible action to ensure our safety in school. Although some of us may not be of voting age, we have a voice in our community, in our nation. This is a chance for our generation to speak up. Today, one month after the horrific events at Parkland we will be honoring and remembering the 17 victims of this shooting by talking about their lives and giving them each a moment of silence.”

The walkout leaders then read touching tributes about each of the following victims (not necessarily in this order):

  • Alaina Petty, 14;
  • Alex Schaffer, 14;
  • Alyssa Alhadeff, 14;
  • Cara Loughran, 14;
  • Gina Montalto, 14;
  • Jaime Gutenberg, 14;
  • Martin Duque Anguiano, 14;
  • Luke Hoyer, 15;
  • Peter Wang, 15;
  • Carmen Schentrup, 16;
  • Helena Ramsay, 17;
  • Joaquin Oliver, 17;
  • Nicholas Dworet, 17;
  • Meadow Pollack, 18;
  • Scott Beigel, 35;
  • Aaron Feis, 37;
  • Chris Hixon, 49
WalkOut

Peaceful assembly. Photo by Blake Schnell.

Some of the Tributes

“Joaquin Oliver had just become a US citizen in 2017. He loved sports of all kinds and was a huge fan of the Venezuelan national soccer team and loved basketball and football. Joaquin was a big fan of Dwayne Wade. He was buried in Dwayne Wade’s jersey. He loved urban graffiti and listened to hip-hop music.”

“Meadow Pollack, 18, was a student excited for the future, planning to attend Wynn University in the Fall, she was loving and kind — her family calling her the light of their lives. She was motivated to achieve great things, and would have achieved so much.”

”Aaron Feis, 37 years old,  was an assistant football coach at Stoneman Douglas. He threw himself in front of a group of students to protect them during the shooting. He died after being rushed into surgery for a gunshot wound. Students always saw that Feis put himself second, and he died this way, too. As a hero …”

“Peter Wang, 15 years old, was a student at Stoneman Douglas. He was a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at the high school. On the day of the shooting, Peter was in his ROTC uniform and did not run. But held open a door to help others escape. He was shot while doing so.”

Ryan and Kelly Petty, the parents of Alaina Petty, sent a statement about their daughter, which was read by Jiang at the conclusion of the tributes.

“We ask that you honor her memory by taking a moment each day to say hello to someone you don’t know, by doing something kind for someone who you think may least deserve it, and to lift those around you with kind words.”

A long moment of silence ensued.

”Everyone just feels like enough is enough,” said Chang. “So, this walkout is a national walkout. We got together and organized things individually because we felt we had to do something. We finally united.”

Students behaved very respectfully during the walkout, and when it was done they quietly went back to their classrooms. The leaders promised to WALK UP after the walkout to reach out to students who feel isolated, marginalized, or just a need an emotional lift.

”That was a moving event,” said CHS math teacher, Alisa Wise. “We do have a bright future.”

Camas is a the center of a national #MSDKindness, which started with our current #MarchKindness campaign. We ask that you visit www.msdkindness.com to learn how you can help.

Photo Gallery

Photos by Blake Schnell

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