Project for Paris

This past Friday, November 13^th, was World Kindness Day but as we all know kindness wasn’t what was felt across the world that day unfortunately. My husband and myself jumped across the pond from the UK to visit some friends and play around in Ireland that Friday. A typical Friday on holiday started with touring Dublin and ending at an Irish Pub with food, whiskey and some incredible live music. We turned in slightly early after a long day preparing for the next at the hotel and turned on the BBC. Quite reminiscent of standing in a dry cleaners on September 11, 2001 watching events as the occurred on the television behind the attendant, it was the same sort of realization that this is going to be bad. Really bad. We too had just gone to a concert just days prior and had friends that flew into Paris for this same concert on Saturday which was canceled due to the events the day prior in the city. Doing the same thing we were doing – going to dinner, having drinks with friends, attending concert halls, all of it. Even though we were not in Paris that night like many of our friends, it still felt a bit too close to home and broke our hearts for the victims’ families. We are fortunate that our children are young and as long as we keep the television off no questions are asked and therefore nothing needs to be explained. However we do have many friends whose children are old enough to understand this harsh reality of the world in which we live or are affected by these attacks in some way and warrant a discussion. Whether your children fall into one of these categories or rather you simply feel compelled to do something in the wake of all this senselessness, ISP is offering up an additional project this month for those interested. ISP would like to piggyback on an idea from the Joy Maker Challenge based out of New York and participate in the Caring Cards project. If you are interested in joining GenerationOn and ISP read on….. What: Cards for children in France Issue Area: Peace and Kindness At ISP we feel it is important – if not vital- for children to turn caring and empathy into compassionate acts. An easy way to do this is to show to those that are experiencing hardships or difficult times that other children are thinking of them and care. Supplies Needed:

1. Paper
2. Envelope
3. Postage for France
4. Pen/markers/crayons

How to do this challenge:

1. Take a regular 8.5 x 11 , fold and make a card
2. Decorate the card with markers, crayons, tissue paper, construction paper, anything bright and cheery
3. On the inside of the card write caring, kind messages. You could say, “From a kid that cares”, or “We are thinking of you”. Please refrain from statements such as, “I’m sorry something bad happened to you”. Keep the cards uplifting and generic.
4. Place proper postage on the envelope for Paris
5. Mail to:

Tout Benev c/o Sylvie Savcic/Caring Cards 62 rue de Rochechouart Paris 75009 France

*Idea and project text from GenerationOn.