No one should ever be bulled, but maybe we can spend a week being as nice as possible. That's the goal of Hutchinson native Reagan Goldstein.
“This past school year has been rough for me,” she wrote on her Facebook event page titled Reagan's Kindness Campaign. “I have been bulled since the beginning of the year. Things have gotten worse for me as the school year has gone on. Right now I am at home because it has become too hard for me to be at school. My mom and I came up with this project of spreading kindness around the world.”
The fifth-grader moved from Hutchinson to the San Diego area with parents Melissa and Louis Goldstein. Louis, a first lieutenant in the United States Army, was stationed there.
“While she was at home, mom — who is very creative — suggested Reagan find a way to explore the opposite of bullying,” said Mary Hodson, president of the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce.
Hodson, and the Chamber, decided to get involved when they learned about the campaign. Melissa used to work at the Chamber.
Reagan, 11, took to Twitter using #KindnessMatters to promote “dares” encouraging people to try kind behaviors, such as talking to someone you usually wouldn't, carrying out a random act of kindness, or saying “hello” to a stranger. In other words: Instead of doing something mean, do something kind.
“She was hoping for 25 people to like her posts because Mom made it an event on Facebook,” Hodson said.
Instead, “likes” are in the hundreds, and dozens are sharing the message.
#KINDNESSMATTERSINHUTCH
Now Hutchinson is getting involved, organizing with the message #KindnessMattersInHutch.
The Hutchinson Leadership Design Institute Design Team, its steering committee, asks people to gather at Library Square at 4 p.m. Friday for a giant photo. If you can, bring a sign that says #KindnessMatters.
The Phoenix Drumline is expected to attend, and a mayoral proclamation is anticipated. Many more bonuses are in the works to make the impromptu event something to remember.
“Everyone jumped to their feet,” Hodson said. “We are all kind of scrambling to get this together.”
She noted that Reagan's favorite color is blue, and encouraged people to wear the color if they can.
“Melissa has been able to keep her kids engaged in their community,” Hodson said, noting Louis has been deployed twice. “They understand dad is doing something important. (Reagan) is giving a voice to kids who don't have a voice, or haven't had a voice.”
