The Cinnaminson Library will invite the community to participate in its first World Kindness Day today, Nov. 13. The all-day event will bring awareness to the national holiday and remind people it doesn’t take much to be kind.
According to Children’s Librarian Kristie Winks, World Kindness Day is a growing movement the library decided to initiate in order to unite residents of all ages. While people may be caught up within their own lives, the holiday provides a reminder that a simple act of kindness can go a long way.
“We specifically chose World Kindness Day because we were looking for an all-inclusive event,” said Winks. “On World Kindness Day, we are going to have something that all age groups can be a part of. This event is something uniting and community centered.
“The world could use some more kindness,” she added, “so we figured it would be a win.”
While the library has events catering to both adults and children, it is rare for the two groups to intertwine. For example, while the summer reading program encourages reading to all, it is often directed to youth. The same could be said for adult programs such as the library’s book clubs. World Kindness Day brings both groups together through various crafts.
Some of the crafts that will be at the library for the event will have children create “be kind bees” and participate in an activity called sidewalk chalk. Teens will create positive message hanging coasters and adults will create bookmarks full of kind words. In preparation for the event, students from the Westfield Friends School have helped create kind messages that will be tucked inside books for readers to find.
“We at the library tend to work together as a team in the background,” said Winks. “This is something we all sat down and thought really hard about and pulled it all together. This was something the staff could unite on as well.
“I think people are very busy and that leads to stress,” Winks continued. “Sometimes we forget to be kind and this day and event is a gentle reminder. A day to celebrate kind behavior is also a positive reinforcement of being a good person.”
Outside of World Kindness Day, the library will also present month-long book sessions to remind children about kindness. The book section will feature several children’s books based on kindness as well as a poster showing 100 acts of kindness that are not monetary, but simply small gestures and random acts of kindness.
“I think it’s important to know that kindness doesn’t have to be monetary,” Winks stated. “There are simple things that each age group can do. People can just give their time and their talent. The gift of your time is precious.
“Also, I don’t think that kindness is finite,” she continued. “Kindness is one of those things that the more you share it, the more that there is. You won’t lose anything from giving it, you can only gain from it. Its inexhaustible.
“When someone does an act of kindness for me I love it. It brightens my day that someone thought of me. Even if it’s as small as a high five.”
