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“Hands Across Santa Paula: Remembering the Spirit of Kindness” was long on sincerity when dozens of area residents and public safety personnel gathered at Veterans Memorial Park last week .Santa Paulan Samantha Frady organized the event in the hopes of promoting random acts of kindness, including those of schoolchildren who wrote kindness wishes that were selected by each attendee after the presentation. Left, Santa Paula Police Explorers are introduced. Right, is a message of “Kindness” written by an elementary school student. Hundreds of messages were written by students from Bedell, Grace Thille, and St. Sebastian Schools. |
Remembering the Spirit of Kindness
October 14, 2011
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
It might have been short on attendance, but “Hands Across Santa Paula: Remembering the Spirit of Kindness” was long on sincerity when dozens of area residents and public safety personnel gathered at Veterans Memorial Park Friday evening.
Santa Paulan Samantha Frady organized the event in the hopes of promoting random acts of kindness, including those of schoolchildren who wrote kindness wishes that were selected by each attendee after the presentation. The ceremony was dedicated to Frady’s son, William Joseph “BJ” Frady, a Forest Service wildlife biologist who was murdered 13 years ago on September 20, his 37th birthday.
“Each year in September,” said Frady, “I try to do something in the name of kindness to remember all the good works my son did for kindness’ sake.” Frady said it is also a way to repay kindnesses shown to her since she moved to Santa Paula in 1989.
First to fifth grade students at Thelma Bedell, Grace Thille and St. Sebastian schools wrote out kindness wishes, some even offering their thoughts on oversized heart-shaped paper. One student wrote their kindness wish “is for people to stop bullying. Clean up the world. Do not litter (throw trash). No bad words. Help poor people. Be nice to others. Donate money” to better the community.
Another note centered on “My kindness wish is to help all the animals and people who are hungry, injured and lonely. Also to help the hungry and the homeless.”
Hector Sanchez sang the National Anthem to start the event that attracted personnel from the Santa Paula Fire and Police departments, including Sparky the SPFD “Dalmatian” and the SPPD’s own McGruff the Crime-Fighting Dog.
Noting the small crowd, City Manager Jaime Fontes said kindness, “like other things, must be nurtured... I think this idea has merit” and should become an annual event. “And,” Fontes added, “you were here at the beginning.”
Acts if kindness, said Mayor Fred Robinson, “are something that should be celebrated.” Santa Paula is a daily lesson in acts of kindness, “a great community” that, Robinson said, when people “see a need they step forward.”
During a recent ride-along with SPPD Sgt. Jimmy Fogata, Robinson said he saw the officer show “many acts of kindness” toward those he dealt with, common to the city’s public safety personnel and all who help others, whether as teachers or caretakers of an elderly family member.
Senior Officer Scott Varner showed off his new K9 partner Chevy, a 2-year-old black German shepherd whose long hair makes the dog look almost double his actual weight. But despite his formidable appearance, said Varner, Chevy “is very friendly, he loves pets” from those showing an act of kindness toward the dog.
Frady recognized those she said have shown acts of kindness, and asked them to speak. “There is karma,” said Dr. Mike Tushla, while Carol Wood of The Arc said “Everyday I see acts of kindness” toward the developmentally disabled clients.
Fogata urged that people not only love their neighbor, but know their neighbor to better help keep the community safe for all; and SPFD Capt. Dustin Lazenby introduced his crew and Sparky.
Other individuals and volunteer groups were recognized for their acts of kindness that Frady said make Santa Paula a special and caring community. After everyone drew a kindness wish, Frady noted that holding the event itself “was my wish.”
