KINDNESS Saint Joseph kicks off Saturday
ST. JOSEPH, Mo . (News-Press NOW) -- After months of preparation, hundreds of essays and countless good acts, the Noyes Home for Children is gearing up for KINDNESS Saint Joseph.
In the new initiative, the Noyes Home aims to foster and encourage kindness in St. Joseph by asking kindergarten through 12th-grade students to submit essays describing the kindest person they know.
In January, the committee selected 13 winning essays and awarded the students who wrote them. The authors, as well as those they wrote about, will be honored at the KINDNESS Saint Joseph event at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 29, in the East Hills Shopping Center court.
"It is awesome to know that tomorrow is finally the day we get to celebrate everyone," Executive Director of the Noyes Home Chelsea Howlett said. "A lot of work, a lot of volunteers, a lot of generosity and kindness from our community, you know, certainly came together to make this possible."
Several local restaurants and businesses donated their services for the event, including Gina's Catering, Adam's Bar and Grill, Geneo's Pizza, Meadowview Cookies and many more. Alchemy Tea even brewed a special concoction, the "Positivi-Tea", with half of the proceeds going toward the Noyes Home.
"(The local businesses) are absolutely adding to the kindness movement, making this all possible," Howlett said. "Many of them are excited to present and to help us celebrate 45 honorees that we'll have tomorrow evening. It really is very heartwarming and I hope that there will continue to be a ripple effect from this for months and months to come, and we look forward to next year."
The event will also feature entertainment such as balloon art, live music by Jason Riley, craft stations and more.
While the event itself is sold out, there will be a book reading and signing by Julia Cook, author of "Will You be the I in Kind." Guests can visit Cook, free of charge, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the East Hills Library before the KINDNESS event.
