Kindness Flourishes in Times of Loss at York Elementary School

Kindness Flourishes in Times of Loss at York Elementary School

Inspiring Kindness Report

Thinking back to our elementary school days we typically have fond memories of friendships, playground games, and some of the most amazing teachers we will ever know. York Elementary in Vancouver, Washington is no exception to the joys of childhood. However, on Monday, November 27, 2017 they lost one of their very special first graders to cancer… her name is Mackenzie and she was an absolute princess and as beautiful as a butterfly to those that knew her. A loss of this magnitude is never easy to comprehend and to even harder to begin to tell such young children that Mackenzie was not coming back…impossible!

It was decided by York Elementary Principal, Dawn Harris, that letters would be sent home to parents the following day so each family could talk to one another, provide support and process this event as the best could.

Then on Wednesday, the school had a Staff Community Circle to process their own feelings. What is so frequently forgotten is that teachers are rocks for their students. They remain strong so others can be weak. Teachers are nurturers and caregivers to every one of their students every single day. However, with a loss like Mackenzie from their school, many staff members were deeply struggling. When they arrived in the faculty room for the circle this is what they discovered.

5th Grade Teacher, Cyndee Richards, kept asking herself what she could do for her colleagues in this difficult time. What she did was what she always did when strong emotions needed to be processed…she wrote. She laid out rows and rows of sticky notes across her dining room table and filled them with positive thoughts. She then used them the following morning to decorate the whiteboard in the staff room with words like peace, kindness, grace, friends, space and hugs and phrases like “You are loved.” This beautiful tribute to her school family then also formed a heart in the center that read, “Gather what you can, what you need, knowing, we are in this together.” To truly honor Mackenzie they needed each other and needed to show an unconditional love for one another. Cyndee knew that everyone needed to grieve in his or her own way and this was hers.

Cyndee commented that she sent that love out into the world to be received with no expectations about what it would do. She knew her kindness would be received well because York is a special place. She also said, “I didn't need to be recognized or thanked…ever. I am a merely a product of all of the inspiring people around me who show me love and acceptance every single day. Small acts can make a big difference.”

We want to give our heartfelt condolences to Mackenzie’s family at this time of loss. We also want to give our love to the staff and families of York Elementary School as you strive to heal and love those you get to touch each day and in doing so honoring the memory of the one we lost. In addition, we want to honor Cyndee Richards for Inspiring Kindness.

by LifeVestInside

An INSPIRING new Life Vest Inside initiative that truly SERVES those we PROTECT

An INSPIRING new Life Vest Inside initiative that truly SERVES those we PROTECT

Inspiring Kindness powered by Life Vest Inside is officially underway!!! We are so honored in our partnership with the Clark County Sheriff's Office in Vancouver, WA. Our deputies have been fine-tuning their eye muscles seeking acts of kindness throughout our county. What is “Inspiring Kindness?” I am so glad you asked. When a Sheriff’s Deputy witnesses a kind act, they will be honoring those individuals with a "Kindness Citation." Not only is this bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and their citizens but it is also generating a contribution to a local non-profit just because they showed a little kindness…amazing!

The non-profit that receives the contributions can change from campaign to campaign. In our inaugural showing, the CCSO has chosen “Santa’s Posse” to be the beneficiary of these kindness donations. Santa’s Posse was created in 1997 as a way of contributing back to the community and helping families in need during the holiday season. What started with delivery of food, gifts and personal care items to 25 families has expanded to 1,000. This year, Santa’s Posse will provide Christmas gifts for over 3,400 children in their local community.

We have to give a very special thank you to Sheriff Chuck Atkins and all of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Deputies for taking on this charge. Also for their daily commitment to making our community a safer place, but also a more compassionate one. Together, through KINDNESS, we will keep our county, country and world afloat.

A special shout out to all of our men and women in law enforcement for your service to your communities. Thank you!

(Left to Right) Dpt. B. McCarthy, Sgt. K. Allais, Jason Hattrick, Sheriff Chuck Atkins, Henrik Gerner, Sgt. A. Schoening & Dpt. J. Granneman

by LifeVestInside

Reflections on Laughter

Reflections on Laughter

by Orly Wahba

When I think of laughter one of the first memories that comes to mind is the famed Mary Poppins song, I Love to Laugh. Mary Poppins was and still remains one of my absolute favorite movies. Not simply because it transports me back to childhood, but because of the lessons of positivity that resonate through the entire film. For those of us who’ve seen Mary Poppins time and time again, we can’t help but fall in love with dear old Uncle Albert and his wonderful song, I Love to Laugh. Regardless of what mood you find yourself in, it magically brings a smile to your face and laughter to your heart. So what is the message behind this whimsical song?

“The more I laugh, the more I fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more I'm a merrier me”

Life isn’t always so clear cut. There are ups, there are downs and there are a vast array of times in between. Times of laughter and joy, of sadness and sorrow, but if we remember to infuse each day with a bit of laughter, finding our own unique way to make light of oftentimes very difficult situations, we don’t magically transform the situation, but we allow ourselves to push through and seek out the reasons within our lives to laugh. The more we laugh, the more our lives become filled with glee. The more the glee, the more we’re a merrier we!

We all have those go to’s in our life. The small things we do for ourselves that make us laugh and for a brief moment put the hardships we may be facing on pause. For some it’s spending time with the family or being in the presence of children, for some it’s listening to music, watching a funny TV show or browsing through the latest comedic bits on YouTube. I personally always end my day, regardless of how late it may be with an episode of Friends - a good laugh is always the best way to end the day!

Wherever your laughter comes from, make it part of your daily routine, even if it’s just a few moments each day. When we laugh and put joy into the world, oftentimes the world finds more reasons for us to continue laughing.

by LifeVestInside